Advice needed on next car purchase

[elanworb2011]

Hi all,

My lease deal is coming to an end in February 2017 and the GFV is a couple of grand higher than the current valuation - hence I've decided to give it back.
I've started my search for a new vehicle early in anticipation of making a quick move should a vehicle that meets my need come onto the market.

It needs to meet the following requirements;
Commute: Be comfortable with a 60 mile daily commute through a mixture of city driving and 70mph dual carriageways.
I cover between 11k and 12k mile a year.
Economy: Cost me less than £120 per month in fuel.
Reliability: As I'll be funding the purchase through a personal loan (due to no equity in my lease vehicle) it needs to be able to last 5 years, and preferably have some resale value at the end of this.
Space: It needs to be able to fit three children on the rear seats, one in a child seat, one on a booster seat and the other without either.
Optional extras: Ideally we would want heated seats and cruise control.

I have been initially looking at 2012 onwards 318D and 320D BMWs which have circa 65k miles on, these have been the M Sport variety's and have been extremely comfortable.

My wife is now getting upset as I started looking again this morning at other makes of car, such as Volvo, and the ultimate sin of looking at Renaults and Citroens (we've had major problems with both in the past).
I think what made me start looking elsewhere was I read yesterday that DPFs need to be changed (£3000+) or cleaned (£300+) at around the 80k mark.

Any advice on any of these points would be appreciated as it seems to be one step forwards and two steps back at the moment.

Paul

[ZX10R NIN]

Hi Paul I'm assuming your budget is around the 10k mark, the DPF life is pretty much dependent on how it's been used before you bought it, mainly motorway & it'll have plenty of life in it/lots of town use will shorten it's life.

The Renaults are a lot more reliable so well worth a look, also worth a look is the Ford Mondeo in Titanium X form will be well specced as well as being a good steer.
The Mazda 6 is another good well specced car with low miles.

2012 Mondeo Titanium X Sport Auto 40k 200bhp £210 tax £123 per month Bi Xenons Heated/Air Cooled Seats DAB etc)
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2012 Mazda 6 Sport 37k 180bhp £130 Tax £105 per month on fuel (Xenons Cruise Bose Heated Seats Leather etc)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Less nice but newer.

2015 Insignia Elite 36k £30.00 Road Tax £86.00 per month fuel (fully Loaded) not the best drive but a okay car.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

French Options:

2011 Peugeot 508 GT 37k 200bhp £145 Tax £109 per month fuel (Nav Leather Heated Seats Xenons etc)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2013 Megane GT Estate 36k 165bhp £145 Tax £108 per month fuel (Xenons Panoramic Roof Navigation etc)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[rsbmw]

In the interests of pedantry (this is PH after all), that's not a lease you have, it's a PCP (loan/finance product).

Worth considering the Passat given your criteria. I ran one as a company car for 3 years/60k and it was a really nice car, if a little bland. Great family cruiser.

ETA - wrong link - http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Emeye]

This is the challenge - Space: It needs to be able to fit three children on the rear seats, one in a child seat, one on a booster seat and the other without either.

I can not see that working in a BMW three series - I have three kids - 13, 6 and 2, and even in my new Passat Alltrack it is a squeeze across the back seat with the configuration you describe, so make sure you take your kids and seats and test any car before you buy it. Remember the law is changing so that the booster seat has to be a high back one.

[ZX10R NIN]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I thought they'd sorted this on the later cars.

[ZX10R NIN]

The Mondeo should have room for all three (obviously depending on the child seat) children whilst being reliable & being lower mileage thus leaving you potentially selling it on before any DPF/Turbo issues.

[ZX10R NIN]

cheers for the heads up.