Looking for motorway cruiser £2k

[NordicCrankShaft]

As the title really. My current 2008 Saab 93 tid vector sport has given up the ghost Currently done 25k since Jan last year. So looking for something diesel and comfortable for cruising up and down the M4/M5.
I would maybe like an estate so I can lump my mountain bike in the bike and also an elderly dog with arthritis in his back legs but not essential.

Current candidates seem to be 2005 onwards 1.9tdi Vectras and have seen a few jag x-types both in estate form.

[ZX10R NIN]

My recommendation would be the C270 Mercedes they're great motorway cars

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

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

OR the E270

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

The C Coupe may suit you best with it's hatchback as you can fold the seats down to take the mountain bike & there's lots of room for the dog:

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

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

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

[ChevronB19]

Octavia estate?

[NordicCrankShaft]

Hadn't considered any Mercs and the C270 is a very good shout!

[matt21]

Always recommend B5.5 Passat estates with the 1.9 130PD engine.

I bought my 54 plate Highline in 2010 for £3300 with 117k, now on 213k still going strong. Used for airport runs, continental trips and commuting. Despite many other cars coming and going the Passat has stayed part of the family.

Over the years I pursuaded about 5 friends to buy the same, all less than £2k. No one experienced a major issue in over 200k between them

You can get a 150k mile example with load of life left in it for about £1k. Get a high line to get comfy leather seats. Fit a modern head unit for £200 and get DAB, Bluetooth audio and calls and waft along! Only annoyance is most don’t have cruise control.

When my dies I’ll get another

[BigTrak79]

Signum. You get a lot for your money, big boot, cheap and easy to fix. Not exactly stylish but would fit your brief.

[sjc]

Rover 75 high spec Tourer would be about as comfy as it could get at that money .

[anonymous-user]

Volvo V70? I bought a 210k D5 manual last month for £1150 and it’s perfect for my motorway commute. Absolute shed but mechanically sound.

[nomank]

matt21 said:

Always recommend B5.5 Passat estates with the 1.9 130PD engine.

I bought my 54 plate Highline in 2010 for £3300 with 117k, now on 213k still going strong. Used for airport runs, continental trips and commuting. Despite many other cars coming and going the Passat has stayed part of the family.

Over the years I pursuaded about 5 friends to buy the same, all less than £2k. No one experienced a major issue in over 200k between them

You can get a 150k mile example with load of life left in it for about £1k. Get a high line to get comfy leather seats. Fit a modern head unit for £200 and get DAB, Bluetooth audio and calls and waft along! Only annoyance is most don’t have cruise control.

When my dies I’ll get another

What are the automatics like on these? Presuming they aren't DSG'd so much more reliable??

[sjc]

If you really serious about a motorway commute in comfort, it won’t get better than this for your money.
Saloon ..
https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread....
And an Estate with dog guard !
https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread....

[Jamescrs]

My first thoughts when I saw the thread title before reading the posts were

Saab 9-5 but I guess you thought of that already

and Rover 75 or MG ZT with the diesel engine which is a BMW engine and should be good for reliability and having owned a ZT many years ago it was a nice place to be sat albeit restricted for rear leg room with my 6ft 4 frame in the drivers seat

[matt21]

nomank said:

matt21 said:

Always recommend B5.5 Passat estates with the 1.9 130PD engine.

I bought my 54 plate Highline in 2010 for £3300 with 117k, now on 213k still going strong. Used for airport runs, continental trips and commuting. Despite many other cars coming and going the Passat has stayed part of the family.

Over the years I pursuaded about 5 friends to buy the same, all less than £2k. No one experienced a major issue in over 200k between them

You can get a 150k mile example with load of life left in it for about £1k. Get a high line to get comfy leather seats. Fit a modern head unit for £200 and get DAB, Bluetooth audio and calls and waft along! Only annoyance is most don’t have cruise control.

When my dies I’ll get another

Fairly reliable but old school, not DSG. Expect up to 10mpg worse. I’m happy with my manual and 50mpg

What are the automatics like on these? Presuming they aren't DSG'd so much more reliable??

[NordicCrankShaft]

The Volvo's are another good shout, have found a cracking S40 2.0 TD Sport, not quite the estate I wanted but it's a nice looking motor.

Never really been keen on the look of the Rover/MG's to be honest.

[DomingoSpear]

If you are looking at doing 20k every year, you don't want a Fiesta, Punto sized car. They are too small and wear out quicker than a larger car.

If I were you, I would be looking at a Mondeo Mk3, which is a great motorway cruiser. For £2k you would be looking at a 2003/4 diesel, which should give 40/45mpg at least, depending on how you drive it. Try and get one which has had the clutch replaced recently if possible.

Click here

Edited by DomingoSpear on Saturday 12th January 12:15

[sjc]

NordicCrankShaft said:

The Volvo's are another good shout, have found a cracking S40 2.0 TD Sport, not quite the estate I wanted but it's a nice looking motor.

Never really been keen on the look of the Rover/MG's to be honest.

You want a two grand motorway hack that's comfortable though?
I appreciate it's subjective but looks and badge should be the very last thing to concern you surely? I've done around 160,000 motorway miles in 2 V6 versions of the 75 (as third cars), with every bit of kit you'd need (i.e cruise/climate, heated leather and everything electric) and as good NVH levels as anything.. indeed Tiff Needell drove my original one on Fifth Gear against an S-type and Bentley Turbo R and said it had the best NVH of all three to me. The two examples look well maintained with enthusiastic owners. A big Volvo ( not a 40 series sport!) or another big Saab might work.
Some of the suggestions will be harsh riding, road noisy and hard seated, the complete opposite of what you are want. It's quite possible we've forgot what a smooth riding quiet car feels like now, in the race for " sporty" big wheeled everything.... and that's coming from someone with a 4 TVR / 2 Noble history!

[Old Merc]

NordicCrankShaft said:

Hadn't considered any Mercs and the C270 is a very good shout!

I think you will find that they tick all the boxes.
My CDI has never let me down,on long M way runs it averages 50 MPG and has plenty of spare power and performance when needed.

[rich12]

I'm in a similar situation so may as well piggy back on here.

Weirdly, I actually quite like the Rover 75 for what it is and also the C270 but there aren't many around of either.

I really like this one but it's way too expensive.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

What are (if any) the common things to look out for on those 2 cars?

[sjc]

Rich,
Have a look on www.the75andztclub.co.uk, lots of info and also there’s a classifieds section as well, (I posted two cars earlier in the thread from that site).

I’d also suggest a pre-facelift car, having had both.

[rich12]

sjc said:

Rich,
Have a look on www.the75andztclub.co.uk, lots of info and also there’s a classifieds section as well, (I posted two cars earlier in the thread from that site).

I’d also suggest a pre-facelift car, having had both.

Thanks, i'll take a look.