24k Commute 90% Motorway

[pimpchez]

Firstly i must say i am tight and firmly in the old skool camp when it comes to debt , although the daily is on finance.

Been offered a job , that may or not go through (legalities).I currently contract there anyway and do the journey 4 days a week and pick up 45p/mile from my employer

So the journey covers M5,M42,M40 and currently do it in a 2010 brave 2l multi jet. When i did once do 5 days it cost £85 of fuel with a bit left over for weekend personal mileage. Why get rid of the bravo as its low mileage 61k and reliable , well im very tall and wide and shouldn't have bought it in first place as it was a rush purchase and i needed something cheap to run and reliable at the time.

Criteria:

Must not be slower than the bravo this is PH
Fuel cost <100£ a week
One tank = 1 week , i cba fueling up
Leg room is a must think golf r32 levels
Leg room in rear for car seat and a tall toddler
Must have xenons/bluetooh/usb and a decent auto box
=>41 mpg over 1000s of miles with a 43mph avg speed

Budget is scaleable , 15k loan is affordable with the salary i asked for.

Can a 2013 octavia VRS or a 2014 s60 D4 r design be beaten?

[ZX10R NIN]

The Mondeo is the best shout, it's a better steer than the Octavia but there are a lot of good cars out there that fit the bill.

2013 2.2 Mondeo Titanium X Sport 21k FSH 200bhp 43.5 Average mpg

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

2014 version of the above

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

2014 163bhp 2.0 version of the above 11k FSH 50.4 average mpg

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

2015 (new shape) 2.0 Titanium 180bhp 16k FSH 62.8 Average mpg

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

A leftfield but worthy option is the Kia Optima it'll be quick enough also be loaded with more kit (heated rear seats etc) than you could need, also you'll have a healthy balance manufacturer's warranty left to & when doing 24k a year that could swing the (you'd have about 4 years worth with your annual mileage) balance.
My brother has one as his daily & it's a good (not as sweet as steer as his previous Mondeo but good) comfortable car very good on the motorway they're not as fuel efficient as some but they make up for it in other ways.

2014 Kia Optima 3 1200 miles FSH 47.1 average mpg

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

2014 10K (well under budget)

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

More common options:


2013 C250 Sport 26k FSH 205bhp 56.5 average mpg

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

2013 C220 Sport 19k FMBSH 170bhp 56.5 average mpg

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

2013 320d Luxury 28k 185bhp 61.4 Average mpg

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

2014 508 2.2 GT 205bhp 20k FSH (well under budget) 49.6 average mpg

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

2015 508 2.0 GT 180bhp 18k FSH 67.3 Average mpg

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

2014 Octavia VR-S 24k FSH 56.5 Average mpg

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

From the above I'd seriously consider the Kia (I'd normally say Mondeo but it's hard to look past the Kia especially when self financing) then the Mondeo & Mercedes

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Sunday 19th February 01:52

[IanCormac]

I'd have the Volvo. They're very comfortable. The seats are like armchairs.

[Crusoe]

F30 320ed with 8 speed auto and 16in wheels. I get 68mpg on my 40k commute and 800 miles between fill ups. F10 520d gets mid 50s but more refined.

[Trabi601]

Forget dirty diesels... Toyota Prius.

Top spec. T-Spirit with 2 year warranty from a Toyota dealer and barely run in.

No DPF, EGR to worry about. Brake life is immense due to regenerative braking, and it really will never go wrong.

http://usedcars.toyota.co.uk/en/used-toyota/Toyota...

They're incredibly comfortable, near silent on a motorway cruise and packed with toys.

[pimpchez]

DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.

OK its 104 miles round and takes 50mins in the morning and 70mins in the evening without any accidents. I doubt id be able to work from home all the time but now and again i think would work. Just to add 3.30 finish so on the motorway for 3.45 and i am home by 5 easily , plenty of time to put mini me to bed.

As i explained i am already doing the journey and have been since october, until this project finishes shortly. Then hopefully i can move across to the client.
Considered moving but house prices are silly and i just wouldn't want to commit to such a large mortgage and take the mrs out of her circle.....

Edited by pimpchez on Saturday 18th February 21:48

[pimpchez]

Crusoe said:

F30 320ed with 8 speed auto and 16in wheels. I get 68mpg on my 40k commute and 800 miles between fill ups. F10 520d gets mid 50s but more refined.

Even though this is the real world answer , i am PH so 16" alloys wont cut it. M sport with xenons and half decent spec is 20k

[pimpchez]

Great revival , legalities worked out. Job offer compensation didnt work. However i am starting in the same company (different department) in the next few weeks on a short contract which will lead to longer ones.

Anyway , due to this contract work PCP wont work.

So i have narrowed it down to something i will enjoy with around 100k on the clock with xenons.

1. mk6 golf gti 8500 , no xenons but can be retrofitted
2. e92 330d m sport 6000

I have driven a mk6 gti over the summer and loved it , especially the leg room. I haven't driven a e92 but i have a 2014 330d which again i loved the package.

Does anybody have any experience of either at that mileage.

[John Laverick]

pimpchez said:

Great revival , legalities worked out. Job offer compensation didnt work. However i am starting in the same company (different department) in the next few weeks on a short contract which will lead to longer ones.

Anyway , due to this contract work PCP wont work.

So i have narrowed it down to something i will enjoy with around 100k on the clock with xenons.

1. mk6 golf gti 8500 , no xenons but can be retrofitted
2. e92 330d m sport 6000

I have driven a mk6 gti over the summer and loved it , especially the leg room. I haven't driven a e92 but i have a 2014 330d which again i loved the package.

Does anybody have any experience of either at that mileage.

I have an E91 Touring 330d Sat on my drive with 125k miles on the clock. Its an effortless cruiser, returns 48ish mpg on a run and feels bullet proof. Good choice in my book.

[cerb4.5lee]

Sold a E90 330d a few years back with over 150k miles on it and it still drove lovely, did 41k miles in it from one Mot to the next and it was a great motor to munch miles in, they go on well if looked after, I believe it's still going strong now with nearly 200k miles on it.

[PTF]

I'd echo the above.

Had an E91 325d auto for a year. It really did munch the miles nicely. Lovely long gearing - it doesn't slot into top gear until about 60mph. I used to see 47 on the trip taking it steady, but it was always about 10% optimistic once i'd calculated it myself.

[ZX10R NIN]

The 330d is a good choice the Golf will be more fun & if you grabbed a Megane RS250 you'd get the Xenons similar economy & a better steer.

An alternative is one of these:

No Xenons but an easy retrofit
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Xenons
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

RS250 Lux

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Lux with the Cup Chassis

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Cup

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[pimpchez]

The mercs are nice but not child seat friendly.

Even a 3 door golf is roomy enough for me to get around that issue. I wouldn't touch a renault again.