MrPid Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Struggling to decide on a new Daily Driver..... Currently have an old 2006 525d M Sport Touring which has served me well. I've had it for four years and now looking to get something a little more refined. I want to move away from diesel as I only do about 10 miles a day, but would like something good for the odd long journey. Don't have kids or dogs so been looking at Coupe's again. I do like the convenience of an estate, but few look as nice as the beemer (unless you step up to RS4/Jag) The current stand out is the Mercedes C350 petrol (2010) onwards which appears to be pretty bullet proof. My budget is around £12k max and I don't want anything older than 2010 or over 100k miles. There appears to be tons more choices for diesels but with such a short mileage i'm confident i'll end up with dpf/egr problems and false economy. The Mrs is keen for a Range Rover TDV8 - even though i've shown her the horror stories of taking the body off just to change glow plugs! lol There is a little part of me that just wants a cheapo shed for £500, but I like driving too much to live with that 🙂 Currently discounted the following: Skoda's - nice cars, but feel a little soft after the beemer Jag XF-R - heard that the super chargers are only good for 50k BMW - getting way to complicated with electronics for repair Ford - boring Nothing french Japanese - mostly boring, no imagination unless its a chav wagon Any assistance/corrections on my thought process would be a great help! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve (sdh2903) Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 How about the e class coupe? Think they look nicer than the C coupe. And the interior is a step up. Sister in law had one but a 220d and it was a lovely place to waft. As you say though finding a petrol one isn't easy although the merc 350 diesel is bulletproof and with a light remap give 300bhp. But as you say the milage you do wouldn't do it any good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPid Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 7 minutes ago, Steve (sdh2903) said: How about the e class coupe? Think they look nicer than the C coupe. And the interior is a step up. Sister in law had one but a 220d and it was a lovely place to waft. As you say though finding a petrol one isn't easy although the merc 350 diesel is bulletproof and with a light remap give 300bhp. But as you say the milage you do wouldn't do it any good. Its a good shout tbh, as the C class appears to be a rare beast. My only gripe with the E class is the extra years it adds to your age lol I've heard the air suspension can be a little temperamental. The E class convertible is absolutely beautiful, but - is useless for going on a tip run! (and im not a hair dresser-I don't even have hair!) I'll see what my mechanic things of the diesels and maybe put some money aside for dpf/egrs poss? I love the torque of the diesel. Sometimes my beemer surprises me, even after "spirited" driving in the Westie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Just going through the same decision myself, mostly because I have the ULEZ to worry about and my 55 plate Focus diesel don't cut it... I've homed in on 1 series or 2 series Beemers to be honest. A close second are Lexus IS and hovering in third are Volvo C30's and V40's. Word reached me from more than one source that the Volvo's are supremely comfortable. I've been loyal to Ford for nearly 30 years but the current crop of Ford Focii and Festers look underpowered to me. My diesel is old but it still pulls like a train and my fear is that I will miss the torque so I'm looking for petrol or diesel that has more than 130/140bhp. It's more of a challenge than I realised That said, the Fiesta Van looks interesting. Diesels are reasonably priced, the two Ford diesels I've had previously (Mondeo and Focus) have both been in to 6 figure mileage numbers with zero issues. Yes the van may be noisier as there is nothing in the back, but they are also lighter (just over the tonne, I think) and are surprisingly reasonably priced. And as I don't have anyone else to worry about and the car mostly has tools or my suitcase in the boot, I'm thinking, "why not"... On Autrotrader search for Ford Fiesta then under Model Variant, choose Sport... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008313139996?onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=ub49th&aggregatedTrim=Sport&radius=1500&sort=price-asc&make=FORD&price-from=5000&maximum-mileage=30000&advertising-location=at_cars&model=FIESTA&page=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onliest Smeg David Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 51 minutes ago, Blatman said: I've homed in on 1 series Have to say I've just had a year with my first BMW, a 2017 BMW 125d and I've been mightily impressed with car and support from Bowker dealership. So would highly recommend one. I had long test drives in 120, 125 and 135/140 and the 125s imo were best compromise between sportiness and value. BMW stopped making the 125 petrol or diesel, but if you can find one the extra oooomph is worth the extra £££. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPid Posted October 5, 2020 Author Share Posted October 5, 2020 The Beemer engines are incredible - I can't fault them tbh. (apart from my firs 525tds which threw a rod at traffic lights, on the old range rover engine). My afternoon's research has discovered a whole host of issues with the M276 engine as well from MB so looks like they're off the table as well. Seems the MB engines are now riddled with chain tensioner issues which are either very expensive to fix or write off the engine. TBH i've almost come full circle and taken a side step towards the X5. It would give more space (in line with blatman's suggestion of a possible van move) and apart from the usual bmw niggles, which I am aware of now, it has half the problems of the RRS or Q7 being based on a simpler design. The 1 series are cool, but maybe a little too small for me. I like their styling though and one of the local member's son has just picked up a 140i and he tells me its insane! The problem with forums is they're like doctors surgeries, you only read of problems, not all the good bits! Trying to find a proportionate representation is sooooooo hard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan France Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Probably not popular but a plus for the Lexus IS. On our fifth Lexus. Wife’s first IS lasted 9 years and 90,000 miles and NEVER failed, not even a light bulb. I did 200,000 + in my LS430 with only air suspension sensors needing replacing, and even then the car got me home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhett Turner - Black Country AO Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 On the positive side, I had a 116d (very low tax band company car) enjoyed it that much I replaced with an auto 120d when I changed jobs (not a company car) and now have an X2 again with the 2L diesel engine. When looking at the X1/X2 I also looked at the X3 but desided I did not want anything that big. I decided to go SUV as I was fed up of being below all the other cars, the X2 in the end felt a good compromise between a normal car and an SUV with out looking as daft as some of the more overert coupe SUVs which I'm no fan of. I did consider the 125d but desided that the power was enough (and it was). One thing about the BMs is that the engines tend to be common accross cars so the same engine appears right accross the range. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 3 hours ago, MrPid said: Trying to find a proportionate representation is sooooooo hard! honestjohn.co.uk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPid Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 So i went to look at a Jag XFR today, because who needs economy?...... Complete lemon, looks to have had a rear end shunt and "smart" repaired. Dealer had no idea, I pointed out the standing marks and orange peel in the bumper, along with the boot sitting 2mm high on one side than the other and he looked at me like I had just walked in and urinated on his children... (I love making friends....) Dash Leather is also lifting badly and bubbling, not that he mentioned this before I drove 90 miles to view it!!! (common fault) The best part is I took the Westie up, thinking they would appreciate it, but they didn't even bat an eyelid - which tells me they know little about cars. The Westie got more attention than the Lambo Huracan parked next to it in the fuel station next door, which was great. At least Joe public appreciate a home made car. Anyhow, the Jags appear, however, to be a brilliant car with a bullet proof engine and a loyal following. I just have to find a decent one 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Thorne Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 there's a 2009 XFR in the ads on here. Nothing to do with me though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPid Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 On 08/10/2020 at 13:06, Steven (Steve T) - Joint Thames Valley AO said: there's a 2009 XFR in the ads on here. Nothing to do with me though. Yeah saw that on auto trader, I would have gone to look at it apart from its at the opposite end of the country 😞 Lovely looking car though. I took the Westie up to High Wycombe to look at one on Weds, which turned out to be a complete lemon. All the docs added up (Hpi clear etc), but had defo been in a shunt. Dealer wasn't happy when I pointed out the orange peel, swirl marks from both buyer repairs and the boot sitting higher on one side. Worse part of it all was they didn't even bat an eye lid when I turned up in the Westie. I knew they weren't car people so walked away. Finished the week off by slipping up on my decking steps and breaking my back on Thursday. So i'm laid up for now, learning to walk again slowly 😞 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPid Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 So - still hobbling about but the driveway looks a little different now! Just need a new driveway now 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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