tin top daily commuter recommendations

[Marcus Barlow - Show and Events Co-ordinator]

I might be soon swopping from a company car to my own and have been perusing options, anybody got any recommendations

 

Looking for:

 

Not new

Cheap

Diesal

4 door

Sporty

Good mpg

Capable of towing westy on trailer (how can you find this out?)

 

Thought about:

Saab 9-3

Golf GT TDI

 

What people got and what do you recommend?

 

cheers

[KugaWestie]

Have a look at an Octavia VRS TDi

[SootySport]

Saab's are  cheap, cheap now as they don't exist, some bargains there and the 9-3 tids are excellent.   The VAG diesels are also very good motors but not cheap, even the Skoda range are more to buy than yer Focus's and Vauxhall equivalents.

For towing your Westy the Golf TDI's are about the minimum sized car you could get away with.  Have you seen the Jag X type in the WSSC cars for sale, Estate, diesel and all the extras, looks a cracker that one.   The Octavia diesel would be my choice though, if I was looking for another tow car, note Rowan Atkinson has a Skoda now.

The max towing weights are shown on a plate inside the door shuts, on all the VAG cars, I guess other makers stick them somewhere too.

[peterg]

 

For towing your Westy the Golf TDI's are about the minimum sized car you could get away with.

 

Slight exaggeration IMO, I can remember at least one Fiesta and a 206? in the Speed Series paddock a few years ago...

 

A Golf GT TDi will barely notice a Westfield and trailer, I used a Golf with DSG box to tow my single seater plus spare set of wheels/tyres and ezup on a 4 wheel trailer all the way to Anglesey and back at a decent lick and got 37mpg as well

 

Having said that, an Octavia will swallow a lot more tools and spares in the boot and they come in cheaper than an equivalent Golf but just as entertaining to drive...

[John Williams (Panda) - Joint Manchester AO]

i've got the golf gt sport 4 door.... love it, good balance of speed and econony ... intreseting had a saab 93

[Wile E. Coyote]

What sort of budget and max miles/age are you looking at...?

[It Almost Looks Like A Car]

Have a quick look at a Civic 2.2 diesel  - 150bhp, well over 55mpg, plenty of space, dont know about towing but it will have plenty of poke to do it.

[Mark Stanton]

If its Honda then a 2.2 Accord Diesel - economical, roomy and tows a Westfield easily

[Terry Everall]

My Passat estate is fantastic

[jim_l]

Depending on where your budget is at - BMW 3 Series Touring - 2 litre diesel from 2008 on. 

 

A cracking motor 177Bhp, 45 MPG and a fair bit more than that more unless your drive is mostly in town, practical and versatile,  a van for track days or when you need a wardrobe from IKEA, a motorway mile muncher and a lovely drive when not in van mode.  

 

I have one and am beginning to think about an update, but can't see past just getting a newer one of these....

[Mark (smokey mow)]

I've got a 54 plate mk4 GT-TDI130 that has been my daily driver and tow car for the last 5 years. It's my second mk4 as I had a 2.0 petrol estate before that.

Towing limit is 1400kg and with the westy on a trailer it's barely noticeable behind you. I can still easily get 40-45mpg when towing on motorways.

For the mileage and abuse my cars get with my job I need something solid and reliable which the golf does better than anything else I've tried. The 130 engine I find is just enough to keep me entertained behind the wheel