The most boring recommend me a car thread

[raymanh]

Big economical estate for £1k. Criteria, in order of importance:

1. Rear seats fold flat, and big enough to sleep in (for camping or if/when the missus kicks me out). Can any cars fit a double mattress?
2. Post 2000.
3. Economy. Don't mind what fuel type, even LPG conversions.
4. Reliability
5. RWD. Don't really care about this but it would be nice.

My ideas at the moment:

C5 Avant - Vary large boot, VAG 1.9 TDI claimed as best engine ever made by some, others say it's drab as
V70 D5 - 163hp engine (pre 2005?) for better economy, although it seems people generally overestimate mpg. Real world is more 40ish
E39 5xxd - Issues with swirl flaps?
W210 TD - rust rust rust rust, but big boot.

[lostkiwi]

I bought a 2001 W210 E240 Petrol estate for £600. I've had to change a crank sensor (£50) and rear tailgate gas strut (£25/pr) and thats all in the past 10k miles.
Yes it has a small amount of rust on the wings but its only cosmetic. The e240 does 28-30mpg on my daily 40 mile cross county commute.

[raymanh]

30 mpg is decent for an auto of that size. Was that from brim to brim calcs? I'm really looking for 40+ mpg however which I assume will rule out any petrols of the age which I'd get for 1k.

[lee_erm]

I'd go with a Mondeo Estate, they're quite handsome in ST trim too:



ST Diesels can be had cheap now.

[Mammasaid]

B5.5 Passat Estate 1.9TDI, bulletproof, if you can find a good one (yes, they have known issues, but nithong that can kill them if looked after)

Perhaps like this?

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

[lostkiwi]

raymanh said:

30 mpg is decent for an auto of that size. Was that from brim to brim calcs? I'm really looking for 40+ mpg however which I assume will rule out any petrols of the age which I'd get for 1k.

Yep brim to brim. Motorway runs it gets to 33-35mpg depending on speed.

[Shakermaker]

Late model Omega with the 6cyl diesel or the dull 2.2 diesel? Or sod the economy and get a V6 model.

Can get a double inflatable mattress most of the way inflated in one of those and I've slept stretched out in one, I'm a true PHer at 6'5"

It is RWD

[Chicken Chaser]

lee_erm said:

I'd go with a Mondeo Estate, they're quite handsome in ST trim too:



ST Diesels can be had cheap now.

After seeing that smart example, a quick ebay check shows that the best ones are still changing hands for £5k!


How about an Accord estate?

[andyalan10]

Budget of a grand, capacious and economical must include Peugeot 406/Citroen C5 in there.

I have the feeling 406s are much more dependable than 407s. When I looked a couple of months ago most of the ones advertised were around 150-200000 miles, but many seemed to still be quite tidy.

Andy

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say go for a petrol because it'll be N/A so less likely to cost you as well as being reliable.

2000 Omega Estate 2.2i 105k

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

2006 Vectra Elite 2.2i 100k

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

2005 Signum Exclusiv 2.2i 93k

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

Or what about an MPV where all the seats fold flat:

2005 Mazda 5 Sport 2.0 120k

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

2003 Nissan Primera 2.0 87k

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

2005 Laguna Privilege 2.0 80k

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