Recommend an estate car please

LilMrsDahamsta

I'm giving up on the 8 Series dream for the moment and looking for recommendations for a used estate car. I only have €5000 to spend, but I've looked in the Bangernomics thread and there's very little to suit.

Specifically, I'm trying to decide between an Audi A6 Avant, BMW 5 Series Touring, Skoda Octavia Combi, and possibly an Opel Vectra estate. I'm open to other suggestions too, but I've read too many bad things about the Volvo V70 to consider it.

My last car was a 1.9 TDI Passat with 110bhp. I'd prefer to stick with a diesel, and I really don't want to go over a 2.5l engine as the tax and fuel bills would kill me. On the other hand, I drove a petrol 1.6 Skoda Octavia during the week, and it had no poke at all. I'd also prefer a manual, but I wouldn't turn down an otherwise perfect automatic.

Finally, please post links if you've seen anything suitable around. I probably won't actually buy for 3-4 months, but I need to test drive some examples soon or I'm going to be too big to fit comfortably in any drivers seat.

Thanks in advance!

Raskolnikov

For €5k you really are going to struggle to get any of the cars that you've listed, unless you would be ok with something that's 10+ years old and/or is well in excess of 100k miles. If the budget can't be adjusted, then you're much better off going with something like a Ford? You should just about get a 2004/2005 Mondeo/Focus with under 100k miles on the clock for the money you have.

bazz26

Rover 75 estate:
http://www.usedcarsni.com/66590628
http://www.usedcarsni.com/65795354

colm_mcm

Another 75 vote here.. high spec from uk in auto if poss

Tragedy

Rover 75 Conn. SE CTDi auto. Hopefully PaintDoctor will be along shortly to explain why!

Don't get anything lower than connoisseur se spec though, comes with all the toys and only costs a pittance more than the lower specs.

Off the top of my head, it comes with:
Trip computer
Auto Dimming rear mirror
Auto wipers
Cruise Control
Parking Sensors
Heated Mirrors(may not be post 2001)
Roof rails
Split opening tailgate(the window opens seperately)
A/C
All Electric Windows
Leather
Heated and electric front seats
16" Alloys

I'd also try get with one with the premium sound system(harmon kardon speakers and sub, with satnav and tv built in) and with the fuel burning heater.

paddyp

On the point of the octavia: has high boot lip .. as far as I'm concerned that makes it a hatchback.

My friend has the rover 75 in blue if you can put up with everyone calling you grandad or inspector morse its been good to him.

LilMrsDahamsta

Any other thoughts aside from the Morse option? I know paintdoctor and his car, so I'm fully appraised of it's many features and benefits! I'm just not quite convinced it's the car for me.

On the budget, I know it's tight; that's why I'm giving myself 3-4 months to find the right car. There's really not a lot out there, so I may well end up importing in the end, but like I said, I kind of need to test drive examples relatively soon, even if not the actual car I will end up buying. I got rid of my Passat specifically because I couldn't stand the pain it gave me in my back any longer - mechanically it was perfect, but I just couldn't stand driving it.

I don't really care what year the car is, so long as it's relatively mechanically sound. For the money, I know I won't get anything under 80000miles, but at the same time I'd be slow to go over 100,000 without a genuine FSH so I know what I can expect to come up on the service schedule over the next year at least.

Thoughts?

LilMrsDahamsta

paddyp wrote: »

On the point of the octavia: has high boot lip .. as far as I'm concerned that makes it a hatchback.

I noticed this on the one I test drove during the week. I'm currently driving dahamsta's Astra van, and I love the fact that the back it totally flat. I'll have to go back and look at this again. Thanks for pointing it out.

marzic

My 2c. Very good all rounder, if you were to look in UK / NI you'd find higher spec models.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/ford/mondeo-estate-2000.aspx

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1843048

si_guru

Tragedy wrote: »

Rover 75 Conn. SE CTDi auto. Hopefully PaintDoctor will be along shortly to explain why!

Don't get anything lower than connoisseur se spec though, comes with all the toys and only costs a pittance more than the lower specs.

Off the top of my head, it comes with:
Trip computer
Auto Dimming rear mirror
Auto wipers
Cruise Control
Parking Sensors
Heated Mirrors(may not be post 2001)
Roof rails
Split opening tailgate(the window opens seperately)
A/C
All Electric Windows
Leather
Heated and electric front seats
16" Alloys

I'd also try get with one with the premium sound system(harmon kardon speakers and sub, with satnav and tv built in) and with the fuel burning heater.

This made me (wryly) smile.. as yes the Rover 75 is great car. One day I will have a V8... I know I should have done it when I was in the UK. Damn.

Now imagine that list for a Rover 800.... it is a list of the things which probably no longer work on it!

si_guru

si_guru wrote: »

Now imagine that list for a Rover 800.... it is a list of the things which probably no longer work on it!

Well, if you ignore the roof rails and the split opening tailgate, there was never an 800 estate available

wildefalcon

Consider cars with torsion rear suspension - they have a much lower protrusion into the car.

Peugeot 306 estate, Astra Estate.

Zubeneschamali

Tragedy wrote: »

Off the top of my head, it comes with:

Pipe Rack
Integrated Teasmade
Walnut Bookshelf
Heated Slippers Drawer
Hat Stand

:pac:

marzic

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Pipe Rack
Integrated Teasmade
Walnut Bookshelf
Heated Slippers Drawer
Hat Stand

:pac:

... and driver called James, as in "Home James, and dont spare the Horses";)

Zubeneschamali

I really like the 75, actually, one of the few attempts to do an upscale interior that isn't Japanese plasticy gadgets or German wood-that-looks-just-like-plastic.

Alfas with leather are well designed, but the execution is iffy. Renault have tried a few times, like the Vel Satis, but failed.

Owen

You can have mine!