Motorway car but not the usual....

[AndrewGP]

Following on from my should I swap to a Clio 200 thread I definitely now need to change my Clio 182 daily for something else in the next month or so. I'm leaving the RAF after 21 years of fantastic flying for a more comfortable and predictable job flying civilian airliners. As such my commute is going from a daily 13 mile A and B road blast to a motorway commute from Wiltshire to Heathrow and occasionally Gatwick. I'll do this 4-6 times per month depending on what routes I get which equates to around 12-13k miles per year of pure motorway driving.

Despite me loving hot hatches and very driver focussed cars, I've got to think sensibly and getting back from a long trip tired and jet lagged means driving nothing like I'm used to. The car would be PCP'd or Leased. Budget is £5k deposit and a max of £250 per month over 3-4 years. So the requirements would be:

New or nearly new, as my days of laying on the cold garage floor doing my own maintenance are over
Petrol or Diesel, not fussed either way
40+ MPG on a run
Reliable
Satnav and bluetooth
Small as I'll be the only occupant but not so small that's it's a tinny stbox on wheels
Semi-fun with a good bit of poke for over taking (I hate slow cars!)

Current thoughts are:

Mini Cooper 1.5 petrol
BMW 118i diesel
Audi A3
Seat Leon FR 1.5 150 petrol
Scirocco 1.4 petrol
Golf GTi (but this is possibly over budget)

Thoughts on the above? Anything else I should be looking at?

[Terzo123]

I've had the A3 and now the Seat Leon. Both decent cars. The Audi has a better fit and finish whilst the leon is cheaper and has more toys as standard.

We bought a lightly used 2.5 year old example (15 PLATE) with only 15k miles for under 11k . We've had it over a year now and looking at current values it hasn't dropped that much.

A personal loan worked out best for us.

[Pistonheader101]

Why don’t you treat yourself to an Audi A6 - it seems to be the popular choice for your profession

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say go for a personal loan which leaves you open to a huge selection of possibilities, here are a few nearly new not your usual options:

Hybrid Options:

Infiniti Q50h Premium Executive

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

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

IS300 F Sport

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

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

Kia Cee'd GT this is a good underrated car & great value for money.

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

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

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

Alfa Giulietta

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

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

2.0d Astra GTC Limited Edition

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

Astra Elite Nav

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




All will be great motorway cars

[kiethton]

I’d be highly tempted by a Skoda superb, was a <£300pm (with the same down) PCP floating around last week which should fit the bill?

[AndrewGP]

Thanks all, especially ZX10R NIN, I love reading your suggestions on these threads! Some good options there that I hadn't even considered. Audi A6 and Skoda Superb are good shouts, but they're a bit on the big side for what I'm after and parking in the company car park is apparently at a premium with small sized spaces.

With the 12-13k motorway miles per year, should I go for diesel or petrol? I seem to be right on the cusp of diesel and petrol mileage.

[Blanchimont]

What about one of the new Fiesta ST's? Should fit that perfectly?

[DaveTheRave87]

Get an Alfa!

[Trophy Husband]

New Citroen Cactus Flair 1.2 Puretech 130. My wife has just got rid of her 2016 Cactus (Diesel) and she loved it and it sipped the juice. The new model has all the tricks and still looks smart. I drove a new 1.2 130 and it was quick and comfortable (around 8 seconds 0-62) and is a 6 speed so returns north of 55mpg's on the motorway at cruising speeds. Quirky and fun and a little off piste). Try one you'd be surprised.

[RSTurboPaul]

I guess a key question is whether you want to zombie your way to/from the airport when tired, relying on Automatic Cruise Control / automatic braking / automatic steering systems to keep your half-asleep self from crashing into things or getting nicked for speeding, or whether it would be better to drive something fun that kept you awake and involved in the drive.

If the former, pick any German saloon and be done with.

If the latter... MX5, surely?


A new, quicker 184bhp model comes in at c.£5k down and £299 a month on PCP over 3.5 years, with a not-terrible interest rate:
https://www.mazda.co.uk/offers/mazda-mx-5/?model=M...

Or there is the slightly used option coming in a couple of grand cheaper on the sticker price:
https://www.mazdausedcarlocator.co.uk/used-cars/94...

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Wednesday 19th December 15:25

[ZX10R NIN]

AndrewGP said:

Thanks all, especially ZX10R NIN, I love reading your suggestions on these threads! Some good options there that I hadn't even considered. Audi A6 and Skoda Superb are good shouts, but they're a bit on the big side for what I'm after and parking in the company car park is apparently at a premium with small sized spaces.

With the 12-13k motorway miles per year, should I go for diesel or petrol? I seem to be right on the cusp of diesel and petrol mileage.

I'd say diesel because your mileage is mainly motorway it's very hard to look past the diesel options because they'll be at their best with this usage.

[aaron_2000]

If you can get one in budget, I'd be going for this

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

[courty]

+- 20,000 mile Giulia 2.2 diesels can be had for under £20,000.

I know you like hatchbacks, but if you want to do motorway munching, then Skoda Superb can be had with good spec. I'd go Alfa though, given the choice because they look cool...

[sie10110]

DaveTheRave87 said:

Get an Alfa!

Giulietta Veloce with the 240PS engine? Not quite on the mark with fuel economy but surprisingly comfy and good fun. I do 450 miles a week in mine.

[ZX10R NIN]

From my list above it would be the Giulietta followed by the Q50h.

[AndrewGP]

Gents, thanks. There's lots here for me to think about so I'll mull things over during Christmas and then get some test drives in. I've done a bit of maths too and a loan could also work nicely, equating to a budget of about £16k so I should get something pretty nice for that.

I'll report back when I make a decision.

[AndrewGP]

FWIW, I've now put a deposit down on a new car (well it's used, but new to me). I've read loads of these threads and people don't usually report back with what they've gone for so I thought I would. I genuinely considered every suggestion put forward (admittedly spending more on some than others )

Paul's post though really made me stop and think...

RSTurboPaul said:

I guess a key question is whether you want to zombie your way to/from the airport when tired, relying on Automatic Cruise Control / automatic braking / automatic steering systems to keep your half-asleep self from crashing into things or getting nicked for speeding, or whether it would be better to drive something fun that kept you awake and involved in the drive.

Because I wanted a bit of both, I've picked a BMW 218d M Sport in Estoril Blue Metallic. It's got a nice chassis and is RWD, but does 55mpg and is loaded with extras to get home comfortably when I'm tired. I pick it up in 2 weeks time. Thanks for everyone's suggestion's, it's been a fun process!

[ZX10R NIN]

Glad you got sorted OP.

[aaron_2000]

AndrewGP said:

Because I wanted a bit of both, I've picked a BMW 218d M Sport in Estoril Blue Metallic. It's got a nice chassis and is RWD, but does 55mpg and is loaded with extras to get home comfortably when I'm tired. I pick it up in 2 weeks time. Thanks for everyone's suggestion's, it's been a fun process!

Good choice. You'd still get 55mpg if you mapped it too.

[underphil]

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say go for a personal loan which leaves you open to a huge selection of possibilities, here are a few nearly new not your usual options:

Hybrid Options:

Infiniti Q50h Premium Executive

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

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

IS300 F Sport

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

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

Kia Cee'd GT this is a good underrated car & great value for money.

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

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

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

Alfa Giulietta

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

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

2.0d Astra GTC Limited Edition

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

Astra Elite Nav

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




All will be great motorway cars

The giulietta & the Astra would both be too noisy on the motorway for me to recommend (haven't tried the Kia, but surprised if that's any different)