Need a bigger car, but not an MPV! Would like a fast estate, that's cheaper to insure/run than a wagon - any one got any ideas?

 

Well I run a Skoda Octavia 4x4turbo... seats 5 (ok, 3 kids in the back), remapped, 0-60 in 6.4, can get 44mpg if careful on Mway journeys.

Ian

 

looking this way myself as well possibly as a second car due to an expanding family

I am booked in for testdrives on the new 2.5xt forrester turbo which is supposed to out accelerate a new STI ,
and the new legacy 3.0r specB estate

 

RS4! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

RS6! double Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

Older twin turbo Legacy GT-B? Or a new one from Litchfield. VERY quick! Decent comfort and lotsa herbs

Any of the really fast estates are not going to be really cheap on insurance, and entry cost (or fuel) IMHO.

 

Mine is.

(all he asked for was sub 10 second, not sub 5 seconds )

 

Mondeo TDCi estate? Cheap to run and insure, and very nice to drive IMO.

 

What is the official 0-60 time - ie not remapped?

I was looking at the Skoda website, but didn't find anything with an official figure less than 10? What's the insurance like?

 

official is 9.3 I think standard (150bhp)... insurance costs me £650, 28, 5years NCB, 3 points \ 6 "on licence".... is certainly cheaper than a scoob.

 

- No way on earth can ou get 44mpg out of a 4x4 octavia -

- And i can recomend the volvo T5. The Police abuse them for a living, as they have done for nearly 10 years. can't get better than that.

 

What's the budget? V6 Omegas going for £2k, Scorpios too.

 

Nissan Stagea GTR running gear and engine in an estate

 

Sadly thinking about trading in the Scoob as the running costs are beginning to run me down
so about £10K

 

Hows about a Saab 9-5 Aero Estate.
250bhp, 275lb/ft

I have a saloon version. Quick in a straight line, not good good on the twisties. Tends to suffer from manic understeer and wheelspin in the wet !

 

Most of the suggested choices so far will not be all that cheap to buy, run and Insure.

If you want a REAL economical Daily Driver/Load shifter and would like to still keep the Subaru for "Occasional" use, go for something really basic and cheap to buy, run and Insure.

In your position - I'd get a Montego Diesel Turbo - similar Estate capacity to those bigger Volvos. A near minter would cost well under a grand and although production stopped ten years ago, they sold a huge number over the years and so there are still a few tidy ones about cheap as chips. Quite nippy too!

Oh yes - nearly forgot - a seven seater if you're into heavy breeding ..

 

WTF!! I'd rather walk....

Second the Saab 9-5 Aero, although for 10k you'll get the 230bhp version, rather than the later 250 - however they can be chipped to 280 for around £500.

 

I prefer my volvo idea, but i am a Volvo man. That money will get you in a V70R with all the goodies, £600 buys you the higher of 2 remaps to a plesent 310bhp -

I have this remap in my 850 and it is stagering how brisk they are - LSD standard aswel

 

Andy agree the V70 t-5 looks a good proposition also, but they're all bl**dy autos!

 

I would second the Octavia, I manage High 30's in mine it originally remapped to 228 bhp although is now about 250 due to a new exhaust & sizeable Intercooler. Fantastic value for money & a great replacement for the STI money pit I use to own.
Have done 2 Cannonballs with it & nothing broke, managed 16th out of 114 this year so not bad for an eastern European Farmers car as some call it, I prefer to class it as an Audi Quatro in disguise.

 

For £10k I'd say a nearly new Octavia vRS/4x4 estate is the best bet

 

Unfortunately this isnt a standard Stagea, its an extremely rare and expensive conversion by a Japanese tuning house. There is an automatic four wheel drive E-WGNC34 with a 2500cc RB25DET engine though called the RS FOUR. It isnt actually that quick though, 235PS and it weighs as much as a bus.

An Avenir is quick and cheap though; imagine the engine form a GTi-R in a steady four wheel drive estate.....

Simon

 

Montego, John you are really losing the plot, when is the last time you saw one that wasnt motorway maintenance or covered in moss ?

Second the T5.

 

We've just swapped from the scoob to a V40 T4 and its £320 fully comp with Norwich Union - thats with 1 claim and 6 points for me and the wife.

 

I'm liking the idea of the Octavia - will have to do some further research

Sounds like it could be a wolf in sheeps clothing

Thanks to all for your suggestions

 

Not sure if it's big enough but how about a 1.8VTI Honda Civic Aerodeck (before 2000?) Can probably pick one up well below the £10k budget.

 

Then do so ...... but he'd still have the car he really prefers!!

 

Not at all .... Apparently my powers of observation are superior to yours ....

My suggestion means he keeps the car he really wants ... plot whereabouts ....that point was surely lost on you!

 

Go to BRISKODA if you want out about Octavia 4X4 estate. I'm thinking of getting one...Impreza's are no good for where I live (People want them off you without paying!!!). Nick a Skoda you'd have to be daft...top cars now though bad badge rep.

 

OCTAVIA 4X4 Estate with Jabbasport remap is a proper Q-car.