Does this car exist?
Author
Discussion

TheBALDpuma

Original Poster:

5,941 posts

198 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
I'm considering changing my car as 22mpg is starting to drag a little. However I'm not sure a replacement with my requirements exists. I want:

An estate with equivalent boot space to a mk3 mondeo
cheap ish parts
Sensible reliability so nothing too old either (I.e. 10 years max really)
<£2500 purchase price
either quick or quirky
Real world avg mpg 35 for a petrol or 40 foot a diesel.

Mine does all except the economy so any replacement must tick every box.


Jasandjules

72,622 posts

259 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
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Passat estate, 140 Tdi.

trashbat

6,313 posts

183 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
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Late model diesel Alfa 156 SW, 1.9 or 2.4?

In terms of your list, hardest bits are it's a little small, and eats suspension parts.

adsvx220

705 posts

213 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
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Mondeo??

GeordieInExile

733 posts

150 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
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Octavia estate. 2.0 turbodiesel is the same as the one used in the Passat.

ikarl

4,062 posts

229 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
Saab something

delboy735

1,656 posts

232 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
Peugeot 407....with panoramic roof ??

TheBALDpuma

Original Poster:

5,941 posts

198 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
The passat and the octavia as a 140tdi don't tick the quick or quirky box, and I couldn't get a cheap alfa as I have had family with woeful experiences and I wouldn't want the risk of poor reliabilty.

As for the mondeo, that's what I currently have (st220 estate)

TheBALDpuma

Original Poster:

5,941 posts

198 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
ikarl said:
Saab something
Which would fit my needs?

Incidently I saw a very new 9-5 estate 4 x 4 allroad thing today. Most be rare! That would be perfect if it was in budget which of course it won't be.

TheBALDpuma

Original Poster:

5,941 posts

198 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
delboy735 said:
Peugeot 407....with panoramic roof ??
I'm not sure a panoramic roof makes that interesting enough!

trashbat

6,313 posts

183 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
TheBALDpuma said:
I couldn't get a cheap alfa as I have had family with woeful experiences and I wouldn't want the risk of poor reliabilty.
Your loss, IMO.

The 1.9 is in everything out there, Saabs and Vauxhalls, and the 2.4 is pretty bulletproof. The car is pre-CANBUS so there's no complicated electronics. It was properly galvanised so there's no rust. The only real weak point is the cheese suspension.

skeeterm5

4,592 posts

218 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
Jaguar x type estate 2.0. A very good looking car imho and so much better than the frumpy saloon.

S

Jasandjules

72,622 posts

259 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
TheBALDpuma said:
The passat and the octavia as a 140tdi don't tick the quick or quirky box
I don't think you'd get a 170bhp Passat for that kind of money, but they will get 40mpg plus average and 0-60 in about 9 seconds I think.

ferrariF50lover

1,834 posts

256 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
Everyone knows someone who has had a bad experience with something. To write off every car Alfa ever made (all 20,000,000 or whatever) on the basis of one failure is daft. For every one made of cheese, there are 50,000 which work perfectly.

I had a DSG equipped, 150,000 mile A3 recently. Believe the hype and the 'box should have lunched itself at least twice a day. But it didn't, because that doesn't really happen, except in a few freak examples, most of which are bksed because they were badly treated rather than being badly made.

Just buy the damn Alfa, you massive, massive wimp!

Simon.

kambites

71,562 posts

251 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
X-type, maybe?

TheBALDpuma

Original Poster:

5,941 posts

198 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
I'm pretty sure an x type would not make the fuel economy. Neither is it quick or quirky.

Even the 170 passat wouldn't be quick enough to make up for its dullness!

As for the alfa I'm just not prepared to take the risk. If the budget allowed I'd consider a newer alfa. In my situation I'd rather take the known cost of my current poor mpg over the risk of a unreliable alfa. That fair?

kambites

71,562 posts

251 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
TheBALDpuma said:
I'm pretty sure an x type would not make the fuel economy. Neither is it quick or quirky.
I think it's about as quirky as estates get, which is to say not very. I'd imagine the diesel would do 40mpg, although I have no experience of it.

I'd probably buy an Alfa though, in that situation. smile

Matt Clay

105 posts

149 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
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Accord Tourer? Would be the 2 Litre Petrol though, so only the quickness is not met.

Gafferjim

1,337 posts

295 months

Saturday 8th November 2014
quotequote all
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...

45 - 50+ mpg. loads of space, all comforts, exceptional reliability. I have the saloon, i've had it now nearly 10 years, and it's been the best car that I've ever had.

there are a few with lower mileage, but will cost a bit more.

nadger

1,413 posts

170 months