Long distance commute - V40 D2?
Discussion
My job has recently changed and I will soon be doing a 120 mile round trip each day to work and back.
Thankfully this has tied in nicely with my lease car going back this month (phew!).
With the miles I will be doing leasing is no longer an option so I have a budget of around 11k to purchase something ideal for my commute.
I’m looking for less than 50k miles so there’s room for plenty of years of adding many more to it and obviously decent mpg.
I think having looked about the best value for money seems to be a Volvo V40 D2 which I also like the look of in R Design trim. For my budget I could get a 2014 car with 30-50k on the clock.
Having looked at everything from insignia’s to 3 series etc is there anything I may have completely missed? Does anybody have any experience with the Volvo doing long commutes and was it ideal?
Thankfully this has tied in nicely with my lease car going back this month (phew!).
With the miles I will be doing leasing is no longer an option so I have a budget of around 11k to purchase something ideal for my commute.
I’m looking for less than 50k miles so there’s room for plenty of years of adding many more to it and obviously decent mpg.
I think having looked about the best value for money seems to be a Volvo V40 D2 which I also like the look of in R Design trim. For my budget I could get a 2014 car with 30-50k on the clock.
Having looked at everything from insignia’s to 3 series etc is there anything I may have completely missed? Does anybody have any experience with the Volvo doing long commutes and was it ideal?
I'd want an auto for that kind of commute at which point I'd say go for this:
Kia C'eed 4 Tech Auto 4 Years/80k worth pf Manufacturers Warranty left
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Manual with the Panoramic Sunroof
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
3 doors then take a look at the Pro C'eed GT Line, you lose out on the heated leather seats but you get the more sporty looking bodykit as well as 6 years or 80ks worth of Manufacturers Warranty on it.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
The above is hard to beat they drive well & when you see how much kit they come with as well as the warranty which means you can pile on the miles with less worry about potential bills.
Volvo D2 R Design
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=price-...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Astra Elite these are really good VFM at the moment:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
I'd say for what you're looking for from the car the Kia is the best choice.
Kia C'eed 4 Tech Auto 4 Years/80k worth pf Manufacturers Warranty left
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Manual with the Panoramic Sunroof
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
3 doors then take a look at the Pro C'eed GT Line, you lose out on the heated leather seats but you get the more sporty looking bodykit as well as 6 years or 80ks worth of Manufacturers Warranty on it.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
The above is hard to beat they drive well & when you see how much kit they come with as well as the warranty which means you can pile on the miles with less worry about potential bills.
Volvo D2 R Design
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=price-...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Astra Elite these are really good VFM at the moment:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
I'd say for what you're looking for from the car the Kia is the best choice.
ZX10R NIN said:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Just for info, those two examples are petrols. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Although not a V40, I have a 2012 V50 D2 R-Design (bought on a heavy discount as V40 was launched), on which I've put just over 150K miles in 5 years, all maintenance has been just regular servicing, though at a local garage since the warranty expired, just had the big 150K belt service so hopefully it will do at least another 100K miles. It regularly averages 58-60mpg and the last set of tyres did 45K miles!.
Volvos are very good for piling the miles on, they are very comfortable, have decent aircon/climate control and good stereos, all ideal for the long commute. In my experience Swedish Cars (Saabs/Volvos) don't impress that much on a test drive, but after 10k or 20k miles, you find that nothing pi**es you off. They are nice understated cars with well thought out design.
I did test drive a V40 a couple of years ago, with the D2, and it was definitely a level of refinement up on my V50. So I would say based on my experience go for it.
Volvos are very good for piling the miles on, they are very comfortable, have decent aircon/climate control and good stereos, all ideal for the long commute. In my experience Swedish Cars (Saabs/Volvos) don't impress that much on a test drive, but after 10k or 20k miles, you find that nothing pi**es you off. They are nice understated cars with well thought out design.
I did test drive a V40 a couple of years ago, with the D2, and it was definitely a level of refinement up on my V50. So I would say based on my experience go for it.
I think the Auto vs Manual decision should be determined by exactly what route/traffic you're going to have to deal with.
Two hours to do 60 miles via a grinding motorway journey? Perhaps auto would be best unless you get something manual and large engined with loads of torque that will pull from 30mph in top gear.
An hour and a quarter along fast A-roads and some country lanes? Definitely manual.
Doing 100 miles round trip per day via a mix of fairly quick A-roads, single-track country roads and generally free-flowing motorway, manual is my choice.
Two hours to do 60 miles via a grinding motorway journey? Perhaps auto would be best unless you get something manual and large engined with loads of torque that will pull from 30mph in top gear.
An hour and a quarter along fast A-roads and some country lanes? Definitely manual.
Doing 100 miles round trip per day via a mix of fairly quick A-roads, single-track country roads and generally free-flowing motorway, manual is my choice.
I think the V40 would be ideal.
I'm a bit of a Volvo fan and did the same commuting miles as you in a 59 S40 1.6d for 3 years.
Took the miles very well, great seats, cruise, climate, cruise etc.. just the engine let it down when it hit 80-90k miles (DPF (common on that version of the1.6) & DMF).
We've had Volvos in the family for years and have just picked up a V60 which I'm very impressed with.
I'm a bit of a Volvo fan and did the same commuting miles as you in a 59 S40 1.6d for 3 years.
Took the miles very well, great seats, cruise, climate, cruise etc.. just the engine let it down when it hit 80-90k miles (DPF (common on that version of the1.6) & DMF).
We've had Volvos in the family for years and have just picked up a V60 which I'm very impressed with.
daemon said:
Just for info, those two examples are petrols.
Cheers missed that, here's a diesel.https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
DavidY said:
I believe that Volvo changed the engine configuration slightly post 2010 to counteract DPF issues.
Wish I had been aware of that when I bought it but it had been great from 25k to 85k miles.My V60 is the 2.0 D3 with 136 bhp and goes pretty well for a largish car.
Returns 50+ mpg in mixed use so in a V40 should be good for 55 easily.
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