Which are the best? I will need something, about the size of a 3 series/A4 etc. I am not keen on front wheel drive, and are the bigger engined diesels that much better than the smaller ones? Also something with a sports package. 3 kids and summer holidays to europe must be considered as well. The E46 330 sports diesel looks v-nice but 35mpg doesn't sound that economical. Upto about £15000. 5 Series/ A6 etc are to big.

 

Audi A6quattro \ allroad 2.5tdi second hand.

New Octavia 4x4 due in next three months, will be avail as diesel.

 

The A6 is too big, and i know the wife won't get in a skoda....Brand image.

 

VW Passat Tdi 130PD Sport 6spd??........

 

Front wheel drive(loathe it)

 

3 kids and summer holidays to Europe???? Surely a 3 series or A4 is far too small??? They're lifestyle estates (ie, not much luggage space) rather than proper estates.

Merc E-class is the daddy. Old shape (mid 90's to early 00's) is the best one. Biggest load lugger around, and the E320CDi has bags and bags of torque (300lb/ft +).

 

Of course, if the lifestyle estate is what you're after, there's also the Jag X-type diesel estate now, plus the Volvo V50.

£15k might be a stretch given both are quite new though.....

 

What about about a nice VW Touerag V10 TDI ;-) Then again perhaps not!

 

He He..........The wife would love it. The reason for the 3 series size is that, i have a V7 STI WAGON (bugeye) and anything bigger the misses wouldn't cope, with it... Went to spain last summer (2004) and it coped superbly well, apart from the fuel side of it.....My mate in his diesel passat was only filling up once to nearly 3 of mine......But i loathe front wheel drive, and it seems pointless having 333bhp when your'e sitting at 90mph on the motorway in spain.

 

I mean 333bhp in my sti, not the passat......he he.

 

As mentioned above, the Jag X-Type 2.0D estate is probably one of the best diesel estates in the £20k price range. It is front-wheel drive but accordingly to all the reviews I've read, drives very well. It does about 37 mpg on average.

D.

 

It should do, as it is based on the mondeo platform. It's still that front wheeley buisness that i can't get my head around.I'm an awkward so and so.. Are the audi quatt estate diesels any good? I drove my brothers fwd one and the steering was lifeless. And i once had the displeasure of owning an S2 Avant, for a short while..

 

My wife has a 320D Sport Touring. She loves it, but I'm not that keen really. Performance is excellent, but the narrow power band is frustrating. Handling is excellent, but the Sport is over-tyred (255/35/18!) and has more grip than grunt, so not much chance of any tail-out action

The boot area is small, unless you have the rear seat folded, and is no better than a normal hatchback really. Having said all that, we looked at all the road tests and drove all the competitors (Audi A4, Jag X-Type etc), and the BMW came out as the best overall. Fuel economy is 40mpg, but I believe it improves a bit as the engine loosens up, it's only done 6,000 miles so far. Hope this helps

 

Actually it does, as i spoke to my m8, who has just got a 330d sport and he says it does about 37mpg around town, but a lot better on a run and has enourmous pull, which sounds pretty good to me...