Looking for a new daily for a family member.. - Page 1 - Car Buying

RS Grant

Original Poster

1,729 posts

256 months

[report]

[news]

Tuesday 11th February 2025

My aunt has had her (manual) E91 320d for ~7 years and while it still runs perfectly, doesn’t throw up any repair bills and will always return >45mpg; she feels like it’s time for a change.

What’s prompted this is her getting involved in gundog stuff with her young labrador. The E91 isn’t really suitable for use on what I’d call ‘light off roading’ down farm tracks, wet grass and muddy land/hills, which is required with the gundog stuff.

Her criteria are:

- £15k budget, with maybe a ~10% budget slide for something brilliant/more special.
- Reliable.
- Manual preferred but open to trying an auto.
- Needs to fit two labradors in the boot with room to spare.
- Slightly increased ground clearance.
- 4WD/AWD, 2WD is out.
- Sensible running costs; minimum 35mpg average and reasonable parts costs.
- Bluetooth (her E91 doesn’t have this and it’s a chew having to stop to take/make calls)
- Heated seats.
- Preference is diesel over petrol.
- No requirement for ULEZ compatibility.
- She prefers a car with more ground clearance rather than an SUV or Pickup.

The options which I’ve presented her with:

- Yeti 2.0 TDI 4x4
- Leon X-Perience
- Volvo XC70

She is wary of SUVs and their associates running costs but I’m not sure what the ‘soft-roader’ stuff like CRV, Rav4, etc are like for running costs. I’ve mentioned a Honda CRV because they come well specced and she loved her old Civics, they were bombproof aside from their dissolving bodywork and underside.

What other options do you think she has?

66HFM

799 posts

48 months

[report]

[news]

Tuesday 11th February 2025

Audi A4/A6 All Road
Skoda Octavia Scout

Although as per your list my favourite would be a Yeti 4x4, the ultimate do-it-all car

ChevronB19

8,522 posts

186 months

[report]

[news]

Tuesday 11th February 2025

Yep. Yeti 4x4 with all season tyres. Will be below budget as well.

255SNK

2,360 posts

216 months

[report]

[news]

Tuesday 11th February 2025

Yeti was my first thought in 4wd Elegance or L&K spec...but you won't get 2 labradors in the boot!

Subaru Forester but you dont want the 2.0d boxer engine so you'll struggle to get 35mpg out of a petrol.

Octavia Scout or Insignia Country tourer on decent all season tyres would be the first cars I'd go and poke around.

Cheers,

Chris

Simon_GH

861 posts

103 months

[report]

[news]

Tuesday 11th February 2025

ChevronB19 said:

Yep. Yeti 4x4 with all season tyres. Will be below budget as well.

Does she need the rear seats or could they be left folded down?

ZX10R NIN

30,046 posts

148 months

[report]

[news]

Tuesday 11th February 2025

RS Grant said:

My aunt has had her (manual) E91 320d for ~7 years and while it still runs perfectly, doesn’t throw up any repair bills and will always return >45mpg; she feels like it’s time for a change.

What’s prompted this is her getting involved in gundog stuff with her young labrador. The E91 isn’t really suitable for use on what I’d call ‘light off roading’ down farm tracks, wet grass and muddy land/hills, which is required with the gundog stuff.

Her criteria are:

- £15k budget, with maybe a ~10% budget slide for something brilliant/more special.
- Reliable.
- Manual preferred but open to trying an auto.
- Needs to fit two labradors in the boot with room to spare.
- Slightly increased ground clearance.
- 4WD/AWD, 2WD is out.
- Sensible running costs; minimum 35mpg average and reasonable parts costs.
- Bluetooth (her E91 doesn’t have this and it’s a chew having to stop to take/make calls)
- Heated seats.
- Preference is diesel over petrol.
- No requirement for ULEZ compatibility.
- She prefers a car with more ground clearance rather than an SUV or Pickup.

The options which I’ve presented her with:

- Yeti 2.0 TDI 4x4
- Leon X-Perience
- Volvo XC70

She is wary of SUVs and their associates running costs but I’m not sure what the ‘soft-roader’ stuff like CRV, Rav4, etc are like for running costs. I’ve mentioned a Honda CRV because they come well specced and she loved her old Civics, they were bombproof aside from their dissolving bodywork and underside.

What other options do you think she has?

RS Grant

Original Poster

1,729 posts

256 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 13th February 2025

Thanks for the suggestions.

Some similar suggestions re: the Yeti, they're a brilliant all rounder. I got one for my folks when they moved to the sticks and it was a solid performer in harsh weather and on farm tracks beside them. My aunt actually borrowed it a couple of times and enjoyed it, which is why I thought it was a logical target for her now she's looking to replace her BMW.

I hadn't considered the Insignia, although what is reliability like? Are they a Fiat engine?

Simon_GH said:

ChevronB19 said:

Yep. Yeti 4x4 with all season tyres. Will be below budget as well.

Does she need the rear seats or could they be left folded down?

She doesn't need rear seats for 90% of her life. It would just be on occasion when she's designated driver for social events, which is rare.

Untitled by Grant F, on Flickr

We had two labradors in my folks Yeti plenty of times, but not for longer journeys.. which would require tilting/removal of the rear seats.

ZX10R NIN said:

Thank you, I appreciate the links and suggestions.

I don't think anything French will be a go'er but she was a Fordy gal before she switched to her Honda Civics and I believe that the Vignale spec brings a lot of toys and I *think* were finished on a different production line? So may be slightly better build quality and definitely worth a look.

ZX10R NIN

30,046 posts

148 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 13th February 2025

The Vignale spec cars are the pick mine was faultless for the 90k I had it.

wyson

3,924 posts

127 months

[report]

[news]

Friday 14th February 2025

Subaru. As a brand their mainstream models are built for this sort of soft roading.

Although apparently parts are expensive, even if the cars are reliable.

Edited by wyson on Friday 14th February 09:06