Battle of the Dad Wagons

[Blown2CV]

With 2 kids and a bike now i have given in and decided my next car will be an estate... although with some PH creds so not diesel, and also reasonable turn of pace. I am probably looking to pick something up 1-2 years old. I was hoping to spend under £35k but could probs go higher...

The options as I see it are:

Audi S4 Avant (petrol not diesel)
Merc C43 estate
BMW M340i touring

The Merc is the stand out for me at the moment based on looks, sound and performance. BMW seem thin on the ground as quite new, and i have a 3-series at the mo so fancied a change. Audi seem a bit slower, softer and less fun, and the interiors despite the new digi dash seem to be commonly big swathes of black plastic (think a low are lease returns with minimal options, as there was a good deal a couple of years ago).

Thoughts, and am i missing something?

[DaveyBoyWonder]

New Volvo V60 and V90 looks stunning in my eyes. Petrol versions available and are pretty nippy.
Go a couple of years older and get an RS4 or an E43?
Brand new Octavia vRS but isn't especially a looker.
Nothing else really out there from anyone else - seems like manufacturers other than the Germans have given up on estates almost completely, especially fast ones.

[donkmeister]

With two growing kids will you find the C/3 size a bit small for your needs a year or two down the line? Might be worth looking at the E/5 or even (shudder) the GLE / X5 as well.

Even if you look at them and think "nope, bigger than what I'll ever need" then at least you won't have that nagging feeling when desperately trying to shove just one more thing into a compact estate.

As you mentioned a bike, if your rack is towbar mounted bear in mind that the sporty variants are not always type approved for a towbar (even if one will fit and can be legally used for non-towing purposes)

[Blown2CV]

DaveyBoyWonder said:

New Volvo V60 and V90 looks stunning in my eyes. Petrol versions available and are pretty nippy.
Go a couple of years older and get an RS4 or an E43?
Brand new Octavia vRS but isn't especially a looker.
Nothing else really out there from anyone else - seems like manufacturers other than the Germans have given up on estates almost completely, especially fast ones.

Good shouts. I drove a V90 about a year or so ago and whilst it's massive on the outside it seems oddly proportioned inside. Massive cabin and not a massive boot. I think the petrol versions are meant to be incredibly thirsty with not as much to show for it as you'd think. Not sure I can be arsed with the extra running costs of a Audi RS over a S, and also there are some mixed reports of the ownership experience etc. RS4 is amazing but for me personally it doesn't feel it's worth the premium. Makes me feel old to say it, but here we are. E43 i don't think i need the size, and the size comes at a premium again. Skoda is nice but the vRS is a fair amount down on power than the other options and i think i'd prefer a Golf R if it came to it (even though the estate isn't a looker). I think most manufacturers seem to be trying to move to SUVs and things. I don't want one of those.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

I think the three you've listed are the three that'd be on my list too then. Whats the performance like 330i vs 340i...

[Wadaboo]

Maybe consider the T6/T8 petrol PHEV versions of the Volvo's. 340+ hp, should be reasonable enough economy if plugging suits your needs.

I have a V60 D4 polstar optimised, so only 200hp, but is a really nice car and lugs my family and all our junk around the country on holidays and visiting family. Mind you we only have a young child, but in some ways they come with more crap than the older ones!

[Blown2CV]

donkmeister said:

With two growing kids will you find the C/3 size a bit small for your needs a year or two down the line? Might be worth looking at the E/5 or even (shudder) the GLE / X5 as well.

Even if you look at them and think "nope, bigger than what I'll ever need" then at least you won't have that nagging feeling when desperately trying to shove just one more thing into a compact estate.

As you mentioned a bike, if your rack is towbar mounted bear in mind that the sporty variants are not always type approved for a towbar (even if one will fit and can be legally used for non-towing purposes)

i've got a 3 series saloon at the mo and i could just do with a bit more space but not tons more. I wanted to keep a similar ish driving experience to a saloon, or at least not a SUV experience etc. I don't actually have a bike rack at the mo, was hoping that i might actually just be able to chuck the bike in the boot for solo rides. The kids aren't big enough to have their own bikes yet although that is around the corner I am sure. I kind of think if it's no good then i can sell it and swap in a couple of years. I tend to change every 2 years or so anyway, or aim to.

[Blown2CV]

DaveyBoyWonder said:

I think the three you've listed are the three that'd be on my list too then. Whats the performance like 330i vs 340i...

Well I have a 330d X-drive at the mo with a map. Stock it is 255bhp, but the map allegedly results in 310bhp, and i believe that 330i and 330d are pretty similar by some measures, apart from their pump prefs. The new M340i is i think 370bhp but the C43 is 390bhp. S4 lags a bit behind around 345bhp but none are slow. The thing that attracts me with the Merc is that a map can achieve 450bhp or so with ease, and with 4WD it could be an even better all round choice than a C63, and for a lot less money. None of these choices are money-saving opportunities, but anything that won't kill me in running costs and makes me feel like i am somehow beating the system, whilst also not completely giving up my PHness, well that feels good!

[Blown2CV]

Wadaboo said:

Maybe consider the T6/T8 petrol PHEV versions of the Volvo's. 340+ hp, should be reasonable enough economy if plugging suits your needs.

I have a V60 D4 polstar optimised, so only 200hp, but is a really nice car and lugs my family and all our junk around the country on holidays and visiting family. Mind you we only have a young child, but in some ways they come with more crap than the older ones!

i think they do come with more stuff! The older ones maybe just a phone charge cable and earbuds

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

Skoda Superb 280? comes in standard as 4x4 as well.

[gazza5]

I have a golf r - tbh struggling to see what else to get - M340i and C43 are on the list as possible replacements (my R is leased - 4 yrs old June 21).

A CLA crossed my mind - its a bit tighter in the back than the C43, but boot wise seems similar (in just looking at it) CLA shooting brake.

E class and Superb are also on my list, as I find now the R has a big boot for the size of car and I can only just fit in my 7 year olds bike, so a bike rack will have to be ordered at somepoint when my youngest starts riding.

I try not to take wheels off etc, as am lazy, and can't be bothered to re attach in the middle of a park, and no way spending shed loads on a kids bike.

Volvo V60 is on the list in T5 engine. T4 is too slow.

Failing that I have seen a few "cheapish" jag xf sportbrakes - not lightening quick I must say, but a potential option to look at.

Otehr car I am looking at is the pug 508 estate. Its only a 1.6 and is slower, but tbh can't go far with the kids in the back - both suffer from car sickness (or maybe its my driving!!!)

[Jon18299]

I went from a 330d xDrive touring to a 540i xDrive touring and really like the car. Everything seems a little bit "better" in the 5 series and the engine is smooth.

The boot is pretty big as well although when we looked at the E43 that did seem to be bigger. MPG around 30mpg.

[ZX10R NIN]

All the cars you listed are very good cars but I'm surprised you didn't go for the full fat versions of the Audi & Mercedes, they depreciate at a lower rate than the models you're looking at which will help towards the higher maintenance costs of the:

C63

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012086...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012096...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011095...

RS4 LE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012267...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012096...

[Blown2CV]

ZX10R NIN said:

All the cars you listed are very good cars but I'm surprised you didn't go for the full fat versions of the Audi & Mercedes, they depreciate at a lower rate than the models you're looking at which will help towards the higher maintenance costs of the:

C63

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012086...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012096...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011095...

RS4 LE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012267...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012096...

i mean yea it's tempting but i kind of wanted something a bit newer. Both of those have had a new model generation since then. I am surprised at the running cost figures of the C63. Far better than I had assumed!

ETA like for like the C63 is about 7 grand more expensive than the C43. This is why i chose the 330d over the 335d previously, as if you map a 330d for £500 it is quicker than a 335d as standard, but the 335d was like 5 grand more.

Edited by Blown2CV on Monday 4th January 21:04

[ZX10R NIN]

Blown2CV said:

ZX10R NIN said:

All the cars you listed are very good cars but I'm surprised you didn't go for the full fat versions of the Audi & Mercedes, they depreciate at a lower rate than the models you're looking at which will help towards the higher maintenance costs of the:

C63

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012086...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012096...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011095...

RS4 LE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012267...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012096...

i mean yea it's tempting but i kind of wanted something a bit newer. Both of those have had a new model generation since then. I am surprised at the running cost figures of the C63. Far better than I had assumed!

ETA like for like the C63 is about 7 grand more expensive than the C43. This is why i chose the 330d over the 335d previously, as if you map a 330d for £500 it is quicker than a 335d as standard, but the 335d was like 5 grand more.

Edited by Blown2CV on Monday 4th January 21:04

That's true but it also shows how much the S4/C43/M430i etc are depreciating, the updates are nice but I'd rather have the full fat cars but the former cars makes sense if you want newer.

[stevemcs]

I'd be taking the C43 out of your list, as a wildcard the new Focus ST and a Mountune kit.

[RedAndy]

Toyota Caldina GT4 NSpec
Forester
X Trail on cheap tyres

all lovely to drive

[Volvolover]

With two kids I’d say your initial list of three is a bit of a push for space. I’d be looking at something bigger or something un-PH and bigger and another fun car

[Blown2CV]

Volvolover said:

With two kids I’d say your initial list of three is a bit of a push for space. I’d be looking at something bigger or something un-PH and bigger and another fun car

i don't need any bigger, at the moment. As I said I am coming out of a saloon.

If I had a car only I could travel in, I wouldn't be driving it enough to make it worth it. This is the issue lots of people with 2nd/toy cars have... I had a TVR as a second car previously. It only made me annoyed with the first car.

[bobsavage789]

Of the 3 on your original shortlist, I’d go for the m340i: it’s the newest of the 3, comes with the most equipment as standard and seems to sit nicely between the relatively mundane suaveness of the Audi and the ostentatious, form-over-function nature of the C43 (the saloon version of which I currently have).

The BMW would be, however, the most expensive of the 3 I suspect.

Also watch out for options on the Merc and the Audi: from my research for something similar earlier this year, most are poverty spec, and neither manufacturer is especially generous with standard options...

Happy to answer any C43 saloon-related questions!