Small estate, comfortable. Nice interior. Petrol. 15k

[rufusgti]

Hi
Looking for a bit of experience or suggestions on what I could go for.
I like smallish estates as I put bikes on the roof so an SUV doesn't suit. I'd also like it to be comfortable, hence my Renault Mégane choice, are the modern Renault's still a nice comfy ride?
The golfs are slightly more expensive and have wheazy engines on paper but are they much better?
What else is out there.

Looked so far at Mégane tourer 1.3 tce
Golf 1.5 estate (Evo?)
Slightly older Audi A4 avants.

Kind of run out of ideas from there.
I'm pulled to the Mégane as it just seems a more stylish and better package. Any experience of them?

[georgeyboy12345]

What about one of these?

Seat Leon FR ST DSG
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109036...


Vauxhall Astra SRi Turbo Sport Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109097...


Ford Focus 1.5 Ecoboost Titanium X
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109267...


Hyundai i30 1.4 T-GDI SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110268...


Honda Civic 1.8 i-VTEC SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110208...

[InitialDave]

3 series touring with a 6 pot would be worth looking at

[rufusgti]

georgeyboy12345 said:

What about one of these?

Seat Leon FR ST DSG
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109036...


Vauxhall Astra SRi Turbo Sport Tourer
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109097...


Ford Focus 1.5 Ecoboost Titanium X
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109267...


Hyundai i30 1.4 T-GDI SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110268...


Honda Civic 1.8 i-VTEC SE
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110208...

Thankyou, I like all those, except the astra. The Leon was first on my list, but most of them have the cheapest looking interiors. But I've heard they drive well and that 1.8 model has the indipendant rear suspension. The focus I bet is a good steer too. Thanks for your suggestions.

[Jules Sunley]

InitialDave said:

3 series touring with a 6 pot would be worth looking at

+1. Really nice to drive and 15k is plenty

[rufusgti]

InitialDave said:

3 series touring with a 6 pot would be worth looking at

I have been looking at 3 series. But money doesn't get me as much so it's an older car. Having owned a 6 cylinder 3 series a few years back, I got tired of the expensive maintenance and didn't really rate it overall. I think they're fabulous when new though.

[Wagonwheel555]

rufusgti said:

I have been looking at 3 series. But money doesn't get me as much so it's an older car. Having owned a 6 cylinder 3 series a few years back, I got tired of the expensive maintenance and didn't really rate it overall. I think they're fabulous when new though.

Might be worth looking at the 320i in Touring for your budget, assuming you can find one. 2015 and onwards should be the B48 engine which is a huge step up reliability wise from the previous Nxx generation

[Sir Snaz]

Merc CLS shooting break?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109087...

[anonymous-user]

Already mentioned above, but have a good look at the Civic estate (aka Tourer). The boot is enormous. It’s the size of boot you get from a car in the class above. You also get the “magic” rear seats which are brilliant.

[Bannock]

F20CN16 said:

Already mentioned above, but have a good look at the Civic estate (aka Tourer). The boot is enormous. It’s the size of boot you get from a car in the class above. You also get the “magic” rear seats which are brilliant.

Seconded. I have a 66 plate one of these, 1.8 petrol auto. I've just been on a week's holiday with it with a family of 4 (2 adults and two big teens), a dog in a crate, all the luggage for that lot and food for self catering, 4 sets of walking boots, all the waterproofs, an absolute shed load of stuff. It all went in the boot under the line of the load cover. Still can't work out how I did it. 40 plus mpg (400-500 mile tank range), ability to carry 4 bikes on the roof, and a hoot to drive with the flappy paddles when it's just me in it.

Absolutely criminal that Honda stopped making them in favour of wretched SUVs.

Also you can get an adult size mountain bike, vertically, in the car using the magic seats in the rear. For someone looking for a car with bikes in mind, this is a massive selling point.

Edited by Bannock on Monday 8th November 11:45

[griffter]

I used to have a 2017 Megane Tourer with roof bars for a bike. Great car, worked very well for family, biking and B-roads. Mine was a 1.6 GT TCe - they didn’t make many - but sadly I don’t think you’ll find one for £15k anymore. That’s what I paid 20 months ago!

If the 1.3 engine works for you, yep should be good.

[ninjag]

Skoda Superb? It's a larger car but a decent spec.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106153...

[ZX10R NIN]

308 GT Line 130

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110288...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109097...

Megane Dynamique Nav S 130

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109297...

Iconic 140

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109307...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111029...

Focus Titanium X 180

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109267...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110088...

ST Line 150

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110288...

i30 Premium SE 140

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109297...

Premium 140

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111029...

[rufusgti]

griffter said:

I used to have a 2017 Megane Tourer with roof bars for a bike. Great car, worked very well for family, biking and B-roads. Mine was a 1.6 GT TCe - they didn’t make many - but sadly I don’t think you’ll find one for £15k anymore. That’s what I paid 20 months ago!

If the 1.3 engine works for you, yep should be good.

That's the one I'd really love to find. Very rare. What was the ride quality like? Why did you sell so soon?

[rufusgti]

griffter said:

I used to have a 2017 Megane Tourer with roof bars for a bike. Great car, worked very well for family, biking and B-roads. Mine was a 1.6 GT TCe - they didn’t make many - but sadly I don’t think you’ll find one for £15k anymore. That’s what I paid 20 months ago!

If the 1.3 engine works for you, yep should be good.

That's the one I'd really love to find. Very rare. What was the ride quality like? Why did you sell so soon?

[DaveyBoyWonder]

How small? F series Mini Clubman Cooper S or the rare (and absolutely mega) R55 John Cooper Works...

[_Yeti]

georgeyboy12345 said:

Seat Leon FR ST DSG

I had a 2013 Leon FR with the 1.8 petrol engine, which I think could be the Polo GTI engine (could be wrong). Was a great drive, the manual gearbox was a bit stiff into some gears (not sure if they're all like that). The fuel economy was good and could definitely get a move on. The ride quality was decent as well, mine had the part leather/alcantara seats which I found great. Not too crashy over bumps and very stable down the motorway. The values now seem to be quite eye-watering, I sold mine for £7k on 42k miles in 2019. Seems to be a £10k+ car right now.