After dropping a wodge on the Outback for a new battery only for the tailgate issues to immediately recur and funnily enough for a internet search to suddenly (wasn't before) flag that there is a persistent and long standing Subaru issue with a parasitic battery drain via the telematics module. Basically the car continually tries to phone home and drains the battery, the tailgate control module is acutely sensitive to voltage meaning that if the car has sat for more than a day (sometime less) the boot won't open without doing a full control module manual range reset (unlock by hand, open by hand, close by hand and jump up and down on it until the door engages fully). There is a fix and it's not hugely expensive (apparently) but I was going to move the car on anyway

None of us love the car either so I stuck it on Motorway while it needs nothing major done. It's v low mileage and pretty much mint other than this known issue.

But what next. I've no idea what to get even if money was no object.
I'd like another estate.
I'd like to it to be fast and decent to drive but also reasonably comfortable.

If I had no kids I'd get a used M5
If Volvo did a decent non-hybrid motor I'd get a V90
M3 estate is a bit dear and I hate the interior (no likey flat panels much).

I drove an E63s estate a while back and I think it was maybe too fast to enjoy.
The ID3 has put us off VAG group

I don't do many miles to fuel costs are not really an issue. Coupes are no use with the kids.
I'm tempted by another RR as they were a great place to be and super practical but made from terror + Temu parts and tbh not the best to drive as it's a 3T 4x4 after all.

I think I need a restomod Jenson Interceptor.

XC70 T6?

I confess to being totally enamoured with my V70. If I wanted a quick-ish one, it'd be a T6 for me.

Gaz

Edited Monday at 14:335 days by Gaz
removed an odd link

47 minutes ago, Gaz said:

XC70 T6?

I confess to being totally enamoured with my V70. If I wanted a quick-ish one, it'd be a T6 for me.

Gaz

I keep longingly looking at the T8 Volvos then seeing it's just a 2.0 or less + hybrid motor.
Even then the faster ones are like rocking horse poop.
Other than the motor lineup they do tick the majority of boxes.

Aiming for petrol only tbh. I would have said a big derv having been a happy 335d owner but I'm doing under 4k a year now. Most of our mileage is in the lease ev.

Edited Monday at 15:245 days by Aspman

16 minutes ago, Aspman said:

Aiming for petrol only tbh.

3.0 300+BHP petrol 👍👍:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202606153304813?sort=relevance&twcs=true&searchId=eb75de66-844e-4574-9693-26d774d79b1e&keywords=t6&make=Volvo&model=XC70&page=1&postcode=bn21%203uu&advertising-location=at_cars&fromsra&backLinkQueryParams=channel%3Dcars%26flrfc%3D1%26keywords%3Dt6%26make%3DVolvo%26model%3DXC70%26postcode%3Dbn21%25203uu%26sort%3Drelevance

G'wan.... 😁

G

Lol that's hardly turned a wheel. But £16k for a 14yr old volvo c'mon low mileage or not.

Someone is selling a Bentley GT near me for 8k, what could go wrong?

That's the Subaru sold. Again with motorway that was £2-3k over any trade in offer. Seems a bit mad.
Why offer such rubbish trade ins then bid higher on Motorway?
It's been main dealers every time for me on motorway as well.

Having a dig around thinking maybe something like a 540i Estate would be ideal but again like rocking horse poo
There is an older E320 estate not too far away, I'm just not sure I'm old enough for a merc.

Edited Tuesday at 15:284 days by Aspman

Thought we were headed back to JLR for a bit then I did an insurance quote. £2000. For a comparison the Subaru was £250.

I’ll keep looking i think.

£2000, yikes!! 😳

That's 1/8 of the way there to a nice XC70 🤣

With JLRs recall problems over thier DC to DC converters and other electrical issues that insurance quote is probably a blessing in disguise

2 hours ago, skomaz said:

With JLRs recall problems over thier DC to DC converters and other electrical issues that insurance quote is probably a blessing in disguise

And timing chain and cam bearing issues.
Just out of interest I could insure an AM Rapide S for £900.
They really don't want any LR on their books do they

Think I might have ID the next motor.
Merc C43 AMG Estate
Fast without being pointlessly fast plus cheaper in every way than the C63.

Deal done, pick up a C43 estate next week.

8 hours ago, Aspman said:

Deal done, pick up a C43 estate next week.

Very nice. Any reason you didn’t consider an M340i? I think they’re pretty similar in terms of power and price. The C43 is a nicer package though, and a bit more grown up than the CLA45.

I think you chose well though. If we move up from the R/Cupra Estate size of cars into something a bit bigger, and remember that any decent S4 is diesel, you’re pretty much left with those two cars for fast estates.

Not sure about a 540i but a friend has a 640i. It shifts, but it’s not really geared up for anything aside from motorway driving. It’s got the power, but it’s a big car, and everything is just a little soggy. It’s like comparing a 330i to an Octavia vRS. They have the same performance on paper (drivetrain aside) but in reality they couldn’t be more different.

21 hours ago, OccyVRS said:

Very nice. Any reason you didn’t consider an M340i? I think they’re pretty similar in terms of power and price. The C43 is a nicer package though, and a bit more grown up than the CLA45.

I think you chose well though. If we move up from the R/Cupra Estate size of cars into something a bit bigger, and remember that any decent S4 is diesel, you’re pretty much left with those two cars for fast estates.

Not sure about a 540i but a friend has a 640i. It shifts, but it’s not really geared up for anything aside from motorway driving. It’s got the power, but it’s a big car, and everything is just a little soggy. It’s like comparing a 330i to an Octavia vRS. They have the same performance on paper (drivetrain aside) but in reality they couldn’t be more different.

Availability really. I've looked for 340i and 540i estates but they are very rare on the market. Conversely warm and hot Merc estates are relatively easy to find.
The Mercs are also coming with 2yr warranty inclusive as approved used.

If it existed an M550i xdrive estate would be just the perfect car but it doesn't exist.
My former in-laws consider themselves 'Audi people' and I can't bear the idea of being in 'their' brand. Petty, maybe but it is what it is.

If I was doing more miles I think the decision would be easier tbh. I like big dervs having very much liked the 335d I had and a 540d would be sweet. But I'm only doing 3-4k a year now and we have the ID3 to commute in.
The kids rule out coupes really. The 850i is fast but seems like a bit of a midlife-crisis car. Just a bit sadder than an M5 or M550i.
TBh I was looking rather longingly at a Lexus LC500 as well but my son is 3" taller than me and still growing.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Aspman

5 hours ago, Aspman said:

Availability really. I've looked for 340i and 540i estates but they are very rare on the market. Conversely warm and hot Merc estates are relatively easy to find.
The Mercs are also coming with 2yr warranty inclusive as approved used.

If it existed an M550i xdrive estate would be just the perfect car but it doesn't exist.
My former in-laws consider themselves 'Audi people' and I can't bear the idea of being in 'their' brand. Petty, maybe but it is what it is.

If I was doing more miles I think the decision would be easier tbh. I like big dervs having very much liked the 335d I had and a 540d would be sweet. But I'm only doing 3-4k a year now and we have the ID3 to commute in.
The kids rule out coupes really. The 850i is fast but seems like a bit of a midlife-crisis car. Just a bit sadder than an M5 or M550i.
TBh I was looking rather longingly at a Lexus LC500 as well but my son is 3" taller than me and still growing.

Plenty of time to pick one up once they’re gone - my dad traded his R32 and S3 for a 325i Touring when I was born. It was a good car, but never had the same poke - or so I’m told.

I do know that the M340i/d are pretty expensive for what they are - indeed, bar the hybrid 330e, most of the 1/2/3 series are quite overpriced. IIRC dad paid just under £30k for his 1 Series, and it’s not even a hot one.

My next car, if possible, would be an S4 - but they’re just impossible to find in TFSI guise. It’s the same for all the hot Volvo estates - I think it was a V60 or something - big dad wagon with 450bhp or similar.

Going approved used is always nice. I was sold an approved car that had been in an accident, so a dealer isn’t gospel, but at least it gives you someone to shout at when things go wrong.

I hope you enjoy it - they’re very well put together cars, and I personally think the 43 is a sweet spot… the 63 is just too much!