Best Diesel estate.

Jimmy Garlic

I am thinking of changing from a saloon to an estate as I am sick of hitching up and dragging around a dog box. Something from about 2000-2007 as I am on a budget. What should I go for? What should I avoid?

MuppetCheck

What's the budget?

patrickc

I bought a 2005 mondeo estate about 6 weeks ago, I have to say its a great load lugger, I've 2 dogs also and its handy for them to hop in and out of. practically the car meets all my needs, and i'm getting on average 43mpg in an auto so I can imagine the manual does a good but more.
comfortably someone can sit behind me in it and i'm 6ft 2 so have the seat right back.

Jimmy Garlic

MuppetCheck wrote: »

What's the budget?

In and around three grand, but I would go a bit above that for the right car.

tinofapples

patrickc wrote: »

I bought a 2005 mondeo estate about 6 weeks ago, I have to say its a great load lugger, I've 2 dogs also and its handy for them to hop in and out of. practically the car meets all my needs, and i'm getting on average 43mpg in an auto so I can imagine the manual does a good but more.
comfortably someone can sit behind me in it and i'm 6ft 2 so have the seat right back.

I hired one of those a few yrs back when we went to a wedding in Duns in Scotland, my wife and the other couple travelling with us joked about how it resembled a hearse (It was black) but by God it had some bloody room in it.

SpannerMonkey

i bought a 2003 Bmw 525d estate a few weeks back and il love it , loads of room (im 6ft 5) is comfortable economincal and nice to drive full cream leather interior all for a little over 2k euro

spank_inferno

fantastic looking car SpannerMonkey!

the merchant

@ SpannerMonkey --- SNAP!!

I have mine over 5 years though. Just washed & waxed it yesterday.

Saab Ed

I was genuinely about to recommend a 5 Series.

s14driftking

them 5 series are horrible ugly cars without the mtec kit and wheels imo.
try get the 3litre diesel engine if u can if a 5 series much more powerful and refined

Old diesel

s14driftking wrote: »

them 5 series are horrible ugly cars without the mtec kit and wheels imo.
try get the 3litre diesel engine if u can if a 5 series much more powerful and refined

To be honest I personally think the 5 series looks/is nicer in non M sport (SE etc). I love the two that have been posted up - especially the first one with the light coloured interior.

In terms of what to avoid - id personally avoid the Mazda 6 diesel - too many reports of big issues with these for my liking.

Id consider a 406 HDi if you could find a good one - other then that - you've got the Passat, Octavia and Avensis to consider.

but if your using it to simply transport dogs - that suggests that your not going to do big miles in it - so id also consider petrol estates as well - increases the choice available - and irrespective of miles you will be doing - a petrol estate in immaculate condition is better then a diesel that's wrecked.

It also opens up more cars - in petrol form a Mazda 6 might be worth consideration wheras in diesel form - youd be running away as fast as you can go. And then theres the Subaru Legacy - potentially a very good decent car - but no diesels in the age and price bracket your working with.

Max Power1

Those e39s are ageing perfectly imo, what a beautiful beast!

I think I will have to own an e39 at one stage in my life.

snaps

s14driftking wrote: »

them 5 series are horrible ugly cars without the mtec kit and wheels imo.
try get the 3litre diesel engine if u can if a 5 series much more powerful and refined

what's tax on one?

snaps

if you fancy importing from UK, some great deals on ford focus/mondeo estates over there. You would possibly even get a 2008+ for good money. I know someone that brought in a 2009 focus estate diesel for 4k plus the vrt. Think it was an ex met police car.

Max Power1

snaps wrote: »

what's tax on one?

Same as any other 2.9-3.0 range

€1494.00 - I just paid this for my 535 for the year the other weekend so it is the correct rate!

SpannerMonkey

s14driftking wrote: »

them 5 series are horrible ugly cars without the mtec kit and wheels imo.
try get the 3litre diesel engine if u can if a 5 series much more powerful and refined

have you owned one?

im on my 9th bmw and TBH ive had the 3 litre diesel in a 330d and a 530d before and the 2.5 is more refined if anything , could be just the car but this is a very smooth engine as for looks i kinda agree to a certain extent in that i do prefer the M-sport kit on them but the Se trim in this looks so original i quite like it .

and the power difference <30bhp or the same with a remap is not worth 400-500 a year more on tax for me .
especially when i am paying €1800+ on my other car a Bmw 645ci

wildefalcon

Also consider the grand daddy of estates - the Volvo V70.

SpannerMonkey

true volvo make great estates .
other option is the Audi Avants