What sub-£8k Diesel Family Estate car ?
22 July 2011, 01:18 PM
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What sub-£8k Diesel Family Estate car ?
Had to re-register as I've totally forgotten my password - apologies for yet another 'What car' thread.
Currently we're running 2 cars, mine : 03 WRX estate with 70k miles and Picasso 20.HDi with 78k miles.
Looking to decrease our car costs so going to go for just the 1 car to replace the 2.
1st issue might be the px'ing of the 2 against a single car but that will probably vary dealer by dealer.
Looking to spend minimal extra over the values of the 2 cars combined so the window price will need to be no more than £8000
We do a fair mileage, prob 10-15,000 / year as we're outside of Edinburgh and I live 18 miles from work and we do a fair bit of driging around although between 2 and 5 days a week I cycle depending on weather etc - sometimes my car is sat on the drive most of the week, sometimes it is used more. Wife's situation is changing so now her 3 x week commute close to where I work will not happen so often if I need a car I'd be able to use the single 1 we plan to source.
Requirements :
Something with good interior space to take 2 adults and 2 kids - also if it can take a bike in the rear it would be good : Picasso is great as with a central seat folded the bike fits with just the front bike wheel off, with central seat removed (10 second job) the front wheel can stay on. If need be we'd look to use a bike rack when the rear seats are in use.
Picasso gets around 44Mpg so we don't want anything that is much worse than this. I'm getting close on 30Mpg in the WRX.
We previously had a '51 plate A4 130TDi - bombproof everyone says. Well, we bought one about 5 years ago with 80k+ miles. Great to drive, economical, quick, well built etc, 10kmiles later it exhibits problem of
serious hesitation/juddering pulling away from junctions etc - it's the injectors mate says the garage, local Audi dealership confirmed that at that mileage it was not unknown. Heading for £2000 parts alone. Gulp, car is flogged sharpish as the cost would be uneconomical. Friend I know also knows of someone with an A4 of similar mileage taht went through 1 set with Audi contributing for parts then some time later they started failing again and Audi would not be helping out this time. An expensive problem lurking ?
So we got our fingers singed on that - I'd consider one again as an A4 Avant ticks the boxes but hard to find with significantly lower mileage than our last one (say 55k tops)
Passat (same engine) seem to be similar with regards to residuals and hard to find one for sub £8k and sub 60k miles. Would prefer an A4 over the VW alternative.
Skoda with the same engine is less appealing even than the VW.
Volvo V50 diesel considered - very mixed reviews re reliability. Not great on fuel ?
Saab 9-3 Tdi - mixed reviews against diesels it seems.
Wife would love an Alfa but much as I agree that they're lovely to look at/sit in I'm so wary of their reliability. Also their diesel engines don't seem to be great for economy ?
Slightly more leftfield -
Mazda 6 - reviews quite poor.
BMW 320d ? One consideration is that where we live the snow in the past 2 winters has seen a few of our neighbours Beemers being confined to their drives - snow tyres solve that issue ?
The common Modeos/Vectras etc are likely (not actually looked) available with the lower mileage at a sensible price but the residuals will drop since they're so common and are not exactly sparkling in terms of ownership.
Totally stumped, I'm tempted to run the Picasso for a couple more years but wife is fed up driving the big dull box and the kiddie-friendly aspects are not quite so relevant now as they were when they were younger.
Would then have to sell the Scoob privately as tax/ins/MOT etc is silly to be keep laying out on when it is going to be unused for possibly most of the week.
Currently we're running 2 cars, mine : 03 WRX estate with 70k miles and Picasso 20.HDi with 78k miles.
Looking to decrease our car costs so going to go for just the 1 car to replace the 2.
1st issue might be the px'ing of the 2 against a single car but that will probably vary dealer by dealer.
Looking to spend minimal extra over the values of the 2 cars combined so the window price will need to be no more than £8000
We do a fair mileage, prob 10-15,000 / year as we're outside of Edinburgh and I live 18 miles from work and we do a fair bit of driging around although between 2 and 5 days a week I cycle depending on weather etc - sometimes my car is sat on the drive most of the week, sometimes it is used more. Wife's situation is changing so now her 3 x week commute close to where I work will not happen so often if I need a car I'd be able to use the single 1 we plan to source.
Requirements :
Something with good interior space to take 2 adults and 2 kids - also if it can take a bike in the rear it would be good : Picasso is great as with a central seat folded the bike fits with just the front bike wheel off, with central seat removed (10 second job) the front wheel can stay on. If need be we'd look to use a bike rack when the rear seats are in use.
Picasso gets around 44Mpg so we don't want anything that is much worse than this. I'm getting close on 30Mpg in the WRX.
We previously had a '51 plate A4 130TDi - bombproof everyone says. Well, we bought one about 5 years ago with 80k+ miles. Great to drive, economical, quick, well built etc, 10kmiles later it exhibits problem of
serious hesitation/juddering pulling away from junctions etc - it's the injectors mate says the garage, local Audi dealership confirmed that at that mileage it was not unknown. Heading for £2000 parts alone. Gulp, car is flogged sharpish as the cost would be uneconomical. Friend I know also knows of someone with an A4 of similar mileage taht went through 1 set with Audi contributing for parts then some time later they started failing again and Audi would not be helping out this time. An expensive problem lurking ?
So we got our fingers singed on that - I'd consider one again as an A4 Avant ticks the boxes but hard to find with significantly lower mileage than our last one (say 55k tops)
Passat (same engine) seem to be similar with regards to residuals and hard to find one for sub £8k and sub 60k miles. Would prefer an A4 over the VW alternative.
Skoda with the same engine is less appealing even than the VW.
Volvo V50 diesel considered - very mixed reviews re reliability. Not great on fuel ?
Saab 9-3 Tdi - mixed reviews against diesels it seems.
Wife would love an Alfa but much as I agree that they're lovely to look at/sit in I'm so wary of their reliability. Also their diesel engines don't seem to be great for economy ?
Slightly more leftfield -
Mazda 6 - reviews quite poor.
BMW 320d ? One consideration is that where we live the snow in the past 2 winters has seen a few of our neighbours Beemers being confined to their drives - snow tyres solve that issue ?
The common Modeos/Vectras etc are likely (not actually looked) available with the lower mileage at a sensible price but the residuals will drop since they're so common and are not exactly sparkling in terms of ownership.
Totally stumped, I'm tempted to run the Picasso for a couple more years but wife is fed up driving the big dull box and the kiddie-friendly aspects are not quite so relevant now as they were when they were younger.
Would then have to sell the Scoob privately as tax/ins/MOT etc is silly to be keep laying out on when it is going to be unused for possibly most of the week.
22 July 2011, 02:58 PM
#2
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330D Touring.
Although you might struggle to get a sub 60K 03> example for £8K.
It's on my list (3 of us) but I'd prefer a saloon.
I like the SAAB 93 TiD as an alternative to Vauxhall and Ford. VAG stuff is OK I guess and I would buy Skoda or Seat - why pay more for the same thing just because it has a higher rent name.
Although you might struggle to get a sub 60K 03> example for £8K.
It's on my list (3 of us) but I'd prefer a saloon.
I like the SAAB 93 TiD as an alternative to Vauxhall and Ford. VAG stuff is OK I guess and I would buy Skoda or Seat - why pay more for the same thing just because it has a higher rent name.
22 July 2011, 03:08 PM
#3
We simply drove our citroen into the ground until it fell to pieces (literally) and then moved on. We had paid it off 3 years previously so it owed us nothing 
Shaun
Shaun
22 July 2011, 03:20 PM
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22 July 2011, 04:18 PM
#7
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have to say i would say a4 avant...had two now and theyre brilliant. have taken us hundreds of miles in the uk and over to france without worry...two kids, 4 bikes luggage in comfort.
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22 July 2011, 07:00 PM
#8
stop being a snob and get the Skoda estate! you've had a Citroen!
Honestly.just don't know why Skoda isn't appealing nowadays...great cars,engines and reliable
Looked at one to replace our X Trail.Ended up with a BMW because couldn't afford the Skoda!!
Great cars
Honestly.just don't know why Skoda isn't appealing nowadays...great cars,engines and reliable
Looked at one to replace our X Trail.Ended up with a BMW because couldn't afford the Skoda!!
Great cars
22 July 2011, 09:09 PM
#9
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I did the whole route you did ... and kept coming back to the same car ... Honda Civic 2.2 Diesel ... in your case you would go for the 5 door (I went for the 3-door Type S).
Magic Seats in the rear, space for bikes in the boot, superb engine, looks magnificent, interior of the starship enterprise.
It is also one of the few Diesels that come without an expensive, troublesome, DPF!
Honestly, it is worth a close look!!
£8k will get you a very decent, top of the range, 4 year old example.
Magic Seats in the rear, space for bikes in the boot, superb engine, looks magnificent, interior of the starship enterprise.
It is also one of the few Diesels that come without an expensive, troublesome, DPF!
Honestly, it is worth a close look!!
£8k will get you a very decent, top of the range, 4 year old example.
Last edited by pslewis; 22 July 2011 at 09:12 PM.
22 July 2011, 09:50 PM
#11
Octavia estate every time
I ran my L&K diesel for 6 years 78 k miles and was one of the best cars ever
Get the top of the range for the toys
Cheap parts and excellent build quality and sensible dealer costs too
And of course I averaged 55 mpg over my 6years of ownership
Why do taxi drivers swear BT them
250k miles regularly clocked up on them as they are built to last
I ran my L&K diesel for 6 years 78 k miles and was one of the best cars ever
Get the top of the range for the toys
Cheap parts and excellent build quality and sensible dealer costs too
And of course I averaged 55 mpg over my 6years of ownership
Why do taxi drivers swear BT them
250k miles regularly clocked up on them as they are built to last
22 July 2011, 09:53 PM
#12
Scooby Regular
I looked at the Octavia ... makes a lot of sense ... except that on the Test Drive people kept waving me down calling out "TAXI!!"
It stopped me buying.
It stopped me buying.
23 July 2011, 08:14 AM
#13
You'd get that in a C class Merc too!
25 July 2011, 08:53 AM
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I think you'd find the 3 series just too small. I know in the works car park they look tiny.
picasso makes sense as a family car, or what about the grand picasso.
I'm seriously looking at them for the wife. seem a lot of car for the money.
I've had both zx and a bx many moons ago, not a problem with either.
as well as the wrx, I have a new (well bought 12 mths old) ford mondeo. a lot of car for the money and they are huge. never had a ford in 20 yrs, always hated them, but this surprised me and for the money, not much came close
picasso makes sense as a family car, or what about the grand picasso.
I'm seriously looking at them for the wife. seem a lot of car for the money.
I've had both zx and a bx many moons ago, not a problem with either.
as well as the wrx, I have a new (well bought 12 mths old) ford mondeo. a lot of car for the money and they are huge. never had a ford in 20 yrs, always hated them, but this surprised me and for the money, not much came close
25 July 2011, 09:03 AM
#15
I`d go for the best 5 Series BMW you can find. I have a 525d and its brilliant. OK its awful in snow, but several on the BMWLand forum have got winter tyres and apparently its then a different animal. Mines now 129K and apart from service items its only needed one fuel pump. Lots of good independants about for servicing as well!!
25 July 2011, 09:50 AM
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Thanks for everyone's replies, very useful.
We're swithering a lot on keeping the Picasso (is due a service - a biggie I think - right now
) or getting shot. As we're likely to use it for a holiday in a week's time we've booked it in for it's service and, if it needs more than just the basics done then it seems sensible to keep it for a while longer having laid out a chunk of money.
Problem with a lot of the cars on ours and everyone else's lists is getting one with 60k miles max at our target price is very difficult, then we'll put on 15,000 or so a year and 3 or so years down the line we're heading for 100,000 and a) problems (eg with the A4 ?) or b) resale drops.
We're swithering a lot on keeping the Picasso (is due a service - a biggie I think - right now
) or getting shot. As we're likely to use it for a holiday in a week's time we've booked it in for it's service and, if it needs more than just the basics done then it seems sensible to keep it for a while longer having laid out a chunk of money.Problem with a lot of the cars on ours and everyone else's lists is getting one with 60k miles max at our target price is very difficult, then we'll put on 15,000 or so a year and 3 or so years down the line we're heading for 100,000 and a) problems (eg with the A4 ?) or b) resale drops.
25 July 2011, 11:04 AM
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I'd kinda agree about modern cars (diesels in particular) being fine at 100k+ but
there is the obvious life for non-engine components plus issues such as the Audi injectors that as it heads towards 100k become more likely and as opposed to some parts needing replaced, these amount to a big percentage of the car's value.
A4 would be our preferred choice if we could get one at the right price/mileage - just depends I think whether we hold on to the Picasso for another 20k miles (will be 100k and value will be minimal then) or px now for the best car we can get.
there is the obvious life for non-engine components plus issues such as the Audi injectors that as it heads towards 100k become more likely and as opposed to some parts needing replaced, these amount to a big percentage of the car's value.
A4 would be our preferred choice if we could get one at the right price/mileage - just depends I think whether we hold on to the Picasso for another 20k miles (will be 100k and value will be minimal then) or px now for the best car we can get.
25 July 2011, 12:31 PM
#21
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http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3064197.htm with 2k left in yer pocket
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3054398.htm with 3k left in yer pocket
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2943518.htm with 3.5k left in yer back pocket
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2922686.htm with 4.5k left in yer back pocket
I've got a 528 on 121k and still going strong, they will easy get to 180-200K miles so plenty of life left in them
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3054398.htm with 3k left in yer pocket
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2943518.htm with 3.5k left in yer back pocket
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2922686.htm with 4.5k left in yer back pocket
I've got a 528 on 121k and still going strong, they will easy get to 180-200K miles so plenty of life left in them
25 July 2011, 01:37 PM
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Well If you like your VW's dont fancy skoda because of its image like audis but had a bad time id say stick in the vag group and get:
Seat Exeo. not driven it, but been in one and looks wise its an audi estate and as with all modern day vag products its got the best of vw, seat, audi and skoda in one.
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Se...cial-pictures/
Seat Exeo. not driven it, but been in one and looks wise its an audi estate and as with all modern day vag products its got the best of vw, seat, audi and skoda in one.
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Se...cial-pictures/
27 July 2011, 10:21 AM
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Well this is a 4wd diesel estate, worth looking at
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3052426.htm
Tony
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3052426.htm
Tony
27 July 2011, 09:26 PM
#29
01 August 2011, 12:42 AM
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My last car was a passat 2.5 v6 tdi. It was a great car very good build quality the interior still looked brand new even though it had seen 150k miles the fuel economy wasn't the greatest I used to get 30 mpg on average even driving like a tit 45mpg was the highest I ever see driving like me grandad but mine was the 2.5 v6 the 1.9 tdi's are apparently a lot better I had no major issues with mine until I cracked the sump on a HUGH speed bump and fooked the engine.
So yeah I'd recommend a passat are anything from the VAG group for that matter.
So yeah I'd recommend a passat are anything from the VAG group for that matter.
Last edited by Panda82; 01 August 2011 at 12:46 AM. Reason: Damn iPhone auto correct.
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