Sub £2k - Reliable, Low Tax, High MPG for Motorway Miles

[smckenna92]

Need a car for mainly motorway miles, will be driving Edinburgh to Newcastle 120 each way 2 twice a month

High MPG at motorway speeds - MPG: 40+ (Ideally 50+)
Shed money but can stretch to £2k for performance OR luxury OR service history
Reliable OR cheap to fix
Low tax
Don't mind diesel but worried about the reliability of anything around 2010 onwards (probably out of budget anyway)
Bonus points for an estate, cruise control, leather

I have been looking at:

Higher-end: E46/E90x 3 series
Middle: Saab 9-3
Low end: MK2 Ford Focus - Titanium - Various Engines

[keo]

Best Mondeo or Passat you can get at that money?

[SCEtoAUX]

Yaris

[Shaqq]

Another one for the Yaris

[MXRod]

My daughter has a 2009 Seat Ibiza Ecomotive 1400 3pot zero road tax sounds like a bag of spanners at idle speed ,but quite muted at motorways speed .due to tall gearing
Will happily do a genuine 70 mpg at 70 mph

Edited by MXRod on Tuesday 10th December 17:49

[smckenna92]

SCEtoAUX said:

Yaris

Mk1 OR MK2

Petrol or Diesel

I had previously ruled something like this out as I thought it would be high in the rev range at motorway speeds or loud, making it uncomfortable.

[smckenna92]

MXRod said:

My daughter has a 2009 Seat Ibiza Ecomotive 1400 3pot zero road tax sounds like a bag of spanners at idle speed ,but quite muted at motorways speed .
Will happily do a genuine 70 mpg at 70 mph

Interesting and impressive - Sounds like I was wrong to rule out the smaller cars.

Assuming I could also include the Fabia and Polo in this group as well.

[MXRod]

smckenna92 said:

MXRod said:

My daughter has a 2009 Seat Ibiza Ecomotive 1400 3pot zero road tax sounds like a bag of spanners at idle speed ,but quite muted at motorways speed .
Will happily do a genuine 70 mpg at 70 mph

Interesting and impressive - Sounds like I was wrong to rule out the smaller cars.

Assuming I could also include the Fabia and Polo in this group as well.

Yes all have the same DNA

[mikey-r]

I run a 2003 e320 cdi Mercedes. Luxury motoring, auto, cruise, leather, auto lights, auto wipers, keyless go etc etc. I've managed 45-51 mpg on runs doing 70-90. I think £25 per month tax.

Mine's currently on 124k, and cost me £1800 about a year ago. I've done about 7000 miles and it hasn't missed a beat. It was bought as a stop gap when I sold my M3, but it's become so useful and I actually love driving the thing... I suspect I'll be keeping it until it dies.

[SD_1]

A Yaris for motorway use? Really?

I'll second the Mondeo comments, much more suitable for that purpose.

[anonymous-user]

mikey-r said:

I run a 2003 e320 cdi Mercedes. Luxury motoring, auto, cruise, leather, auto lights, auto wipers, keyless go etc etc. I've managed 45-51 mpg on runs doing 70-90. I think £25 per month tax.

Mine's currently on 124k, and cost me £1800 about a year ago. I've done about 7000 miles and it hasn't missed a beat. It was bought as a stop gap when I sold my M3, but it's become so useful and I actually love driving the thing... I suspect I'll be keeping it until it dies.

This is the sort of thing I would go for as well. Currently I drive a Megane DCI, 60MPG £30 road tax, but I am seriously thinking about a diesel, auto, wafty barge when it dies.

I have thought about getting an A6, but old Audi's and me don't tend to get along.

The E class seems to be the best compromise between price, availability and potential bork factor.

[smckenna92]

mikey-r said:

I run a 2003 e320 cdi Mercedes. Luxury motoring, auto, cruise, leather, auto lights, auto wipers, keyless go etc etc. I've managed 45-51 mpg on runs doing 70-90. I think £25 per month tax.

Mine's currently on 124k, and cost me £1800 about a year ago. I've done about 7000 miles and it hasn't missed a beat. It was bought as a stop-gap when I sold my M3, but it's become so useful and I actually love driving the thing... I suspect I'll be keeping it until it dies.

My dad has always had Mercedes so I am quite a fan

I was considering these as well but not even the best of man maths can justify it

Assuming 47mpg is achievable then that is still £10 more per round trip call it £20 x 12 = £240
Road tax at £25 X 12 = £300
Assuming higher insurance costs
More expensive parts, tyres, etc - lets assume nothing goes wrong or nothing needs spent on it

Still talking £600+ more in year 1

(some stupid man maths on a Range Rover lost me £7K plus in a year - hence why I being a bit cheap)

[dodsi2000]

A Yaris is bloody horrible at motorway speeds, no power to get up hills and they feel like they are doing 5000rpm at 70mph. Noisy, wind noise. Nope.

As a sheddy shopping trolly/mixed and low speed stuff they are fantastic.

Most other advice here seems sound.

[ZX10R NIN]

smckenna92 said:

My dad has always had Mercedes so I am quite a fan

I was considering these as well but not even the best of man maths can justify it

Assuming 47mpg is achievable then that is still £10 more per round trip call it £20 x 12 = £240
Road tax at £25 X 12 = £300
Assuming higher insurance costs
More expensive parts, tyres, etc - lets assume nothing goes wrong or nothing needs spent on it

Still talking £600+ more in year 1

(some stupid man maths on a Range Rover lost me £7K plus in a year - hence why I being a bit cheap)

If you look leftfield you can find some very good reliable cars for your budget.

I'd say look for an Alfa 147 1.9d 8V

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

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

Fiat Bravo Sport

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

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

If you can stretch a Laguna Coupe is a good shout:

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

Or a Laguna2 Dynamique

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

Toyota Auris SR180

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

IS220 SE-L

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

With all cars in this budget I'd say make sure you change the oil every 10k no matter what especially on the diesel cars also make sure you flush every other service (& when you first get the filter) as the pick up pipes will be starting to clog.

[talksthetorque]

Is this just for these journeys twice a month or would you use the car for other stuff?




No Speed cameras, No traffic 1hr 30 travel time

Your journey time and distance either side of the station may also make this a no go.

[smckenna92]

talksthetorque said:

Is this just for these journeys twice a month or would you use the car for other stuff?




No Speed cameras, No traffic 1hr 30 travel time

Your journey time and distance either side of the station may also make this a no go.

Yes, this what I plan on doing short term, it's not the end of the world and I can do some work on train ride.

It can be economical if tickets are booked in advance, but it does mean departure time etc are dictated which is not ideal since the journey is for pleasure rather than business ha ha.

Also I am a piston head and have been out of a car for 6 months and itching to just be driving anything at this stage - I live city centre so shops, gym, work are all walking distance.

Car would literally be for weekend trips with my mountain bike, trips to New castle or visiting family in Glasgow & dundee.

[pavarotti1980]

talksthetorque said:

Is this just for these journeys twice a month or would you use the car for other stuff?




No Speed cameras, No traffic 1hr 30 travel time

Your journey time and distance either side of the station may also make this a no go.

Awful seats compared to the old HST trains with nice big leather ones (first class obviously )

I would prefer a Yaris on the motorway

[aka_kerrly]

SD_1 said:

A Yaris for motorway use? Really?

I see no issue with a Yaris for a bit of motorway driving. A 2008 petrol or diesel powered one will fit the criteria of being able to do 70mph, 50mpg , cheap to tax and reliable.


Or you could join the 320D crowd... not so certain it ticks any of the criteria other than some being available for £2k with the potential for repairs of a similar value.

[VR99]

Focus MK1 petrol for being cheap to run and reliable if maintained. However they are getting in a bit now and not the most refined or relaxed car for motorways...town driving is where it excels. No experience with mk2 focus..solid enough but again don't expect much refinement.

[ElectricSoup]

Joey Deacon said:

mikey-r said:

I run a 2003 e320 cdi Mercedes. Luxury motoring, auto, cruise, leather, auto lights, auto wipers, keyless go etc etc. I've managed 45-51 mpg on runs doing 70-90. I think £25 per month tax.

Mine's currently on 124k, and cost me £1800 about a year ago. I've done about 7000 miles and it hasn't missed a beat. It was bought as a stop gap when I sold my M3, but it's become so useful and I actually love driving the thing... I suspect I'll be keeping it until it dies.

This is the sort of thing I would go for as well. Currently I drive a Megane DCI, 60MPG £30 road tax, but I am seriously thinking about a diesel, auto, wafty barge when it dies.

I have thought about getting an A6, but old Audi's and me don't tend to get along.

The E class seems to be the best compromise between price, availability and potential bork factor.

My 2005 E320 CDi borked me so hard where the sun don't shine that I've finally given up and traded it in for a Honda Civic Tourer. Air springs, torque converter, injectors...the list of bills was endless.