Board logo

Recommend me a car
DarrenW - 21/8/13 at 04:10 PM

Looks like our A3 is going to the scrappers after being shunted at a roundabout on Monday. We therefore need to find a replacement. Looking for something ideally less then £4K or thereabouts. Hatchback or Estate, roof bars ideally, good size for family of 4 + dog and bikes / roof box etc. 50+ mpg on a run and 40 around town would be nice. Doesnt need to be a speed machine. I prefer premium German brands / larger cars rather than the smaller French type cars.

Had a drive out in a Passat estate today. 2.0 TDI sport (170bhp), drove great but over budget at £6K. Ive also heard the 1.9TDi VW engines have less problems.

I dont mind a car with a few more miles than average as long as the model is generally reliable. What would you recommend based on personal experience?

There is a nice Saab 9-3 estate locally, quite cheap but 170K miles sounds like a lot. Also noticed a few 130K ish mile BMW 320D's, new shape 06's etc but im wary about buying a big mileage 320D after the Turbo issues i had on a 52 plate 320D a few years ago.

So, what would you go for based on personal experience?


Just to reiterate - Saloons are a nogo unfortunately - need an open boot area for the waggy furry face, hence estate or hatchback. A3 was a tad too small so something a bit bigger would be more convenient.

[Edited on 21/8/13 by DarrenW]

rdodger - 21/8/13 at 04:14 PM

We bought a 2006 9-3 2.0T estate about a year ago.

I think we paid £3500 for it and replaced discs and pad all round and 2 new tyres so with a full service stands me at around £4000. It had 55000 when we got it and it's been trouble free.

The down side is the £450ish road tax. I guess that's why we got it pretty cheap.

Nice car though.

DarrenW - 21/8/13 at 04:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rdodger
We bought a 2006 9-3 2.0T estate about a year ago.

I think we paid £3500 for it and replaced discs and pad all round and 2 new tyres so with a full service stands me at around £4000. It had 55000 when we got it and it's been trouble free.

The down side is the £450ish road tax. I guess that's why we got it pretty cheap.

Nice car though.



Eeeeek = £450 road tax That would kill the deal for me.

Mr Whippy - 21/8/13 at 04:20 PM

Nissan bluebird

Cheap as a Chinese takeaway, just a big box on wheels, 45mpg and they never break down...what more could you want???

Doctor Derek Doctors - 21/8/13 at 04:22 PM

Last two cars I have had were an A6 1.9Tdi Estate and a 330d Estate. Both were within your budget and I would highly recomend both. (Both were ~2002-2006 models range)

The Audi was more spacious and comfy, the Beemer is more fun to drive with an awesome drivetrain and my girlfriend prefers driving it (smaller). Audi got ~45mpg, Beemer gets ~39mpg

For balance the down sides are the big Audi felt a tad underpowered (mainly when laden/towing) and the Beemer interior/radio is not that great.

The 3 series is also plenty big enough for the relatives big yellow dog.

daniel mason - 21/8/13 at 04:26 PM

d5 volvo. s60 easily on budget. v70 within range

Mr Whippy - 21/8/13 at 04:30 PM

I bought my wife's cmax last year for £3500 at 50k miles, totally mint and it's a 2ltr Tdi. great thing tbh with load of room and handles like a car. Can get 60mpg easily but has 175bhp so goes like stink, I'd give it 8/10 overall and she loves it. Also has 5 star safety and loads of airbags

[Edited on 21/8/13 by Mr Whippy]

myke pocock - 21/8/13 at 06:01 PM

Skoda Octavia?

britishtrident - 21/8/13 at 09:08 PM

These are the most reliable diesels around luxury interior BMW engine with no swirl flaps, no DPF, parts are cheap NCAP 4 rating, *** link ***

There a cheaper ones and in more exciting colours

[Edited on 21/8/13 by britishtrident]

Lightning - 21/8/13 at 09:09 PM

Just traded in a 57 plate merivla £2 k

Matt159888 - 21/8/13 at 11:07 PM

I would go for a octavia diesel massive boot and great car we had a vrs octavia and loved it. Quality car and a thinking mans audi/volkswagon best car we have had!!

britishtrident - 22/8/13 at 07:46 AM

quote:
Originally posted by myke pocock
Skoda Octavia?


In my area nearly all the Octavia diesel estates are mincabs, the few that aren't are service engineers barges.

DarrenW - 22/8/13 at 08:07 AM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
These are the most reliable diesels around luxury interior BMW engine with no swirl flaps, no DPF, parts are cheap NCAP 4 rating, *** link ***

There a cheaper ones and in more exciting colours

[Edited on 21/8/13 by britishtrident]


Thanks BT, that is one car i hadn't even thought of. I never really like the look of the saloons but the estate is rather nice. Got the roof bars too, and prices seem to be very decent. Defo looks like a car that i could service myself for not a lot of money. Would you be concerned about getting one with higher mileage? I know engine life has a lot to do with how the cars are driven and looked after, but in your experience does there seem to be a mileage band where they start to need major work?

Reason i ask is that we don't do too many miles so a higher mileage car shouldn't be a problem. What other things should we look at that could fail?

Ive also noticed there are different models with names rather than letters. Is the Connoisseur the top model? I guess Club will be bottom, or would that be the contemporary??

Thanks in advance.

JoelP - 22/8/13 at 08:08 AM

Octavia is no cheaper than a passat and looks awful in comparison. I'd vote 2005 onwards passat.

D Beddows - 22/8/13 at 08:10 AM

I wouldn't - see my fault code post

That Rover does look all right though, just down the road from me too - few quid off for cash..... hmmm

[Edited on 22/8/13 by D Beddows]

DarrenW - 22/8/13 at 08:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
I wouldn't - see my fault code post

That Rover does look all right though, just down the road from me too - few quid off for cash..... hmmm

[Edited on 22/8/13 by D Beddows]


What bother did you have with your Passat? Which model?



Ignore that - found your post!

Sounds like a right pain. I like the idea of getting a diesel but as posted sooooo many times, modern ones seem to be so complex and prone to electronic issues.

[Edited on 22/8/13 by DarrenW]

D Beddows - 22/8/13 at 08:31 AM

to be fair when it works it works well, gets you where you're going effortlessly and does about 48mpg - plus it's pretty anonymous so people don't try to race you, generally move out of the way if you're in a rush but let you out at junctions as well.......

however when those fault codes pop up (and reading around it seems alarmingly common) you just want to drop the damn thing in a skip!

Matt159888 - 22/8/13 at 10:11 AM

Disagree on the passat they generally are more expensive than the octavia and are no better. I suppose looks a personal think i think the passat is a boring car to look at but thats me ,But the octavia is a great buy that cant be denied!!

skippad - 22/8/13 at 11:47 AM

sent u2u Darren

britishtrident - 23/8/13 at 06:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by DarrenW
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
These are the most reliable diesels around luxury interior BMW engine with no swirl flaps, no DPF, parts are cheap NCAP 4 rating, *** link ***

There a cheaper ones and in more exciting colours

[Edited on 21/8/13 by britishtrident]


Thanks BT, that is one car i hadn't even thought of. I never really like the look of the saloons but the estate is rather nice. Got the roof bars too, and prices seem to be very decent. Defo looks like a car that i could service myself for not a lot of money. Would you be concerned about getting one with higher mileage? I know engine life has a lot to do with how the cars are driven and looked after, but in your experience does there seem to be a mileage band where they start to need major work?

Reason i ask is that we don't do too many miles so a higher mileage car shouldn't be a problem. What other things should we look at that could fail?

Ive also noticed there are different models with names rather than letters. Is the Connoisseur the top model? I guess Club will be bottom, or would that be the contemporary??

Thanks in advance.



No major problems, BMW engine DMF and Getrag gearbox are all pretty bullet proof the front wishbones and bushes generally need replace at between 60,000 and 100,000 they aren't cheap and it pays to buy top quality ones. Factory exhaust last 100,000+ Engine mount tie-bar needs re-bushed at about 80,000 miles -- a poly bush is available the rear trailing arm bushes last about 120,000miles, bushes are cheap. Brake pads are BMW type so very cheap.
ABS can give problems that are hard to pin down but the system is essentially the same as post 2000 BMWs
Handbrakes can be in-effective due part of the linkage stretching but there is a locost style mod. The only electrical niggles are air bag warning lights (usually a duff connector) and door locks (on my own car I have replaced two in 140,000 miles ).

Basic model range was Standard, Contemporary, Club, Club SE, Conniseur, Connoisseur SE, Vanden Plas (LWB only) .
There were also custom order options above that.

As for trim levels they varied over the year -- the base model , Club and Clube SE had fabric trim if you want leather you have to go for a Connisseur , Club has AC and front electric windows, Club SE full Climate control (worth having) and rear electric windows. The later Club and Club SE had a fairly decent CD player.

MK2 Club also has the the message centre on the dash, which is a trip computer and tells which bulb to replace if you have a lamp blow.

Models from Club SE upwards usually have 16" or 17" wheels --- not always a good thing 15" wheels give longer tyre life and much better ride + much cheaper tyres.
A lot of estates had leather electric +heated seats but were otherwise the same as Club Se.

The rear anti-roll bar was deleted on Rovers badged cars at the start of 2003 --- worth fitting if you buy a car without one.

MG ZT only differ in having thicker anti-roll bars and different springs and dampers, seats and dash trim.

Good low mileage diesel estates tend to fetch £1500 more than equivalent petrol saloon, trim level has little effect on sale price. MG badge adds to price but less so on estates.


There are trim levels and custom options above the Conniseur that give options such as memory seats and rear sunblinds

[Edited on 23/8/13 by britishtrident]