Barge wanted - £12K budget - ideas?

[thenortherner]

Having had hot hatches for years and years now it's time for a change. I bought an ex demo Peugeot 208 GTI last year, and whilst it's good fun it's beginning to get a bit wearsome.

I'm do 20-25K miles a year and whilst the car's not exactly an 80's Metro when it comes to refinement, it's not great either. It'll return 40 mpg if I'm careful and it's got all the kit you'd ever need but I'm finding I'm driving it like a tit when in the mood too.

So I'm contemplating a change. Ideally:

£13K absolute max
It'll return 35 mpg (without sitting at 55 mph on the inside line)
I'm open to either petrol or diesel
It'll be reliable if properly looked after
Won't cost the earth run - though I appreciate consumables will be more and running costs Vs a hot hatch will be higher
VED isn't silly money

Any ideas welcome.

I've seen this and genuinely really interested. Appreciated it's several thousand more than one with the mileage relative to it's age but it's pretty much a new car!

https://www.heartysofpeterborough.co.uk/used-cars-...

[ZX10R NIN]

Do you want a barge or something comfortable to while away the miles on because with that budget I'd be looking at an E/CLS 350cdi:

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

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

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

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

CLS 350

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

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

S350

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

635d

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

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

640d Gran Coupe

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

530d GT

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

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

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

A7 S Line

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

A8

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

Infiniti M S Premium these are very comfortable & will eat the miles up with ease as well as being well equipped with a fit & finish on par with most cars listed here & the lowest running costs.

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

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

[Fittster]

Lexus:

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

[nuttywobbler]

Forget the whole barge thing. You’re doing 25k miles per year, you don’t want an old barge with old tech that won’t do many mpg, that will go wrong and will cost money to fix.

£13k will get you something nice which is 2 years old, still under warranty, low miles and modern with good tech and high mpg.

[thenortherner]

Thanks,

I do fancy a big saloon though not sure my budget qualifies as being a barge.

BMW will still do a warranty on the 2009 730D for £1.6K a year!

I know the safe option is a 2 year old Focus or equivalent with lots of kit on but it just doesn't appeal.

[nuttywobbler]

I just think big old barges likes the ones linked to above look... like trouble. All of them.

But I suppose life is all about experiences, even if those experiences involve eye watering repair bills, canal boat handling, rubbish old fashioned infotainment systems, terrible economy and eventual financial ruin.

£1600 per year warranty on a 10 year old diesel BMW - in many ways, that sounds bonkers.

[CubanPete]

That will get you a 4 year old 520d, with sensible miles.

0-60 8 seconds, and 45-50 mpg.

[Captain Smerc]

That Beemer is strangely appealing !
https://www.heartysofpeterborough.co.uk/used-cars-...

[ZX10R NIN]

The 530d GT seems to tick a lot of your boxes.

[BrabusMog]

ZX10R NIN said:

The 530d GT seems to tick a lot of your boxes.

They are pig ugly but supremely comfortable inside, plus you don't have to look art the outside when you're munching the miles on the motorway. I'd definitely have one over an older 7, and unless you want a low slung driving position and ageing tech it also beats the A7 hands down.

[Shiv_P]

Have you thought about a skoda superb?
You'll get more for your money vs a similar premium marque and a newer model too. Very comfortable as well, though they are a big car (A6/5 series size)

[Sc0tchland]

Great suggestions as usual!

[underphil]

nuttywobbler said:

Forget the whole barge thing. You’re doing 25k miles per year, you don’t want an old barge with old tech that won’t do many mpg, that will go wrong and will cost money to fix.

£13k will get you something nice which is 2 years old, still under warranty, low miles and modern with good tech and high mpg.

will it? what can you get for that criteria that is good for doing a lot of motorway miles?

[jason61c]

underphil said:

nuttywobbler said:

Forget the whole barge thing. You’re doing 25k miles per year, you don’t want an old barge with old tech that won’t do many mpg, that will go wrong and will cost money to fix.

£13k will get you something nice which is 2 years old, still under warranty, low miles and modern with good tech and high mpg.

will it? what can you get for that criteria that is good for doing a lot of motorway miles?

nothing.

£15k gets a nice 520d

[thenortherner]

A BMW warranty is coming back at £1400 for a 730d with average miles and limited to £5000 per claim. I know their warranties are decent as I've had payouts before.

The other option is to go for a S80 with hardly any miles and maybe 3 years old.

As far as tech goes, I'm not a great user of it. My iPod is 12 years old if that's anything to go by.

Musts really are:
Heated seats
Auto folding mirrors
Decent sound system
Ideally a heated screen

[nuttywobbler]

underphil said:

nuttywobbler said:

Forget the whole barge thing. You’re doing 25k miles per year, you don’t want an old barge with old tech that won’t do many mpg, that will go wrong and will cost money to fix.

£13k will get you something nice which is 2 years old, still under warranty, low miles and modern with good tech and high mpg.

will it? what can you get for that criteria that is good for doing a lot of motorway miles?

2017-67 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport SRI Nav Auto, 35k miles, main dealer approved used, still under warranty, £12,795. Made for the motorway.

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

Next!

Edited by nuttywobbler on Tuesday 7th May 21:41

[ZX10R NIN]

thenortherner said:

A BMW warranty is coming back at £1400 for a 730d with average miles and limited to £5000 per claim. I know their warranties are decent as I've had payouts before.

The other option is to go for a S80 with hardly any miles and maybe 3 years old.

As far as tech goes, I'm not a great user of it. My iPod is 12 years old if that's anything to go by.

Musts really are:
Heated seats
Auto folding mirrors
Decent sound system
Ideally a heated screen

An S80 D5/4 guise is a good option:

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

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

But I have to say if you can find one these are better:

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

Or the Jaguar XF Portfolio S

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

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

Fords & some Jaguars/Volvo's will have heated screen but I don't think Fords Patent has run out yet so it's not something you'll find on other cars.

[Trailhead]

nuttywobbler said:

2017-67 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport SRI Nav Auto, 35k miles, main dealer approved used, still under warranty, £12,795. Made for the motorway.

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

Next!

Edited by nuttywobbler on Tuesday 7th May 21:41

Fantastic value....

[Evanivitch]

nuttywobbler said:

2017-67 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport SRI Nav Auto, 35k miles, main dealer approved used, still under warranty, £12,795. Made for the motorway.

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

Next!

Edited by nuttywobbler on Tuesday 7th May 21:41

Having driven a few of these as hire cars it is definitely where the sensible money is.

[WhatHappenedThere]

Evanivitch said:

nuttywobbler said:

2017-67 Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport SRI Nav Auto, 35k miles, main dealer approved used, still under warranty, £12,795. Made for the motorway.

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

Next!

Edited by nuttywobbler on Tuesday 7th May 21:41

Having driven a few of these as hire cars it is definitely where the sensible money is.

But yet......


A small part of you would erode everyday leaving the house to drive it.

And TBH - ‘sensible money’ and ‘Pistonheads’ does not totally compute