A car for a family of 4 circa 40k

[richatnort]

Evening all,

We’re having reliability issues with our Volvo which we were hoping to get another year out of until the new 5 series or Skoda Kodiaq came out however we don’t think we can wait.

Without going into detail our current car was a Friday PM job and never been happy with it but it’s cheap so up till now we’ve put up with it.

I’ve got around 40k to spend but that’s the max budget and it needs to fit a 6 foot man 2 kids with iso fox seats and a wife. Needs to be petrol and an auto and have memory seats because of mine and my wife’s height difference we need different seating positions.

I’m trying to find something that’s at the bottom of its depreciation or just holds its value well as I only want it for a short period of time.

My searches keep coming back to a X3 M40i as they don’t feel like they’ve dropped much at all since I looked a year or so ago. I also like the look of a macan GTS but not sure I like it.

Any suggestions? Doesn’t have to be a SUV I like a estate or hatchback too

[Wilmslowboy]

Ignoring the last 2 years of used cars values, it's normally a balance between buying a car on the flat part of its deprecation curve (and the potential bills, maintenance issues, warranty costs etc), versus a nearly new car still under manufactures warranty (and taking a deprecation hit when you sell).

I have zero patience for any issues, breakdowns, taking days off work etc etc, my current car a Dec 2021 G30E touring I bought when it was 11 months old (10k miles) for £40k (new list was £63k), I've had it 7 months (5k miles) and as you would expect it's been brilliant, I just accept it's costing me £500 or so a month in deprecation.

[dema]

Which Volvo do you have? I’ve been driving a 2018 V60 D4 for 5 years with no issues but, I’ve heard of some problems on the later models.

If space is important, current Kodiaq seems to have all of the space you need, the Superb as well is very well rated.

New shape XF has plenty of Spencer but, not sure how reliable it would be.

Merc E class estate perhaps?

Skoda will be the strongest when it comes to depreciation

[Pulse00]

Mercedes s-class?

[richatnort]

dema said:

Which Volvo do you have? I’ve been driving a 2018 V60 D4 for 5 years with no issues but, I’ve heard of some problems on the later models.

If space is important, current Kodiaq seems to have all of the space you need, the Superb as well is very well rated.

New shape XF has plenty of Spencer but, not sure how reliable it would be.

Merc E class estate perhaps?

Skoda will be the strongest when it comes to depreciation

We’re at the phase in family life where the crap you have to take places is getting less so we don’t need massive.

I love the current kodiaq but I was wanting to wait for the new one that’s going to be announced at the end of the year as the engines and interior will have come on with a plug-in on the cards.

Not a Mercedes fan plus I know nothing about then to know which one I should be looking for.

[richatnort]

I’ve booked in a drive on the x3 but the m340i touring is also in budget at that price so I’m not sure which to go for. Are there any Audi’s worth looking at too?

[James-gbg1e]

Easy, E43/E53.... 4 people plus room for 2x coffins! Or if you want to be more sensible, a slower variant.

Reliable, comfortable, understated and fun.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023022345...

[richatnort]

James-gbg1e said:

Easy, E43/E53.... 4 people plus room for 2x coffins! Or if you want to be more sensible, a slower variant.

Reliable, comfortable, understated and fun.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023022345...

Its funny you mention one of these as i've spotted a nice c43 at leeds merc i was going to look at but I just don't know if i'm a merc man, i find the inside a bit confusing layout wise.

[James-gbg1e]

richatnort said:

Its funny you mention one of these as i've spotted a nice c43 at leeds merc i was going to look at but I just don't know if i'm a merc man, i find the inside a bit confusing layout wise.

I drive a C43 Estate at present if you have any Q's.

[ZX10R NIN]

I have to say that from what you describe the E53 is really a good shout in either saloon or estate form:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303275...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304186...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305167...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208178...

They're easy to get on with, maybe go & try one before taking it off the list.

You can get them without the hybrid which is the E450 & these are considerably cheaper:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305237...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304116...

[James-gbg1e]

Getting an E Class that isn't an estate though is a non-starter. Either of the Estates there also look decent.

Honestly, MB smashed it with the outgoing version of the E class, as an estate it's unparalleled and with their ridiculously over priced crappy 4-pot electric hand drier versions they're now pushing it will ensure the residuals on these stay strong for some time to come.

I watched the AutotopNL video of the latest C43 the other week, he destroyed it as a product.

[K4sper]

I had almost exactly the same criteria with you albeit with a slightly higher budget at the time, and ended up with a C63s estate. Have toyed now and then with changing for an M40i but there was (in my opinion) nothing at all that the X3 does better than the C63, except for height and therefore probably visibility (if that's important to you)