Large(ish) family car recommendation (for import)

acronym Chilli

I'm based in UK for last 3 years, and may be moving back in a year or so.

Currently driving a 1.9TDi Audi A6 C5 (2004) that I brought from Ireland. I have it about 7 yrs, it's running fine (regular services and nice AWX engine), but has bodywork corrosion in both front wheelarches, had a bad leak during lockdown (now fixed, but some smell remains!), and obviously won't run forever (18 yrs old). Till now I've never spent more than €1500 on a car, but I'm planning to change car to something newish, and use opportunity of change of residence from UK to Irl whenever that might happen.

Preferences: reliable, cheap repairs/upkeep and minimal room for nasty surprises, robust; roomy for people and gear (ideally an estate), comfortable and enough power for motorway driving, comfortable interior (ideally leather for upkeep), minimal electronic lock-outs (stuff tied to main dealers); etc., I'm open on petrol/diesel. I got current diesel when I was commuting 800km a week (had a 2l petrol Saab before it), and chose this car specifically for the AWX engine to mitigate "diesel risks" (DMF, DPF, etc.,)

What I don't need so much: sporty handling, "exciting"/"engaging" drive, lots of screens/displays, tech for no purpose,

Budget: I guess up to about £15k, ideally 5 yrs old or less, and I'd plan to keep the car for a long time all going well.

First makes/models I've been thinking of are either Skoda Superb or Toyota Avensis. The former as there's a lot of space, and they seem nicely turned out. The latter primarily on basis of reliability. Would probably really want an estate if it's a Toyota, and would settle for a hatch-Superb.

Questions:

• Is there some other make/model that I should be looking at that gives good bang-for-buck?
• What engines in the Skoda / Toyota are better/worse regarded say from 2014-2018? Any "lemons"?
• Diesel vs Petrol, is there any no-brainer answer for the cars I'm looking for?

bazz26

What sort of annual mileage and type of driving are you doing now? That will dictate whether to go petrol or diesel. If your doing alot of city driving or short journeys then petrol is more suitable than diesel.

The Superb estate sounds the best option and has more space than the Avensis. The Avensis is also quite an old model now, it has been around since 2009 and was never a class leader where as the current Superb appeared in 2016. The Superb came with a 1.4 litre turbo petrol engine available in 125bhp and 150bhp with the latter obviously having more grunt. That engine has been in VAG cars for over a decade now and is solid enough other than earlier ones having timing chain issues but they switched back to a more simplistic timing belt by the time the current Super was launched.

BTW if your buying now and moving back in a year then you should qualify for a VRT exemption under transfer of residency. I think that also applies to VAT/customes duty taxes too as the UK is no longer in the EU. Just make sure you satisfy the VRT emption rules ie you will need to prove the car was in use in the UK (insuranace, MOT, tax) upto the time of applying for the exemption.

acronym Chilli

Thanks Bazz,

Re mileage. In UK it's fairly minimal: short trips once or twice a week, and then long trips for holidays a few times a year (haven't been flying, just UK hols or via Eurostar to Europe). If I bring car back, mileage likely to increase a bit as I'll have more work trips. EG at least a couple of trips to cork in a month.

Ill be buying in time to make sure I have car long enough to qualify for the transfer of residence stuff (6 MTHS or more I think)

Petrol would probably do me ok, but seem to be a lot more diesels around.

Marcusm

Few enough of them but you’d get a 220bhp 2.0 petrol for 15k in hatchback form if you fancied the extra power.