[El Mocho]

Just got back from the US where I had to sell our lovely gas-guzzling 4x4... Need to buy a cheap-ish estate pretty quickly so we can get back on the road up to Scotland.
Looking at between £3k - £4.5k. Got a list of possibles on autotrader:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/new-cars/compare/advert/201503262074327/sort/default/price-to/6000/postcode/s321dr/radius/30/page/1/maximum-age/up_to_8_years_old/channel/cars/maximum-mileage/up_to_100000_miles/make/saab/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/body-type/estate/price-from/2000/usedcars

Anyone got any advice? Essentially, at the moment we're considering Avensis, Accord, Mazda 6, Octavia or Saab 9-3. Not heard great things about the passat 05 onwards when googling, and heard Audis break down every time you go to Font.
Thanks

[tomtom]

Octavia...

[tomtom]

Or golf estate (same car harder to find but strangely cheaper than hatch)

[mrjonathanr]

We had a Mazda 6. It got stolen when fairly new, was <£500 from write-off value so the insurers had it repaired. Whether that explains why it was rubbish and unreliable, we'll never know.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Still slightly regretting getting rid of my Accord Tourer. Can't recommend them highly enough, nice to drive, pretty economical if you didn't hammer it. I had the 2.2CTDi fully loaded one with leather seats, sat nav etc. Huge boot, super reliable, really well built.

I got mine at around 70k and got rid of it around 140k, it didn't miss a beat. TBH it would have been fine until 200k so probably should have kept it going.

Personally I'd avoid Saabs (expensive Vauxhalls), anything french (electrics  ), VAG are nice although i still find the Skodas dull, and my Dad has a Passat similar age to my Accord and thought the Honda was better built. Can't get excited about Toyotas although think they are as reliable as the Hondas.

Honda all the way. If you do make the right decision end up with one (I'll be well jealous) but I can offer you a set of winter tyres/wheels and roof bars (for the one without the rails) at mates rates. Win Win. 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/honda/accord/used-honda-accord-2-2-ctdi-executive-5dr-rochdale-fpa-201504162670430?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/honda/accord/used-honda-accord-2-2-ctdi-executive-5dr-doncaster-fpa-201502050726879?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/honda/accord/used-honda-accord-2-2-ctdi-sport-5dr-newton-le-willows-fpa-201504232865129?
Further but low mileage...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/honda/accord/used-honda-accord-2-2-ctdi-sport-5dr-peterborough-fpa-201504172699950?

[andy_e]

I've got a Fabia estate, it's great as you can get 60-70mpg form the 1.9 tdi most of the time and you can fit a load of stuff in. I'd definitely think about the Octavia estate if I were you as the Fabia is probably a little too small if you've got pets and small humans with you.

[SA Chris]

Ford Focus. Fucking dull, but cheap.

[moose]

I've got a Fabia estate, it's great as you can get 60-70mpg form the 1.9 tdi most of the time and you can fit a load of stuff in. I'd definitely think about the Octavia estate if I were you as the Fabia is probably a little too small if you've got pets and small humans with you.

I've got an Octavia Estate - dull but bombproof.  Done 65,000 miles in just under 4 years - with lots of lugging burned out fridge-freezers and washing machines around.  No repairs except burst tyres, averaging around 65 mpg (2L diesel, driven like a vicar).  I have to replace it soon (4 year lease-hire) - was given a bewildering selection to choose from but just went for the same again but with more add-ons (and, after a few too many incidents of being stranded waiting for recovery vehicles, a proper spare tyre).

[Paul B]

Octavia. If you get the 1.9tdi engine (130 preferably rather than the 105) they're bombproof IMO.

My next car will most likely be an Octy.

Sent from my XT1032 using Forum Fiend v1.3.3.

[El Mocho]

Thanks all. Had an Octavia 8 years ago and it was good hence it being on the list this time around. Was kinda keen to get something a bit more exciting but reliability is really top of the list especially as we are coming back from 9 months of traveling so the bank balance is pretty poor...

Will prob scrap the Mazda and Saabs from the list and go look at some.

Obi: I do like the Accord for some strange reason I liked the look of them (don't know why they are pretty odd looking) plus I will probably be sleeping in it a fair bit and it is huge. We would be buying roof rack/rails and winter wheels for what ever we get so that could be a bonus...

[Johnny Brown]

Yeah get a Honda. Or an Almera.

What are you doing in Scotland?

[El Mocho]

Yeah get a Honda. Or an Almera.

What are you doing in Scotland?

Just a little tour of the Hebrides for a few weeks. Was gonna give you a ring for recommendations/see if you want to come up for a bit but only got home last night

[chris j]

Another Octavia owner here. Dull as you can get but practical. Duller than a Ford Focus. Boot entry on the estate surprisingly narrow (on my old Focus the mtb went in with both wheels attached, front wheel has to come off for the bike to fit in the Octavia). 2.0 common rail diesels (applies to any VAG vehicle) and 2.0 turbo petrols prone to going bang in an expensive manner. Older 1.9 diesels are bombproof. For sleeping in it the boot floor isn't completely flat.

I would be tempted by an Accord (our neighbour has one) or go with a Ford as they aren't the most reliable (anecdotally my Mk1 Focus was faultless for 10 years) but I recall from a survey many years ago they were the cheapest brand for repairs.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Obi: I do like the Accord for some strange reason I liked the look of them (don't know why they are pretty odd looking)

I know what you mean, it's all in the angle, I think they are quite pretty (for an estate) from the front. Especially considering how square the back is. That's the biggest mistake almost all modern estates make, they angled in the back to improve the looks and lose loads of boot space.  The boot on the 2008 onwards Accord is tiny compared to the earlier one.

[andy_e]

Beauty is in the eye of the keyholder.

[Johnny Brown]

What are you doing in Scotland?

Just a little tour of the Hebrides for a few weeks.

Mother F, what a life you lead. I'll lend you the bible (Haswell-Smith) if you like.

[Paul B]

Thanks all. Had an Octavia 8 years ago and it was good hence it being on the list this time around. Was kinda keen to get something a bit more exciting

A remap would do the trick there.

The 4x4s come very well spec'd as standard. I don't know much more than this (other than I should've bought one rather than the 320d I now have).

Although I've had issues with my 3-series (understatement) your budget is a fair amount higher and, for a car of its type (estate), I've never been in anything that handles as well. That said, looking at the E46 you'll end up with a fairly 'old' vehicle and have to deal with all of the standard rubber fittings failing etc.

[Johnny Brown]

A remap isn't going to sort the cruise-ship handling, unless you buy a sporty one to start with. Worst hire car I ever had was an Octavia, handled like a trawler and had a 10 litre fuel tank.

Given it's the second most expensive thing you ever buy I reckon it's worth buying something that makes you smile when you get in. God knows I need cheering up in the mornings...

[slackline]

God knows I need cheering up in the mornings...

I would too if I'd just had a bowl of dried shredded wheat  try some fruit for breakfast instead.

[Johnny Brown]

Ha! Actually I quite like it. Fruit I'd hate.

[benno]

It'd also be worth looking at Kias. I've got a C'eed estate that, bar the starter motor failing once (was replaced FOC under the gargantuan 7 year warranty at 6.5 years old), has been totally faultless. It's about the same size as a Focus and just as dull, but parts are cheap, and they're dependable. You can probably get one with a year or two's warranty still to run in your budget.

[shark]

My next car will most likely be an Octy.

 

[cowboyhat]

Given it's the second most expensive thing you ever buy I reckon it's worth buying something that makes you smile when you get in. God knows I need cheering up in the mornings...

Exactly, get one of these and feel like a boss.

http://bit.ly/1bGaXR9

[cowboyhat]

Still slightly regretting getting rid of my Accord Tourer.

What did you replace it with?

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Still slightly regretting getting rid of my Accord Tourer.

What did you replace it with?

A very sensible, five year old, low mileage Volvo V70, which is fine except it lacks the power and toys of the Honda.
The 'eco' engine one = woefully underpowered  . I'm sure it would be super economical if I drove everywhere on my own in an empty car at 55mph, but once laden with kids, bikes, roof bars/box etc etc its only slightly better than my 2.2 Accord was. And it's got a bloody awful electronic handbrake.