Daily driver estate car - recommendations?

[Masher964]

Looking to replace the BMW 320D Xdrive Msport and considering;

BMW 335D Xdrive Msport (fuel consumption as a daily?)

Audi A4 Quattro Black edition (2L or 3L?)

Audi A6 Quattro Black Edition (3L for this size of car I assume)

Audi A4 / A6 Allroad

Opting out of company cars so the CO2 emissions less of an issue but still need a few MPG (35+) and want something reasonably involving though resigning myself to the fact that it'll probably be an auto (never owned one before). 

Will be 1 to 2 years old, estate and almost certainly diesel. 

Will be doing a 60 mile round trip commute each day (the company has inconveniently moved offices!). 

Might just buy the old car off the lease company but sounds like a boring option and it's already done 62K (how long do cars last these days?)

Thoughts, comments, owning experiences or alternative suggestions welcome. 

Thanks.

[SpannerMan]

If you’re considering an A6 then why not a BMW 5 series? It’s much better appointed then the 3 series.  

[Woodhouse]

I recently bought a Mercedes C Class C250D estate.  I'd shortlisted the choices down to the BMW 330/335D, Audi A4 3.0 D and the C Class. I opted for the Mercedes in the end due to the looks, spec (I have the AMG Line Premium Plus with a few extras, in Brilliant Blue which I preferred over the BMW and Audi blues) and interior.  Oh, and SWMBO preferred it!

 

The driving dynamics aren't as good as the BMW but I'm very happy with it so far.  And while not slow, it is significantly slower accelerating than my Gen 1 Cayman S, whereas the bigger engined BMW and Audi were as quick, if not quicker, than the Cayman and I felt that might have taken the shine off owning the Porsche!

[Windymiller]

Skoda Octavia VRS estate. 

 

Very involving. 

HUGE load carrying capacity. 

 

If you’re doing <20k Miles pa go for the 2.0T petrol of which there’s a 245BHP version with 270 ftlb of torque. 

 

I had an 06 plate VRS about 10 years ago (‘only 200bhp back then) and it was the best ‘all rounder’ I’ve ever had. Fun on your own + practical when laden with family.  

 

Just prepare yourself for the Skoda jokes that STILL seem to endure to this day... ???

[JimP]

Porsche Macan? 

[Beanoir™]

I’ve been hugely impressed with my BMW actually Mick, and the ‘auto’ box is actually quite engaging when you want it to be.  I’d certainly recommended looking at the 5 series, it’s much more of a car and a nicer place to be than the 3/4 series.  

 

Since we had the A4 avant as a company car 2 years ago I’ve found it difficult to get excited about Audi’s, that was very uninvolving 

[Masher964]

13 hours ago, SpannerMan said:

If you’re considering an A6 then why not a BMW 5 series? It’s much better appointed then the 3 series.  

I see why you suggest this but it all comes down to experience. My wife had a BMW 520d saloon auto for just over a year and it was the worst car either of us had ever driven. Wallowey, disconnecting the driver from the environment and poorly equipped. This experience has simply prejudiced me against the five series. 

[Masher964]

40 minutes ago, JimP said:

Porsche Macan? 

Cannot justify the expense (easily £10k to £15k more than the other options I am looking at) though I absolutely loved the one I was loaned whilst my Cayman was being serviced. If they could be had for £30k I'd be in the queue. 

[Masher964]

38 minutes ago, Beanoir said:

I’ve been hugely impressed with my BMW actually Mick, and the ‘auto’ box is actually quite engaging when you want it to be.  I’d certainly recommended looking at the 5 series, it’s much more of a car and a nicer place to be than the 3/4 series.  

 

Since we had the A4 avant as a company car 2 years ago I’ve found it difficult to get excited about Audi’s, that was very uninvolving 

If my first experience of the five series had been an M5 I might have fallen for it but the 520d we had for a year was so awful compared to the 3 series I am struggling to consider one. Maybe just shows why a manufacturer should not sell a 'budget' version of a decent car. 

[Beanoir™]

26 minutes ago, Masher964 said:

If my first experience of the five series had been an M5 I might have fallen for it but the 520d we had for a year was so awful compared to the 3 series I am struggling to consider one. Maybe just shows why a manufacturer should not sell a 'budget' version of a decent car. 

 

Thats a fair comment! 

 

A friend of mine had the previous version - a 530d (e60?) and he had no end of problems with it.  

[Beanoir™]

Have you looked at the Volvos recently, some of those a nice cars - I’ve not driven one though so can’t recommend driving experience.  

[PMGPete]

I think a 330d touring xdrive is one of the best all round cars money can buy.

 

Plenty of power, involving enough to drive but super smooth auto box and bags of torque make it an incredible daily

[briggy]

In a similar position to you when we need to replace my wife's car shortly. Seat Lean Cupra estate is top of the ever-changing shortlist at the moment. Good spec, modern, reasonably priced, reasonable mpg and goes like stink.

[Masher964]

3 hours ago, PMGPete said:

I think a 330d touring xdrive is one of the best all round cars money can buy.

 

Plenty of power, involving enough to drive but super smooth auto box and bags of torque make it an incredible daily

Any experience of one? Reliability, MPG... Owning a 320d estate I guess I get the basic concept so perhaps it's more ownership costs that might concern me. I'll be running this for 4 to 5 years and 80,000 to 100,000 miles so not looking to mess up!

[Masher964]

53 minutes ago, briggy said:

In a similar position to you when we need to replace my wife's car shortly. Seat Lean Cupra estate is top of the ever-changing shortlist at the moment. Good spec, modern, reasonably priced, reasonable mpg and goes like stink.

Nice car but I am looking for 4wd, enough room for a Boxer and a Dalmatian in the boot and my 6'2" 14 year old son in the back seat so I fear the Seat may be too small. 

[PMGPete]

A good friend has a 330d xdrive and I borrowed it for a few weeks to see what I made of it, 

 

With a mixed commute I was getting early 40's mpg. He has owned the car from new and at circa 65k it has yet to require any repairs.

 

I very much enjoyed it and will be buying one this year myself

[Masher964]

I'm getting 42mpg from a 2L so that sounds perfectly acceptable. Borrowing one and then looking to buy sounds like a good recommendation to me! Thanks. 

[Havard]

16 hours ago, Woodhouse said:

I recently bought a Mercedes C Class C250D estate.  I'd shortlisted the choices down to the BMW 330/335D, Audi A4 3.0 D and the C Class. I opted for the Mercedes in the end due to the looks, spec (I have the AMG Line Premium Plus with a few extras, in Brilliant Blue which I preferred over the BMW and Audi blues) and interior.  Oh, and SWMBO preferred it!

 

The driving dynamics aren't as good as the BMW but I'm very happy with it so far.  And while not slow, it is significantly slower accelerating than my Gen 1 Cayman S, whereas the bigger engined BMW and Audi were as quick, if not quicker, than the Cayman and I felt that might have taken the shine off owning the Porsche!

 

I have an almost identical car but a 220d with panoramic roof and air suspension.  It's a beautiful car and so smooth on the motorway.  Not much fun in the twisties but decent boot and it looks so good in that colour.

 

6 hours ago, Beanoir said:

Have you looked at the Volvos recently, some of those a nice cars - I’ve not driven one though so can’t recommend driving experience.  

 

My Volvo V60 was a hoot but it was the old 5 cyl engine.  How about an XC60?

 

H.

[Windymiller]

 

On 29/12/2017 at 15:34, Masher964 said:

Any experience of one? Reliability, MPG... Owning a 320d estate I guess I get the basic concept so perhaps it's more ownership costs that might concern me. I'll be running this for 4 to 5 years and 80,000 to 100,000 miles so not looking to mess up!

5 years and 100k miles of worry free motoring + room for dogs and giant children you say?

 

Then look no further than the Hyundai Santa Fe (5yr unlimited miles warranty), or the Kia Sorrento (7yr 100k Miles warranty). 

 

Admittedly, neither will excite you as a drivers car (but you have a Cayman for ticking that box! ?), but in terms of practical, comfy, cheap and reliable, safe family motoring they’re tip-top ??.

 

We we have a Kia Sportage KX3 as our family ‘bus’, fully loaded with bells and whistles that other manufacturers charge as options (eg, bi-xenons, auto lights, auto mirrors, dual-zone climate, heated leather etc), intelligent 4WD.  Done 75k miles  in 5 years of ownership and just had first warranty claim for a new rear diff, which was replaced without question. 

 

Could do with a bigger boot though (which the sorrento and Santa Fe have in heaps). 

 

I’ll definitely be looking at another Korean SUV March 2019 when this ones warranty expires. 

[DKR_77]

On 29/12/2017 at 15:40, PMGPete said:

A good friend has a 330d xdrive and I borrowed it for a few weeks to see what I made of it, 

 

This would be my pick of the bunch I think, great all-rounders