Reliable, cheap to run, comfy - £5k

[F55MCS]

Per the title really, after something to accompany me on regular longish journeys that won’t leave me in fear of something going bang.

Diesel fine, occasionally go into the CAZ but not often enough for it to be a problem. Although of course maintenance costs on a modern diesel may be problematic.

Something easy to work on would be nice (as far as possible with modern ish cars of course), but something with a good reputation for reliability is key.

Don’t care about performance or fun, the duller the better really. Would be nice to have something a bit wafty if possible.

Open to anything.

TIA

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say the Mercedes E Coupe is a very good choice.

E350:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308090...

E250:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307280...

Or the older CLK320cdi:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307290...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307219...

[Pazuzu]

I don't often comment but I must say I always find your posts super helpful ZX10R - kudos.

Phil

[eleveneleven]

I had the same requirements a few months back, after someone smashed into my IS250. I ended up with another Honda Accord Petrol (gen8) its a very comfy quiet cruiser especially on the motorway and handles well too, could do with a little more grunt but its a simple engine that hardly ever goes wrong.

Would highly recommend an IS250 if you can live with 28ish mpg

[rallye101]

eleveneleven said:

I had the same requirements a few months back, after someone smashed into my IS250. I ended up with another Honda Accord Petrol (gen8) its a very comfy quiet cruiser especially on the motorway and handles well too, could do with a little more grunt but its a simple engine that hardly ever goes wrong.

Would highly recommend an IS250 if you can live with 28ish mpg

I have a family crap box is 220d, it does 30mpg round town and 34 on a run....its really boring but has cooling seats

[ZX10R NIN]

Pazuzu said:

I don't often comment but I must say I always find your posts super helpful ZX10R - kudos.

Phil

Thanks that's what PH is about

[Fusion777]

IS250.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

ZX10R NIN said:

Pazuzu said:

I don't often comment but I must say I always find your posts super helpful ZX10R - kudos.

Phil

Thanks that's what PH is about

I'd reiterate the praise ZX, your advice is always worth listening to.

All that obsequious stuff said, why nothing Japanese recommended?

[Austin_Metro]

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say the Mercedes E Coupe is a very good choice.

E350:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308090...

E250:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307280...

Or the older CLK320cdi:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307290...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307219...

That e350 looks like a lot of car for the money.

Not a drive way trader, though … “here we have …”

[ZX10R NIN]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I'd reiterate the praise ZX, your advice is always worth listening to.

All that obsequious stuff said, why nothing Japanese recommended?

As I understand it the OP was looking for a diesel at that point it's tough to recommend a Japanese one as they're not so reliable

[CharlesdeGaulle]

ZX10R NIN said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I'd reiterate the praise ZX, your advice is always worth listening to.

All that obsequious stuff said, why nothing Japanese recommended?

As I understand it the OP was looking for a diesel at that point it's tough to recommend a Japanese one as they're not so reliable

Ah, I'd missed the diesel requirement.

[Mr Tidy]

rallye101 said:

eleveneleven said:

I had the same requirements a few months back, after someone smashed into my IS250. I ended up with another Honda Accord Petrol (gen8) its a very comfy quiet cruiser especially on the motorway and handles well too, could do with a little more grunt but its a simple engine that hardly ever goes wrong.

Would highly recommend an IS250 if you can live with 28ish mpg

I have a family crap box is 220d, it does 30mpg round town and 34 on a run....its really boring but has cooling seats

Is that all.

My 2005 BMW 330i is showing an average of 34mpg on the OBC! But to be fair I've stopped working so never get stuck in commuter gridlock.

If it has to be diesel I would have thought a 330d would fit the bill.

[eleveneleven]

I also missed the diesel requirement

Skoda Superb
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307310...

Volvo S60 - (D4 or D5 preferably)
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308170...

[F55MCS]

eleveneleven said:

Volvo S60 - (D4 or D5 preferably)
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308170...

Thank you everyone for all the replies, some personal life drama meant I didn’t check back, but we have a winner here. I went for an S60 1.6 DRIVe. Not the best engine choice I know but this one has been very well looked after and has a recent clutch and DMF change so should be sorted.

[Austin_Metro]

F55MCS said:

Thank you everyone for all the replies, some personal life drama meant I didn’t check back, but we have a winner here. I went for an S60 1.6 DRIVe. Not the best engine choice I know but this one has been very well looked after and has a recent clutch and DMF change so should be sorted.

Well done. I’d still be umming and ahhing. Readers car thread pls! Can’t all be mclarens on here.

[ZX10R NIN]

F55MCS said:

Thank you everyone for all the replies, some personal life drama meant I didn’t check back, but we have a winner here. I went for an S60 1.6 DRIVe. Not the best engine choice I know but this one has been very well looked after and has a recent clutch and DMF change so should be sorted.

Glad you got sorted OP

[98elise]

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say the Mercedes E Coupe is a very good choice.

E350:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308090...

E250:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307280...

Or the older CLK320cdi:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307290...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307219...

Good shout. When I had a 2 hour each way commute I bought a cheap merc. It was perfect for the job.