maxi-glasgow Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I drive over 600 miles on my weekly commute, so I sold my 370 and bought a 350 roadster and a Saab 93 1.9TDi last year to use for work. Done over 130k miles in the Saab now and getting a few wee clunks and clanks when go over uneven road, probably just needs bushes renewed etc but feel it's time to get another diesel. So looking to spend between £4.5k-£5k or a decent diesel car which I need to do over 30k miles per year in so needs to be very reliable and want a bit of poke, as a lot of my commute is on a country road and need to overtake lorries etc The Saab has 150bhp and is decent enough, so wouldn't want anything slower than that. Next requirement is preferably have under 90k miles so I can look to have car for 2 years, take it up to around 150k then trade it in. First things I have looked at were Lexus IS 220d's, that's right on the budget, but have seen one in mid 80k miles inside my budget. Next one looked briefly at was a Mondeo, the new shape, around 07-08 plates. As I get my diesel for nothing, I wouldn't mind getting something with a bigger engine, thought maybe a big A8 or BMW 530, slightly older and maybe a bit more miles to get within budget but that's maybe aiming a bit high. So just wondering if anyone can think of something I haven't thought of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 usually VAG roster Seat Leon mk2 Fr Seat Ibiza cupra Diesel Skoda fabia Vrs Skoda Octavia Vrs Audi a3 tdi sport s line Vw Golf/Jetta gt tdi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 535D if the fuel is free lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxi-glasgow Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 535D if the fuel is free lol That was first thing I looked for, but for my budget you see them with 180-250k miles on them!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 if the fuels not free a e90 320D would be my choice or a e46 330d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I'd be looking at bmw 3/5 or something from the vag group I like the lexus is but heard that diesel wasn't great being their first one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Lots of choice out there. BMW if you servicing is also paid for as not cheap on servicing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxi-glasgow Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 I only get fuel card, so all other costs are my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieGSXR Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 i'd have a look at a Honda civic 2.2 diesel quite quick and good on fuel, i'm not sure on what they go for but i cant imagine much more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peak 370 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Yes, a Honda Civic 2.2TD. 57/08 plate at a guess. Celtic tuning remap on our one gave it 40 bhp more and 3-5mpg more. 138 bhp to 177 bhp done at your home cheaply. Under rated car. Great quality and load space. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richf Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 My 2.0l Skoda Superb 2.0 cr. dyno's at bang on 200hp* , gives 42-44 mpg on the daily commute and will do 49mpg on a long run. The same engine is found in many other cars in the vag range *Totally stock apart from k&n panel filter A mate of mine has a 535d but he has had a fair bit of trouble with it , currently it needs a new dpf and has a fault on one of the turbos. Big bills every time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock_Steady Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I'd buy this excellent in traffic, just scoop and chuck. Get to work in no time. parking could be a bit of a bugger but again, just scoop and chuck. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I don't mean to offend anyone and I know they are now good cars, but I could never drive a Skoda. Never. Guess I'm showing my age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinmwatters Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 E46 330D. Had one previous to the 350z, fantastic car and all the torque you will ever need. Standard comes at 204BHP, but with a basic remap, 250 is achievable, and still get 40-45mpg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarnie Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Be different and buy my Alfa GT for £3k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bems Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Seriously. If your looking for reliability and real world mpg then I would at least take a test drive in a fabia VRS or a superb both with the proven 1.9 pdi engine. Bmw's are good cars but cost of repair is steep in comparison and your gonna be looking at an older car for the budget. No offends to anyone with a civic but I've driven a few & really don't rate them. The 2.2 Diesel engine is good but suits the Honda accord better. The civics suspension is overly firm for motorway mileage IMO. If skodas are really an absolute no then I'd be looking for a Mondeo, simples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J4M3S Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Alfa 159 2.4 JTDM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marzman Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I had the same dilemma and bought an e90 320d bmw earlier this year. 52mpg on a run, 48 day to day. Absolutely delighted with it... lovely to drive, nice and quick, and bags of torque. I paid £4800 for an 05 plate with 107k on the clock from a dealer, with a warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peak 370 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Early 335D BMWs with high miles (2007) are getting cheap, finally. I had one in 2008. 286 bhp and 428 lbs goes up to 340 bhp and 510 lbs with a simple remap. That is serious shove from under 3 litres of derv power. 40 mpg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marzman Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Early 335D BMWs with high miles (2007) are getting cheap, finally. I had one in 2008. 286 bhp and 428 lbs goes up to 340 bhp and 510 lbs with a simple remap. That is serious shove from under 3 litres of derv power. 40 mpg. I heard they were horrifically unreliable though, which put me off...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangzoom Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 (edited) Your need to triple OPs budget of £4-5k to get anything reassembling a half decent 335d, and than your need a spare £1-2k repair fund to keep the thing on the road. I really cannot fault our 2.2 Civic, as a commuter car it's perfect, am averaging 50mpg on a 70 mile daily commute over mixture of urban and A road traffic. The suspension isn't great but I've kept a E90 330D honest on a 'spirited' twisty A road drive, so it's got more than enough poke.....oh also in nearly 80K NOTHING has broken, which is what you want if your counting on the car to get you from A to B daily Edited June 21, 2014 by gangzoom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 My mate's daily is a 530D it's just had an MOT at 246k and needed just a bulb I believe, and it gets some punishment round the country roads and been on a good few track days. TBF in the past he's had bigger jobs to do, but no giant bills. He's done what I did with the Zed and just found a quality indie who doesn't take the ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac@TarmacSportz Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I had a 535d which I have to say was a fantastic diesel car, so much Torque. Only problem was too many issues with the electrics and too expensive too fix, restraint sensor under passenger seat was one that BMW wanted £800 to fix, boot wiring loom went faulty and that was the final straw for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxi-glasgow Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Well after much searching and still not being able to decide which diesel to get I was thrown a curveball as my mate who always done work on my cars bought a new range rover so was selling his Land Rovery Discovery 3 so I have decided to buy it off him. It's the 2.7 Turbo diesel, but the bonus with this car is it's an ex-police Discovery used as a pursuit car then in later life as an accident investigation car, so it comes with all police modifications ie twin turbos It's white and absolutely dominates the road wherever it goes, it is high mileage but full service history and my mate has taken 100% great care of it, only done 7k miles in last 3 years he has owned it. Means I will be simply cruising from location to location for a wee while at least. He did say when your going down the motorway cars all pull out the way, mistaking it for a police car, which is nice It doesn't have the additional seats installed but this means the boot is absolutely enormous, he pulled back the cover when he let down the tailgate to show me it, and when he was going to close it he couldn't even reach the curtain to close it again it goes in to the car that deep. What I am struggling to find out anywhere is what kind of BHP these ex-cop cars put out, the standard single turbo edition has 188bhp, but can't find details of this anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Another vote for the Civic 2.2 seriously quick for a small diesel as std with 50-60MPG. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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