Suggestions for reliable estate car

[Orchard gm]

Vw passat, the older 1.9tdi 130bhp model think it was 2000-2005. Great cars my dad has one, Y reg its never let him down.

 

 

Sent via postman pat

[Hedge hunter]

Vw passat, the older 1.9tdi 130bhp model think it was 2000-2005. Great cars my dad has one, Y reg its never let him down.

 

 

Sent via postman pat

 

yep the 1.9tdi is good.

 

Most of them are high miles now so worth looking out for seat toledo tdi as there low miles.still expensive tho.

 

The 2.0tdi has head issues.still over priced tho.Kias are good diesel cars and the hyuandi toyota copies are as good.I just dont see the point in spending on expensive cars anymore as the cheap ones are made in the same way these days.

[Orchard gm]

My mate owns a garage he does a load of work for a local taxi firm, he services a skoda superb with over 300k on it, I think that cars are better when they have high miles, Low mileage cars get problems just as easy as high milers!

 

 

Sent via postman pat

[gensetsteve]

BMw 320d touring imo drives the best out of the estates. Bit small in the boot. 50mpg not been the most reliable let down by silly bits of plastic in the engine rest of car top quality. Would I buy another yes but get rid of swirl flaps if you buy one.

[renewablejohn]

I would stick with a subaru now on my 3rd legacy and not found a car to beat it especially in snow.

 

Might sound bad having 3 subarus but second one my daughter went through 6ft high hedge backwards rolled two and a half times and walked away without a scratch. When I got there car was still on its roof and only glass busted was rear window which my daughter crawled out. With help of the local farmer we rolled it back onto its wheels jumped in and it started straight away and I drove it back to the farm. I appreciate my daughter was extremely lucky but I think a large part was down to the strength of the car.

[difflock]

Older Galaxy-Sharan-Alhambra type vehicle.

1.9 diesel of course.

Comforts of a car, the room of a van AND remarkdly frugal

Ours was essentially utterly reliable for over 250,000 miles.

The engine never missed a beat.

I still see a few about locally that are obviously viewed as ir-replacable family cars

[Johny Walker]

Mrs Tree has finally got fed up with the subaru faffing about and wants a newer estate car for the gardening side of things.

 

In ths past she has had a citroen BX, Vauxhall Carlton and lately the subaru legacy.

 

Any suggestions for a solid, reliable estate car (she will NOT use my defender so that's out - as are all pick-ups). I was thinking along the lines of peugeot 406, volvo V70, audi ,saab 95, merc or another scooby??.

 

If anyone knows of any pros or cons I'd be grateful.

 

Budget around 2-3k

 

Thanks in advance for ideas

 

if its for bussiness would it not be better getting a pickup/van as there tax deductable ?? & a car isnt

[Daniël Bos]

I drive a Rover 75 estate. 2,0 BMW turbo diesel engine.Cost me £1250.

 

Superbly comfortable, reasonably frugal (45-50 mpg mixed driving/towing etc) fully kitted out with everything (heated electric memory seats, climate control, cruise etc).

 

Bought it 4 years ago with 80K on it. Spent nothing apart from a set of reconned injectors once, as well as the normal wear and tear (tyres, filters, some bushes and ball-joints)

 

Parts are cheap and easily available.

 

It's now done 230K and still tight, happy and without any rattles etc.

I'll keep it till it's dead as it's value in £'s is now less than a tank of fuel but I'd like to see it past 300K at least.

[Hedge hunter]

.....

Edited September 15, 2013 by Steve Bullman
language

[gensetsteve]

if its for bussiness would it not be better getting a pickup/van as there tax deductable ?? & a car isnt

 

A car is tax deductable at 25% a year up to a max of 12k a year. So dont go for a new range rover. They may have moved the goal posts since I last looked. IF your vat registered you will have to pay about £50 a quarter for your personal use.