Replacing an '02 Passat Estate - what next?

[Goalpoacher]

Hi folks,

I've got a VW Passat Estate 1.9TDI, it's done 280,000 miles and it's been brilliant. Reliable, quick, responsive, and it's got a huge amount of space in the back. I reckon I'm still getting 45-50mpg.

However, due to ULEZ and other anti-diesel legislation coming into other cities, I've got to replace it. I rely on my car completely for my job. I need it to be big enough to fit 5 people, with room in the boot for 4 suitcases. Ideally, the seats will fold flat and the space inside will be big enough that I can sleep in the back. I do a lot of miles so MPG and running cost is important.

I've got a budget of upto a grand. New car must be ULEZ compliant so I'm imagining it will have to be petrol as diesels will be out of the price range.

Suggestions please.

Ps. Hope this is the right place for this. It's my first post on here, so thanks in advance for your help.

[Truckosaurus]

Petrol engined Skoda Octavia.

Either a hatch or estate would be big enough.

Not sure what years are ULEZ complient, but if you can't get a ULEZ Octavia for your budget I don't think there will be anything that fits the bill (as no-one really bought non-diesel large run of the mill cars over the last decade)

[ElectricSoup]

You need a Euro 4 petrol minimum. You'll be lucky to find a big estate of that standard for under a grand.

How about a Mazda 6 or Toyota Avensis?

You're going to weep when you twig the fuel consumption on them though.

A Peugeot 307 would do the job. Look at the boot on this:

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

You need something 2006 or later to guarantee Euro 4 emissions.

Vectra?

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

Edited by ElectricSoup on Friday 22 November 13:07

Edited by ElectricSoup on Friday 22 November 13:09

[Goalpoacher]

1.6 Peugeot 307 is 35mpg. That's not so bad.

Some older cars are ULEZ compliant. I was considering a Ford Mondeo estate. (the most exciting car known to man) A 2001 petrol Mondeo is ULEZ compliant for example.

[ElectricSoup]

It depends on the ULEZ in question. They're not all the same. London's for instance is Euro 4 and above for petrol. A 2001 Mondeo won't be Euro 4.

I think that's right, happy to be corrected if not. I think you might be safer going for Euro 4 as a minimum if you can as a bit of insurance.

[Goalpoacher]

I just picked a 2001 Mondeo off ebay and put it's reg number into the London ULEZ checker and it came up as compliant. That seems to be the only way to really be sure whether or not something's compliant I think.

EF51YXC
White FORD MONDEO GHIA


No ULEZ charge due for this vehicle
This vehicle meets the emission standards for ULEZ so you don't have to pay this charge when driving within the zone.
Double check that the vehicle details have been typed correctly. You risk getting a penalty if you've identified the wrong vehicle.

[matt21]

As an owner of a 2004 Passat TDI with 225k you have my sympathies. I would much rather continue driving the Passat than most of those alternatives

How often do you go into the ULEZ? Can you hire or borrow a car for those days or take public transport. If it’s the majority of the time then fair enough, if just occasionally why compromise 100% of the time

Btw I now have 3 friends running old Passat estates, one one on 210k, one on 175k and a baby on 120k. All super reliable. I will hang onto mine for the foreseeable future as for what they are they are brilliant

[ElectricSoup]

Goalpoacher said:

I just picked a 2001 Mondeo off ebay and put it's reg number into the London ULEZ checker and it came up as compliant. That seems to be the only way to really be sure whether or not something's compliant I think.

EF51YXC
White FORD MONDEO GHIA


No ULEZ charge due for this vehicle
This vehicle meets the emission standards for ULEZ so you don't have to pay this charge when driving within the zone.
Double check that the vehicle details have been typed correctly. You risk getting a penalty if you've identified the wrong vehicle.

Ok, looks like I've got my wires crossed somewhere.

[Truckosaurus]

Although the ULEZ checker isn't perfect, so you might be running a risk with a non-Euro4 car that it says is ok.

[ElectricSoup]

Expect OP is correct, this is from the RAC info website:

"Which vehicles will be affected by the London ULEZ?
Cars: Any diesel not conforming to Euro 6 emission standards and any petrol not conforming to Euro 4 emission standards.

Petrol cars that meet the ULEZ standards are generally those registered with the DVLA after 2005, although cars that meet the standards have been available since 2001."

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emissions/ultra...

[Goalpoacher]

Truckosaurus said:

Although the ULEZ checker isn't perfect, so you might be running a risk with a non-Euro4 car that it says is ok.

Surely if you check TfL's ULEZ checker and it says that your car is ULEZ compliant then they can't then charge you for ULEZ? Has this happened before? I'd be having a massive argument with them if it did.

[mindthegap]

ElectricSoup said:

You need a Euro 4 petrol minimum. You'll be lucky to find a big estate of that standard for under a grand.

How about a Mazda 6 or Toyota Avensis?

You're going to weep when you twig the fuel consumption on them though.

A Peugeot 307 would do the job. Look at the boot on this:

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

You need something 2006 or later to guarantee Euro 4 emissions.

Vectra?

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

Edited by ElectricSoup on Friday 22 November 13:07

Edited by ElectricSoup on Friday 22 November 13:09

We've had an 2007 avensis estate 1.8 petrol for 5 years. It is far from exciting to drive has been ridiculously reliable, is coming up for 100 000 miles and does just under 40mpg on average. You would miss the torque of a pd diesel though. I have become quite attached to it and going to hang onto it until it falls apart. Which could be a while!

[ZX10R NIN]

Vauxhall Signum

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

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

Vectra Elite

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

Mondeo Zetec

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

Laguna

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

Alternatives:

Mazda5:

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

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

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

Ford Galaxy

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