I'm looking for a second car for long distance driving ( to Germany and back).
I need good mpg so a diesel is obvious.
As the distances are 600+ miles each way I would like a resonably comfortable car for almost continous motorway driving.
I also need to be able to move stuff so a large hatch or estate would be in order.
Age is not really an issue but cheap and easy to maintain is. Ideally something very common so parts can come from scrap yards if needed.
Budget is 3k.
I've seen cars on autotrader for around 1000-1500 for 8 years+. Are these good buys or repair bills waiting.
I don't have any experience in buying diesels to would be open to any suggestions,
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Pug 406 pre HDi. Comfy, reliable and simple to fix.
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Find the best 405 TD estate you can. About a grand. Save the rest.
Spending £2k to 3k is a nightmare - could be a total dog that you then have to spend money on to "preserve" your original capital (ie good money after bad).
The very last 405s had ABS and airbags, as well as AC.
Alternatively get a Xantia TD - very smooth, probably cheaper than the 405.
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Check www.mobile.de for used car prices in Germany, if you can cope with LHD. The prices may be cheaper, and if the majority of your driving is going to be on the Continent LHD may prove more useful.
HJ always recommends the daz24 website, but the Mobile.de one is IMO more user-friendly for Brits as you can change the language over to english.
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Check www.mobile.de for used car prices in Germany,
Prices of all secondhand cars in Germany is way above the UK prices and so are new car prices at the moment.
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Depending on how fast you like to drive on the motorway, look at a Mondeo TD mk2 as well. You'll get a VERY nice one for £2k and they are bombproof and easy / cheap to work on. Great handling, steering and brakes, multi adjustable driving position, and loads of standard kit.
The only thing is, they're not the fastest things on four wheels, and the engine is both thirsty and noisy when worked hard. I'm getting 47 mpg average from mine on a 35 mile each way rush hour motorway run, and it hasn't let me down yet (touch a big bit of wood) since I bought it 21k ago. It cruises happily at 80-85, but you certainly know about it if you push it harder.
Replace the cambelt and tensioners every 36k, change the oil and filters every 6-10k and they're good for an easy 250k.
Cheers
DP
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C5 - massive boot, much better seats and more legroom for the driver than a Xantia. There are 03 cars on Auto Trader for a little over £3K.
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i would want an omega with the 2.5 engine but it looks like you would struggle with only £3000 and less than 100,000 so the seat still has some lagging in it
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I too would recommend the MK2 Mondeo with TD engine. 50mpg and the estate is a good size, picked my 200k ex taxi up for £700. Cruises at 80 and feels a good size if you ever had a bang.
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If you can live with that engine, then the Mondeo TD is probably the best buy.
I haven't driven the Mondeo but the same 1.8 engine was fitted to the Escort TD which I did not like at all (to put it in a way that the swear filter will tolerate...)
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Much better noise insulation and mountings in the Mondeo. Not stunning, but certainly liveable.
Rest of the car compensates IMO
Cheers
DP
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you want aircon. 600 miles with the windows open is not fun on the ears.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I'd say one of the later Xantias or Peugeot 406 in estate form (circa 1998/99) with the 1.9TD engine, you should be able to pick up a decent one of these with all the toys including aircon for less than £1500 and sensible mileage and, if driven sensibly on the motorway 45-50 mpg no sweat. If you do decide to go the whole hog and spend £3k, you should be able to find a HDi Xantia or 406, fuel economy is better than the 1.9 and so is performance if you go for the 110bhp variant. But there is more to go wrong on the HDis and will be costlier to fix.
Martin
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As Germany figures highly in your pattern of usage, a car with French mechanicals might not get the best attention there. How about a VW PD diesel in whatever Seat or Skoda body meets your requirements for comfort and budget?
659.
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Agree with 659. Try an Octavia TDI - even the hatch has a huge boot but there shouls be plebty of estates artoung for £3k.
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Why not an old passat estate then? Even the 10 year old ones can still be going strong, and if you spend say 700 quid you've got plenty left to do an initial service (change belt, new tyres etc. etc.) and a pot if things go wrong. Relatively cheap to repair and find parts for both here and over there.....
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Vectra 2.0Dti, cam chain, low maintenance ( ducks for cover ) .
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I would have thought the perfect solution was to be found with Nick in the thread below where he is asking about a guide price for his mint-ish Passat estate.
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