Sensible(ish) "limo" as a daily driver

[ZesPak]

So, the 159 is clocking up miles fast. It probably has to go within the next two years .

I love the car, it looks superb inside and out, has great road manners and a ton of power in the 2.4JTDm.

That said, at the time I bought it it was our only transport. Now we have a SLK that makes great progress and is perfect for some roof-down motoring, and if I really want to push on I just take the bike that reaches about Warp 5.3 in approx 7 seconds.

So, if the replacement for the 159 comes I'd love to replace it with something big, very comfortable 4-up.
I also like the cars that aren't owned by everyone and his gardener, so that rules out the regular E-class sized germans.

In the end, I ended up with a short list and some pro's and cons, mind you that the car I'll buy will be a couple of years old and have up to 60k miles on it. Budget would be, say around 15k, might stretch a bit for something I really love:

Jaguar XF
Pro:

• Looks great inside & out
• It's a Jaaaguaarr
• OH loves them
• Reasonably sensible
• Great engine choice

Cons:

• Quite strong residuals so not the cheapest
• Lots of them around
• Probably the least practical/smallest on the list
• RWD so not great for winter vacations (yes, I've had BMW's, Mercs and they are not great for that, tyvm)

Citroën C6
Pro:

• Can't get more left-field
• Lots of car for the money
• Sublime ride
• Love the looks

Cons:

• OH thinks they're ugly
• Reliability?
• Big bills? Part availability?
• Not the most economic engines, nor the greatest

VW Phaeton
Pro:

• Very rare in these parts
• Possibly/probably the most car you can get for your money today. Period.
• Looks very inconspicuous to the untrained eye

Con:

• Huge bills?
• OH thinks it looks just like a passat, and she doesn't like the look of the passat
• Big engines mean bad mpg, high tax band and high insurance

Skoda Superb
Pro:

• On this list so that I can at least say I pitted in something sensible
• Would do everything I want, ticks all the boxes
• Most reliable on the list, best on fuel, extremely practical and big, great vfm

Con:

• Not the greatest looker
• Head over heart decision
• Next up: an MPV

So, that's the list, tell me what you think, maybe some suggestions. Esp on how the Citroën/Phaeton would be to live with on a day-to-day basis. I put about 40k/y combined on my vehicles, this car will take up about half of that.

[Downton Mini]

What about an A8?

[ZesPak]

Downton Mini said:

What about an A8?

Sorry, I wouldn't dream about picking one over the Phaeton, having being ridden in both the A8 doesn't come close and similar examples cost about twice what the Phaeton costs, for no apparent reason.

Examples in my price range would be far outshined by any of the cars I've listed at a similar price. So, in short, terrible VFM in this list.

[AC43]

Of that lot the XF does it for me.

A mate of mine has one (a 2.7d?) and it's a gorgeous-looking thing. I've sat in it and to me the interior is very special.

I don't claim to have much knowledge of diesels but the roadtests at the time of the launch raved about the 2.7. Seems to be one the diesels that's closer to a petrol for refinement than most

Having said that I thing the C6 is also a real looker, both inside and out. Supposed to ride well. Not sure about the oily bits.

Phaeton has a left field appeal but I'm not so sure.

The Superb, in my eyes, looks over-bodied for the wheels/track/wheelbase. A lot of car, but ungainly.

Edited by AC43 on Thursday 16th August 08:06

[hurstg01]

Give it a few years and you could try the Mehback

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[ZesPak]

hurstg01 said:

Give it a few years and you could try the Mehback

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Read the article. Would probably take more than a couple of years probably. And isn't it spelled "Maybach"? :P. Wouldn't be able to bare having to "chauffeur" people around in that, all dressed up .

[300bhp/ton]

ZesPak said:

So, the 159 is clocking up miles fast. It probably has to go within the next two years .

Are your looking at changing in 2 years time?

[ZesPak]

300bhp/ton said:

Are your looking at changing in 2 years time?

Well, depends on how fast the miles come up and how it behaves.

I'll probably run it 'till it drops, as it really is and has been a great car. But yes, in 2 years my company (self-employed) will probably get rid of it for something else.

[SLCZ3]

[quote=ZesPak]
having being ridden in both
[quote]

Really!!! tell us more!!!

[LuS1fer]

I have so often been tempted by a Phaeton but think a Bentley Arnage would do it for me....not really sensible though. I might be tempted by an older 7 series.

[telecat]

If it's the "New" Superb I'd check there is enough room in the back. They are very long but I found it cramped width wise.

[SuperHangOn]

LS

[Hugo a Gogo]

are you in Euro land?

unless the missus thinks it's too ugly (which she will) the outgoing Lancia Thesis
https://www.google.de/search?q=lancia+thesis&a...
I think they're great/mad/striking/ugly in a good way looking, but I do own a Multipla

[ZesPak]

Hugo a Gogo said:

are you in Euro land?

unless the missus thinks it's too ugly (which she will) the outgoing Lancia Thesis
https://www.google.de/search?q=lancia+thesis&a...
I think they're great/mad/striking/ugly in a good way looking, but I do own a Multipla

I think they look great from the back, somewhat "Bentley" like even. But no way in hell I could live with that front .

SuperHangOn said:

LS

Oh, I like that! Tell me more.

[V8Triumph]

An XF is not a "limo", neither is anything else you mention, certainly not a Skoda

[Hugo a Gogo]

V8Triumph said:

An XF is not a "limo", neither is anything else you mention, certainly not a Skoda

i believe zes pak is of the dutch persuasion, and like the Jerries, they call a saloon 'a limousine'

[Adrian E]

IMHO

Jaguar XF - lovely but lacking rear legroom and it's already an old platform, on the upside values should plummet in next 2 years.

Citroën C6 - awesome cars, but very rare and like anything else made by the French they forget to keep making the parts if it doesn't sell well so expect a minor knock to the body to result in a write off, especially as it'll be worth buttons for years to come....

VW Phaeton - awesome cars, but oh so dull to look at. Not sure what engine options there are between the V6 and V10? If nothing then I think I'd give it a miss as either not living up to its potential or being a massive engine bill waiting to happen!

Skoda Superb - erm, OK. Yes they're well built in a Germanic way and would suit your needs, but I'll assume this is your 'very sensible' choice that'll never get any further up the pecking order lol it does have the biggest boot by a country mile.

Really struggling to think of anything else left-field. My money would be in an A8 too.....

[Steve_W]

OP, what do you mean by "limo" - are you talking of a car that can take 4 adults, plus kit, on long Euro cruises? - Ah, just seen Hugo's post!

As an aside to those more knowledgeable than me (hah - long list!) is the Skoda Superb still built on the A6 platform?

[ZesPak]

Hugo a Gogo said:

V8Triumph said:

An XF is not a "limo", neither is anything else you mention, certainly not a Skoda

i believe zes pak is of the dutch persuasion, and like the Jerries, they call a saloon 'a limousine'

A limo could refer to a "stretch", but not always. A big comfortable car is often referred to as a "limo" over here.
Oh and in our book, the skoda is much more a limo than the XF. Just because the price tag isn't there, the rear leg room (for one) is.

[ZesPak]

Steve_W said:

OP, what do you mean by "limo" - are you talking of a car that can take 4 adults, plus kit, on long Euro cruises?

As an aside to those more knowledgeable than me (hah - long list!) is the Skoda Superb still built on the A6 platform?

Iirc they're all built on a stretched passat platform that is built on a stretched golf platform.

But I could be wrong. Sat in the back of a Superb at the motorshow a couple of years ago, and it was deffo bigger/more rear leg room than my friend's last model A6.