Looking for new ride comments welcome

[Scotttk]

Hi all, It's that time when I am going to get my self a new ride and I'm having some problem working out what to do.

I need a car that I will do 20k a year in, I need to buy and run the car myself, I wil get .28ppm for work miles.

If money was no object then m5 would be the choice. ( I can't afford it)
If money was the be all and end all then Afla Mito 1.4 diesel would be the choice. (I don't fancy driving it on the motorway for 200 miles at a time)

I need to find a happy medium.

I am coming from a 2002 BMW E46 330ci which I found put a smile on my face many a time, and during my 4 years of owning did not cost me much apart from the cost at the pump and the general cost for tyres and brakes, the car only let me down once when the alternater packed in, I did accept that with a 12 year old car. I can get 40mpg on motorway runs and low 30's about town, lets not go into summer country road driving where the car really comes alive.

I would like to get better mpg but keep the fun in driving.
Cars I have been looking into
Alfa 159 ti - Best looking car on the road (imho) - would have to be a diesel.
Another Bmw - Does it really matter what one as they all look the same (bland & boring) would have to be a 3 or 5 with a straight 6 or v8 and convert it to lpg - keep the power with beter running costs? (also still rear wheel drive)
Saab - Always wanted a saab but think the same as bmw now all look the same, would have to be 2.8 turbo converted to lpg to have the fun factor! (think a non turbo car might be better on lpg?)

Please comment on the above or give some other option - something to do a lot of miles in, good running costs and got the happy factory when needed.

p.s needs to have 5 seats.

Thanks for any feedback.

Scott

[TwyRob]

The Saab would be a good choice IMO (as a Saab owner). The 9-5 changed dramatically in around 2010, they are Insignia based I think. Quite hard to find a petrol version and they are pretty thin on the ground anyway as Saab went bust shortly after they were released. They were only doing the 9-5 and 9-3, while they had a family face of sorts they are certainly not identikit type cars.

If it were me, I would try out all the options and carefully read any work rules about the max age of the car. Then I would buy a Saab, either the newer shape 9-5 or one of the last of the previous shape with the Dame Edna Everidge style chrome headlight trims. If buying one of those I would stick with a 4cyl 2.3l car, an Aero probably, as I hear that the 4cyl engine is more reliable than the 6cyl.