Comfiest way to travel? Project idea.....

Comfiest way to travel? Project idea.....

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Discussion

alolympic

Original Poster:

700 posts

199 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
What is the comfiest way for a family to travel for less than £5k?
It doesn’t have to be factory spec 😉
Let’s assume the average journey is a 200 miles, mixture of motorways and A roads. Target speed of 60-70mph.
Let’s also assume that handling prowess and steering feedback are largely irrelevant. So, not exactly a PistonHeads staple I’d imagine.
This is about arriving less tired and less uncomfortable. The car therefore needs to be quiet, the ride cosseting, the seats supportive and comfy. There needs to be enough space up front and in the rear.
Reliability is a pre requisite as there is nothing comfortable about standing on the hard shoulder after breaking down on the motorway.

Without having been in one, it sounds like a Citroen C6 might be a good place to start.
Fitted out with the seats from a Volvo S60, which I know from experience are great.

Any other ways to each ultimate comfort?
(Semi serious question as these are real needs).
What do you reckon?

talksthetorque

10,815 posts

137 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
alolympic said:
What is the comfiest way for a family to travel for less than £5k?
It doesn’t have to be factory spec ??
Let’s assume the average journey is a 200 miles, mixture of motorways and A roads. Target speed of 60-70mph.
Let’s also assume that handling prowess and steering feedback are largely irrelevant. So, not exactly a PistonHeads staple I’d imagine.
This is about arriving less tired and less uncomfortable. The car therefore needs to be quiet, the ride cosseting, the seats supportive and comfy. There needs to be enough space up front and in the rear.
Reliability is a pre requisite as there is nothing comfortable about standing on the hard shoulder after breaking down on the motorway.

Without having been in one, it sounds like a Citroen C6 might be a good place to start.
Fitted out with the seats from a Volvo S60, which I know from experience are great.

Any other ways to each ultimate comfort?
(Semi serious question as these are real needs).
What do you reckon?
Comfiest I've been in for that amount of money would be a Passat. I've driven 7 hours and 450 miles in one without even stopping for a piss.
Got out and I was fine.
Apart from being ablsolutely busting for a piss of course.

So either one of them or Phaetons seem to be in budget now to, with the 3 litre V6 Diesel. Not been in one of them, but bigger is better yeah?




Alex_225

6,384 posts

203 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
Mercedes E320 (W211) does the trick for me. I often spend 5-6 hours in the car at a time and my E I generally ideal. Comfy seats, plenty of room and a hefty Diesel engine.

Mine cost me £4k with 104k on the clock, now has 130k on and feels as good. Can be had even cheaper now.

Jag_NE

3,030 posts

102 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
Assuming by family you have young kids, I’d probably say something like a ford galaxy. Kids in individual captains chairs with the middle one removed, lots of space, sitting high. Happy kids is the most desireable thing in terms of comfort. Irritable kids will make a ride in a Bentley a pain.

For older kids, a big saloon like the e class would be great. Wafty and a lovely big, comfy cabin.

Pistonheader101

2,206 posts

109 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
L322

RichB

51,951 posts

286 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
Mercedes E class seats always seem very hard, unless that's the special taxi spec seats I sit on! Anyway I always find Volvos very comfortable.

flatso

1,253 posts

131 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
Citroen C6 and the C5 estate are great shouts. In this price range it will be hard to top these in terms of comfort.
Volvo S80
Saab 9-5 was pretty comfortable with great seats.
Old V8 Lexus LS

alolympic

Original Poster:

700 posts

199 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
I originally posted this in General Gassing.
For some reason the thread has been moved to Car Buying.
This betrays the idea.
I am not looking to buy a standard car. I am asking a hypothetical question about the best combo of different cars.
There is no way a Ford Galaxy is comfier than my Citroen C6 with Volvo S60 seats.....
....and as for an AMG Merc rolling on 19” alloys, not a chance....


talksthetorque

10,815 posts

137 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
So if it's theoretical, then it's a saab (comfiest seats) installed in a hovercraft.

alolympic

Original Poster:

700 posts

199 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
talksthetorque said:
So if it's theoretical, then it's a saab (comfiest seats) installed in a hovercraft.
Mmm, interesting idea. Think it fails on the practical front though, no brakes.
Might still corner flatter than a C6 though.....

What car does have the best ride though?...,

Equus

16,980 posts

103 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
Pistonheader101 said:
L322
The P38 is actually a lot more comfortable in terms of ride quality (and I say that as a current L322 owner, former P38 owner). They wrecked the ride quality of the L322 by wanting to make its handling more car like, which with something as tall as a Range Rover means increasing the roll stiffness to the point where ride comfort suffers.

C6 is a pretty good call, I reckon, but (again from personal experience) I'd suggest a Mercedes S-class with ABC suspension. Surprisingly, refinement of this is a very significant and noticeable step up from even the E-class.

Chromegrill

1,092 posts

88 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
Any opinion on the Lexus (legendary reliability) RX300 in SEL spec? Big 4x4 (school run pose) so rides high (easy to get the kids in) with great stereo (kids love on long journey) and air suspension (magic carpet ride). Never been in one myself but sounds like the perfect family shed. What's not to like?

Jonny_

4,203 posts

209 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
talksthetorque said:
Comfiest I've been in for that amount of money would be a Passat. I've driven 7 hours and 450 miles in one without even stopping for a piss.
Got out and I was fine.
Apart from being ablsolutely busting for a piss of course.

So either one of them or Phaetons seem to be in budget now to, with the 3 litre V6 Diesel. Not been in one of them, but bigger is better yeah?
I'd say the Passat is very much dependent upon spec and year; I had a brand new 2012 Sport and it was a horrible thing for long drives. Guaranteed backache, which I've never suffered in any car before or since! A colleague had a slightly newer (but same shape) Passat Highline and never had any problem.

For maximum comfort though, not much can beat a Citroen with hydropneumatic suspension. Old shape C5, or a later shape C5 in top trim, or a C6.

ninepoint2

3,342 posts

162 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
Audi A/S8...thumbup

Prinny

1,669 posts

101 months

Monday 24th December 2018
quotequote all
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-BMW-760i-V12-Saloo...

The volvo seats are ok, (I’ve had a v70), but they’re nowhere near as good as the BMW comfort seats in my opinion. Therefore, this fits the bill nicely. (It’d be better on the 18” wheels, but it’s still really impressive on 19” - 20’s do bring a harshness to the ride I find on mine).

Plus it’s got the super smooth v12, very quiet until 4k rpm. At under £5k, this would be my choice.

Jag_NE

3,030 posts

102 months

Tuesday 25th December 2018
quotequote all
alolympic said:
I originally posted this in General Gassing.
For some reason the thread has been moved to Car Buying.
This betrays the idea.
I am not looking to buy a standard car. I am asking a hypothetical question about the best combo of different cars.
There is no way a Ford Galaxy is comfier than my Citroen C6 with Volvo S60 seats.....
....and as for an AMG Merc rolling on 19” alloys, not a chance....
Why are you asking your question?

anonymous-user

56 months

Tuesday 25th December 2018
quotequote all
Saab 9-5 seats in a 1981 Datsun Stanza.

Utterly butterly.

alolympic

Original Poster:

700 posts

199 months

Tuesday 25th December 2018
quotequote all
Jag_NE said:
Why are you asking your question?
Just pondering really.....

Patrick Bateman

12,234 posts

176 months

Tuesday 25th December 2018
quotequote all
I had the e65 7 series in my head until you mentioned reliability.

In saying that, get one with a straight 6 and you'd probably be ok.