200 mile commute once a week

[vtecyo]

Hi all

I may be needing something to drive from Bristol to north west London and back one day a week. Absolute top budget is 15k but given the mileage will rack up fairly quickly I’ll probably go closer to 10. First thought is some form of Volvo with the D4 engine and as low a miles as possible. Probably a v60 as I’ll use the car for getting about in and carrying a bike in as well so it needs to be semi interesting / practical.

Anything to know about the v60? And the D4 engine? Are they fairly borkproof? I’ve looked at all sorts of stuff but they seem to be the best mix of economy/ reliability/ practical / nice inside and out etc etc.

And before anyone asks - it’s potentially a dream job at the dream company, would be 1 day a week in the office.

[Vasco]

A 200 mile commute once a week doesn't add up to very much (10k). I used a Volvo for 60k miles a year and had no problems.

[Pica-Pica]

Vasco said:

A 200 mile commute once a week doesn't add up to very much (10k). I used a Volvo for 60k miles a year and had no problems.

Agreed. Any car will do that. Just get what you want.

[dmsims]

Train and buy what you want

[vtecyo]

dmsims said:

Train and buy what you want

Did look at that but it’s an absolute ballache to get to on the train. Office is about half a mile from the m25.

[anonymous-user]

Pica-Pica said:

Vasco said:

A 200 mile commute once a week doesn't add up to very much (10k). I used a Volvo for 60k miles a year and had no problems.

Agreed. Any car will do that. Just get what you want.

Agreed, I did a 120 mile daily commute for 6 months in a Renault Megane diesel and it was absolutely fine, great even as I could easily do the whole week on one tank of fuel. Would it have been nicer in a a big old Volvo, of course but I think any modern car could easily cope with 200 miles a week.

[Vasco]

dmsims said:

Train and buy what you want

Train is a waste of time, and money, in many parts of the country. Now also quite unreliable at times.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Vasco said:

A 200 mile commute once a week doesn't add up to very much (10k). I used a Volvo for 60k miles a year and had no problems.

I used a TVR Chimaera for similar. Not the most practical but I did at least look forward to the journeys

[ZX10R NIN]

Will you be going into the ULEZ?

ULEZ Compliant Options.

D4 V40 R Design Lux Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110138...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101077...

SE Lux Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110208...

Infiniti Q30 Premium

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109147...

Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110188...

Q50 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110178...

[sawman]

I used a morgan 4 seater for that sort of commute (midlands to east kent in my case) for a year. Any car will take it in its stride. I quite like the v60 - would the hybrid version help with congestion charge?

[talksthetorque]

Depending on where abouts you live in Bristol, I'd be more worried about what you are allowed there than what will do a 100 mile journey. Check out Bristol's plans for the clean air zones....

But yes the D4 is a decent engine. Volvo's are not that frugal though if that's a concern.

I do 20k a year minimum and have for the last 20 years. Half of that at least has been journeys of over 100 miles, and anything Golf sized or over at that budget will be good for one day a week.

Anything smaller tends not to have a central armrest, which can seem like a minor inconvenience. until you do over half an hour on the motorway and then it starts to annoy.

Finally don't make the day you travel a Monday or a Friday!

[Abdul Abulbul Amir]

It doesnt sounds like you need to worry about the ulez yet.

[The Cardinal]

I ran a pre-facelift 2012 V60 215 D5 SE Lux manual as a company car back in 2012-14, doing a frequent trip from Bristol to Watford for work (plus all over the UK). My parents still have a 2016 facelift 177 D4 Cross Country auto that I've driven a fair bit.

I've run a lot of personal and hire cars over the years on similar journeys - and the V60 was lovely for the long distances. The interior was really very comfortable and quite simple on the pre-facelift D5. I don't think much of the digital dials on the facelift and there are some cost-cutting measures compared to the earlier car, though it's a minor grumble. The D4 4-cylinder is a very strong unit and quicker than the headline power figure would indicate.

So, yes - I'd certainly be happy with a V60. That said, as another poster has pointed out, you can run pretty much anything from Golf size upwards and be confident of it doing the job.

These days I run an Audi S3 that is surprisingly comfortable and reasonable on fuel on similar runs (50mpg -v- 60mpg in the V60 D5 and 44mpg in a non-turbo 1.4 Astra). Turbo'd petrol engines can be pretty economical if driven gently.

Bristol's CAZ is scheduled for mid-2022 now.

[georgeyboy12345]

Don't bother with a diesel for those miles.

You should be able to get your bike in a hatchback. I can get my mountain bike in an Audi A3 / Honda Civic if I take the front wheel off and fold the rear seats.

If you go for one of the Volkswagen Audi group 1.4 TSI engines, some of them have cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts down 2 of the 4 cylinders at a steady cruise, giving decent fuel economy:

Audi A3 1.4 TFSI SE S-tronic - auto gearbox for those traffic jams, SE model, so nice fat tyres and comfy
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110218...

VW Golf GT TSI Bluemotion - similar car, this one's a manual
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110238...

Seat Leon EcoTSI FR - a bit newer, this is an FR model, so the ride might be a bit firmer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109157...

Skoda Octavia TSI SE DSG - an auto, but I don't believe this one has the cylinder deactivation like those above.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110017...


Other options

Automatics

Alfa Romeo 1.4 TB Speciale TCT
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110098...

Vauxhall Astra 1.4i Turbo SRi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110148...


Manuals

Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108186...

Honda Civic 1.0 VTEC Turbo SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104281...

Mazda 3 2.0 Skyactiv-G SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109046...

[georgeyboy12345]

Of if you really do need the extra space of an estate, what about one of these?

Mercedes C200 SE Estate
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103310...

Audi A4 Avant 1.4 TFSI Sport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110078...

BMW 318i Touring Sport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108246...

Mazda 6 2.0 Skyactiv-G Sport Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109036...


Then there are estate versions of some of the cars I mentioned in my previous post

VW Golf 1.4 GT TSI Bluemotion
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107175...

Seat Leon 1.4 EcoTSI FR DSG
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109207...

Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI SE DSG
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108196...

Vauxhall Astra 1.4i Turbo SRi Sports Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109177...

Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost Titanium Estate
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108136...

[GreatGranny]

Had V60 D4 from 70k - 145k miles doing 500 miles per week and it was faultless.

Comfortable, decent stereo, auto lights/wipers, cruise, great seats and practical but not the most inspiring car to drive.

[pingu393]

Before I read that the journey was Bristol --> London, I thought "get a toy", but knowing that it will be motorway all the way, get whatever suits your weekends as well and save the extra costs associated with a 2nd car.

I used to do Nottingham --> Andover - I had a toy. Draw a straight line on the map and you can see why

[Canon_Fodder]

I suggest an automatic as you'll be sitting in traffic quite a bit

[vtecyo]

georgeyboy12345 said:

Of if you really do need the extra space of an estate, what about one of these?

Mercedes C200 SE Estate
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103310...

Audi A4 Avant 1.4 TFSI Sport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110078...

BMW 318i Touring Sport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108246...

Mazda 6 2.0 Skyactiv-G Sport Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109036...


Then there are estate versions of some of the cars I mentioned in my previous post

VW Golf 1.4 GT TSI Bluemotion
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107175...

Seat Leon 1.4 EcoTSI FR DSG
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109207...

Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI SE DSG
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108196...

Vauxhall Astra 1.4i Turbo SRi Sports Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109177...

Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost Titanium Estate
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108136...

Been quiet on here lately but did have a look back at these. All good suggestions but I can’t help thinking 90 odd miles of M4 would drag a bit in a small engined golf.

At the moment I’m thinking E350 cdi coupe for 10k, a sea sucker mount kit for 350 and save the 4650 towards something else. Mainly as it will probably be 2 days a week to start with. Possibly staying overnight nearby, will see how it goes.

Oh and I got the job!

Edited by vtecyo on Saturday 19th February 18:35

[talksthetorque]

Congrats on the new job, sounds like a good excuse for a new car