Repmobile ideas...
Discussion
Looking like it's time for a new car. Going to be doing a few miles, have a few "lifestyle" hobbies and a little one. Current car is an E91 320d Edition M-Sport which has been great, currently at 115k and has not missed a beat. Probably looking to pick something up around the 40k-50k miles bracket and run for 3-4 years, budget around £20k. Tick list is as follows:
Reasonably prestige brand
RWD or 4WD
Auto, ideally with paddles, and a bit less "slushy" than the 6 speed in my 3 series
Leather, nav, heated seats and similar toys
Good connectivity, ideally two bluetooth phones at once, and the ability to bluetooth music from one of them
Ideally an estate, or possibly a really big coupe/hatchback at a push
Reasonably economical, so I guess 2.0 to 2.5 diesel
Fairly comfy...ideally a ride slightly better than my 3 series
A reasonably engaging drive, something that can still make me smile if needed
Blimey that sounds a bit dull...however the repmobile is offset by the 31 year old Defender and the naughtily exhausted Boxster 986!
TBH I'm struggling to think of anything apart from a 5 series touring of around the 2014-2015 mark, probably swayed also by previous history with an A4 Avant that fell apart like some kind of clown car, and the fact that I've had 4 BMWs which have all been completely reliable and completely "Ronseal".
Does it have to be another Bavarian barge or is there something else I'm missing?
Reasonably prestige brand
RWD or 4WD
Auto, ideally with paddles, and a bit less "slushy" than the 6 speed in my 3 series
Leather, nav, heated seats and similar toys
Good connectivity, ideally two bluetooth phones at once, and the ability to bluetooth music from one of them
Ideally an estate, or possibly a really big coupe/hatchback at a push
Reasonably economical, so I guess 2.0 to 2.5 diesel
Fairly comfy...ideally a ride slightly better than my 3 series
A reasonably engaging drive, something that can still make me smile if needed
Blimey that sounds a bit dull...however the repmobile is offset by the 31 year old Defender and the naughtily exhausted Boxster 986!
TBH I'm struggling to think of anything apart from a 5 series touring of around the 2014-2015 mark, probably swayed also by previous history with an A4 Avant that fell apart like some kind of clown car, and the fact that I've had 4 BMWs which have all been completely reliable and completely "Ronseal".
Does it have to be another Bavarian barge or is there something else I'm missing?
mradam said:
I should also add writeoffs/CATD etc is not an option. Clearly that Discovery Sport has had heavy damage...Jaguar XF sportbrake. Ticks every box on your list, pretty much the same list I worked down when I bought mine. Prestige, Diesel, Estate, Leather, 8 speed auto with flappy paddle, 40+ mpg on back roads on my regular commute, 50 on motorways. Not sure on connecting more than one phone, but it does connect up via bluetooth, also USB socket under armrest, plus hard drive built in to store a dozen cd's as well.
I'd say go for a 3.0d the difference isn't that big & you get a smoother quieter drive, to that point here are a few worth looking at:
Mercedes C350
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
E350
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
XF-S Portfolio
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Mercedes C350
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
E350
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
XF-S Portfolio
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Currently driving a 17 plate C220d saloon whilst my car is in for repair after someone rear-ended me.
I must say the car itself is quite impressive for a mile muncher ... I could spend hours in it without a problem and even the sport spec has all the toys you'd want/expect in a car of this class.
The engine does sound horrid (obviously) but it's more than brisk enough to make good progress and being the first RWD car I've driven, I'm enjoying being enthusiastic with the throttle at low speed corners/turns
I must say the car itself is quite impressive for a mile muncher ... I could spend hours in it without a problem and even the sport spec has all the toys you'd want/expect in a car of this class.
The engine does sound horrid (obviously) but it's more than brisk enough to make good progress and being the first RWD car I've driven, I'm enjoying being enthusiastic with the throttle at low speed corners/turns
Thanks guys...some good ideas there. My thoughts in no particular order...
Got to be a big hatchy coupe thing or ideally an estate...a saloon isn't really going to work. If it did, I'd be all over the Alfa...I've had two 156s previously.
Merc...hmmmm...looks nice, although I know of a few BMW drivers who have been disappointed when they swapped to Merc. Certainly warrants further investigation though, as does the XF, even if it is a little bit pipe/slippers for me. But it might just be the fake wood...be interesting to drive one. Silly point, but the infotainment has all the class of some free iPhone game (requires in app purchases).
Volvo...hmmm, the car does nothing for me, but perhaps the hybrid is worth investigating. Not sure what state the batteries would be in...do they not need changing every few years?
Why change? Good question. In fairness I've had the 3 as my daily since 2011 so I fancy a change...and perhaps now is the time to sell before the mileage gets interstellar and it starts costing me money. But it's still in great condition and is a solid drive...this is more of a "want" than a "need". I would also like something a bit bigger now I have a child, as TBH the 3 touring is lovely looking but not exactly big on the load capacity.
Got to be a big hatchy coupe thing or ideally an estate...a saloon isn't really going to work. If it did, I'd be all over the Alfa...I've had two 156s previously.
Merc...hmmmm...looks nice, although I know of a few BMW drivers who have been disappointed when they swapped to Merc. Certainly warrants further investigation though, as does the XF, even if it is a little bit pipe/slippers for me. But it might just be the fake wood...be interesting to drive one. Silly point, but the infotainment has all the class of some free iPhone game (requires in app purchases).
Volvo...hmmm, the car does nothing for me, but perhaps the hybrid is worth investigating. Not sure what state the batteries would be in...do they not need changing every few years?
Why change? Good question. In fairness I've had the 3 as my daily since 2011 so I fancy a change...and perhaps now is the time to sell before the mileage gets interstellar and it starts costing me money. But it's still in great condition and is a solid drive...this is more of a "want" than a "need". I would also like something a bit bigger now I have a child, as TBH the 3 touring is lovely looking but not exactly big on the load capacity.
A7 take your fancy?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Generally, most are well specced but the main thing to look out for is if it has 5 seats, cause earlier ones have 4. Can get a decent one for just under £20k.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Generally, most are well specced but the main thing to look out for is if it has 5 seats, cause earlier ones have 4. Can get a decent one for just under £20k.
Hmmmmm...A7 is a possibility. How do they drive in terms of grip/handling etc? The last FWD car I has was a A4 of 2004 vintage, it was OK but I hated the understeer, wheelspin in the wet, torque steer etc. Every car since has been RWD.
Citroen...quite cool but just not the kind of thing I'm looking for, I know I'd be bored in a few weeks, thanks for the idea anyway!
Citroen...quite cool but just not the kind of thing I'm looking for, I know I'd be bored in a few weeks, thanks for the idea anyway!
Hard-Drive said:
Hmmmmm...A7 is a possibility. How do they drive in terms of grip/handling etc? The last FWD car I has was a A4 of 2004 vintage, it was OK but I hated the understeer, wheelspin in the wet, torque steer etc. Every car since has been RWD.
Citroen...quite cool but just not the kind of thing I'm looking for, I know I'd be bored in a few weeks, thanks for the idea anyway!
Only low powered 3.0tdi are FWD Citroen...quite cool but just not the kind of thing I'm looking for, I know I'd be bored in a few weeks, thanks for the idea anyway!
The majority are Quattro
VAGLover said:
Hard-Drive said:
Hmmmmm...A7 is a possibility. How do they drive in terms of grip/handling etc? The last FWD car I has was a A4 of 2004 vintage, it was OK but I hated the understeer, wheelspin in the wet, torque steer etc. Every car since has been RWD.
Citroen...quite cool but just not the kind of thing I'm looking for, I know I'd be bored in a few weeks, thanks for the idea anyway!
Only low powered 3.0tdi are FWD Citroen...quite cool but just not the kind of thing I'm looking for, I know I'd be bored in a few weeks, thanks for the idea anyway!
The majority are Quattro
Hard-Drive said:
Sorry, crap post on my part. I would only consider a quattro, what I meant to sat was how does the QUATTRO drive in terms of handling etc? Is it FWD most of the time and only goes 4WD when it loses traction?
So anything with a transverse engine I.e. golf r, s3 etc has a haldex clutch. Front drive until power slips then up to 100% to rears. Called 4motion / Quattro Anything with a longitudinal engine I.e. a4,5,7 etc will have permanent 4 wheel drive engaged, something like 40% front, 60% rear, and when needed can move power to front or back. Also called 4motion or Quattro
Interestingly on the new a4,5 the cars with normal engines . I.e not S4/5 have a new Quattro. It’s not a haldex, but works like it. I’e FWD until full 4 wheel is needed. This is to reduce friction and increase mpg
Great, thanks for explaining. I have a 4WD, a Defender, and the missus has a Freelander, however neither of those are cars that we even discuss handling on! I've only ever driven one 4WD road car, years ago, which was a Nissan Pulsar GTR turbo thing, which although fun and fairly crash proof, seemed to have pretty catastrophic understeer and I was convinced that my lowly 1.8 MX5 (few years back now mind) could probably get round most corners neater and faster.
The last front wheel drive car I drove was an Opel Mokka X Turbo hire car, and although it was actually very well equipped and a nice thing in it's own right, it was hardly a performance car in any way, yet even that seemed to suffer from fairly hilarious torque steer and was no doubt well under 180bhp. I just really don't like FWD cars, hence my recent repmobile history of four 3 series BMWs on the trot.
So I'd look at an Audi quattro, but if there was any hint of the front wheels either spinning, or trying to go anywhere apart from where I point them, I'd walk away. Problem is how do I politely do that on a test drive without seeming like some kind of colossal anus to the sales rep?
The last front wheel drive car I drove was an Opel Mokka X Turbo hire car, and although it was actually very well equipped and a nice thing in it's own right, it was hardly a performance car in any way, yet even that seemed to suffer from fairly hilarious torque steer and was no doubt well under 180bhp. I just really don't like FWD cars, hence my recent repmobile history of four 3 series BMWs on the trot.
So I'd look at an Audi quattro, but if there was any hint of the front wheels either spinning, or trying to go anywhere apart from where I point them, I'd walk away. Problem is how do I politely do that on a test drive without seeming like some kind of colossal anus to the sales rep?
Hard-Drive said:
Great, thanks for explaining. I have a 4WD, a Defender, and the missus has a Freelander, however neither of those are cars that we even discuss handling on! I've only ever driven one 4WD road car, years ago, which was a Nissan Pulsar GTR turbo thing, which although fun and fairly crash proof, seemed to have pretty catastrophic understeer and I was convinced that my lowly 1.8 MX5 (few years back now mind) could probably get round most corners neater and faster.
The last front wheel drive car I drove was an Opel Mokka X Turbo hire car, and although it was actually very well equipped and a nice thing in it's own right, it was hardly a performance car in any way, yet even that seemed to suffer from fairly hilarious torque steer and was no doubt well under 180bhp. I just really don't like FWD cars, hence my recent repmobile history of four 3 series BMWs on the trot.
So I'd look at an Audi quattro, but if there was any hint of the front wheels either spinning, or trying to go anywhere apart from where I point them, I'd walk away. Problem is how do I politely do that on a test drive without seeming like some kind of colossal anus to the sales rep?
Quattro kicks in before you’d even notice a slip, I’ve had the Haldex Clutch variety for 3.5 yrs, even in heavy rain when I gun it I’m not short of traction....The last front wheel drive car I drove was an Opel Mokka X Turbo hire car, and although it was actually very well equipped and a nice thing in it's own right, it was hardly a performance car in any way, yet even that seemed to suffer from fairly hilarious torque steer and was no doubt well under 180bhp. I just really don't like FWD cars, hence my recent repmobile history of four 3 series BMWs on the trot.
So I'd look at an Audi quattro, but if there was any hint of the front wheels either spinning, or trying to go anywhere apart from where I point them, I'd walk away. Problem is how do I politely do that on a test drive without seeming like some kind of colossal anus to the sales rep?
Nickbrapp...thanks for the thread contribution but, erm, no. I just don't "get" some BMWs, any of those GT things, or the X6. Just rather have an estate.
VAGlover...thanks. OK, so let's say I hoof it unsympathetically out of a wet roundabout. I appreciate the quattro will kick in in computer controlled nanoseconds, and I won't experience wheelspin as such, however will I actually notice understeer? I just really hate understeer. Do the same thing in a RWD BMW and the car won't feel loose, it will just feel momentarily held back by the anti-crash doing it's thing and just a flashing orange TC light telling you to stop being silly, that's it. Oh, and just to add I don't drive like that all the time, I have an old Boxster too which doesn't have any anti-crash apart from ABS, but I do just bloody hate understeer.
So I drove an XF (admittedly just a saloon not a Sportbrake) and it was very nice. However I was a little disappointed that things like seat heaters were an option, and that even the sports seats did not have the extendable seat bases like my nearly 10 year old 3 series. Ride was lovely, however styling wise it was just a bit bland both inside and out. Seems a crying shame that Jag went to the extent of having all that pointless ceremony around opening air vents and the "appearing" gear lever and then fitted paddles that felt like they's come out of a christmas cracker...nasty moulding flash lines and all. I'll touch the gear lever and vents once a couple of times on a long drive, and the paddles hundreds of times...hundreds of tactile disappointments per drive. Saying that, at least the paddles are standard fit, not an option as they are on the 5 series. However having driven both the 2.0 4 pot and 3.0 6 pot, I have to say I do much prefer the BMW so far...
VAGlover...thanks. OK, so let's say I hoof it unsympathetically out of a wet roundabout. I appreciate the quattro will kick in in computer controlled nanoseconds, and I won't experience wheelspin as such, however will I actually notice understeer? I just really hate understeer. Do the same thing in a RWD BMW and the car won't feel loose, it will just feel momentarily held back by the anti-crash doing it's thing and just a flashing orange TC light telling you to stop being silly, that's it. Oh, and just to add I don't drive like that all the time, I have an old Boxster too which doesn't have any anti-crash apart from ABS, but I do just bloody hate understeer.
So I drove an XF (admittedly just a saloon not a Sportbrake) and it was very nice. However I was a little disappointed that things like seat heaters were an option, and that even the sports seats did not have the extendable seat bases like my nearly 10 year old 3 series. Ride was lovely, however styling wise it was just a bit bland both inside and out. Seems a crying shame that Jag went to the extent of having all that pointless ceremony around opening air vents and the "appearing" gear lever and then fitted paddles that felt like they's come out of a christmas cracker...nasty moulding flash lines and all. I'll touch the gear lever and vents once a couple of times on a long drive, and the paddles hundreds of times...hundreds of tactile disappointments per drive. Saying that, at least the paddles are standard fit, not an option as they are on the 5 series. However having driven both the 2.0 4 pot and 3.0 6 pot, I have to say I do much prefer the BMW so far...
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