View Full Version : New motor ideas
The time has come for the Mondeo to move on. Nothing wrong with it except I hate diesels and I won't be doing the moon mileage for the moment. I really do miss the V6 Omega, too old now though :(
The only real requirements I have are:-
RWD
Auto - The m25 in rush hour is not fun in a manual
Large petrol ~3L
Comfortable on the motorway but won't fall apart on a corner and has some beans e.g. rapid overtaking of some berk doing 45 in a 60.
So far I have:-
Lexus GS300
BMW 330
BMW 530 - Proving to be difficult to find without moon mileage & petrol.
Anything else to consider for around 10-15k? Just getting some ideas before hitting the showrooms :)
edit:-
Audi A6
Shaguar
Del Lardo
11-03-2012, 23:32
I wouldn't bother with the Lexus tbh, my father's last three cars have been BMW 730, Lexus GS430 and Audi A6. The Lexus was a nice car but both the BMW and Audi feel leagues ahead in terms of quality, the Lexus was no more reliable despite what everyone will tell you.
Usual suspects from BMW, Audi (if Quattro will suffice) & Merc. You may have to stretch your budget a little but personally I'd find it hard to resist a Jaguar XF, the 3.0 V6 isn't the fastest car out there but would suffice or if you don't mind the fuel costs the 4.2 V8 is lovely.
Outsiders, Nissan 350Z and Porsche Boxster if 2 seats will suffice.
volospian
12-03-2012, 11:20
You'll be pushing for an XF on that budget!!
However, you can get an S-Type for decent money, the "basic" 4.2 V8 is decent
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3710748.htm
I can't fault my S-Type R. Not very expensive to service, hasn't let me down in 40k miles. Comfy, powerful (400hp), insurance isn't massive (quotes on the M5 and so on were stupid) and you can pick them up for not much at all. Only downside for me is the fuel cost, lol.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3604295.htm
A Place of Light
12-03-2012, 14:20
A8/S8?
Some good suggestions there! While I could afford to run a V8, I haven't quite got around to that :D
The Jag XF looks nice but the performance from the engine is rather lacking. It will go on the radar.
The audi's seem to be nearly all diesels or the odd high mileage petrol :(
volospian
12-03-2012, 23:28
Not strictly RWD but...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3460036.htm
Not strictly RWD but...
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3460036.htm
great car but heavy on fuel
volospian
13-03-2012, 09:28
great car but heavy on fuel
lol, yeah but 3.0+ with an autobox... nothing that matches that criteria is going to be exactly frugal :)
lol, yeah but 3.0+ with an autobox... nothing that matches that criteria is going to be exactly frugal :)
the 4WD makes it worse and Subarus have never been good on fuel
Del Lardo
13-03-2012, 11:51
If you are interested in an S-Type 4.0 V8 a friend may be able to source a very good one for good money.
Think it's an 03 plate, 45k, only driven a few thousand miles a year by a Newmarket racing lady as her chauffeur normally drives her. Full service history, never any problems and looks like new apart from one scratch on an alloy. Tax till December and MOT till next Feb. My friend is sorely tempted but currently looking to buy a BMW 320 from them for silly cheap money instead. Would be ~£4k so the saving would pay for a lot of fuel.
the 4WD makes it worse and Subarus have never been good on fuel
Got to agree here, Subarus are very bad on fuel.
While I'm not a badge snob (may add the Skoda Superb on the list) as a consultant rocking up with a Subaru on a client site will raise a few eyebrows.
If you are interested in an S-Type 4.0 V8 a friend may be able to source a very good one for good money.
Think it's an 03 plate, 45k, only driven a few thousand miles a year by a Newmarket racing lady as her chauffeur normally drives her. Full service history, never any problems and looks like new apart from one scratch on an alloy. Tax till December and MOT till next Feb. My friend is sorely tempted but currently looking to buy a BMW 320 from them for silly cheap money instead. Would be ~£4k so the saving would pay for a lot of fuel.
Tempting but the 4.0 drinks fuel compared to the 4.2. Knowing that I tend to put my foot down I'll be spending a lot of time at the pumps!
I think you'll spend a lot of time at the pumps regardless with anything around the 3 litre mark. I only get 17mpg around town and nudge 33mpg on a motorway cruise. If you're doing anything remotely covering some distance then you'll be filling up a fair bit I'd imagine.
volospian
14-03-2012, 09:21
Crikey, I get similar economy to that with my 4.2 blown V8. Mind you, I got similar mpg from my old X-Type with a 3.0 V6 which was the main reason I sold it. I thought at the time that it drank fuel so badly something must be wrong with it, but perhaps it wasn't that far out :p
Zirax, I don't see why clients would be raising eyebrows. The link I posted was to a Legacy estate, not an Imprezza. I doubt many clients would really spot the difference between a legacy estate and an avensis estate when seen ariving into the car park.
Although I can confirm, from experience, that clients do raise their eyebrows when their consultant turns up in a TVR Cerbera with a sports exhaust. :D
A Place of Light
14-03-2012, 12:27
The audi's seem to be nearly all diesels or the odd high mileage petrol :(
Found a 55 plate A8 quattro with 43k miles for £11.5k.
Be wafted to work for less than 12 bags.
Bargain.
So..... I went out and drove a couple of cars today. I have today off so I went around the local dealerships.
BMW 330SE 2009 - Boggo spec but it had flappy paddles. It was actually quite nice on the a12, a surprising cruiser. Quiet, comfy.
Then came some back roads.
I asked first!
"Do you mind if I give it some beans?"
"Sure"
The salesman shat himself.
Quite impressed when you switched to sport mode, she twitches on the back under full power and then launches down the road. I did honestly think an SE would wallow all over the shop. There weren't any bends to throw it into but it felt fairly composed. I have an MR2 as a car to throw around but I was pleasantly surprised.
-------------------------------------------
Audi
What a complete bunch of asshats. Didn't get to drive anything as the dealership were complete gits. Every time I've been to an Audi dealership they've been the same. Onwards!
-----------------------------------------------
Toyota
Well I was passing it and I was always being pestered to look at them.
I took out a 1.8 Avensis top of the range cvt auto. Fair play to them the auto box was a peach and it was a nice comfy car. The seats were comfortable and the ride wasn't bad. I was expecting a lot worse. Having driven modern Toyota auto's I knew it would be gutless and it was.
Not for me but I think for my mums next car she wouldn't go far wrong.
A Place of Light
24-03-2012, 23:12
^
I wouldn't base my choice of vehicle on the attitude at the dealers.
Independent servicing can often surpass main dealer levels.
Re Audi dealers, I guess they have to make the client feel at home. ;)
Sent from my Galaxy S2
^
I wouldn't base my choice of vehicle on the attitude at the dealers.
Independent servicing can often surpass main dealer levels.
If you were to take up a manufacturer warranty though (and on a 2009 BMW or Audi I most certainly would be) they often stipulate servicing is to be done at a franchised dealer.
If you were to take up a manufacturer warranty though (and on a 2009 BMW or Audi I most certainly would be) they often stipulate servicing is to be done at a franchised dealer.
They can't do that any more:
http://www.blackcircles.com/servicing/about/block-exemption
Re Audi dealers, I guess they have to make the client feel at home. ;)
Sent from my Galaxy S2
Sounds about right :D
-----------------------
Went out to see Lexus the other day and I was really impressed with the GS300. Very smooth gearbox and soaked up the dodgy a14 really well. I had been down that road in the mr2 last week so I know the road was crap! When stuffed into sports / manual mode it had more than enough go to deal with morons doing 40 in a 60.
The 450H had even more go. The main difference was the adaptive cruise. Alas this one was out due to the boot being reduced by the batteries.
The 300 is in the lead at the moment. The BMW was a cracking drivers car but I have that in the mr2. More interested in comfort with some beans for work.
Merc, walked in, sat in a few, walked out. Really not for me.
I'll head down a different Audi garage and drive some.
A Place of Light
27-03-2012, 13:19
If you were to take up a manufacturer warranty though (and on a 2009 BMW or Audi I most certainly would be) they often stipulate servicing is to be done at a franchised dealer.
That monopoly has been illegal for a number of years.
That monopoly has been illegal for a number of years.
its been illegal for manufacturers warrantly for a number of years but has only just recently been outlawed for extended warranties
A Place of Light
30-03-2012, 21:56
its been illegal for manufacturers warrantly for a number of years but has only just recently been outlawed for extended warranties
Really?
I was under the impression that this was overturned around 2009.
Can you point me in the direction of the revision?
I would class 2009 as quite recent compared to the original ruking on manufactureres warranties
Urgh, I bloody hate buying second hand cars! I have spent far too much time running around dealerships looking at overpriced cars or slightly wonky. This is both private, trade and main dealer!!!
Last one was a Lexus, they were a grand over book. Others on autotrader were less. After much time wasting, they knocked nothing off it and offered an extra £200 trade in on the Mondeo ::/: The sales guy admitted it hadn't gone in 6 weeks and he didn't know why.
BMW called again and offered 2k off their poverty spec 330 I drove as that hasn't gone. No idea why a bottom of the range motor in the old model hasn't shifted :D
I swear its got worse over the last couple of years! Oh well, just an update for you all. The hunt continues!
It can be tough finding a car that ticks all the right boxes. I was looking for quite a while until mine popped up and it ticked everything I wanted plus extras. You'll find something soon enough, you just need to be ready to jump when you find it.
TinkerBell
08-04-2012, 07:13
I must have been really lucky, first car I actually went to see with the intention or buying I bought!!! I had been to dealers to have a look what was about and had abit of fun in a fabia VRS :D
Hopefully you will find what you are looking for soon at the right price :)
vBulletin® v3.7.4, Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.