Car choice - narrowed, but....

[Gwilo]

Spent a fruitless weekend visiting potential cars.

Every passat i've looked at has had severe rust issues on inner wings, rear wings, boot and more broken internal trim than I'd ever consider "immaculate", even at 9 years old.

An MG-ZT promised much, but delivered little - nowhere near as comfy as I'd been led to believe, with narrow seats that you sat on, rather than in and feeling flimsier than a tinfoil hat.

The Octavia's have all had intergalactic mileages and sketchy service histories......

 

These are the issues I sort of expect to come up against with a very limited budget.

I've come upon a Volvo S60 D5.  2002, with under 100K on the clock.  It feels tight, nothings broken inside or worn and everything works.  I'm just waiting on details of the history....

I'm going off official mpg (49 on a run) so I'd assume 40-45, as we all know OBC reports are optimistic by c.10%) - is that a realistic view to take?

 

The question I'm grappling with is......

Is it worth forking out an extra £12-£20 a week in fuel, an extra £110 in road tax  for the comfort factor?  

Spending almost two hours in the morning rush hour and an hour to two hours of an evening, comfort starts to be an issue.....

 

Failing that, are there any genuinely comfortable cars out there that don't drink derv like a fish?

 

 

[KenONeill]

For sure skip MG-ZTs; an ex-boss of mine had one, and it was like the dealer had left the transport blocks in the springs.

[Gwilo]

Yep, the MG is off the list after looking.

French cars keep cropping up on the list....lots of Renault Megane 1.5 and 1.9's being suggested by SWMBO, along with Pug 1.6HDi's.

I'm trying to resist on the basis it's French and will be of suspect build in various key areas......but her financial angle is making the D5 a hard proposition to support. :(

Anything else to throw in the mix/counter the cheap & french argument?

[mdon]

Yep, the MG is off the list after looking.

French cars keep cropping up on the list....lots of Renault Megane 1.5 and 1.9's being suggested by SWMBO, along with Pug 1.6HDi's.

I'm trying to resist on the basis it's French and will be of suspect build in various key areas......but her financial angle is making the D5 a hard proposition to support. :(

Anything else to throw in the mix/counter the cheap & french argument?

I'd go for the S60 D5 tbh, in the long run is an extra couple of quid in diesel really that much of a concern.

Also I've had four French cars, all have been perfect and I would love a XM for running about in. Avoid the 1.9dci but the 1.5 is bomb proof and the 1.6 hdi are also very reliable. Still, go for the volvo you won't regret it.

Edited 14 October, 2013 by mdon

[Chris]

Is the d5 geartronic or manual? If manual then 40-45 is achievable but if geartronic then expect mid 30's.

[KenONeill]

It doesn't take that many days in the garage with a fitter doing the "fit a new one of these" approach to neutralise any fuel savings. Will that work on her?

 

I've only had newish Pugs as hire cars, and as often as not they've been throwing intermittant warning lights which fitters reckon were typical.

[Gwilo]

Is the d5 geartronic or manual? If manual then 40-45 is achievable but if geartronic then expect mid 30's.

From what I read on the a couple of volvo forums (doing my research...) on the manual I *should* be able to get 45-50, which is very, very attractive.  

Sadly, the manuals i've found so far have had very high mileages and poor interiors. 

Given the amount of stop start gear changing I do at the end of my commute, an auto holds great appeal (plus saves wearing out the DMF, which is a concern given recent experience).

10mpg difference, coupled with emissions that put it at least two tax bands higher...... even driving like a nun, the auto would only max out realistically at 39mpg (had a look at fuelly data).

Soon adds up, like running repairs on a cheap frenchie.

[Gwilo]

I'd go for the S60 D5 tbh, in the long run is an extra couple of quid in diesel really that much of a concern.

 

At 24k a year it is...

[Wardy]

What's the budget?

[Gwilo]

What's the budget?

pretty low.....£3-3.5K.  Could stretch to £4K for a peach.

TBH, as was discussed elsewhere by another member, it's not worth paying more on a car that's going to depreciate like crazy due to high mileage.  I paid £6650 for a Ford mundane last summer, and 30K further on, it's worth less than half that.  I want something comfy that I can run till it dies properly, rather than some "wear and tear" item like a DMF meaning it's uneconomical to keep going.

[Wardy]

Was thinking BMW you see - either E46 320d or E39 5-Series derv on the budget then.

 

The latter being the last truly comfortable BMW I can remember (leaving 7s out of the equation).

 

Know a guy who's just picked up a E39 530d Touring for 1.5k that's ex-Police and 170k and is great as his daily runabout

[ruffday]

How about a Superb.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Skoda-Superb-1-9TDI-PD-130-Comfort-SERVICE-HISTORY-LONG-MOT-/261214101944?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cd192e1b8

[Gwilo]

I guess I get edgy the closer to 100k certain cars get.......Volvo, solid reputation for high mileages with little wear issues.

Passat/Superb - how are those inner front wings going to be?  Was the superb as plagued with rust issues as the Passat?  How worn is the interior at that mileage?

 

 

Suggestion of the 320d, or even a 318d is interesting.  I've been tolling around in the 54 reg 320d with 142K on the clock.......it's a little snug, but not an unpleasant place to spend time.  Even if the seats are a little hard and I keep smacking my head getting in and out because the standard car is so damned low.........

[Gwilo]

Oooh, there's a nice looking 330D Touring on autotrader......40-50mpg and THAT engine......

Am I being daft?

[D@z]

my buddy had an S40 with the D5, seemed a nice little engine to me, sounded nice for a derv too, maybe a little thirstier than our 2.0 tdi, but it is a 2.4! ran 190 stock also!

[Wardy]

330d you just have to be aware of some engine issues - swirl flaps, that sort of thing.

 

The leather or alcantara seat options tend to be comfier than the standard ES/SE seats in my experience.

 

Worth a closer look in my opinion. Any E46/E39 would see 200k no problem, with correct maintenance.

[D@z]

seriously think a 330d is crossing the bridge to expensive upkeep, just hear of so many problems with them, which is really not what you are looking for

[Wardy]

True, plus the earlier E46 versions don't really have all that much power, especially the 184bhp version which is a 5-speed, upto at least 2002 IIRC.

 

320d would be more than adequate I reckon.

[Hannibal]

Colleague had the timing chain snap on a 118d, only 80k on the car. Apparently it's more common than people realise.

[Wardy]

It can happen, as a cambelt can fail. Unfortunately there's no completely risk-free solution.

[Hannibal]

Do cam belts often fail if changed at the correct intervals? The chain is supposed to last the life of the engine not limit it.

[Wardy]

I've seen cambelts go earlier than a recommended interval, certainly. Although often that can be a weakness in the tensioner, rather than the belt itself. Part of the same system design though, of course.

 

Sometimes you have intervals on a chain-driven engine, it depends. In the case of your mentioned 118d issue, it depends what engine revision that is; I don't know the 1-Series all that well I'm afraid. I know on the 3-Series, the 320d unit between late E46 and earlier E90s was the M47, and the timing chain should be good for the lifetime of the engine. Rare to have an issue there.

 

Later, with the N47 they can be more problematic. That will need a rail and guide inspection if you start to notice noise and rattle. Again - how common is that, and is it more common than belt problems? Can't tell you I'm afraid as to be fully informed you'd need access to complete failure stats which is nigh on impossible! Unfortunately that's when you'll wish it was belt-driven though, as it's a gearbox and engine out job, in most cases.

[cheezemonkhai]

I think the chain is a known issue isn't it?

 

What about Ford?

 

If it's a commuter wagon, then they're cheap to maintain and get good MPG.

Something horribly boring from Honda or Toyota could be an option too.

 

I guess it's down to what's most important and if you'll have a fun car too.

[sniperpenguin]

If you were looking at an MG-ZT (out of interest, which engine?) then you would have been disappointed if you were looking at high-comfort. It's designed to be a harder-riding car. The only reason I didnt get one was because I needed to buy new.

 

For comfort, check out its ugly sister - the Rover 75. In both cars the 2.0 TDCI is a Beemer unit, 2.5 V6 is ancient tech but bombproof, and the 4.6 V8 under the ZT is actually a mustang engine

 

Also, the MG / Rover community is one of the most supportive out there (put it this way, the Skoda community is the only one I've encountered that comes close.... and I've tried Honda, Toyota, Ford and a few others). Cars are peanuts to run, too.

[Gwilo]

What about Ford?

If it's a commuter wagon, then they're cheap to maintain and get good MPG.

Until the DMF goes at 70k, taking most of the drivetrain with it and giving you a nice fat bill, wiping out its value.......... Bitter? Moi?

Eyeing up a couple of passats, so might be back to VAG sooner rather than later.... The low-tech BXE engines, so single mass flywheels are an option.

The 320d is a cracking engine, though I do recall this loaner did have to have some adjustment to the chain the other year, at 134k..... The DMF on that feels like it's starting to give too..... Time to hand the keys back!!