New car time - recommendations please

[b0redom]

Hi All,
So the Mrs has said I can get a new car (well actually she said "Shut up and just buy one for God's sake!"). It has to be a diesel, and due to the fact we have a baby and she wants a dog, it has to be an estate.

I have a diesel Passat saloon, and it's OK to drive, but I'd like something a bit pokier. What do you guys recommend? I don't really have a budget in mind, so go wild....

Cheers...

[Vimeous]

BMW 330d Touring in old or new flavours. A 335d if you have £40k for a new one!
Audi A4 2.5TDI (180bhp)/3.0TDI

[Howard]

Or a 530d

[grizzla]

Have to say the 330d Touring over the 530d the balance of the car and handling (especially round corners) just seems that much more precise and responsive. This recommendation comes after driving my dads old 525i and then his 320d...

[kalniel]

No budget? Hmm. M5 touring and then an equal amount to discount the fuel and pretend it's a diesel?

[b0redom]

Heh, I meant no specific budget, I can't afford an M5.

Anyone have any experience of the 300C - looks OK, and is very highly specced for the price.

[Vimeous]

Other being generally intimidated by one no specific experience.
General gist seems to be big, different, depreciates fast (diesel less so) and a bit of a bus in the corners, especially if you go for the mega-sized estate!

With all that weight I wouldn't think it'd be much faster that your Passat in diesel form...(goes spec hunting) ... 0-60 8.3 34mpg 136mph grp16 according to parkers.

[Tom Scott]

Heh, I meant no specific budget, I can't afford an M5.

Anyone have any experience of the 300C - looks OK, and is very highly specced for the price.

You mean Chrysler?
One chap here has one which he has "pimped" with rediculous 22" wheels to make it look like a Bentley. Outside looks quite nice, inside is another matter, its horrid, dash looks like its come from a Ford Transit. Ride is quite nice but then again it should be as its based on a n E-Class Merc.
They don't depreciate much at all as the demand is very high for them.

Only problem hes had with it was an oil leak, which they took 2 weeks to fix (whilst it leaked allover his drive, which they agreed to pay to have replaced!!).

[Vimeous]

They don't depreciate much at all as the demand is very high for them.

I take back the depreciation comment. Just checked Parkers £27k down to £24k for a 300C CRD Touring on an 06. Better than 530d Touring down from £37 to £30 in the same period! Not bad at all.

[GeorgeTuk]

Please don't buy a 300c they look awful, I mean I like 'Merkins but the styling is awful, as Tom says ride will be good but the rest is bad.

What about a modern Saab estate, drove an Aero saloon once and the interior was pretty nice and engine seemed good, not mine so you just don't push it. Audi Avants are pretty good but dull as dishwater. Alfa Romeo they do both JTS diesels and estates now...worth a look for something different. Megane (current shape) are nice, did a test drive with the boss and seemed very well put together and you lose the ass on it too.

[Tom Scott]

If you've got no budget what about an RS6

[Fox]

Have to say the 330d Touring over the 530d the balance of the car and handling (especially round corners) just seems that much more precise and responsive. This recommendation comes after driving my dads old 525i and then his 320d...

The difference between two same-spec models (ie, a Sport and a Sport) is not as pronounced as you suggest. If anything the 5 is the better balanced car - it cruises well and handles well whereas the 330i is slightly more handling focused and feels hurried as a result.

[joshwa]

Volvo V70 Black
Passat Sport 170ps estate (is your Passat a Sport? The sport suspension makes a hell of a difference! I switched my passat saloon s for a passat estate sport)
Passat 4motion Estate
Audi A6 estate

With the TDIs (Vw, Seat, Octavia, Audi) you can cheaply (~£300) get them tuned for example the 130ps goes to around 175ps etc.

[grizzla]

The difference between two same-spec models (ie, a Sport and a Sport) is not as pronounced as you suggest. If anything the 5 is the better balanced car - it cruises well and handles well whereas the 330i is slightly more handling focused and feels hurried as a result.

Hmmm... well i wasn't talking about the 330i or the equivalent 5 series and also which generation are you talking about? The cars i was describing are the previous gen to the latest model.

[TMD]

Please don't buy a 300c they look awful, I mean I like 'Merkins but the styling is awful, as Tom says ride will be good but the rest is bad.

What about a modern Saab estate, drove an Aero saloon once and the interior was pretty nice and engine seemed good, not mine so you just don't push it. Audi Avants are pretty good but dull as dishwater. Alfa Romeo they do both JTS diesels and estates now...worth a look for something different. Megane (current shape) are nice, did a test drive with the boss and seemed very well put together and you lose the ass on it too.

I wouldn't go with a Saab personally. A friend of mine got the 9-3 diesel estate recently and it has a number of annoying problems such as poor component fit and a number of computer glitches. Also very poor mpg for a diesel...

[Vimeous]

The Saab 1.9TD is a borrowed Fiat JTD with Saab ancilliaries.
It behaves much more like a petrol engine in terms of feel through the rev range but also drinks more than the average diesel.