Buying family estate with a £17k budget?

I am looking at replacing my current car and need something that will give me enough room for 2 children and bikes but is also suitable for work (mainly motorway miles). I do around 24k a year. I'd also like something that's a bit exciting to drive.
I have been looking at second hand C220, A4, 3 series no more than 2 years old and with less than 30k miles. I'd envisage adding another 100k over the next 4 years. Maybe stretch to an A6 avant or similar.

Asked on 4 November 2015 by Needingcaradvice

Answered by Honest John

Say fuel is £5.50 a gallon. 100,000 miles at 35mpg will cost you £15,715. 100,000 miles at 50mpg will cost you £11,000. That £4,715 difference should more than pay for the extra maintenance and repair costs of a diesel engine to a petrol engine. A C220 CDI has an old school, fairly bulletproof engine. EA288 2.0 TDI Audi A4 and new Skoda Superb are okay and very clean, but still timing belt engines. EA189 2.0 TDI A4 and old Skoda Superb are the ones that need the software upgrade. N47 BMW 2.0 litre engines have had a lot of timing chain issues. Mondeo 2.0 TDCI is timing belt but generally reliable.

Tags: family estate buying a used car

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