I know how we all like a good "what car for this criteria thread" so not the most exciting, but here we go. As some of you might have read my dad is getting rid of his L200 he has had for 6 years. It's costing him too much going to London town at £100 LEZ charge a time visiting my gran so he is getting rid. (his loss my gain!) Anyway, he has given me his criteria;

 

Must fit a pair of cycles in the back without too much peeing about

Must have enough power to pull his trailer & track bikes

Must be a manual

 

All his trips are long, he uses his motorbike for work 99% of the time. The car gets used for a few trips to Scotland (400 miles) to see the in laws and a few trips to London to see the gran (60 miles).

 

He is a bit all over the place with his suggestions so far, 1.6 petrol golf? Silly old sod. He did say he liked the look of a mazda 6 but a little boring. I'm looking at Passat estates & a Galaxy. Reservations being the former is maybe over his budget and the latter being a Ford rust bucket? (his words not mine) His budget is about £2000, he doesnt want to go too far over 70,000 miles but I've suggested he compromises a little if he looks a decent diesels. 

 

Any thoughts/suggestions throw them out there! 

 

Cheers

Matt

Volvo V70 D5, tad boring but massive inside and cracking tow car

Volvo V70 D5, tad boring but massive inside and cracking tow car

At that budget, probably well over the 70k mileage mind barrier, but......it's a Volvo.

It will probably outlive him if he maintains it.

Kia sedona?

Yeah kia sedona

How come the L200 gets hit for LEZ charges?

I've just run he plates for our discovery through and it's not subject to it........but that's probably because it predates the 2002 year/ Euro 3 standard.

Ergo, he could consider buying something older, but essentially more polluting.......   I think Boris has missed the whole point of rabid ecomentalism.

Didn't think to look at Kias, I'll have look later.

The L200 is classes/registered/insured as a commercial vehicle, I assume your disco is a passenger vehicle.

Passat estate

He said he looked at a few Passats but the ones for his budget are a bit ropey. Just had a scout at the Sedona online, never thought I'd say this about a kia but it looks pretty good! 2.9 diesel, newer ones have 150bhp and are suppose to be smooth and economical. Some kitted up ones with leather, parking sensors, sub 70000 miles 06 plates are going for £2000 ish! Just gotta see if/how easy the rear seats come out. 

I had a Mitsubishi Grandis, this wasn't a bad car, MPG was a bit cack but the warrior trim and diesel had good pull not sure of used prices.

He said he looked at a few Passats but the ones for his budget are a bit ropey. Just had a scout at the Sedona online, never thought I'd say this about a kia but it looks pretty good! 2.9 diesel, newer ones have 150bhp and are suppose to be smooth and economical. Some kitted up ones with leather, parking sensors, sub 70000 miles 06 plates are going for £2000 ish! Just gotta see if/how easy the rear seats come out.

They aren't that economical, we had one as a hire car and guy a guy in my car share group has one. You're looking at low to mid 30s no matter how careful you drive it day to day.

That's good for a engine and car of its size. Its out the window anyway, tax is too much apparently.

How about a mk1 Octavia tdi estate? Loads of very clean ones, 60mpg possible and the engine should lend itself to light towing without issue. Plus the buggers live forever.

Old Merc or Volvo estate?

 

Pre-DPF so they should last to big miles.

1.9tdi Galaxy/Saharan/Alhambra.

I had an Alhambra and drove all over Europe even moved the whole family 2 adults and 2 kids to Spain. With roof box and loaded to the roof still gave a sensible mid 40mpg.

In Spain proved invaluable it was able to take a pallet with a 750 litre plastic tank in with the seats out and did regular water runs to our nearest village on some real crappy back roads.

Mine was a 1997 1.9tdi manual, with captains seats etc. Awesome and never missed a beat.

I can only seem to find horrid coloured Octavias and he says when he looks at the few I've found they look overpriced. Cant find any Volvos in his price range bar S60s which dont help the bike situation. Merc will 100% result in him getting stuck going to scotland each winter, I was suggesting BMWs until he said no rwd. He seems to like the worst weather possible for the trip. 

 

Front runner at the moment seems to be the above. I showed him a Galaxy and he said he would worry it'll rust, tried telling him they are all the same car but he wouldnt have any of it. Showed him a Alhambra and he likes them. Decent engine, loads of room, comfy etc etc. Just need to find him a decent one thats not miles away now. Unless he changes his mind again.

 

Cheers all

I think you need to tell him to double his budget, or accept what he can get. Tbh a decent large diesel car with less than 70k on the clock and under £2k is a big ask, if yo get more than 12 months running out of it then it owes you nothing and you've done good.

Just thinking about it, Another example to look at would be a pug 406 estate either the TD or the HDi. Both bullet proof and a excellent car.

Edited 28 September, 201312 yr by mdon

Agreed, initially the diesel bit wasn't specified therefore much easier. He doesnt do huge miles so the fuel wasnt an issue but then he moved more towards diesel for whatever reason. I'll see if he goes with the Alhambra idea, if not he can pull his dusty old wallet out and stop ****ing about.

I have a 406HDi saloon for abit and have to say it was one of the best cars i've ever had,

I paid 1300 quid for it with a knackered clutch and managed to get another 12k out of it before it started to slip,

It was a big old bus and would pull a house end, would probably still have it if some silly cow hadn't decided to flip her clio into the side of it and take the rear quater out,

Have to say get the 110bhp one though as the 90's are a little underpowered apparently

I have a 406HDi saloon for abit and have to say it was one of the best cars i've ever had, 

 

 

 Dear God you must have been the all star, lucky 1,113,113 Pug customer who actually got a car that was built properly.

 

 Matt if he's struggling with the price of an Octavia you could always enlighten him its his coveted Golf. But in different clothing and cheaper