What 2008 or later second hand car for a 900km per week commute?

reni10

I am about to commute 900km per week for work with 98% of the commute on the motorway at 80-120kph so I am looking to buy a second hand (2008 onwards for hopefully lower road tax cost) car that will give me the best fuel economy and also provide a comfortable and reliable ride each working day.

Would welcome all suggestions and my budget would be about 5-6k.

MuppetCheck

You won't get a decent post 08 diesel for that budget unless the miles are astronomical. And it can sometimes be a bad idea to start doing high miles on an already leggy car. Not always but things will wear out or need doing meaning you have higher repair bills.

Try not to get stuck on the motor tax and year of the car. You'll wind up with a better car as a result more often than not. They usual suspects that will be recommended here will be around 300 per year cheaper than the pre 08s - that's 6 euro per week and tiny in the whole scheme of things.

reni10

Fair enough on the road tax pre 2008

I would also fancy an Automatic transmission so would something like a Toyota Prius be the go here?

MuppetCheck

Wouldn't be the worst idea tbh. Personally I think as a car there are better but it should do the job.

Accord diesel, Mark 1 skoda superb diesel or a clean unmolested a4 diesel might be worth a look.

visual

reni10 wrote: »

Fair enough on the road tax pre 2008

I would also fancy an Automatic transmission so would something like a Toyota Prius be the go here?

Prius is a city/town car.
Better off with a diesel especially if you want a auto

mullingar

Hold on, 900km/week in a prius? Absolute madness.

If it was me, a nice 2006 auto 520d

Edit: you need to find a bit more than 5-6k for any half decent comfortable diesel automatic car to do that commute.

Check out the HDI C5's. Very comfy motor for small money these days and very reliable, but manual.

TBi

Kia Cee'd. Nice car.

RobAMerc

why does auto matter if you are 98% of the time on the motorway ?
anyway - for comfort maybe a C5 Citroen ?

for the mileage you are doing, buy cheap and run into the ground imo

For Forks Sake

mullingar wrote: »

Hold on, 900km/week in a prius? Absolute madness.

If it was me, a nice 2006 auto 520d

Edit: you need to find a bit more than 5-6k for any half decent comfortable diesel automatic car to do that commute.

Check out the HDI C5's. Very comfy motor for small money these days and very reliable, but manual.

Autos are out there, but they're rare. 18 currently on DD in various prices and conditions.

reni10

So even though a prius would get about 50mpg on the motorway it is not rated that well for comfort?

So for about 5k I am probably looking at about a 05 Diesel, what is the best type with low enough road tax?

Citroen C5 looks alright, any other suggestions?

CharlieCroker

I average 4500km a month, mostly motorway as well.

Have a 1.8 Mondeo Econetic which does 1100km to a tank on average of 5.3l/100km. Only downside is its only a 5 speed gearbox.

I also just spent the last week doing 1100km in a 2.4 diesel Volvo. Couldn't fault that either.

air

A bit of lateral thinking but could you not move closer to your job?
You're going to be spending 200 / week running your car for that kind of mileage.
You're also going to be spending at least 15 hours a week in the car, this means an effective 28% pay cut if you work 40 hours per week.
Utter madness IMHO.

dh0011

SURPRISED nobody mentioned an avensis yet

MugMugs

CharlieCroker wrote: »

I average 4500km a month, mostly motorway as well.

That's absolutely insane! What's on the clock of the ford now? How's she holding up to it?

dh0011 wrote: »

SURPRISED nobody mentioned an avensis yet

You just did

dh0011

I am honestly surprised that for high milage driving when your looking for a diesel it wasnt the first thing that was mentioned. That said I am a little bit biased towards the avensis.

MugMugs

dh0011 wrote: »

I am honestly surprised that for high milage driving when your looking for a diesel it wasnt the first thing that was mentioned. That said I am a little bit biased towards the avensis.

TDI, TDCI and CDTI are all fine good economical engines too.

cabb8ge

€6k d4d Avensis not great option.

dh0011

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-avensis-aura-d4d-2007/5534875
looks ok to me

cabb8ge

I just click on all way round MugMugs, nosey nosey
Seem like nice event for good cause, none this year?

ba_barabus

dh0011 wrote: »

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-avensis-aura-d4d-2007/5534875
looks ok to me

Front end looks like it's taken a knock and the radio screen doesn't work

cabb8ge

dh0011 wrote: »

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-avensis-aura-d4d-2007/5534875
looks ok to me

if it ok I would expect nct in date, not expire last month

dh0011

if ye didnt like that avensis what about this one
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-avensis-after-facelift/5404941

cabb8ge

dh0011 wrote: »

if ye didnt like that avensis what about this one
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-avensis-after-facelift/5404941

7 year old, from England I think, I prefer spend 6k on other option.
d4d not up to standard of competition in my view.

car have 6 gearbox, OMG !!!!!!1

166man

cabb8ge wrote: »

if it ok I would expect nct in date, not expire last month

Or instead of poking faults with one specific car you could suggest others?

An older 406 HDI would do those miles with ease and decent economy too. If it were me its what Id be looking at, that or a D5 Volvo of some description. You might also find a nice Saab 9-5 diesel for that money too.

Best of luck OP.

dh0011

is it a bad thing being an import?

d4d is surely up to scratch - all those taxi drivers cant be wrong.

cabb8ge

166man wrote: »

Or instead of poking faults with one specific car you could suggest others?

An older 406 HDI would do those miles with ease and decent economy too......

I thought u not respond to my posts 166man?
get nct on your 156 as yet? no answer for that I expect

why you not include ba in your attack?

reni10

So we have a Citreon C5, Toyota Avenis and Peugeot 406 being mentioned as the best solutions.

Anything else guys?

Moving closer to work is not a possibility so I am going to have this commute for a good while and need great fuel economy and comfort to be able to keep this up so thanks for all the suggestions and please keep them coming...

166man

cabb8ge wrote: »

I thought u not respond to my posts 166man?
get nct on your 156 as yet? no answer for that I expect

why you not include ba in your attack?

cabb8ge wrote: »

I thought u not respond to my posts 166man?
get nct on your 156 as yet? no answer for that I expect

why you not include ba in your attack?

I'm perfectly happy to respond when it's not an attempt at trolling. I'm having trouble understanding most of your posts though.

Not quite sure what my Alfa being NCT'd has anything to do with this - again not quite understanding you here, something that I'd imagine is your fault.


I'll leave this here now. Unfair to the OP.



I still maintain my original suggestion though! A clean 406 while an old enough car an be got for under €2k. Tax it and fuel it etc should be reasonable enough and they are super comfortable cars.

Might want to know a mechanic though or be able to put up with niggly little things, lights on the dash etc.

I like them though, something cool about the 406.

650Ginge

visual wrote: »

Prius is a city/town car.
Better off with a diesel especially if you want a auto

Nonsense. They are a car that is very good in the city. But they are a great motorway car too.

The lips

I can't recommend a car but I wouldn't be too caught up on the auto thing.

Cruise control can be retrofitted to any of the German mm makes for about €150.

I do approx 3500km a month ~ 90% motorway. Cruise control and audiobooks/podcasts keep me sane.

bbability

Ford Mondeo 2.0tdci and suprisingly the Opel Insignia 1.9 ecotech is a good bargin buy. Fully loaded models in the UK are a good for the money.

visual

650Ginge wrote: »

Nonsense. They are a car that is very good in the city. But they are a great motorway car too.

Rubbish
For economy and comford most diesels are much better and the smaller 1.4 1.5 diesels even better again.

Is it just me that notices there is always a queue of cars stuck behind a prius. I can only presume they are playing with getting the most mpg possible.

When a prius comes with a diesel engine then it will be something special untill then there are much better and economical cars on the market.

650Ginge

visual wrote: »

Rubbish
For economy and comford most diesels are much better and the smaller 1.4 1.5 diesels even better again.

Is it just me that notices there is always a queue of cars stuck behind a prius. I can only presume they are playing with getting the most mpg possible.

When a prius comes with a diesel engine then it will be something special untill then there are much better and economical cars on the market.

Tell me about the car of the same size and auto for the same money with better mpg.

visual

650Ginge wrote: »

Tell me about the car of the same size and auto for the same money with better mpg.

Prius isnt automatic transmission is it ?
I thought it was just electric motors without gears

650Ginge

visual wrote: »

Prius isnt automatic transmission is it ?
I thought it was just electric motors without gears

It is an auto, a Prius is a hybrid it has a full auto cvt.

If you didn't know that much about the Prius you shouldnt really be calling 'rubbish' on them.

ninty9er

An S40 is a great option economy wise. You'll struggle to get an auto in that price range.

reni10

650Ginge wrote: »

It is an auto, a Prius is a hybrid it has a full auto cvt.

If you didn't know that much about the Prius you shouldnt really be calling 'rubbish' on them.

I just picked up a cheap prius and am going to try that out for my commute.

First impressions are excellent, did about a 100 mile motorway spin and the mpg reading was 53mpg with cruise control set at 120kph for the whole way so very impressed by that.

Will report back again in a while when I have driven it a bit more...

CharlieCroker

Well wear

dh0011

Best of luck.
Seems like there are some serious fans of the prius on boards
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=82519879