SouthWalesSam

iTrader: (1)

Our E350 coupe (a C-Class in a smart suit really) does just under 20k miles per year.

It's 3.0 V6 TDi gives all the tractor/caravan/dawdler-skipping rocket power we need as well as a nice quiet cruise.

We've just clicked over 100,000 miles. Other than scheduled servicing (by a Main Dealer during warranty then a Mercedes specialist) and tyres, we've only had to shell out for a set of glow plugs, though we've just had an advisory on slight corrosion on a brake pipe and a small split on a CV boot.

It's our 3rd big TDi diesel and we love them; tons of torque, relaxed drive and, as above, decent mpg.

Mrs SWS manages nearly 45mpg while I get around 41mpg as I like to press on a bit so between us we average nearly 43mpg.

I think the estate (C- or E-class) is just as good.

SouthWalesSam

iTrader: (1)

Incidentally, the cheapest 'big' diesel estate offer on a new lease (subject to status) at the minute is an:

Audi A4 Allroad Estate 3.0 TDi Quattro S Tronic with Leather.

A 3-year (6+35), 20K miles p.a. lease works out at £416.03 per month after a £2,695.18 deposit.

That's £17,057 all in over the 3 years.

Admittedly that's a bit more than your £15k budget but you'll probably save the difference on servicing, repairs and road tax over the 3 years.

And yes, I know, you'd have nothing to show for it after 3 years but if you put 60k miles on a £15k 65,000-miler used car it isn't going to be worth a great deal in 3 years either. (Tin helmet strapped on...!)

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

I went for an XC70 as I previously had one in which I clocked up 230k miles from new and loved it. As mentioned its very comfortable on long journeys and I need/want AWD to get me up the hill to my Welsh place when weather is not so good.

There was a 2012 V70 R-Design 215BHP D5 f/sale on Volvoclub Forums a couple of weeks ago for £9K with 51k miles, so I'm sure you can a nice find one within your budget.

MPG wise, as its new to me, I've been quite heavy of foot enjoying the power a bit too much. Trip computer is showing just over 36mpg & 1400 miles (3 wks!) but that's a less dynamic car with AWD. My old XC70 (163bhp) was 41mpg standard and 45mpg post RICA. Had seen 55mpg during a gentle tootle around France. I would certainly expect that if you were to drive not like me in a 2WD V70 then 45mpg would be easy. RICA gives you a better mpg as well as more grunt, though you probably couldn't justify a 10% increase in mpg/saving vs cost of it As part of the initial cost of the car though...

Funkii Munkii

It's a VAG it should be reliable full stop, that's almost a given.

But will also be a lot of stop start and short journeys.

Not saying it's a bad car at all but unless I was buying new or something under 20,000 miles I'd probaby avoid. Just mho

nortonscooby

100% build quality. Rare a merc goes into a bodyshop at 5+years old with rust issues lol

SouthWalesSam

iTrader: (1)

Ditto that.

Done 460,000 miles in Mercs and just can't fault the build quality or reliability.

WRXrowdy

iTrader: (2)

Do you two walk around with your eyes shut

lozgti1

It's funny, and ok I am biased having a Skoda.lol but I can't find **** all differences between them and vw/audi interior ! Might be my imagination but they all seem utterly identical ! TBH bought the Skoda because I'm a bit bored of the holy trinity BMW/ Merc/ Audi. Every man and his dog has one.

As to taxis...never seen so many e class and A6 taxis just lately. Are taxi drivers all just loaded nowadays?!

nortonscooby

I was talking the p#ss mate. I used work in a body shop and i lost count of the amount of merc's that came in with rust problems on front wings and tailgates. Bmw's suffer just as bad

WRXrowdy

iTrader: (2)

Thought you might have been
Good old water based paint!

Dannymot

I didn't realise that performance diesel and vw-Audi group could even be said in the same sentence... unless there mapped up.

alanbell

iTrader: (6)

Bi Turbo Audi,s go well, I have 1.

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

Picked up a 15 reg VRS CR estate today, love it!

imprezagaz

iTrader: (2)

Got the mrs a x3 3.0 sd a few weeks ago. They have the same engine as the 335d/535d 286 bhp standard. Really nice to drive.

lozgti1

The thinking man's quality choice Move away from the poor choice germanic 'try and keep up'nonsense nowadays. My gawd the mercs look so bad just lately

john banks

The Skodas do look nice externally, but they don't get the best drivetrains, interior or equipment from VAG. Whether that matters if you are comparing a four cylinder diesel is probably moot, but next to a high spec BMW/Audi/Merc they do not compare.

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

Performance wise the 320d m sport has the same power as the vrs, in my price band the bmw's were circa 10-12 reg and around 70k+ on the clock, i wanted something lower mileage and this vrs has less than 40k so that's a big plus for me. My wife has a new A6 and it is indeed very nice. However I must say that the phone connectivity is much better in the vrs and other than sat nav, electric seats and front parking sensors there's isn't much difference in gadgets, as im better at parking than she is I can live with that,

lozgti1

Honestly Ian, been through the Audi's and BMW's, not had a Mercedes but step father did

Been a revelation vrs. Mk 1 was poor interior but fantastic car. Mk 3 different kettle of fish

Really don't get the emperor's new clothes argument. They are identical in the VAG group.

VW group do a great job of fooling the punters.lol. Pay more, but get the same car. But people do

A great buy

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Biggest difference between VAGs is sound deadening.

Skoda and Seat have considerably less than VW and Audi equivalent platforms.

However now VAG have moved back to a beam axle on the rear across all same-platform cars, the NVH has improved considerably; the rear subframe on the older models introduced a lot of resonance and road noise into the cabin if there wasn't enough deadening material in place.

Of course you can pull apart the interior and install the missing deadening. I've done this on a Altea, including fitting the footwell trims that you'd find on a A3, but are missing in the Leon and Altea. The only thing I have yet to do is behind the headlining and rear door trims, but it is massively improved.

IainMilford

iTrader: (15)

that was the only negative I could find when researching the car, but it' not that bad, compared to the scoob it's silent lol

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, tyre choice and wheel size makes a big difference. Bridgestone RE050s on the rear of a VAG can get so noisy you think the wheel bearings are shot.

There is something odd on the PQ45 platform in regards of rear geometry and tyre loading as it look like the bands on the current set of GoodYears have failed on our Altea (sudden and rapid uneven inner tread wear, intermittent vibration that's got worse despite balancing). This will be the second set of tyres that have failed in this fashion, even though the geometry is spot on and I've seen the same happen on various A4s/Octavias/Leons/Golfs etc.

The later FWD models no longer have independant rear suspension so I think this issue is now fixed, albeit at the expense of outright grip at the rear; Although personally I've always said IRS on a FWD car that has Mcphersons on the front car is overkill.

hedgecutter

iTrader: (5)

I've had the same my Superb 4 x4 tdi; sawtoothing, high Road noise, eating tyres on rear inner shoulder. I had always had 4 wheel alignment every year, but my alignment centre were not using the two VAG plates which should be used to hold that rear set up in place when unloaded. Had it done by Skoda recently and it was then perfect....... For a while. I think the alignment actually slips in normal use.

lozgti1

Need two new front tyres...

Have to say I would love a new superb. But on the thread topic, any diesel is off my list now