Reply With QuoteGet one of these, what's not to like..(other half's daily driver)
Hi all,
You all helped me choose a gas bbq a while back :). Was hoping I could rely on advice for a new estate car too. I currently drive a BMW 318d M sport Touring (Estate). I have been generally happy with it but find the boot a bit small. And to be fair for the money, i have been slightly underwhelmed.. Also do not like runflat tyres as i find the ride harsh. So have ditched them on the BMW and now have a can of gunk in the boot which does not help my ocd at all :)
I previously had a golf estate which I was happy with but it let me down at 80k with a failed oil cooler which i did not expect from that sort of mileage.
So am looking at test driving a Ford Focus titanium but was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions. Maybe Vauxhall, Hyundai? Any suggestions please? Anything to avoid?
Cheers
Craig
Last edited by Craiginuk; 30th April 2014 at 23:31.
Get one of these, what's not to like..(other half's daily driver)
Skoda Octavia or Superb
For space I was going to say Skoda Superb estate or Octavia VRS estate (or the equivalent Audi's).
The fancy looking Merc above looks fantastic though 😃
If the boot is too small what about going up a model in your choices, 5 series, mondeo etc.
We used to have a mondeo when the kids were small and it's the car we compare others to now, the previous shape hatch with the seats down could take a fridge freezer laid down with the boot lid shut.
Octavia. Boot like a cave, built with a point to prove.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
For estates/tourers I'm a bit of a Volvo fan. It seems you don't need the mega-huge ones so maybe the V60 range? Still very well made and - apart from the bigots - have shed the image of yesteryear. Decent pricing.
If you're selling the BMW privately, please PM me - although I'm not after one myself, I know a couple of folk who might be interested and/or routes to market.
Interesting thread!
My wife's company 320d is too getting too small for us... Every weekend I'm hauling a dinghy on the roof, sails & foul weather gear in the back, mast & beach trailer chopped behind the front seats... Simply cramped! Luckily, my wife's allowed to replace her car later this year (read: I am allowed to pick another one - since my wife doesn't care about cars). Point is, the 320d drives great. So, I'm afraid that changing to another brand is not a good idea.
A 5 series is the first option (as mentioned above) but Dutch tax laws make this a very expensive car - even as a company car.
So yes, I'll be following this with great interest.
Menno
I think it's a case of the 3 series estate boot being smaller than competition.. Looked at a focus estate boot and it is much bigger.
My boys are 4 and 7 so need to fit bikes etc in the back as well as stuff for odd camping trip. I also like the feel of the BMW and ride quality now that I have ditched the run flats. Was quite happy with the golf but they seem expensive too. I guess it's a case of looking around. I'll have a look at the skoda range. I didn't like the styling of the front grills a few years back. (looked like eighties American station wagons to me :) ) but they seem to have improved. Open to any suggestions. Will book a few test drives and see.
Will probably go down the PCP route again but that is a whole new thread/debate :)
Cheers Craig
I have a 5 touring - BMW do not make good estates, they are drivers cars with a bit extra room. We've had a few estates and the Mazda 6 is well worth a look - great drive with lots of space, we changed that for a Volvo V50 which was a bit too small so we moved to the V70. As estates Volvos are superb, not up to BMW build quality but not the same price either.
Used Subaru Forrester all day long.
Why not a X3 or Q5 etc?
BMW = RWD = however you dress it up the drivetrain impedes boot space. so buy something not RWD!
Only other consideration (for me anyway) would be if a flat boot floor and/ or seats that fold completely flat matters to you, as it does to me so rules a fair few things out.
V70 is the daddy, Honda Accord post 2008 (i think) facelift is really understated and has many great features (electric tailgate included in some specs).
as ever with these threads, an indication of budget and new or used would help.
I had a Passat estate as a company car for a while, it was great, nice big boot, shared the A6 platform so is big for its class....
Cheers..
Jase
Subaru Legacy?
SWMBO has had one for a couple of years now.
Nice size / Ultra reliable / wearing well / a little expensive to run but probably worth it
........... same applies to the Subaru
Sorry yes should have indicated budget.
Probably around the £22 -23k mark New. Would do PCP with around £3k deposit and then maybe up to around £350/month repayments. (+ balloon payment) would also consider a year old with low mileage but must be able to finance.
and good point re the not RWD - stupidly had not clicked that that was the reason. Great big diff under the boot :)
Not that keen on a huge 4x4 looking thing. Spend a fair amount of time on motorway so needs to be good fuel efficiency and while i know they have improved, the 4 x 4 things still seem inneficient.Originally Posted by Ventura
That sum is top spec Octavia money new, close to Superb cash as well, especially as they tend to discount well off list. Not sure if anyone knows when they might run their next "VAT free" events (ie 20% off, I think the tax man would moan if they didn't includde VAT), as that could be interesting.
2013 V70's in range too, but you may have to compromise on spec vs mileage, although you can see a few D5's with all the whistles for 21/22k with about 10-15k miles on. They hold their money very well. And such comfy seats :)
I had a Hyundai i40 on extended test drive in December. Compared to my 4 year old Mondeo it was far better than I expected - in fact the Mondeo was positively agricultural.
Ride, handling and overall build quality were way above what I thought they'd be. The warranty looks pretty bulletproof too.
Chris I parked next to an i40 estate today and really liked the look of it. Will def have a drive of one. Thanks.
Craig
Don't dismiss the Octavia VRS estate. You should genuinely look at it :)
I agree entirely.
Will add it to the list :). Thanks
I'd love to hear your feedback on it :)
For the record, I don't have one. But nearly did. I opted a Jag estate instead and not looked back.
Test drove a ford focus estate last week. Drove ok but a bit underpowered (1.0 litre turbo petrol). Felt the interior was a bit naff with lots of shiny plastic but the size is about right. So it's still on the list but will need to try a larger engine.
Hyundai i40 is too big so crossed off list. The i30 looks good though.
Mazda 6 also felt too big.
Golf looked good too.
I suspect the skoda will be too big too but will have a look at one.
At the moment it is between the Hyundai i30 and the Golf.
1) Hyundai i30 premium or style nav
2) VW Golf Gt
3) Ford Focus titanium but in 1.6 turbo at least.
I'm using Skoda Superb as my daily driver since 2009. Good car, low costs.
Leon ST FR, based on the new Golf and crammed with extras
- - - Updated - - -
Leon ST FR, based on the new Golf and crammed with extras
Looking at these options myself at the moment.
Be careful with your "too big": unless you really have to park regularly in a tight space, estates are more a case of "too small" than "too big", as even though you may not need it regularly, you'll curse every one and every thing the day you actually do if you went too small.
What matters however are the effectiveness of the engine (a 1.0 litre, turbo or not, and regardless of how good it is, is too small for a car than might be fully loaded (American usually say there is no substitute for cubic inches) and the cost of ownership.
The Octavias are good. Volvo and Merc have a bit of a cult following when it comes to estates, and for a reason. MPV may be another option if you want the volume without the length...
So much choice, so little time and a restricted budget
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Sound advice - I have an RS4 estate and due to the non-folding front seats the long load capacity is about the same (possibly less !) than a 3 door golf. Would definitely look at Skoda Superb as this is basically previous gen A6 and the size class I would look at now.
Vauxhall Signum, its a large hatchback but can take most things, missus uses it as the daily since the Megane went pop for her child care business and the boot space is the same as the current 3 Series touring as I can get my bike in there with the back seats folded down without taking the wheels off, 62cm frame and 700c wheels.
They are cheap also, around 3k and under!
On a side note; where does the term ´estate car´ originate from?
On the continent they are usually called either ´combi´ or ´family´.
Also over here the swb LandRover is the default car for use on estates.
Footnote; I do not associate Golfs, Leon, Hyundai with ´estate´.
Is there a Mrs.Bouquet thing at work??
Last edited by Huertecilla; 14th May 2014 at 12:44.
In France will call them... "break". Go figure!
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
'Familiale' is very, the most, common; http://www.voiturefamiliale.net/
Historically familiales were for those with an extra row of seats, like the DS.
This page (in French, sorry) explains how Citroen designed the familiale from the break model.
I believe other manufacturer like Peugeot with the 404 produced a familiale. But it is a very rare use indeed, due to the very limited numbers of such cars (nowadays, the 7-seater Merc estate would qualify. The LR Discovery would have, but its 4X$ credentials are more important to put forward and thus 'familial' doesn't appear in its description.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I asked for similar advice last year in this thread though my top budget was half yours so looking second hand: http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...A35-10k-budget
Ended up with the Octavia VRS Estate. Had it nearly 18 months and its been a joy to drive both locally and on the 600 mile round trip to London with a boot full and the whole family in. Had a few trips to the Lake District too and it's been great fun over Hartside Pass and on the twisty lakeland roads.
Growing up my dad had several Passat estates, but had latterly switched to Audi having two successive A6 estates. Off the back of being in and driving my Octavia he recently bought a Superb and has been very happy with it.
I would definitely give the Octavia VRS a test drive. I was surprised how much more car you got for your money than the VW equivalent which was exceedingly basic in comparison. Sure the Audi is a step up, but the price differential is huge.
Compared to the other cars we looked at it had: the biggest boot, joint top safety record (with Volvo), highest top speed, best acceleration, and favourable MPG. The only downside is it has less legroom in the back than some of the competition if the front seats are all the way back (though I wouldn't call it cramped), but then thats because the boot is a cave.
Yep. Thanks for the link.
Peugeot had the monstrously large 505 break/famiale.
I have for years wanted a 405 Dangel Break.
When we came over here we bought a Merc. 300TD with extra rearward facing folding seat for two (and a 7 seater Series LandRover by Santana).
The folding seat was also an option in our present family car the SY Musso which comes VERY close to the 405 Dangel Break :-)
For our purpose is the ideal car and we would immediately buy another if it were available. It is not so we are taking good care of the one we have to make it last.
Will give the Leon a look - seems to compare well to the focus estate.
+ 1 .......love the look of those Octavia's , especially in that nice blue colour you see most of them in.
Or this ......
Very nice! The other half would like an RS6 next to replace her C63+ 1 .......love the look of those Octavia's , especially in that nice blue colour you see most of them in.
Or this ......
Whilst I test drove the RS6 ( with no intention of buying it !) and loved it ......I found it just too damn big .
I'd stick with your C63 ...lovely motor .
Unless you fancy joining the RS4 club of course !!!!
C63 - perfect choice. I would buy it, but I have better weekend car and as a daily driver is a little bit too expensive (overall) for my definition of daily driver.
Have you thought about leasing? At the moment the Audi A6 Ultra Estate is something like 250 a month including VAT. Usually pay 6 months upfront and 23 months on a two year deal. Brand new car road tax included but will have a restricted mileage say 8-10 k a year.
Where can you get them for 250 inc vat / month? This seems circa £100 / month less than anywhere I can find
Heartily echo the octavia recommendation and suggest looking Across the range, I think spec is pretty commendable at all levels and the tsi engines really are surprisingly good
RS6 is huge and I suspect pointlessly quick. We were discussing the RS4 last night so a possibility but need an extended test drive first.
Station wagon and wagon are the common names inAmerican, Canadian and Australian English, while estate car and estate are common in the rest of the English-speaking world. Both names harken to the car's role as a shuttle, with storage space for baggage, between country estates and railway stations.
Yes , it was ridiculously quick ......I had an Audi S5 3.0 v6 at the time and didn't really feel much of a difference when I test drove the RS4 and RS5 ....but when in the RS6 , it was something else . Felt like riding a big motorbike and not really being in control of it.
And it also just felt ridiculously big too ....way way too big for me as an everyday car.........so the size of the RS4 , together with the Audi £7k off deal that was on at the time swung it for me.
A4 or A6 Avant - Best looking estate cars on the market IMHO.
I test drove the new Octavia the other week - not impressed. They've increased rear leg room at the expense of the boot space. Had to remove the load cover and the wifes wheelchair only just fit (with handles folded) with about 10mm to spare.
Daughters bike only just fit too.
The lack of level load area was also a pain.
Have ordered a Hyundai i40 - hoping for September delivery.
Had forgotten about this thread:)
Drove the i40 a few weeks back. A lot of car for the money and good finish etc. you will not be disappointed! A bit too big for my needs and the i30 was too small..
Am driving the Seat Leon ST tomorrow. Looks like it might be right for me.
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