Best used motorway car for approx €15-17k?

araby

I will have to travel from Galway to Dublin 2nor 3 times per week for work, interested on thoughts on what would be a good choice of a quite, comfortable car. Currently do it in a Mark 4 Mondeo but there is now 340,000 km on it, It's going perfectly but noise/vbibrations seem to have increased and the journey takes a lot more out of me nowadays. I'm not that bothered about what it drives like on country roads mainly for the motorway. I was thinking of a Skoda Superb, also wondering about a Japanese import Camry, don't like the look of them but might be good for long distances on the motorway?

User1998

I’d imagine the Camry would be more reliable than any diesel you can buy, and they’d be fairly comfortable too.

Ideally you’d be looking at a 2017+ new model but they are slightly over budget

Allinall

You’d get a decent E-Class for that money.

Automatic, very comfortable and relatively economical for what it is.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/151-mercedes-benz-e220-cdi-se-auto/35844156

araby

Thanks for reply, That was what I was thinking also, should similar economy also as far as I can make out. Would there be any other car I should be consider?

Buddy Bubs

Never owned one but been in plenty, a non AMG spec Merc E Class. Or a non S Line Audi A6 probably the best 2 I could think of purely for comfort and refinement. Diesel pretty much inaudible at motorway speeds. You'd be going back a right few years though.

After that Lexus or Camry hybrids.

You'll get a bit newer for your budget in Superb or another Mondeo.

Go automatic too, I'm sure you hit stop start driving at either end of your journey, I'd avoid manuals but that's just me.

User1998

Would I be right in saying you do over 60k km’s a year? In that case that Mercedes would be over 300k km’s within 2 years. Not ideal really. You need to look at low mileage cars.

araby

Yea was thinking of low milage, thats what drew me to Camrys spotted a couple of lower milage ones. I driven a few Mondoes and Octavia also, can't fault them, very affordable to own, would love a Merc or Audi but assume they cost a good bit more on service and repairs etc?

goochy

Surely a hybrid isn't ideal for long journeys ?

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121686380#Comment_121686380

Modern ones can give similar fuel economy to diesels, without having to drive a diesel.

goochy

A high spec.diesel Superb with a reasonable mileage would get my vote

rob316

VW CC GT Spec, DSG is a dream on the motorway. I have manual GT I drove up and down from dublin a few times a week for a year, faultless car.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volkswagen-r-line-cc-dsg/35717465

kirving

I did Dublin - Galway motorway normally once a week but sometimes 2-3 times if needed, for 10 years.

Your back, and ears will thank you for doing it in a premium E-segment saloon. E-Class, A6, 5 Series, Volvo S90, and maaaybe a Passat or Superb. (I'm biased against VW seats.)

I really regretted moving from a 2013 E-Class to a 2016 330e. That extra inch or two of space, just a little bit less noise, just a little less vibration really do add up over time. It's not until you're doing that journey often in a premium car do you realise the difference.

blue5000

Our car is in the garage for repairs and we have a golf diesel on loan. We all love it, young lad is 6’ 4 and he fits in no problem. €16k is the price on it, 2016 with around 150th km on it.

Slightly Kwackers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058333593/best-used-motorway-car-for-approx-15-17k

I ran three Ford Focus's into the ground. They were the bog standard Zetex engines and were good for 180,000 miles. That was what the company ran them to.

The company also ran Turbo diesels, I had a Mazda 6, in fact two of them as the last company leased one for me.

From 180,000 that companies vehicles went from being a "company car" to a general pool car, out of around twenty Mazda's, not a single one made pool car status. Servicing was like the Fords, all company funded as was fuel.

Junk in my opinion, in fact I would not have a turbo in light of the problems with the Mazda. One client swore by his three cylinder Focus, but I played safe and for my dotage bought a Seat Ibiza, not really a motorway car, but when you switch to going to the shops instead of work and pay for your own fuel.

So I would have no problem recommending a Focus, I only ever had 1.6 litre engines though, so I don't know about anything else.

Nearly all my driving was motorway too, although frankly I would imagine any modern car is fine for motorways, there is less wear and tear after all. In fact in the UK vast numbers of motorists just make for the centre lane and sit there on autopilot for the entire duration oblivious to everything around them.

mickdw

Good and all as focus can be, it would be tiresome as motorway cruiser day in day out.

tom1ie

It hasn’t been mentioned yet but an imported Vauxhall insignia Sri?

Good spec, comfortable to drive, cheaper than an Audi, bmw, Mercedes, to get parts for- easily availability of parts.

I drive a 2011 Sri with 300k on the clock and it’s still going strong- I’d love to upgrade to a newer model but I’ll keep this one on the road for as long as possible.

Rows Grower

If you want trouble free economical luxury invest in a hybrid Lexus.

Slightly Kwackers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121691511#Comment_121691511

I used one, I covered the UK and Ireland in it and Stoke to Edinburgh return in a day was probably the longest journey without an overnight stay. [The company was not keen on these trips even if the job was only thirty minutes to complete].

To be honest I have had underpowered vehicles on the motorway and the only thing that gets to me after the drawn out speed build up is the noise.

I recall having a 1300 Escort estate from one employer many, many moons ago. They should be banned. I pulled out of a filling station once at full revs due to the poor siting of the place, turned right and heard a "ping" as the lunatic doing about seventy in the forty zone hit my rear bumper. I watched him fishtail away from me in my mirror.

One of the perils of underpowered cars, however even that pile of junk would probably sit on a motorway all day, though it bit the dust quire early being driven on normal roads anyway. Those were my local low mileage days too.

I couldn't fault the Focus with the Zetec.

My last company Focus I rejected. I was given a new one and swapped it for a colleagues old Zetec. I don't know what it was but it was smaller in load space and gutless. I guess it was one of those three cylinder things. It wasn't a turbo, I wouldn't entertain one. I would have put up with the performance issues, but I was to come here on holiday and the cement mixer bought in the UK wouldn't fit in the new car :-)

Company car choice based on holiday needs was not an option :-(

Thinking back some Focus 1.6 Zetecs were very heavy on oil, right from new they would need topping up every few tankffulls of fuel. If you pay for the oil, it's a consideration. None leaked or visibly burnt the stuff, but two or three of them did need topping up while the rest ran service to service without a need.

mickdw

I not saying they won't do the work but you will be tired getting out of a focus whereas you won't be if getting out of something more comfortable.

mickdw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121691776#Comment_121691776

Will they really match a diesel for doing about 60k km per year?

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121691890#Comment_121691890

Seems like it might. They are also much nicer to drive when you come off the motorway, and probably less maintenance costs too.

https://mag.lexus.co.uk/what-car-names-lexus-is-300h-as-the-most-efficient-executive-car/#

mickdw

Last lexus hybrid I drove was an 08 gs450h. Lots of power but far from efficient unless you really didn't use the power.

They all seem to be bulletproof though. If there is one modern hybrid I'd be happy to keep outside of warranty, it would be lexus.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121692612#Comment_121692612

Same, my RX300h was only efficient if you drove it like a fairy. It was bulletproof tho. 500k km’s on the clock.

I’d imagine the newer and smaller engine 2.5 hybrid is much better tho.

GPoint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121691374#Comment_121691374

This .

The main problem of this route is the constant roar from the tyres on this crap surface. And this is a tolled motorway!

If not for the noise and bumpy ride, any other half decent hatchback would suit just fine. But you’d be wanting to stop and stretch after one hour in a Ford focus.

Was really surprised how French are able to build such quality roads. You want to be in a luxury premium car to somewhat isolate you from bad road surface!

On the topic, my vote is E class for superb noise insulation and smooth ride. Next is 5 series . Last is VAG Passat or superb but they have noisy engines tiring on a long journey.

Good luck with your future car, OP!

bigroad

If I had the chance ,it would be Camry or Lexus.

onrail

Jumping on the thread here because I'm in the exact same boat.

Consensus on here seems to be to opt for an older premium model - A6, 5 Series etc. In my mind, it always seemed to be a bit notionsy to go for a old premium because of the potential drawbacks of reliability and repair cost?

Would a well serviced and checked 2014 A6 or 5 Series be seen as a reliable motor these days?

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121686395#Comment_121686395

Not at motorway speeds.

Casati

Volvo S90 D4. Great economy, seats and suspension. V reliable and lower service intervals than the VW’s.

Whatever you buy make sure it has Adaptive Cruise Control as that will really help motorway driving (generally not standard on Germans bar the Passats)

_Kaiser_

I'm going to say an A6 based on my having done 1300km a week of 95% motorway driving in 2 of them over several years pre-Covid.

Big, comfortable and effortless motorway cruising, but the 3.0 TDI Quattro spec is essential IMO for that.

I didn't have any major issues but they wil cost a bit (as with any car) to maintain properly with that sort of mileage. My last one went to 410,000km before I changed to my current A7.

goochy

At his budget that would be an old Audi , go for a high spec. Superb me thinks

I’m going to throw something different to the above.. Automatic Executive / Executive Plus spec i40 saloon or estate from 2016 onwards.

they’ll be cheaper from the others above and better value for money in my opinion. Used one for 3 years driving around the country and never gave me a minutes hassle. Only thing is when buying to check the paint over, it’s very thin and can rust quite quickly.