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Car Choice [Tin Top] Help
whitestu - 6/3/12 at 02:18 PM

My company car is up for renewal and I'm going to go for the car allowance.

Budget will be around £10k for a Mondeo sized diesel estate, ideally less than 3 years old.

A mondeo is the obvious choice, but I'm open to suggestions, and am also considering:

Alfa 159
Citroen C5
Jag X type
Toyota Avensis
Vauxhall Insignia
Renault Laguna

And [a bit silly and doesn't fit with the above remit] Citroen Berlingo.

I'm not a fan of German stuff as all the German cars I have go wrong even though they aren't supposed to.

Thoughts? I haven't started test driving yet, but don't want to overlook anything.

Stu

[Edited on 6/3/12 by whitestu]

sdh2903 - 6/3/12 at 03:06 PM

Volvo V50/V70?

D5 engines are superb.

loggyboy - 6/3/12 at 03:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by sdh2903
Volvo V50/V70?

D5 engines are superb.

+1
2.0 diesel isnt bad either and 1.6drive is cheap on tax.

whitestu - 6/3/12 at 03:41 PM

quote:

D5 engines are superb.


I think they are probably a bit thirsty which messes up all the affordability sums.

2.0 looks OK though.

owelly - 6/3/12 at 03:54 PM

Of your list, it would have to be the Insignia or the more boring Toyota. Another boring but good car would be Mazda 6 (I don't think you'd want to pay the fuel bill for the Mazda 6 MPS!)

PAUL FISHER - 6/3/12 at 04:15 PM

Saab 9-3 ttid aero estate.

sdh2903 - 6/3/12 at 04:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by whitestu
quote:

D5 engines are superb.


I think they are probably a bit thirsty which messes up all the affordability sums.

2.0 looks OK though.


You'd be surprised, ive just sold my dads s60 d5 for him, it was 10 year old with 100k on it, when i was using it i was getting around 48-50mpg that was short 8 mile commutes. When he was driving it (miss daisy) he was getting over 55mpg on a run. That was calculating it on fillups not just reading the trip comp.

Might be a bigger engine but your not stressing it as much half the time. It had some go in it aswell when you wanted to trap on.

maccmike - 6/3/12 at 04:31 PM

depends what yopu like;
159 = bit of driving pleasure
C5 = soft ride
Avensis = dull but good car
Insignia = stupid electric handbrake and poor visability
Laguna = nice looking - will break down
Jag for me out of those

personally Mondeos are better than them all

sdh2903 - 6/3/12 at 04:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by maccmike
Insignia = stupid electric handbrake and poor visability


I can second that, pal of ours has just bought a used one, she parked outside her in laws yesterday, came out and the car was a little further down the street than where she left it!

TimC - 6/3/12 at 05:34 PM

If you are considering the C5 and Berlingo, I couldn't stop myself from looking at a C6 - think they are a very interesting proposition.

morcus - 6/3/12 at 06:06 PM

I'd love a C6 but they're very rare so they're still rather expensive. The ride is better than anything I've ever experienced from the back seat, but I've never driven one.

Of your options I'd want the Jag or the C5, and for £10k I'd probably go for the jag.

ian locostzx9rc2 - 6/3/12 at 06:07 PM

Volvo d5 v70 are very good on fuel i have a couple of customers with these cars and they both get 55 plus mpg on long runs and have had no problems.toyota avensis are ok, maybe jag or mondeo. That would be my list...

britishtrident - 6/3/12 at 06:08 PM

Another Volvo vote
Toyota is good but look out for the piston slap problem --- oil change history very important make sure you here the engine from a cold start Piston slap isn't generally a job stopper but annoying and can only get worse.
Mazda 6 is good even my cousin a truck driver who wrecks cars could not destroy the 3 he has owned.

The Insignia is a bit unknown to me.

Diesel engine Jags and Mondeos I would be very wary of.

The rest of the list are cars I would never consider for serious transport.

llionellis - 6/3/12 at 09:05 PM

I had a Skoda VRS estate 170bhp fairly easy 50mpg. I enjoyed having it and would consider another.

whitestu - 6/3/12 at 09:18 PM

Thanks Guys

Some good suggestions there. I need to arrange a few test drives now!

Cheers

Stu