20k Family Estate car

[DSharp]

Evening all,

Currently looking for a new family estate car that'll be my other half's main car for day-to-day and for family lugging duties.

Budget C.£20k, ideally looking 2017-2018ish age, reasonable mileage, and something to not worry about too much for the next 4/5 years. Current have a 2012 c-class estate that it's replacing. Other desirable, but not a deal breaker, is 4wd due to country road use through winter and some cross country trips etc. I appreciate winter tyre etc but it'd be preferred. 0-60 about 7-8 second is fine, ability to drive mindlessly over potholes, kerbs, small aminals all beneficial.

Currently eyeing up
2018 c200 4matic
2017 A4 allroad

Had looked as A6 avant, XC60, V90 (incl cc) and other suv's but all deemed too big.

Don't want anything that's a theft target (e.g. Golf R), doesn't need to be the height of dynamic or track driving, don't want anything that's crap inside.

So - anything else spring to mind, or anything to be worried about the above two suggestions, issues to look out for etc?

Thanks!

[stevemcs]

How about a Focus ?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104201...

or Volvo V90 ?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104241...

although what you have described is a Subaru

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102199...

[ahenners]

Skoda Superb?
BMW 5 series touring?

[trowelhead]

320/30d xdrive touring?

[J.R.B.]

Jag XF? All the cheap lease deal cars have hit the second hand market so there’s loads of them priced pretty reasonably I think. We’ve still got our lease one on informal extension and I’m half tempted to send it back and buy one.

[tonyb1968]

Something like this? Otherwise I would go with a Subaru.

https://www.rrg-group.com/peugeot/used-cars/126665...

[Alfa Pete]

BMW 320d touring x drive
Skoda Octavia VRS estate 4wd

[DSharp]

Thanks all, lots of ideas there.

Any concerns about the A4 or c200 matic? Read a few more general reliability woes but always hard to gauge online!

Thanks!

[fflump]

trowelhead said:

320/30d xdrive touring?

This would be my choice too

The 6-pot is worth pushing the boat out for IMO.

[prand]

Shame you can't consider an A6 or similar, I found the A4 and 3 series too small in the back seats for our family (2 growing kids, now add one dog).

Parking aids help shrink the overall size considerably.

I've had an 2.7 A6 Avant (nice v6 manual) and it has been great for holidays (comfortable trips to South of France and Alps), camping with big loads, got roof bars to put a roof box on and take paddleboards etc and used it as a van when I was working on the house this past year.

I've had it nearly 10 years, it's taken a battering, but is still a comfy reliable ride. I'm due to get a new car soon, and would be happy to get another A6, funnily enough I've got the same budget as you, I am tossing up between an Allroad or a normal quattro, but this time I want a BiTdi with 316bhp. There;s a lot of options out there

[KomodoWagon]

I test-drove an A4 Allroad when I was thinking of trading in my A3 a few years back. The Allroads -- both A4 and A6 -- have noticeably supple ride quality, which coming from other Audis is generally very welcome (they tend to ride quite hard). They'd be a good shout for soaking up potholes and poor road surfaces, and generally very fluid and composed on motorways.

90% of the Allroads within your budget would be diesel (you didn't mention in your OP whether there was a preference on fuel). And I'd echo PPs, the space in an A4 is likely fine if your kids are small but if you've got -- or will soon have -- six-foot teenagers then it might not be big enough.

Otherwise I'd look at Volvo V60/V90 Cross Country or Subaru Outback.

I don't have any experience of the Merc, except that one of my brothers had one for a bit, hated it, and chopped it for a 5 Series Touring when they started a family.

[DSharp]

Thanks all,

Good points about the A6 size; thinking about the possiblity of another little one + a dog does mean that a bit more size would be helpful. I think the OH would get used to the slightly bigger car.

Only readily available awd options of this size seem to be A6, V90, and the odd lucky E-class / 5 series. Much difference in reliability? A6 seems to score poorly, but everything ever made is terrible accourding to the internet.

[DSharp]

Plus the outback, but I think based on the initial response, they may be off the table on the basis of agriculture. We had a forester for a few years that was great, albeit not very refined.

We'd like a nice fairly luxurious interior, ready for sticky handprints and dog slober

[GreatGranny]

What about the V60 if the V90 is too big?



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104131...

Get the D4 with 190 bhp so nippy enough plus it's a great looking car with lovely interior IMO.

It's where my money would be going.

[stevemcs]

Personally i'd never buy a VAG product, we have one in at the moment in bits changing a coolant valve.

If its between the A6 and V90 then i'd take the V90, or an E Class and a set of Michelin Cross Climates.

[DSharp]

Thanks for the thoughts on the Volvo's. I am quite partial to the V90 (including the cc's) and love the newer interiors.

From the reviews they appear to score similar to the Audis, Mercs etc. I had for some reason expected them to be much more reliable. Still, I guess a lot of it is relative now and issues get more coverage.

[Welshbeef]

stevemcs said:

Personally i'd never buy a VAG product, we have one in at the moment in bits changing a coolant valve.

If its between the A6 and V90 then i'd take the V90, or an E Class and a set of Michelin Cross Climates.

Given you’ve two in your PH garage it’s good to try another brand.

But frankly no brand is bad these days cars are extremely tough even with shocking or zero servicing and zero sympathy mechanically.

EVs are going to be great as what damage can you do

[ahenners]

fflump said:

This would be my choice too

The 6-pot is worth pushing the boat out for IMO.

£20k makes a 3 series difficult vs the competition. It's not enough to get a G21 3 series touring and it feels like too much to spend on an F31 with its dated interior and tech. A4, V60, V90 and some of the other alternatives mentioned all much newer cars than a model introduced in 2012 and make far more sense as a 20k purchase imo.

[stevemcs]

Welshbeef said:

Given you’ve two in your PH garage it’s good to try another brand.

But frankly no brand is bad these days cars are extremely tough even with shocking or zero servicing and zero sympathy mechanically.

EVs are going to be great as what damage can you do

Oops, never updated that ... they are both long gone. Current experience on VAG products from working in a garage makes me never want to own another.

[ZX10R NIN]

AWD Mondeo Vignale 180 nicely spec'd & finished with a decent sized boot ready for the dog & another child.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103280...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104111...

AWD Jaguar XF Sportbrake

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104050...

E220 SE 4matic

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104181...

The V90 is only 25cm longer than the V60

V90 D5 R Design Pro

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101228...

BiTDI Passat

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104141...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104201...