Budget motorway cruiser under £3k

Budget motorway cruiser under £3k

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Discussion

Tom-je44s

Original Poster:

7 posts

100 months

Sunday 21st January 2018
quotequote all
Hi,

My journey each week is around 1200 miles p/m, all motorways. I'm after a comfy, reliable motorway cruiser that's good on fuel.
I'e considered Audi A3 TDI or BMW e90 320D, but worried that my budget of £3k is going to get a high miler with problems.

Any advice on what you would get for this low budget in mind? I'd love an Alfa GT or 159ti, but again examples at under £3k will more than likely have problems down the line.

wormus

14,509 posts

202 months

ZX10R NIN

27,495 posts

124 months

Sunday 21st January 2018
quotequote all
I'd say go for a Mercedes CLK270cdi I had one sold it with 170k on the clock I added 120k of those miles it doesn't have a DPF to worry about it will see low to mid 40's install a K&N Panel filter as well as a map on one & that will see you with not only more go but also better mpg.

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

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

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

or if you need four doors:

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

Toed64

299 posts

119 months

Sunday 21st January 2018
quotequote all
Do not buy a 4 cylinder diesel BMW from after Spring 2006 when the N47 was introduced, without reading up on the potential for / likelihood of catastrophic engine failure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQpQIi7gI_U&t=...

The previous engine, the M47, is strong and has no DPF either. A £3000 budget would buy you a good M47 engined 320d.


confused_buyer

6,610 posts

180 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
Not convinced the A3 fits the bill as a great motorway cruiser and the BMW will probably be a bag of bolts at that price. They're not actually that great at comfort either unless have millions of options.

You're probably better off with something which has no image so you'll get newer / lower miles for your money.

Maybe something along the lines of:

Any old VAG car using the old 1.9TDI lump - Skoda Octavia/Superb etc. Avoid 2.0TDI.
Petrol Avensis, Mazda 6 or maybe Accord (all reliable, comfortable and not bad on fuel).
Citroen C5 (criminally underrated car which is a fabulous motorway tool)
Mondeo Mk 4 in Titanium X Spec (big, comfy, good toys).
Some sort of Volvo with D5 lump with leather and top spec stereo.
Renault Laguna (*)

etc.

(*) Yes, I know some will think me mad for suggesting this but the 2008 on model is very well built, reliable as anything else, comfy and well equipped and can be had for the price of a bag of chips.

drgoatboy

1,611 posts

206 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
confused_buyer said:
Renault Laguna (*)

etc.

(*) Yes, I know some will think me mad for suggesting this but the 2008 on model is very well built, reliable as anything else, comfy and well equipped and can be had for the price of a bag of chips.
I was going to say this. Coupe even looks good too. I had the 3.0 v6 diesel coupe and was immense on the motorway although a Tad thirsty

Bonefish Blues

26,454 posts

222 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
confused_buyer said:
Not convinced the A3 fits the bill as a great motorway cruiser and the BMW will probably be a bag of bolts at that price. They're not actually that great at comfort either unless have millions of options.

You're probably better off with something which has no image so you'll get newer / lower miles for your money.

Maybe something along the lines of:


Some sort of Volvo with D5 lump with leather and top spec stereo.
Edited for conciseness. Either S80 or S60-shaped is the answer.

ElectricSoup

8,202 posts

150 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
drgoatboy said:
confused_buyer said:
Renault Laguna (*)

etc.

(*) Yes, I know some will think me mad for suggesting this but the 2008 on model is very well built, reliable as anything else, comfy and well equipped and can be had for the price of a bag of chips.
I was going to say this. Coupe even looks good too. I had the 3.0 v6 diesel coupe and was immense on the motorway although a Tad thirsty
You say that but I had a 2008 Laguna 2.0dci estate (yes, the latest shape) and whilst it was unbelievably nice to drive, comfortable and mind bogglingly economical, something electrical broke every week and then it tried to eat me. I kept it about 8 months and then wanted to set fire to it form the heart of my bottom. I got a Mazda 6 petrol to replace it which lasted me 4 years, needing only the odd bulb changing. Aaaaah. Economical it was not though, 20-25mpg mainly, and it was only an ordinary 147bhp 2.0. Auto, though.

I think a Volvo S60 D5 is the answer to the OP's quest.

Clivey

5,108 posts

203 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
You'll probably turn your nose up but...Rover 75 (or MG ZT) with the 2.0 CDTI (BMW) engine. For £3k, you can get a top-spec one with less than 70k on the clock...which is much less likely to give you problems than a 120k mile Audi / BMW / Merc.

MorganP104

2,605 posts

129 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
Clivey said:
You'll probably turn your nose up but...Rover 75 (or MG ZT) with the 2.0 CDTI (BMW) engine. For £3k, you can get a top-spec one with less than 70k on the clock...which is much less likely to give you problems than a 120k mile Audi / BMW / Merc.
Indeed. This looks lovely:

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

keo

2,022 posts

169 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
confused_buyer said:
Not convinced the A3 fits the bill as a great motorway cruiser s.
I used an a3 for my 100 mile commute. Was perfectly fine. However I rushed into buying it as I needed a car ASAP. Reading about things now I would possibly go for something a bit bigger (or something not as boring) But it did the job got it at 68k just ticked over 100k and it still drives exactly the same.

The Dangerous Elk

4,642 posts

76 months

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
quotequote all
Some say that there is nothing more comfortable for jogging up the motorway than a big Citroen, magic carpet ride and all that.
~
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

CanoeSniffer

926 posts

86 months

Wednesday 24th January 2018
quotequote all
My GT jtdm for £1550 has been gleaming. 55-60mpg at ~70mph all day long, no issues to report with it so far. A much nicer interior will be difficult to find for the money too, seats are superb. My only complaint is that the clutch is quite heavy, but if like me you're not doing much town driving that's soon forgotten. Something to turn around and gaze at when you walk away too, much more so than an A3 or BMW.

But I'll also vouch for the VAG 1.9TDI engine, and also the 1.6TDI which was pretty much bob on in every car I've experienced it in before.

Edited by CanoeSniffer on Wednesday 24th January 03:36