What Car? 30,000+ Miles a Year

[Tonberry]

What would you consider for 30,000 miles a year over the next 2 - 3 years?

Daily drive is currently a petrol Touareg which isn't suited to big mileages due to running costs.

Value for money and reliability are the main factors for this purchase but I'm open to all suggestions.

I'm looking to spend anywhere up to £7k but the less the better.

A Mondeo, Focus, Mazda3 / 6 look like best VFM at around £3-5k, as 10 to 15+ year old nails have risen to the £2k+ mark.

[anonymous-user]

Something with the most comfortable and supportive seats you can find. Having done a long commute in the past, I valued that more than anything else.

[tonyvid]

V40 or S60/V60 Volvos? I have a 2014 V60 D4 with the 5cyl engine - it's a nice place to be and pretty efficient too at +50mpg. The R-Design models are a bit stiff so look for one of the more lux versions if that is important to you.

Edited by tonyvid on Wednesday 22 February 13:05

[What The Deuces]

320d Touring SE

[LosingGrip]

I had a Mondeo ST (diesel) and whilst not the best at MPG (rather ste in fact) it was the most comfy I've been in a car before. I'd certainly get another one for that reason alone.

[paddy1970]

Honda accord 2.2 diesel. I used to do 50,000 mile a year and it is the best car for your budget

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023021041...

[nobrakes]

Definitely Mondeo size. You’ll be going through all weathers - a bigger car will be sturdier than say a Mazda3.

It might not be quite as economical, but it’s a good trade off, surely.

You could try an E220cdi - moon miles no issue and you’ll definitely feel ok after a long drive. Plenty Indy’s to keep costs down. I’ve a 320cdi - goes very very well at 70 to 3 figures, but it’s no 2.0tdi at the pump.

[georgeyboy12345]

Kia Optima 1.7 CRDi Ecodynamics
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209300...


VW Passat 2.0 TDI Highline
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211211...


Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi ecoflex
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302154...


Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2.0 JTDM Veloce
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302063...


Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Titanium
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301063...


Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC S
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205065...


Saab 9-3 1.9 TiD
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203113...


or for something really cheap, what about this Peugeot 406 2.0 HDi LX?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302053...

[ZX10R NIN]

Tonberry said:

What would you consider for 30,000 miles a year over the next 2 - 3 years?

Daily drive is currently a petrol Touareg which isn't suited to big mileages due to running costs.

Value for money and reliability are the main factors for this purchase but I'm open to all suggestions.

I'm looking to spend anywhere up to £7k but the less the better.

A Mondeo, Focus, Mazda3 / 6 look like best VFM at around £3-5k, as 10 to 15+ year old nails have risen to the £2k+ mark.

If you can live with a coupe they come with the Orthopaedic seats as standard & the 3.0d is the pick:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302204...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301063...

[Bobupndown]

I'd suggest Golf or Octavia in 2.0 Tdi format.

[GreatGranny]

I was doing similar mileage up until recently and always had Volvos (S40 & V60).

Both very reliable and comfortable especially the V60.

Low tax, 50+ mpg, great seats. cruise, auto lights/wipers, DAB etc.. so all you need.

They take the mileage well so don't worry about taking it north of 100k miles.

[alfabeat]

The SAAB 9-3 linked to above by Georgyboy would be a good shout. So, so comfortable. Loved the seats in mine.

[Krikkit]

Have a think about a Merc W211 E320 - the OM648 diesel is very robust and remarkably efficient, but the big bonus is it's a quiet, relaxing place to sit and be comfy. It also had a big fuel tank and would do over 700 miles between fills, dunno about you but on a long commute I didn't want to have to bother with fuel stops if I could avoid them. Mine averaged 38mpg in mixed use, and on a decent trip (>1h) would get well over 40mpg, usually showed about 45.

This one needs the wheels sorting but is a good spec for worry-free cruising - steel springs, later electrical architecture.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302214...

[Tonberry]

Some interesting suggestions there. Interesting to see you're suggesting older cars too. Those C207 are nice but auto box bills and keeping on top of replacement parts could become tiresome. I've done the German saloon thing before

I was thinking along the lines of something like this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302114...

I've had the previous gen and it was a decent steer.

But honestly looking at the prices of some of these cars, it looks like the better option is replacing the Touareg entirely and buying something I actually want to drive.

A 2017 X1, X3 or XC60 will lose maybe £8000 in this scenario, which doesn't sound too bad compared with the depreciation hit of some of the suggestions given.

[CrippsCorner]

paddy1970 said:

Honda accord 2.2 diesel. I used to do 50,000 mile a year and it is the best car for your budget

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023021041...

£7k for a 2010 car I'm still well out of touch it seems.

Only way to get a bargain these days is getting lucky on eBay auctions.

Mondeo above from OP looks good, but that is mega miles.

[paddy1970]

CrippsCorner said:

paddy1970 said:

Honda accord 2.2 diesel. I used to do 50,000 mile a year and it is the best car for your budget

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023021041...

£7k for a 2010 car I'm still well out of touch it seems.

Only way to get a bargain these days is getting lucky on eBay auctions.

Mondeo above from OP looks good, but that is mega miles.

When you are going to do a lot of miles, you need to pick up a car with low mileage and sell it before it hits 100k miles. It is fairly hard to shift cars above that mileage.

[Krikkit]

Tonberry said:

Some interesting suggestions there. Interesting to see you're suggesting older cars too. Those C207 are nice but auto box bills and keeping on top of replacement parts could become tiresome. I've done the German saloon thing before

I was thinking along the lines of something like this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302114...

I've had the previous gen and it was a decent steer.

But honestly looking at the prices of some of these cars, it looks like the better option is replacing the Touareg entirely and buying something I actually want to drive.

A 2017 X1, X3 or XC60 will lose maybe £8000 in this scenario, which doesn't sound too bad compared with the depreciation hit of some of the suggestions given.

A 4-pot diesel just isn't worth dealing with for big miles imho, I'd rather have the smoother engines, with better seats/interior etc etc.

I wouldn't go for a soft-roader, the ride is better in the saloons etc, why not the equivalent 3/5 series instead?

[ZX10R NIN]

Tonberry said:

Some interesting suggestions there. Interesting to see you're suggesting older cars too. Those C207 are nice but auto box bills and keeping on top of replacement parts could become tiresome. I've done the German saloon thing before

I was thinking along the lines of something like this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302114...

I've had the previous gen and it was a decent steer.

But honestly looking at the prices of some of these cars, it looks like the better option is replacing the Touareg entirely and buying something I actually want to drive.

A 2017 X1, X3 or XC60 will lose maybe £8000 in this scenario, which doesn't sound too bad compared with the depreciation hit of some of the suggestions given.

I'd be more inclined to spend the 1.5k extra & get a Mondeo with nearly 50k less on the clock:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301163...

With your needs I'd be more inclined to go for the previous gen Insignia you'll get a lower mileage Elite/SRI Nav for your budget & they're just as reliable:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302154...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212192...

SRI Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301253...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302234...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301073...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302134...

[standards]

Thought crossed my mind reading this: are you going anywhere a ULEZ and need a Euro 6 diesel?
Just a thought which you may well have already considered.