Rate my choices.

aujopimur

I'm considering a change, I fancy the following, 08/10.
Volvo V50.
Ford Mondeo.
Renault Laguna.
All diesel estates.
Any ideas on what to look out for or avoid?.

ourheritage

If it was me I'd be looking at a Volvo V50 as they in a 1.6 diesel. My second and final choice would be the Laguna. They also come in a 1.6 diesel, and there is one on Done Deal in a main dealers in Waterford for 8950.

MuppetCheck

ourheritage wrote: »

If it was me I'd be looking at a Volvo V50 as they in a 1.6 diesel. My second and final choice would be the Laguna. They also come in a 1.6 diesel, and there is one on Done Deal in a main dealers in Waterford for 8950.

Why get the smaller diesel? Especially the questionable 1.6 psa in the Volvo. It's also a class down on the others.

I'd look out for a 2 litre Laguna or Mondeo. A Skoda Superb is also worth looking at.

mhackett102

Skoda Superb is a huge car, very spacious inside and has a huge boot (Im talking about the saloon version, estate would have a bigger boot!!)

Toyota Corolla is also one I'd consider. I dont like the look of the Corolla estate but the saloon isnt too bad. And its a Toyota so its reliable and keeps its value IMO.

aujopimur

Coming from a Rover 75, only the Superb would match it in size, I don't mind downsizing a bit.

Falcon L

I had the same choice a year and a half ago. I boiled it down to Mondeo or Laguna. I wanted a hatch. I didn't - and still don't - like the Skoda.

I was leaning towards the Mondeo but the ones on the market at the time were dog rough. I went to look at an 08 Laguna Privilege, 2.0 diesel. The test drive sold it to me instantly. I run back and forward to London a fair bit and needed a cruiser, so it had to be up to that task.

The clock will hit 200,000 kms next week and it has been, for me, faultless. It's booked in for service on Tuesday and is getting new front roll bar bushes. Besides services and consumables like brake pads, tyres and wiper blades, that's the first money I will spend on it.

The 150 horses are more than enough, but I got the chance to remap it to 180 last year (a freebie). I wouldn't do it if I had to pay for it. The car doesn't need it.

Being the Privelege, it has all the toys and I just love driving it.

It's only a matter of time before the muppets come on to the thread and cry "don't buy French" but that is a display of ignorance. The Laguna has the same engine as the Qashqai and Navara. Renault sorted themselves out after the disaster that was the Laguna 2, and the 3 is a new car from the ground up.

ourheritage

If you like Corollas, go for a good one, as they go on and on and on. For example there is a 1989 Corolla for sale on carzone, and there are plenty of ones from the 90's still going round. The Corolla saloon from 2007 are particular nice looking cars. So with that you'd have quite a nice looking car combined with outstanding reliability.

bazz26

OP is looking at estates though.

V50 will be the smallest of that list as it's based on the Ford Focus. Laguna will probably be the cheapest as the previous model killed it's reputation and it has since being discontinued. Mondeo estate will have the most space of that lot, 2.0 TDCi is alot better than the 1.8 TDCi.

Another worth looking at is the Citroen C5 estate, uses the same 2.0 Hdi engine found in the V50 and Mondeo.

ourheritage

Regardless of the year, I am lead to believe that the Renault petrol are the ones with the problem, and the Renault diesel is a much better car as I've know people who have them and love them. A sister of mine has a diesel Espace, and believe it or not its 1996. Would you consider an A4 Avant?

colm_mcm

aujopimur wrote: »

Coming from a Rover 75, only the Superb would match it in size, I don't mind downsizing a bit.

Rover 75 isn't particularly big inside though, the Laguna would be easily have more space, and the Mondeo would be massive in comparison.

ourheritage wrote: »

If you like Corollas, go for a good one, as they go on and on and on. For example there is a 1989 Corolla for sale on carzone, and there are plenty of ones from the 90's still going round. The Corolla saloon from 2007 are particular nice looking cars. So with that you'd have quite a nice looking car combined with outstanding reliability.

The 07 onwards Corolla wasn't toyotas finest hour. There's nothing particularly wrong with it mechanically, but it's a lesson on how to not package a car. It has virtually the same footprint as the 03 onwards avensis, but due to a comically long front overhang with nothing in it, and low seats it's nowhere near as big inside. If you compare it with a mk2 focus saloon, it's tiny.

tomred81

I'm selling my laguna, it's been a great car and have had zero problems with it, It's the coupe and also auto, which i was unsure of at first, but now i'll always look to buy a auto.

bidiots

do you need an estate or just boot space? Get this for 3k and keep the rest of your budget for next 3years tax....

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvo-s80-lwb-tax-nct/8965097?offset=28

*I've no affiliation to this advert only I'd buy it in the morning if I didn't already have one!