£16k to £21k, performance, comfort and... MPG?

[montecarlos]

Looking to ditch my 2015 Mazda 6 2.2d. Clutch pedal vibrates when the car is stood (and driving), rattles all over the place, had a £800 bill from soot build up killing the shutter intake valve. Overall build quality is lacking, feels like it's done 150,000 miles but it's only done 50,000.

Decided I want something that feels better built, something more comfortable, more tech and that feels like it actually will make it to 150,000 miles.

So far my research has led me to V6 Diesels from the Germans. I know you all hate diesel so I'm open to petrol suggestions if they can get towards 40mpg.

However, my 3 top options so far are :


Audi A4 B9 Quattro V6 TDi - 272ps version

Highest performance of the 3, also the rarest. There are more of the 218ps versions of the v6, but I'd rather stretch to the 272ps if I can. Currently found 2 examples on 45k miles, one is £17250 from a private seller, one is £19450 at a non audi dealer with 6 months warranty with it. Both decent specs, bit worried about the private seller aspect at that price. That particular car has had 3 owners already too.

BMW 530d - 2017 model year

Currently out of my budget apart from like 2 cars on autotrader with pretty ugly interior choices so may have to wait until next year. However, I test drove a 530e at my local bmw dealer and it was a really nice car, but feel like I'd rather have a 530d for better performance (and bigger boot) at high ranges (would feel the performance most when overtaking on A roads, the 530e lacked kick unless the electric motor was in play)

Mercedes E-Class e350d v6 2017 model year

Can pick up an AMG Line version for £20k or so, appears to come with most kit as standard. Interior looks to be a lovely place to be. Slowest car of the bunch, but 0-60 in 5.9 seconds is no slouch. Test driving one tonight.

Honourable mention to the 430d/435d Grand Coupe and 330/335d, however I feel these are getting a bit dated, and there's an all new 3 series out now.

Thoughts? Help?

Edited by montecarlos on Tuesday 11th August 09:18

[jwilco]

It's not a saloon and it's not a 6 cylinder... but I do love the idea of surprising a chav in a Volvo:

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

[montecarlos]

Not a fan of the interior on those. Thanks for the suggestion though

[AB]

If you can get a decent 435d for the price, I'd be in one of them given your criteria.

I certainly don't think they look dated, in fact I think they're probably the last of the good looking BMW.

Drive one, then drive the equivalent Merc or Audi. In terms of tech, even the earlier models can be updated to CarPlay for very little money.

[montecarlos]

I like the exterior on them, especially with some nice M sport trims.

The interior is what I think is a bit dated.

[bigenginesmallcar]

M140i? Perfect all rounder.

Mpg can see 40 on the motorway, 25 around town.

[Walter Sobchak]

Audi A7 bi TDI or the S7 would be my pick, really like the looks and interior of them, don’t know about getting close to 40 MPG out of the S7 though.

[montecarlos]

bigenginesmallcar said:

M140i? Perfect all rounder.

Mpg can see 40 on the motorway, 25 around town.

Nice car, but I think I'd prefer a 340i I was gonna go for that

[ZX10R NIN]

E350 AMG Line Premium

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

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

Maserati Ghibli

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

Jaguar XJ Portfolio with the 8 Speed box

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

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

A6 S Line 275

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

CLS 350d AMG Line Premium Plus

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

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

530d Gran Turismo M Sport

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

640d Gran Coupe M Sport

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

Budget Creep Porsche Panamera

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

[aaron_2000]

A 340i would get my vote. The interior feels and looks much better in person than in the pics, MPG isn't far off a 3.0 diesel, you have no DPFs or anything to worry about and obviously the exhaust note and that engine are fantastic. A 730d is just about in your price range too

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

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

[aaron_2000]

Someone I worked with owned one of these and claimed he could get high 30's to around 40 on a run without much effort

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

[montecarlos]

Walter Sobchak said:

Audi A7 bi TDI or the S7 would be my pick, really like the looks and interior of them, don’t know about getting close to 40 MPG out of the S7 though.

Prefer the 272ps A4 tbh

[montecarlos]

Drove the E350d earlier and it didn't really inspire me.

It was quick, but it was more like "oh st I'm doing 90mph" than "this is so fun to put my foot down"

I imagine if I spent my life on a motorway it would be the car for me, it was smooth and the power delivery was constant. Felt like it could pull a tank with all the torque.

I think that test drive made me realise perhaps Mercedes is not the car for me, at least not the E350d, I considered a C-Class 250d which isn't as fast but I could get one with some nice extras in my budget like pano roof, upgraded sound etc. Then I see that little screen sat up in the middle of dash which looks like they pulled apart a golf match from 2011 and stuck it to the top of the dash with some bluetac.

I drove the 530e, I think the 530d would be perfect but there's like 2 available in the whole country with reasonable mileage in my budget and the owners from new look like they cherry picked the ugliest interior available.

This is the Audi A4 I'm in contact with :

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

Edited by montecarlos on Tuesday 11th August 21:05

Edited by montecarlos on Tuesday 11th August 21:15

Edited by montecarlos on Tuesday 11th August 21:16

[jwilco]

Seems like you're fairly well set on the A4 so I'd say go for it! If you go with something else, the first thing to annoy you about it you'll regret not going with your first instinct. An A4 was actually on my shortlist last time I was changing cars. Only thing that I found a bit frustrating was trying to get the right spec - lots of them don't have what I would consider basic on a premium car, such as heated seats.

[montecarlos]

jwilco said:

Seems like you're fairly well set on the A4 so I'd say go for it! If you go with something else, the first thing to annoy you about it you'll regret not going with your first instinct. An A4 was actually on my shortlist last time I was changing cars. Only thing that I found a bit frustrating was trying to get the right spec - lots of them don't have what I would consider basic on a premium car, such as heated seats.

that's exactly my issue with the A4. Seems too many options are not standard.

So finding a 272ps engine, with heated seats, virtual cockpit and other nice to have's is proving difficult. There's like 3 272ps versions I can find, 2 are over 40,000 miles and 1 has basically no options on it.

It's going to be hard work finding one!