Bigger than an A4, not a Ford, doesn't have to be current.

[anonymous-user]

My brother currently drives a 2002 Audi A4 3.0 Quattro. They live in London and don't drive daily so running costs aren't too much of an issue. It's been a brilliant car but is now feeling a little too small now that they have a second child. The criteria are:

• Not a Ford or Vauxhall
• Doesn't have to be a current model - he'd like something interesting/different (but reliable) over conventional if possible
• Petrol
• £15k budget
• Comfortable on the motorway, perhaps something with a whiff of the barge/cruiser about it
• Something with a large boot that they can keep prams etc in as they live on the top floor of a small block of flats and prefer to keep essentials in the car rather than lug them up and down stairs (there are no lifts)
• An electric boot would be a lovely bonus but not essential

His suggestions so far have been a VW Caravelle, a Land Rover Discovery or an Audi A6. The first two are out of budget on the years he wanted those models in.

Your thoughts and suggestions are welcomed - thanks in advance.

[A500leroy]

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

big enough?

[Pistonheader101]

A6

[steve-5snwi]

Your brother needs to lose the badge snobery as a Mondeo estate will tick all of those boxes, you won't get much of a Caravelle for 15k and they are unreliable and there are very few petrols around, the A6 isn't particularly nice and again even less petrols around. The discovery will be even more unreliable and the V8 very expensive to run.

[aaron_2000]

This should tick all his boxes

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

[anonymous-user]

DrSteveBrule said:

My brother currently drives a 2002 Audi A4 3.0 Quattro. They live in London and don't drive daily so running costs aren't too much of an issue. It's been a brilliant car but is now feeling a little too small now that they have a second child. The criteria are:

• Not a Ford or Vauxhall

Tell him not to be a badge snob. Nothing wrong with Fords and he'll get a better car for his budget.

[ZX10R NIN]

If they live in London then the ULEZ is something they'll have to consider as it will be rolled out to the North/South Circular, also remember cars have got a fair bit bigger than his A4 (even a newer A4 will feel a fair bit bigger) car with this in mind here are my alternative suggestions:

Infiniti Q50h S

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

Lexus GS450h if they need something bigger than the above

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

IS300 F Sport the boot on these is actually bigger & more useable the the GS above

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

300C SRT Estate

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

With him liking a VW Caravelle he should take a good look at these two options:
.
Nissan Elgrand Highway Star

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

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011FRESH-IMPORT-NEW-SH...f:0

Toyota Alphard

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FRESH-IMPORT-LATE-2008-...f:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-08-TOYOTA-ALPHARD-...f:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FRESH-IMPORT-NEW-SHAPE-...f:0

More conventional options:

Mercedes E350cgi Estate

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

Subaru Outback

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

Audi A8

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

[Patch1875]

Skoda Superb.

[Jag_NE]

For a roomy petrol car I’d recommend an Avensis or Mazda6. 15k will get something very decent with warranty. Good sized boot and will be a reliable family car. No flashy badges but as others have said, they should try and get over that. If they insist on the badge, 15k would get a very tidy petrol c class auto which would be a nice wafty car at lower speeds. Estate more practical but the saloon has a good sized boot. We have one and bought the dealer supplies roof box and bars when we bought it (it’s been used twice in 5 years!)

[daniel-5zjw7]

Whats with the comments about 'badge snobbery', perhaps he just doesn't like Vauxhall or Ford cars? Nothing wrong with that and doesn't make a person a snob..

F11 BMW 535i Touring would also be on to consider. One at a dealer at the moment for £17500 2012 in M Sport trim and 77k on the clock so the budget should be doable.

[aaron_2000]

daniel-5zjw7 said:

Whats with the comments about 'badge snobbery', perhaps he just doesn't like Vauxhall or Ford cars? Nothing wrong with that and doesn't make a person a snob..

F11 BMW 535i Touring would also be on to consider. One at a dealer at the moment for £17500 2012 in M Sport trim and 77k on the clock so the budget should be doable.

Why bother? The E350 that me and ZX10 suggested would be better for what he's looking for, cheaper and lower mileage.

[ZX10R NIN]

So OP are any of the suggestions something your brother would consider?

[anonymous-user]

There have been some really interesting suggestions, thanks all. The Merc and Lexus were great options I’d never have thought of.

What has really piqued his interest is the Skoda Superb. A lot of car for the money. He’s looking into that a bit further.

He acknowledged that Fords are perfectly capable and decent cars and that there are ones which would totally fit the criteria but he’d rather go for something not quite so mainstream. Unfortunately Vauxhalls are definitely off the list no matter how good they might be, and I share his feelings about those.

[njw1]

DrSteveBrule said:

There have been some really interesting suggestions, thanks all. The Merc and Lexus were great options I’d never have thought of.

What has really piqued his interest is the Skoda Superb. A lot of car for the money. He’s looking into that a bit further.

He acknowledged that Fords are perfectly capable and decent cars and that there are ones which would totally fit the criteria but he’d rather go for something not quite so mainstream. Unfortunately Vauxhalls are definitely off the list no matter how good they might be, and I share his feelings about those.

On that basis I'd go for a very well specced Mondeo estate.....

[aaron_2000]

DrSteveBrule said:

He acknowledged that Fords are perfectly capable and decent cars and that there are ones which would totally fit the criteria but he’d rather go for something not quite so mainstream. Unfortunately Vauxhalls are definitely off the list no matter how good they might be, and I share his feelings about those.

He may want to reconsider the Skoda then.

[flatso]

Top spec Citroen C5 exclusive estate. Head and shoulders in refinement above Skoda, Mondeo, A4 etc. Try one, you will be pleasantly surprised.

[ReaperCushions]

njw1 said:

DrSteveBrule said:

There have been some really interesting suggestions, thanks all. The Merc and Lexus were great options I’d never have thought of.

What has really piqued his interest is the Skoda Superb. A lot of car for the money. He’s looking into that a bit further.

He acknowledged that Fords are perfectly capable and decent cars and that there are ones which would totally fit the criteria but he’d rather go for something not quite so mainstream. Unfortunately Vauxhalls are definitely off the list no matter how good they might be, and I share his feelings about those.

On that basis I'd go for a very well specced Mondeo estate.....

Precisely..... but he's not a badge snob though... oh no.

[anonymous-user]

Not snobby about Ford, they are good cars but he wants something other than the typical go-to options.

The distaste for Vauxhall is snobbery though. It’s not a brand you aspire to is it? If you have the means to get something better, you would.

[ZX10R NIN]

njw1 said:

DrSteveBrule said:

There have been some really interesting suggestions, thanks all. The Merc and Lexus were great options I’d never have thought of.

What has really piqued his interest is the Skoda Superb. A lot of car for the money. He’s looking into that a bit further.

He acknowledged that Fords are perfectly capable and decent cars and that there are ones which would totally fit the criteria but he’d rather go for something not quite so mainstream. Unfortunately Vauxhalls are definitely off the list no matter how good they might be, and I share his feelings about those.

On that basis I'd go for a very well specced Mondeo estate.....

I have to agree if your brother doesn't want to go mainstream that now means BMW/Mercedes/VAG are out so if your brother doesn't want to be mainstream then you actually pick the Mondeo or the Infiniti.

[anonymous-user]

Update: we talked about the Mondeo actually being the alternative rather than the mainstream and that's what he's now looking to get.

Specifically he's looking at a manual 2.5 Titanium model hatch for about £4k as a stop-gap car for a year or two.

Thanks for all the suggestions.