Comfort, economy & reliability. Can it be done for £3k?

[5lab]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...



nice place to sit, and a run out model, so had all the toys. old shape s\v40 came very high on the reliability scales a few years ago

[GreatGranny]

S60 is a good shout. S80 are usually cheaper to buy. V70 command a large premium over the saloon.

Or what about the S40. Smaller, cheaper to run and still with those great seats.

IMO they look good as well.



http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Most S60s are high mileage at this price. They can take the mileage but buy one with 100k and its over 200k after 3 years doing 35k a year.

However as 300 said any Mondy/Vectra type car will be ok for the task seat dependent.

As long as its well maintained, not thrashed from cold and left to idle before turning off a modern turbo diesel should last to 200k miles.

A few below..

407

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

SAAB 9-3

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

X-Type very low miles

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[tomsugden]

This has got to be good for at least another 100k

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2863393.htm

A friend of mine has the Elegance version of this. We drove it to the South of France and I was amazed by the economy and refinement.

[eltax91]

I love the 5 series idea. I do wonder just how much of the work I could do myself. I do everything except the cam belt on my Octavia. Does anyone have any experience on the relative difficulty of the BMW unit. I have considered the Rover/MG with the same Diesel lump in it. BMW/Merc to me just big bills when I have to find a specialist...

[s_zigmond]

Vectra or Saab if you want comfort

[Tallbut Buxomly]

zakelwe said:

Worlds most reliable car?

http://www.motors.co.uk/VehicleDetails.aspx?carID=...

All it lacks is the cruise control but you can probably get that on another sale. They are very very comfy as well.

Andy

Very bad idea. I own the top of the range version and it is not comfy at all. Its noisy is the best i can say about it.

[Tallbut Buxomly]

This. Check my profile for an idea of running costs and maintenance. Mine is on 331k miles with only 1 official breakdown when my alternator seized and ripped a pulley from its mounting.

Tyres man specified michelins are 90 quid a corner and will do around 30k rear and 20k front. Front Disks and pads will be a set of disks per 60k miles and a set of pads every 30k or so. Disks and pads are roughly 100-130 quid and take around 10 mins a corner to change.

I use my local halfords autocentre previously nationwide and they charge 200 quid for a full service every 60k miles and 380 for a cambelt and waterpump every 60k.

Its quiet and comfy. It will sit at upto 90mph happily all day every day and return in excess of 40mpg. Or put another way originally i got 750miles per 65l tank of fuel i now average for some odd reason around 650miles per 80 quid tank iirc.


Other than that it costs nothing to run.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[eltax91]

Tallbut Buxomly said:

This. Check my profile for an idea of running costs and maintenance. Mine is on 331k miles with only 1 official breakdown when my alternator seized and ripped a pulley from its mounting.

Tyres man specified michelins are 90 quid a corner and will do around 30k rear and 20k front. Front Disks and pads will be a set of disks per 60k miles and a set of pads every 30k or so. Disks and pads are roughly 100-130 quid and take around 10 mins a corner to change.

I use my local halfords autocentre previously nationwide and they charge 200 quid for a full service every 60k miles and 380 for a cambelt and waterpump every 60k.

Its quiet and comfy. It will sit at upto 90mph happily all day every day and return in excess of 40mpg. Or put another way originally i got 750miles per 65l tank of fuel i now average for some odd reason around 650miles per 80 quid tank iirc.


Other than that it costs nothing to run.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

A4 is on my list. Thanks.

[Cotty]

eltax91 said:

The Octavia has consitently done 35k a year for the last 3 years!

[eltax91]

Cotty said:

The nature of my work. I travel a lot! The office is 50 miles from home, so a fair trip when not out on site. 33k between last two mot's, 35k before that!

[Tallbut Buxomly]

Cotty said:

Why the surprise cotty.

[EDLT]

V88Dicky said:

I do mostly motorway/DC miles in my daily driver, and am currently getting a verified 45mpg for the week, out of a manual version of one of these;

You get 45mpg out of a 2.0 petrol!

Do you drive along the motorway at 50mph?

[robsco]

This baby is up for £3195 on PH Classifieds, yours for £3k with a little haggling. Ticks every box.

[gamefreaks]

S60/V70's will do intergalactic mileage, BUT are expensive to fix when they do go wrong.

That X-Type posted earlier looks too cheap. I'm betting on CatD or clocked, X-Type is possibly a good call but a £3k diesel will most likley already have >100k already.

[sparks_E39]

hornetrider said:

S3_Graham said:

E39 5 series. Job Done.

528 will return you an average around 30mpg. can take starship mileages and rumoured to be one of the best handling saloons about.

I'd agree but the OP wants up to 40mpg. In which case I'd pick a 523 over a 528 to eke out a few more mpg on the run, given 35k miles a year. 530d could be an option but may have to stretch the budget for a nice one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-530-d-se-auto-/160559980...

The 523 returns the same mpg as the 528, and 32-37 mpg is possible on a run, once had 42 in my 528. To be honest if it's economy, reliability and a cheap car to run, avoid the E39. Lovely cars but they cost a fair bit to keep going.