Estate car recommendations...

[colincliff]

In march next year my Golf, which my wife has had as a work lease car, is going back at the end of its 3 years.

We're not wanting another lease car, and i'm wanting to buy an estate car.

Looking at a budget of between £3-4k what are peoples recommendations for

I'd like a resonable level of comfort and quality, something thats good for long journeys also, but i've never owned an estate before so i'm open to anything really,

I guess a Audi A4 avant (something like this) would be nice, but i dont know if a high milage high quality car is better than a newer "lesser" make one.

So.......... what would you buy (and why)?

[Konan555]

I'd be looking at a Legacy estate. I, personally, find them far more comfortable than the hard-seat European cars for a start. The full time 4x4 system is a big plus aswell. I suppose the downside is a lack of gismos.

As I tend to drive away from the road quite a lot, which is where the outback steps in.

[Vimeous]

First though was an Octavia TBH.
All the quality and reliability of other VW-Group products with an understated, less pretencious outer shell.
Also you should get a newer, lower mileage car for the same cash.
Wouldn't be at all surprised if the boot is bigger than the A4/Golf estates as well if it follows the hatch.

If you need more size a Mondeo would certainly fit the bill. Should also be more fun to drive than the VW-Group products though it'll wear out a little quicker.

[Konan555]

Octavia's painful as hell to sit in for more than an hour if your back doesn't conform to how the seat thinks it should be. The boot is bigger, hence the giant overhang from the back wheels.

[BUFF]

1st question is why do you want an estate?
if you have specific needs (e.g. loadbay length) then that hopefully narrows the field down a bit (e.g. Golf class or Passat class).
& with that budget to purchase with you might also want to check on running costs & specifically road tax as next year that's going to jump noticeably for things like 1.8 & 2.0 litre petrol Mondeos.

[Zak33]

95

Big Bad Mutha

[hitman67]

Focus Estate IMO.

Something like a 1.6 is still nippy without being tax'd to the moon and back, are nice and spacious, Handle well, and are cheap nowadays.

I saw an 06 reg 1.6 TDCi go for £3150 not long ago!!!

[jonskyline]

In march next year my Golf, which my wife has had as a work lease car, is going back at the end of its 3 years.

We're not wanting another lease car, and i'm wanting to buy an estate car.

Looking at a budget of between £3-4k what are peoples recommendations for

I'd like a resonable level of comfort and quality, something thats good for long journeys also, but i've never owned an estate before so i'm open to anything really,

I guess a Audi A4 avant (something like this) would be nice, but i dont know if a high milage high quality car is better than a newer "lesser" make one.

So.......... what would you buy (and why)?

Well even though the engines are better in quality cars, the heavy usage of them and high fuel consuption (generally) will mean lots of maintenence and extra cost, so it might be going for something like a focus as suggested.

[hitman67]

Not quite as cheap as the one above, but a good example of what I mean

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2005-55-FORD-F...3A1|240%3A1318



Will give you good reliable service with minimal maintenance costs, Cheap to run, and will still have a bit of fun when you want it to.

[colincliff]

1st question is why do you want an estate?
if you have specific needs (e.g. loadbay length) then that hopefully narrows the field down a bit (e.g. Golf class or Passat class).

I think a focus size would be about right. a mondeo probably too big for what we need.

The 1.6 cdti mentioned by hitman looks interesting, I don't know much about that engine so I'll have to do a bit of research. tax on the bigger engines is a good point.

Any cdti owners on here with any user advice?

[BUFF]

1.6 diesel should be a reasonably affordable VED.
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/faq.htm?id=20

[floppybootstomp]

I've just bought a Peugeot 406 Estate a month ago. Seats fold down giving me loads of room in the back. Petrol, 2 litre, economical, sensible and boring as hell after my 25 year old Merc 280SE died on me.

It's ok, but probably just a stop gap. I do need an Estate for my work and have been looking at Audis and Volvos, probably Diesel, for my next purchase.

[hitman67]

On the one I posted its £120 per year which is the same as my 1.8 TDCi, and not a supper dooper huge amount seeing as it's a 1.6 Engine. It's basically the same unit as the Pug HDi engines and that's not a bad thing.

[J4MES]

Passat ftw.

>Octavia
£<A4

[J4MES]

2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.9 S TDI 130 5dr Diesel Estate @ &#163;3500 w/ 81k miles



2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.8T 20V Sport 5dr Estate @ &#163;3700 w/ 38k miles

[schmunk]

Joshwa wants rid of his Passat estate, doesn't he?

I'm keeping mine...