Estate/ Family car for around £3000

[Webby35]

I'm looking for a good second hand estate or family car with a budget around £3k
I do beetween 5 to 10 k a year and apart from trips to see family and going away for weekends the car will be used for my 10 mile commute daily

I have been looking at older 5 series (2005 onwards) and A6's (2005 onwards) Passat's of a simmlar ages

I was wondering a few things whether they're are other cars that I'm missing for the money that have similar specs and toys and also if I was to get one of the cars above would they be any more expensive to fix than my current Mazda 6 ? As if they were significantly more I'm unsure whether I could afford to run them

Thanks in advance

Edited by Webby35 on Tuesday 17th April 15:05

[Howard-]

If you're only spending £3k and you're "unsure if you can afford to run them", ageing cars from premium manufacturers are a no-go.

Ford Mondeo or Honda Accord estate would be my suggestions.

[Oilchange]

Got an Accord, it goes and stops, works and is reliable and cheap motoring.
If you get an Executive it comes with cruise, leather and a decent Bose stereo so all can be well in your world while you drive along

[Webby35]

Oilchange said:

Got an Accord, it goes and stops, works and is reliable and cheap motoring.
If you get an Executive it comes with cruise, leather and a decent Bose stereo so all can be well in your world while you drive along

Cheers bud will take a look

[SturdyHSV]

Possibly worth considering Volvo V70 D5. Very comfortable, good stereo, heated seats etc. Comfortably within budget, you want to get a facelift with the 163bhp Euro III engine (black plastic engine cover) for optimum reliability / MPG. The Euro IV is about 10mpg worse and DPF etc. means more to go wrong.

Manuals are more bulletproof than the autos, but by the time you get to the facelift ones I believe the autos were mostly sorted out.

Don't get the 18" wheels, they interfere with the ride comfort despite looking fantastic.

Can be heavy on front suspension components so if you live down a potholed farm track you like to fly down at 70mph, it may get expensive.

Also has the benefit of feeling 'safe' because it's a big old Volvo There are integrated booster seats in the back too which I thought was pretty cool.

[Webby35]

Howard- said:

If you're only spending £3k and you're "unsure if you can afford to run them", ageing cars from premium manufacturers are a no-go.

Ford Mondeo or Honda Accord estate would be my suggestions.

To be honest don't think the Mazda is cheep to run but I'm not very experienced as I've run small hatches before this which were cheaper

Use to run my misses 2004 3 series before my son with no issues, I'm just wondering if the larger cars are significantly more for parts and spares

[Webby35]

SturdyHSV said:

Possibly worth considering Volvo V70 D5. Very comfortable, good stereo, heated seats etc. Comfortably within budget, you want to get a facelift with the 163bhp Euro III engine (black plastic engine cover) for optimum reliability / MPG. The Euro IV is about 10mpg worse and DPF etc. means more to go wrong.

Manuals are more bulletproof than the autos, but by the time you get to the facelift ones I believe the autos were mostly sorted out.

Don't get the 18" wheels, they interfere with the ride comfort despite looking fantastic.

Can be heavy on front suspension components so if you live down a potholed farm track you like to fly down at 70mph, it may get expensive.

Also has the benefit of feeling 'safe' because it's a big old Volvo There are integrated booster seats in the back too which I thought was pretty cool.

Shall take a look pal thanks

Unsure how the misses will take to getting a Volvo though 😂

[SturdyHSV]

Webby35 said:

Shall take a look pal thanks

Unsure how the misses will take to getting a Volvo though ??

That's it looking reasonably handsome at least, but I don't suspect looks will win her over. Maybe pitch it as safe?

In my opinion they're at least relatively classless, you could park it anywhere and it won't stand out, but no, it won't impress anyone's neighbours

[Webby35]

SturdyHSV said:

Webby35 said:

Shall take a look pal thanks

Unsure how the misses will take to getting a Volvo though ??

That's it looking reasonably handsome at least, but I don't suspect looks will win her over. Maybe pitch it as safe?

In my opinion they're at least relatively classless, you could park it anywhere and it won't stand out, but no, it won't impress anyone's neighbours

Yeah looks well a lad I use towork with had a V70 R which I always thought look a nice thing to be honest

Not to into cars myself as bikes are where my heart lies , I wanted a van but been told by her it's not happening and twin cabs are way out of my reach at the moment

But honestly I am really intreagued about getting a nice car as my cars have always been very cheep work horses

Couldn't care less about impressing the naighbours but would like a nice looking car for once

Edited by Webby35 on Tuesday 17th April 15:32

[Webby35]

Bowlers said:

My parents have a 2006 A6 Avant, taking it from around 90k and is nearly at 150k.

It has been trouble free, just consumables like tyres, brakes and a few bushes in 5 years. Other than the 3rd brake light which is tempremental and now a noisy flywheel it still drives spot on. I steered them towards this example being the easier to maintain and so far reliable 2.0 TDi manual (early versions are non DPF). It rides well (in 'SE' trim) gets 45mpg and still looks fresh with quite a few extras on it, extremely practical too!

I also have a high mileage 2002 330d Sport Touring Manual, I would also recommend one if you like to go for a spirited drive once in a while, it isn't as pactical being the '3' mind but has been really reliable and can't fault the car.

Thanks for the info bud

As mentioned earlier my misses had a 320D m sport which was lovely to drive so I'm really tempted by a 5 series as I think a 3 series will be too small

Seen a lovely older A6 from like 03 with 90k on a 1.9tdi which I'm really tempted by

Will see what else is suggested as the Volvo v70 looks a nice thing

[adam85]

Might be worth considering a SAAB 9-5 Aero Estate. Good power and very roomy/comfortable. They're a bargain now too!

something like this, albeit in better nick
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

Edited by adam85 on Tuesday 17th April 16:29

Edited by adam85 on Tuesday 17th April 16:34

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say the Mondeo is the car to look for they're good cars obviously you need to have a sensible annual budget to run any car, I'd say £300-500 a year would be a sensible number.

[Webby35]

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say the Mondeo is the car to look for they're good cars obviously you need to have a sensible annual budget to run any car, I'd say £300-500 a year would be a sensible number.

Only thing that bothers me with fords is everyone I've owned has rotted away although this could just be bad luck, yeah 3-500 would be no issue at all ,

[ZX10R NIN]

Rot should not be an issue on most cars (unless it's been badly repaired) so don't let that put you off:

Also the Mondeo has a big boot so maybe consider the Hatchback.

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

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

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

The VFM option is the Insignia:

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

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

Or the Vectra:

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

Here's a readers car thread on the Mondeo.

[e30m3Mark]

Volvo V70 or E39 5 series.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-BMW-523I-SE-TOURIN...

[redrabbit]

Skoda Octavia Estate: great family workhorse. On my third, never any reliability issues. Loads of space, loads to choose from.

[Webby35]

ZX10R NIN said:

Rot should not be an issue on most cars (unless it's been badly repaired) so don't let that put you off:

Also the Mondeo has a big boot so maybe consider the Hatchback.

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

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

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

The VFM option is the Insignia:

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

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

Or the Vectra:

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

Here's a readers car thread on the Mondeo.

Thanks for the links pal but want an estate as now I've had a big estate I couldn't live without one

[Webby35]

redrabbit said:

Skoda Octavia Estate: great family workhorse. On my third, never any reliability issues. Loads of space, loads to choose from.

Skoda's seem a good thing mate but unfortunately like the Volvo not sure my misses will go for it but will try to persuade her if I see one I fancy

[Stig]

Subaru Legacy or Outback - end thread.

[kieranblenk]

If you can find one a Vauxhall Signum is exceptional value for money, we had a 2.2DTI Elegance in the family from 6 months old and 2k on the clock when my grandad bought it until December just gone with 197k on when my auntie (who got it in 2012) sadly scrapped it for a brand new Clio. Not a single thing went wrong on that car in 14 years bar consumables and it is vast inside; boot isn't the most cavernous but the back seats fold and slide to create legroom/boot space depending on what's needed.