Off to get a new motor tomorrow

[BDZ]

After ages spent reading every single car forum and Autotrader ad in the known world I'm off to pick up a new motor tomorrow. Criteria were:

Budget of £3k
Needs to be able to accommodate small family and associated gear
Reliable - absolutely my most important consideration
Used for daily commute but needs to be comfy and capable of monthly 300+ mile motorway journeys
Decent size boot
As low mileage possible

Am going to look at:

02 plate 2.0 Passat SE 130
53 plate Mitsubishi Galant 2.4 GSI
53 plate Skoda Superb 1.8T

Was going to look at an A6 until I read the multitronic thread in the Audi forums

Anyone have any words of wisdom on the above? Have read up as much as I can but they all seem as safe a bet as any other car.

[BDZ]

tomwoodis said:

Is that the diesel passat?

No 2 litre petrol. I'd prefer a 1.9TDi but those that are around are either too high mileage, patchy/no service history etc. There are some out there but not any within my price range/travel distance. There'll probably be one along next week knowing my luck but already been 5 days without a car and can't afford to go another week without one!

[BDZ]

davidjpowell said:

You are missing a Saab 9-5?! Fits your criteria very well.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2414042.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2405080.htm

I did look at a few 9-3s and 9-5s but my trusted local mechanic (I usually buy my cars off him) has warned me off them and he's usually right. I know about the bulkhead/oil gunk issues on the 9-3 but there weren't any near to me that weren't sheds or that didn't have spaceship mileage.

[BDZ]

geeteeaye said:

The Skoda would definitely be my choice from those, the Galant while a nice car will be more expensive in the long run: reasonably rare car = pricier parts & less resale value.

True, the Galant was a bit of an outside bet but I am a big Mitsubishi fan. There aren't many Galants around but they're a bit of a leftfield choice with very good spec for relatively little money. Mitsubishis just don't seem to sell very well in the UK. They're a bit quirky but have found them to be utterly reliable in my experience. We've had a P reg Mitsubishi Colt GLX for the last 4 years as a runaround for my wife and in all that time the only bit of non-service work needed on it was a new radiator when a freak stone chip damaged it and rust set in. Parts are pricier for sure but needed far less often, certainly compared to some allegedly "solid" German motors I've owned in the past!

[BDZ]

Went for the Skoda Superb in the end. Lovely to drive on the motorway, like sailing along on the sofa with no effort at all. The dealer selling the Passat wouldn't even get the car out of the corner of the showroom ("you only said you wanted to look, I didn't realise you wanted to drive it"), unbelievably poor service.

Had a go on a 1.6 Mitsubishi Lancer as well. Great round town but didn't do the job on the motorway but would make a great runaround though. 55 plate, one lady owner, 30k miles, full service history with all receipts and 42mpg combined all for £2750. Bit bland but excellent value runaround, just fell a bit short on the motorway.

Superb really does appear to be an appropriate name for the Skoda though.