£5K 2009 onwards less that 90,000 miles - which way to go ?

[dellyend1]

Dear Collective,

I appreciate that this topic comes around again and again, but having spent the last week reading masses of owners reviews, every way I turn it appears that all cars I am currently looking at to become my next motorway chariot are to be avoided with lots of doom and gloom quoted.

Currently have a 2007 Volvo S80 D5 with 139,000 on the clock, bought with 83,000 miles on and has been hassle free and love the spec / space etc

Do about 22 - 25,000 a year , mainly motorways but quite often country roads to get to remote projects.

I want to spend circa £5,000 and get an alternative S80 type car with less than 90,000 miles on the clock to then take back up to circa 140 / 150,000 over the next couple of years.

Narrowed the search down to the following:

Mercedes E Class 220CDI or 320 CDI - Apparently have rust problems and expensive rear sub frame replacements ?
VW Passat CC TDI - All I have read is the CR Engine will blow up due to the smaller hex shaft used ?
BMW 3 and 5 series 2l diesels - loads comments on needing to avoid like the plague, timing chain will jump off at any minute
BMW 3 & 5 Series 2.5 / 3 L Diesels. Get pretty good press, but not sure I want spend a £1,000 on four run flats
Audi A6 & VW Passats seem to be pants in either 2.0 TDI or 3.0 V6 forms , which is a real shame
Mazda 6 2.0 Diesel - gets good reviews, but the interior compared to european brands I am not sure I could live with
Lexus 220 d IS - appears to be a small cramped car that has some special servicing tools which means it's expensive
Alfa - I've not gone there as my perception (probably wrong) is that they will break down on my first run up the M40

I'd welcome any helpful views / pointers from the forum on the above and alternatives I've not considered

Many Thanks

Jeremy

[Trikster]

How about a Mondeo or Peugeot 508? My Mondeo was a great mile muncher with plenty of kit and reliable; because they are not considered 'premium' they can be a bargain and cheaper to maintain

[cib24]

Ford Mondeo diesel hatcback or estate. Get one of the higher trim levels as there are plenty of options below £5,000 that are even as new as a 2015.

Amazingly refined ride, reliable as hell, Ford Sync navigation is better than all of the others, and no matter how you drive it you'll struggle to do less than 45 mpg. Such a great and affordable motorway miles or everyday muncher that is far more refined than you'd initially think.

[Krikkit]

Can I be an awkward contrarian and ask why the change? Sounds like you've got a great car for the job already.

Otherwise I'd say another S80 - quite a few available with either the 4 or 5 cylinder engines at that money.

[anonymous-user]

I too constantly look at spending £5K, and your list of concerns about each car are exactly the same as mine so I talk myself out of each and every one. Every few months I will go through the same thing, look for Audis, Mercedes, BMWs etc for £5K and go round and round in circles dismissing each one.

Keep the S80 would be my advice.

The only car I keep coming back to is a 325/30d auto, apparently the M57 is bullet proof, but the N57 used on the facelift cars uses the same cam chain as the four cylinder cars.

These cars also seem to go for strong money, so essentially I am looking for a 325/30d saloon in silver, auto, pre facelift M57 car with around 100k on the clock that doesn't have leather seats that look like someone has lived in them.

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 17th January 12:21

[rsbmw]

Joey Deacon said:

I too constantly look at spending £5K, and your list of concerns about each car are exactly the same as mine so I talk myself out of each and every one. Every few months I will go through the same thing, look for Audis, Mercedes, BMWs etc for £5K and go round and round in circles dismissing each one.

It's a game we all like to play, at every budget level! Autotrader roulette.

Assuming the Volvo is worth buttons and causing you no issues, run it into the ground and then look, meanwhile saving to up the budget perhaps.

[Evercross]

First generation Jaguar XF? You should be able to get a 3.0d 235BHP variant under your criteria.

[mat205125]

Keep the current Volvo, and come back and ask the question when its got 239,000 miles on it.

Seriously, 139k is nothing on that car.

[Dave.]

Krikkit said:

Can I be an awkward contrarian and ask why the change? Sounds like you've got a great car for the job already.

Otherwise I'd say another S80 - quite a few available with either the 4 or 5 cylinder engines at that money.

This really.

That £5k would do a long way to keeping the current car going for another 100k.

[anonymous-user]

Evercross said:

First generation Jaguar XF? You should be able to get a 3.0d 235BHP variant under your criteria.

Another car I have considered and they look amazing value for money. Until you start reading about the issues where failed DPF regens dilute the oil with diesel and eventually kill the engine.

I don't think there is any diesel barge for £5K that doesn't have some sort of achilies heel

[Squishey]

Jaguar XF?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201911214623057?advertising-location=at_cars&transmission=Automatic&price-to=6500&postcode=ip20es&model=XF&page=3&make=JAGUAR&fuel-type=Diesel&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used

[Evercross]

Joey Deacon said:

Another car I have considered and they look amazing value for money. Until you start reading about the issues where failed DPF regens dilute the oil with diesel and eventually kill the engine.

Won't be a problem for OP who is covering mainly motorway miles (I was going to say that in my original post).

Edited by Evercross on Friday 17th January 12:39

[andyalan10]

Evercross said:

First generation Jaguar XF? You should be able to get a 3.0d 235BHP variant under your criteria.

As an owner of a 2011 D3 Volvo V70 on 185,000 I was about to repeat the suggestion of keep what you've got and save your money, until I saw that suggestion.

[tektas]

I would also say "if it aint broke, dont fix it".
why mess with a good thing.

keep the S80 and keep on eating up those miles in comfort.

[vaud]

The A6 3.0tdi is an excellent engine. In the SE Quattro it is a fantastic cruiser (on 17s)

[dellyend1]

Many Thanks to all for comments. You have confirmed my 'gut feel' that keeping the S80 is the sensible option.

Best Wishes

Jeremy

[ZX10R NIN]

The smart thing is to stick with what you've got but if you want to change then there are some very good options out there.

CLS320cdi They'll be no rust issues on these or the (they were sorted 2003 onwards) E Class but you will get a car that like the Volvo will run past 200k:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

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

E280 Sport

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

Going down to a four pot you may find you miss the extra grunt of a five pot but if you fancy one the two below are the picks for your budget.

508 GT very good & often overlooked spec'd with pretty much anything you could ask for:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2.2 Titanium Sport

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