What Car

j_l

Gazlar wrote:

Does either of these count as an estate in your books, or at least fulfill the role of one?



I can only say good things about the Jeep and Dodge I've had

4x4's tax burden is huge like 3 times an equivalent estate so its a no go.

as mentioned I like the idea of more "POWER" and all that but it isnt at the top of the list, my commute is 150miles per day on M5 and trunk roads so comfort and luxury is the priority (with my sensible hat on).

the BM, Audi and VW are all in the same bracket at about 145ish bhp in fact the BM is a little down on torque which for a diesel is more important TBH.

Loving the feed back though, even though I said I wouldnt I am off to the Citroen dealers today :roll:

Gazlar

The Dodge Journey is a people carrier, not a 4x4 if that helps? and is fantastic, I've had one as a courtesy car in the past

bails87

My dad had a Peugeot 407 as a company car for a few years and it was faultless. I think the estate version isn't too bad looking too.

Maybe we got lucky, but we (as a family) have had 4 Peugeots over many years and the most serious thing to go wrong was on my 03 reg 106, needed £270 spending on something emissions related to get it through the MOT. Just like allthegear's Citroen, not all French cars are badly wired rustbuckets

Rich9

New Volvo is nice. I had an S60 on demo recently. Very well specced, and reasonably quick at 163bhp. 19% BIK though, so not the cheapest. I've actually put a request in for one at work.
My current car is an 08 A4 TDi (new shape but not the 'e'). Nice car, decent to drive, but agree that its low on toys.
Skoda Superb is hideous IMO. I'd rather walk! If you're looking at Skoda go Octavia VRs. But again BIK might be a bit high. 170bhp though 8)
New Passat is well..... a Passat. Bit dull to look at, 13% BIK though and if you can run to the Sport model, rammed full of goodies, all for £24k ish
Agree with others on Honda Accord. Prefer the saloon. Estate look like a hearse.
Wouldnt go for the a 3 series right now. decent enough, very low on toys, and there is an all new model new next year.

After previous experiences, I'd never have a French car, if I could help it. Oh the painful memories...

Andy

Rich9 wrote:

Agree with others on Honda Accord. Prefer the saloon. Estate look like a hearse.

I'd agree on that. Accord is the way to go.

Andy!

Andy wrote:

If you do get a 3 Series, it should be the 320d not the 318d. Much better engine for the car.

have you actually checked the engine size of the 318 and 320?

BMW numbers do not always refer to the engine capacity. The 318d was 143hp last time I checked and a very capable engine with a nice chunk of lower company car tax than the 320d.


Same engine, different level of tune

The big problem is the badge, 318d looks poor compared to the 320d so take it off. The 335d is the engine you want anyway :twisted:

the 5 does not mean 0.5 litre more but twin turbo - ie X25 and X35 are twin turbo setups - petrol or diesel. 8)

Rich9

318d and 320d share the same 2ltr engine, just tuned differently. 318 is 143hp and 320 is 177hp. BIK in obviously better on the 318d. The way to go with a bimmer is a 320ED. 160+hp and 109g/km2, therefore 13% BIK. but as said before, sh1te specs. £27,000+ for no toys :roll:

jpenno

I am in a similar position, Volvo V50 due to go back and have spent the last month looking at all options and have gone for Audi A3 sportback,

benpinnick

Skoda Octavia in a decent spec (elegance as a minimum) is hard to beat, bigger than most of your options, same engines as the VW (I think), way, way way better value, although I don't know how cost effects tax on company cars....

j_l

jpenno wrote:

I am in a similar position, Volvo V50 due to go back and have spent the last month looking at all options and have gone for Audi A3 sportback,

funny you should say that, looking at the A3 sportback too, like the 140bhp 13% BIK Sline

just a little smaller than I wanted but a really good option.



Re Skoda, like Seat they don't have entirely the same engine options as VW / Audi ,namely the 140 bhp 2.0 TDI with CO2 under 120g/km (13%)

they do less powerful versions but not the 140 version.



VW main dealers a an arse, trying to get a test of the new passat proving some what tricky. first one booked, when I turned up on the allotted time the showroom boos had taken the car away for the weekend.

the other dealer I tried wouldn't give me a test drive as he knew I was going to lease and not purchase??!!

GGrrrrrr

jpenno

Just noticed your commute is 150 miles per day, IF you pay for your own fuel then surely economy is more important than the BIK %

If you get 40 mpg then its roughly £22 per day at 60 mpg then its £16.00

£6.00 per day for 48 weeks is £1440.00 of your NET pay, considerably more than the increased BIK which comes off gross pay

j_l

Allot if it is claimed back as business mileage as most of my day is spent on site with engineers or clients, but economy is important, its about striking a balance between economy, performance, BIK, and practicality.

jpenno

My requirements are very similar and the Audi came out as the best compromise in my tests

tenfoot

I used to be a BMW hater until I drove one. I'm now on my 3rd 320d.

Would it be possible to get the 320d ED?

The only downside I have with mine (it's an SE so equipment is reasonable), is that it's so poor in the snow.

Last year when it snowed at the weekend, we went everywhere in my wife's FWD Bora. Come Monday morning when it was time to go to work, I got stuck and had to clear patches under the tyres twice, on roads that had hardly any slope on them, just to get some traction.
I do carry some weight in the boot, which helps, but the run flat tyres are a very hard compound, so I'm told, which means they don't grip well in the snow.

WelshLoon

Octavia VRS Diesel 8)

j_l

Update,

Currently got a SEAT Exeo St Sport on demo loan for a few days, smashing car, goes like stink (for only 143ps) and got all the toys. 7/10 for performance over comfort

8/10 for toyage

8/10 for style (Interior)

7/10 for style (Exterior)

6/10 for economy

Got an Audi A3 Sportback 140 sport coming for the weekend, will report back.

Alex

Who's company is it? If it your company, I'd go along the BMW or Audi lines, very seriously.

The others just shed value like it's going out of fashion, BMWs, especially the in-demand ones like the 320ds preferably with the M-sport packs hold their value very well indeed. People want them.

Also the new 320d is 184ps now, not 177

I my car.

chrisga

Been recommended before. Yummmmm....

tenfoot

That 159 SW is a thing of beauty. I had a 159 for 6 months while waiting for my current car to be built. I had no problems with it in that time, and it was a really nice car to drive. Not as sharp as a Beemer, but I think the looks go someway to making up for that.

Arkady001

Ford man here:
Mk3 Mondeo if money's tight, Mk2 Mondeo if money's really tight.
I still have a Cougar 2.5l V6 as my daily-driver which after 11 years and 104k still does 32mpg on long motorway hauls and costs me £205pa in tax and £198 fully-comp insurance from Churchill.
I can get three bikes in the back along with luggage with the seats down (better than the Mk2 Modeo which i had before it an on whose chassis it's based).
Never popular, but a great car to drive - trips from the parents in Devon to my house in Germany takes about 12 hours including ferry crossing and I'm never as wrecked as I have been in newer cars (company cars are Vauxhall/Opel Astras and Vectras - the only good vectra I drove was an SRi 1.9 turbo diesel which was slightly sportier than the 2.0 LS version).

A good Cougar will set you back about £2k with under 100k on the clock - get the V6 X-Pack version and not the 4-pot, which was an underpowered pile of poo...

I also have something slightly sportier for the weekends in the Summer...

MorganP104

Another vote over here for the Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon.

If I had to drive a new diesel estate car, this would be on my shortlist of one.

Makes everything else look like a photocopier salesman's wheels.

j_l

J L wrote:

Update,

Currently got a SEAT Exeo St Sport on demo loan for a few days, smashing car, goes like stink (for only 143ps) and got all the toys. 7/10 for performance over comfort

8/10 for toyage

8/10 for style (Interior)

7/10 for style (Exterior)

6/10 for economy

Got an Audi A3 Sportback 140 sport coming for the weekend, will report back.

the Audi was lovely- but to small, love the Alfa but we can't get very good lease deals cheapest is £800.00 PCM, so its a no go.

Currently got a Renault Megan- what a crock of shit, not a chance, I was right about French cars.

got the SEAT EXEO again for a week next week, its looking like the strongest contender

VWsurfbum

That was my idea

MorganP104

J L wrote:

the Audi was lovely- but to small, love the Alfa but we can't get very good lease deals cheapest is £800.00 PCM, so its a no go.

Currently got a Renault Megan- what a crock of shoot, not a chance, I was right about French cars.

got the SEAT EXEO again for a week next week, its looking like the strongest contender

Bummer about the Alfa - I hear this a lot with regard to company car schemes.

The SEAT Exeo does look nice, though. Cheap enough, with all the quality of an Audi without the unfortunate image that hangs around the four-ringed one like a bad smell.

j_l

MorganP104 wrote:

J L wrote:

the Audi was lovely- but to small, love the Alfa but we can't get very good lease deals cheapest is £800.00 PCM, so its a no go.

Currently got a Renault Megan- what a crock of shoot, not a chance, I was right about French cars.

got the SEAT EXEO again for a week next week, its looking like the strongest contender

Bummer about the Alfa - I hear this a lot with regard to company car schemes.

The SEAT Exeo does look nice, though. Cheap enough, with all the quality of an Audi without the unfortunate image that hangs around the four-ringed one like a bad smell.

it's my yearly milege that does it (40K) now SEAT have the Exeo they what some of the fleet market so are doing good deals, Audi, BM, Alfa, VW etc don't want 40k per year customers so bump up the price :roll:

leaflite

Vauxhall VXR8

AndyBeast

MorganP104 wrote:

J L wrote:

the Audi was lovely- but to small, love the Alfa but we can't get very good lease deals cheapest is £800.00 PCM, so its a no go.

Currently got a Renault Megan- what a crock of shoot, not a chance, I was right about French cars.

got the SEAT EXEO again for a week next week, its looking like the strongest contender

Bummer about the Alfa - I hear this a lot with regard to company car schemes.

For some reason lease companies still don't like Alfa's, although I believe Eurocar have just taken on some Giulietta's but for how long??!!

Can't comment on the fleet market for definite but IIRC the 159 was specifically designed to target the BMW / Audi / Ford users?

On another note the 159's being replaced in 2012 with this crisis inducing thing of beauty!!

Arkady001

leaflite wrote:

Vauxhall VXR8

Mmmm...yummy...
I came very close to ending my lifelong love-affair with the mighty Blue-Oval when they introduced the Bathurst edition...

The Northern Monkey

I want a Skoda Yeti.

Rich9

that Alfa looks swee-eet! Mate at work put a request in for a 159 last year. Leasing costs came back at over £600pm. He got knocked back.... and ended up with an A3 sportback 170 sport. still a nice motor, but just a bit dull