What estate? Up to £2.5k

[haddock82]

So i've got a hankering for a comfy estate!

Current daily (Audi TT 225 Quattro) is fine and reasonably comfortable, returns 29mpg on my 20 mile commute but it's not quite the car i hoped it'd be. Its fairly quick, handles ok but I just haven't really fallen in love with it. Possibly something to do with the £1k in bills when i bought it and still other jobs to sort...

So with the prospect of a little bit of cash on the way next month i'm thinking i might go for something bargy and comfy

Requirements:
Estate (space for tip runs and to chuck the dog in the back (he's a big old Lab))
Diesel
Capable of high miles (i maintain my cars meticulously, servicing etc)
Comfy

Ideally i want to keep this one for at least 2-3 years so need to make the right decision

So far on the list:

Saab 9-3 or 9-5
Mercedes C220
BMW 320d
Citroen C5
VW Passat (is the 1.9 or 2.0 better?)
Pug 407 (again 1.6 or 2.0?)
Vauxhall Vectra
Ovlov V50/V40


Anyone have good experience of these?

Also any further suggestions? Avensis? Even some X-Trails now coming into budget

[Ahbefive]

Volvo v70
Subaru Legacy

[JB8]

V70 D5 is a good shout. Very comfy, spacious, not bad to drive at all, plenty of kit. The engine is great, enough power and torque, and returns reasonable economy.

Mine is averaging 37mpg (calculated) at the moment over a short urban commute (12 miles each way). Which ain't bad for a heavy automatic in winter. On a run 45mpg is easily achievable.

The 04/05 facelift model with the 163bhp euro III engine seems to be the sweet spot.

[haddock82]

V70 is a good shout, i'll have a look at those

Legacy is still a bit too expensive in diesel form

[Deerfoot]

Accord is worth a look also.

[loskie]

v50 is surprisingly small

Outback H6 LPG

[DSLiverpool]

I am 3 months into a H6 Outback and its a seriously good car, granted its a tip n bikes car but its way better than the XC70 I had last winter.

[haddock82]

My dad used to have a second gen Legacy estate many years ago (think it was 1998, brand new as a company car)

He loved it but wasnt keen on the MPG (it was 2.5 petrol i think)

Cracking car though and very comfortable, i have friend who still rolls around in his 1993 Legacy estate

The H6 variety looks great but in diesel form they are out of budget.

Will have to wait and see how much i can spend before looking at them

[ZX10R NIN]

2004 Mercedes C220 Avantgarde SE 110k FSH (these are pretty much bulletproof) 150bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2005 Mondeo 2.2 ST 100k SH 155bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2006 Titanium X 97k FSH 155bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2006 Accord Sport 140bhp

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

2009 Insignia Estate 109k FSH

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2004 Vauxhall Signum 63k 3.0cdti 175bhp

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

I'd go for the Mercedes with the Mondeo's being my second choice.

[haddock82]

ZX10R NIN said:

2004 Mercedes C220 Avantgarde SE 110k FSH (these are pretty much bulletproof) 150bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2005 Mondeo 2.2 ST 100k SH 155bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2006 Titanium X 97k FSH 155bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2006 Accord Sport 140bhp

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

2009 Insignia Estate 109k FSH

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2004 Vauxhall Signum 63k 3.0cdti 175bhp

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

I'd go for the Mercedes with the Mondeo's being my second choice.

Cheers!

I like the merc a lot. They are currently top of my list.

[sawman]

I'd also recommend something subaruey - as you say diesels will be over budget, but the petrols are great motors, incidentally when I got my 3.0r 3 years ago, it was much cheaper than the smaller petrol and diesel variants, probably because of the perceived lack of economy and high tax band. but the difference has paid for several year VED difference and the mpg isnt that much different, and the flat 6 motor is peachy

why diesel btw?

[loskie]

with the subaru h6 there is a point the h6 changes from 295 tax to 500 per year. 2004 perhaps but I am sure someone else will be more specific

[DSLiverpool]

loskie said:

with the subaru h6 there is a point the h6 changes from 295 tax to 500 per year. 2004 perhaps but I am sure someone else will be more specific

My 2006 is £500 but the cost price compensates

[haddock82]

Couple of the H6 on Autotrader indicate they are £500 tax too

I think the missus would go mad if i told her the road tax is £500, her Hyundai is £30. Wonder how long i'd get away with without telling her...!

Going for diesel based on fuel economy for a large vehicle, long drives to visit relatives and overseas holidays.

[sawman]

haddock82 said:

Couple of the H6 on Autotrader indicate they are £500 tax too

I think the missus would go mad if i told her the road tax is £500, her Hyundai is £30. Wonder how long i'd get away with without telling her...!

Going for diesel based on fuel economy for a large vehicle, long drives to visit relatives and overseas holidays.

I know what you mean about the tax, its a kick in the wallet, but then again you are not going to get £30 tax in an older large estate. I was surprised to see that the published overall mpg for the merc linked above was 39mpg - thats only 10 mpg different to the subaru 3.0 (so approx £500 over 10000 miles)

As an aside, I ran a merc W203 for a while it was a 2.0 kompressor and it managed almost 40mpg on steady runs. (I have also had W201 and W202s and the auto boxes in all these have been awesome - much,much better than the subaru)

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say the Mercedes C Class will do what you're looking for in 270 form (if you can find one) you'll see mid to high 40's on a run & 30's around town they also don't have a DPF so that's one less thing to worry about, parts are reasonable & the 270 responds well to a remap.

I would say get the gearbox filter & fluids changed as it makes a nice difference to how it drives, the same applies to the 220 to.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-Mercedes-Benz-C-Cla...

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