Something ‘nice’ for £3-4k?
Discussion
Hi All,
Yet another one of these what to buy threads here. I’d probably be best looking in the barge thread but would ideally like a separate discussion.
I’ve currently got an FN2 Type R which I love and has been absolutely faultless, it’s brilliant. But I’m now at an age where I’m over speed and yobbo driving. There’s just too much risk with speed traps & cameras to have any fun. I’m now after something ‘nice’. Easy to drive, soothing and comfortable with lots of creature comforts and some level of luxury.
So a few requirements;
- £3-4k
- Must be automatic
- Reliable
- MPG not too important but 30 on a run at least
- No small hatch backs, but estates are fine
- Decent turn of pace but doesn’t have to be ‘fast’
- No more than about £400 tax
- ideally no diesel unless they’re known to be bullet proof diesels that will do fine on low mileage
So far I’ve considered Lexus IS250s, Accords, Mondeos, Volvo S80s, Lexus GS300. I think out of them it’s between the Lexi to be honest, maybe would consider a nice spec accord.
Hit me with what you’ve got!
Yet another one of these what to buy threads here. I’d probably be best looking in the barge thread but would ideally like a separate discussion.
I’ve currently got an FN2 Type R which I love and has been absolutely faultless, it’s brilliant. But I’m now at an age where I’m over speed and yobbo driving. There’s just too much risk with speed traps & cameras to have any fun. I’m now after something ‘nice’. Easy to drive, soothing and comfortable with lots of creature comforts and some level of luxury.
So a few requirements;
- £3-4k
- Must be automatic
- Reliable
- MPG not too important but 30 on a run at least
- No small hatch backs, but estates are fine
- Decent turn of pace but doesn’t have to be ‘fast’
- No more than about £400 tax
- ideally no diesel unless they’re known to be bullet proof diesels that will do fine on low mileage
So far I’ve considered Lexus IS250s, Accords, Mondeos, Volvo S80s, Lexus GS300. I think out of them it’s between the Lexi to be honest, maybe would consider a nice spec accord.
Hit me with what you’ve got!
I was thinking IS250 throughout reading your post - then it turned out to be your own first thought!
I enjoyed mine for similar needs. Totally reliable except rear brake calipers need careful attention to prevent them seizing up. MPG was poor in town, sub 25 mostly, but respectable on a motorway run - pushing 40. Needs super unleaded/E5 for fuel pump reasons. Daft tax band for the manuals after 2006, but autos squeek into a more sensible band. Don't underestimate the lack of practicality of a saloon vs a hatchback, for getting things like bikes into them. But otherwise a gem of a car and I miss mine.
I enjoyed mine for similar needs. Totally reliable except rear brake calipers need careful attention to prevent them seizing up. MPG was poor in town, sub 25 mostly, but respectable on a motorway run - pushing 40. Needs super unleaded/E5 for fuel pump reasons. Daft tax band for the manuals after 2006, but autos squeek into a more sensible band. Don't underestimate the lack of practicality of a saloon vs a hatchback, for getting things like bikes into them. But otherwise a gem of a car and I miss mine.
Estates are considerably more sought after than Saloons for a lot of makes and models that would be suitable . 3 and 5 series, all Merc E and C class, Volvos, etc.
So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
I bet you can get 3.0 V6 early XF's for absolute buttons these days and they are, while dated, still awfully nice cars to cruise along in.
So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
I bet you can get 3.0 V6 early XF's for absolute buttons these days and they are, while dated, still awfully nice cars to cruise along in.
I've owned both a GS450h and an IS250. The GS is a better car in all areas except perhaps looks and steering feel. The 450h makes effortless progress and gets consistently better MPG while having 100bhp+ more. I really miss that car any time I need to cover long distances, as it did that job so well.
Judging by the classifieds it seems to be getting harder to find a decent one. The owners group on facebook might be a good place to look.
Judging by the classifieds it seems to be getting harder to find a decent one. The owners group on facebook might be a good place to look.
Jamp said:
I was thinking IS250 throughout reading your post - then it turned out to be your own first thought!
I enjoyed mine for similar needs. Totally reliable except rear brake calipers need careful attention to prevent them seizing up. MPG was poor in town, sub 25 mostly, but respectable on a motorway run - pushing 40. Needs super unleaded/E5 for fuel pump reasons. Daft tax band for the manuals after 2006, but autos squeek into a more sensible band. Don't underestimate the lack of practicality of a saloon vs a hatchback, for getting things like bikes into them. But otherwise a gem of a car and I miss mine.
Yep I’m thinking the IS250 is my best bet really. Liked them for a while now and I’ve never heard anybody have a bad thing to say about them. I enjoyed mine for similar needs. Totally reliable except rear brake calipers need careful attention to prevent them seizing up. MPG was poor in town, sub 25 mostly, but respectable on a motorway run - pushing 40. Needs super unleaded/E5 for fuel pump reasons. Daft tax band for the manuals after 2006, but autos squeek into a more sensible band. Don't underestimate the lack of practicality of a saloon vs a hatchback, for getting things like bikes into them. But otherwise a gem of a car and I miss mine.
snotrag said:
Estates are considerably more sought after than Saloons for a lot of makes and models that would be suitable . 3 and 5 series, all Merc E and C class, Volvos, etc.
So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
I bet you can get 3.0 V6 early XF's for absolute buttons these days and they are, while dated, still awfully nice cars to cruise along in.
Yep I have looked at some of the more prestigious marques, but I just fear catastrophic break downs. There always seems to be a common, yet really expensive fault/maintenance item that needs doing on all of these where as the Lexus just seems to be so solid. So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
I bet you can get 3.0 V6 early XF's for absolute buttons these days and they are, while dated, still awfully nice cars to cruise along in.
How are the engines on the Jags?
eth2190 said:
I've owned both a GS450h and an IS250. The GS is a better car in all areas except perhaps looks and steering feel. The 450h makes effortless progress and gets consistently better MPG while having 100bhp+ more. I really miss that car any time I need to cover long distances, as it did that job so well.
Judging by the classifieds it seems to be getting harder to find a decent one. The owners group on facebook might be a good place to look.
I’d absolutely love a GS450h but the batteries scare me a little if they were to go wrong and I’m not sure if I can get on board with the CVT. 🤔Judging by the classifieds it seems to be getting harder to find a decent one. The owners group on facebook might be a good place to look.
Maybe I’ll take a look on Auto Trader for one and have a rethink. They seem so much car for the money but also a big risk.
I think anything 'nice' will have an strong element of risk of bills down at the £4k level.
You have to be prepared to take a punt on a car you like.
If you are flexible about what you want, you might get a bargain, because at this level, there is a huge gulf between normal private prices (let alone forecourt prices) and WBAC/trade-in money.
You have to be prepared to take a punt on a car you like.
If you are flexible about what you want, you might get a bargain, because at this level, there is a huge gulf between normal private prices (let alone forecourt prices) and WBAC/trade-in money.
eth2190 said:
I've owned both a GS450h and an IS250. The GS is a better car in all areas except perhaps looks and steering feel. The 450h makes effortless progress and gets consistently better MPG while having 100bhp+ more. I really miss that car any time I need to cover long distances, as it did that job so well.
Judging by the classifieds it seems to be getting harder to find a decent one. The owners group on facebook might be a good place to look.
I’d absolutely love a GS450h but the batteries scare me a little if they were to go wrong and I’m not sure if I can get on board with the CVT. 🤔Judging by the classifieds it seems to be getting harder to find a decent one. The owners group on facebook might be a good place to look.
Maybe I’ll take a look on Auto Trader for one and have a rethink. They seem so much car for the money but also a big risk.
JPL123 said:
Yep I’m thinking the IS250 is my best bet really. Liked them for a while now and I’ve never heard anybody have a bad thing to say about them.
I was not altogether convinced by mine. The car was fine, but the engine sounded unappealing… It used to make me cringe when it started up from cold… Sounded like a grumpy toddler waking up.And which ever clown decided to fit a heating element which heated the bottom 3 inches of screen, but not fit heated washer jets so it was useless in freezing weather.
Not a car I recall with any fondness, except for the astonishing Mark Levinson stereo and the wood trim, strangely.
Why not go for a Saab 9-3?
I had one before my Volvo and enjoyed owning it. There aren't many common issues on them, and those aren't particularly difficult/expensive to fix: water leaks into the front foot wells (blocked scuttle panel drain), water leaks into the boot (perished boot aperture seal beading), snapped coil springs, rotten air con condensers, and possibly ECU failure which is quite rare. The 2.0 petrols are the ones to go for as they're reliable, nice to drive and reasonably economical. Get a 1.8t (150bhp) or 2.0t (175bhp) as the smaller turbo makes them more flexible to drive.
£4k should get you a nice example with heated seats, leather upholstery, cruise control etc. The Aero cars have stiffer suspension, bigger wheels and a bigger turbo so suffer from turbo lag, but they're still a fine option. Avoid the V6s and diesels.
Parts supply wasn't an issue for me, be it OEM, aftermarket or secondhand. Just a pleasant, enjoyable and fairly affordable ownership experience.
I had one before my Volvo and enjoyed owning it. There aren't many common issues on them, and those aren't particularly difficult/expensive to fix: water leaks into the front foot wells (blocked scuttle panel drain), water leaks into the boot (perished boot aperture seal beading), snapped coil springs, rotten air con condensers, and possibly ECU failure which is quite rare. The 2.0 petrols are the ones to go for as they're reliable, nice to drive and reasonably economical. Get a 1.8t (150bhp) or 2.0t (175bhp) as the smaller turbo makes them more flexible to drive.
£4k should get you a nice example with heated seats, leather upholstery, cruise control etc. The Aero cars have stiffer suspension, bigger wheels and a bigger turbo so suffer from turbo lag, but they're still a fine option. Avoid the V6s and diesels.
Parts supply wasn't an issue for me, be it OEM, aftermarket or secondhand. Just a pleasant, enjoyable and fairly affordable ownership experience.
snotrag said:
Estates are considerably more sought after than Saloons for a lot of makes and models that would be suitable . 3 and 5 series, all Merc E and C class, Volvos, etc.
So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
I'd agree about estates being far more expensive. So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
That's why I ended up buying my E90 BMW 330i Saloon in 2019 in the middle of your budget. More than five years on I still love it!
But those other options would be worth considering too.
Mr Tidy said:
snotrag said:
Estates are considerably more sought after than Saloons for a lot of makes and models that would be suitable . 3 and 5 series, all Merc E and C class, Volvos, etc.
So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
I'd agree about estates being far more expensive. So if you dont 'need' an estate, you'll typically get a much, much nicer car for the money by buying a saloon.
That's why I ended up buying my E90 BMW 330i Saloon in 2019 in the middle of your budget. More than five years on I still love it!
But those other options would be worth considering too.
I’ve owned both an accord and is250, I preferred the accord as the build quality was better.
The European accords were sold as Acura brand luxury cars in the US.
If you can find a 2.4 automatic accord they are great cars, but rare.
The accord saloon has lots of rear seat space, and you can get an estate too. The IS has tiny rear seats, I could just about squash two adults in the back.
I regret missing out on one a few years ago for under £5k. I’d probably still be driving it if I’d bought it.
The only issue to watch out for on accords is catalytic converter theft. If not sure if the IS is also susceptible.
The European accords were sold as Acura brand luxury cars in the US.
If you can find a 2.4 automatic accord they are great cars, but rare.
The accord saloon has lots of rear seat space, and you can get an estate too. The IS has tiny rear seats, I could just about squash two adults in the back.
I regret missing out on one a few years ago for under £5k. I’d probably still be driving it if I’d bought it.
The only issue to watch out for on accords is catalytic converter theft. If not sure if the IS is also susceptible.
I find myself in this budget and dilemma quite often.
I am a serial cheap car owner with my previous car history for the last few years all being below £4k
My current steed is a 2014 Mondeo and although it has been reliable, the only issue has been a duff wheel bearing in almost 2 years. It isn't the most engaging and feels pretty cheap.
In contrast my previous 2008 3 series felt much more premium, drove much nicer and was overall a better car, but it snapped its chain. Which cost a fair chunk to repair and then had an expensive MOT with numerous suspension components needing replacing.
Not sure where I'm going with this other than yes the 'premium' brands are more 'nice' but as said it comes with the repair costs
I am a serial cheap car owner with my previous car history for the last few years all being below £4k
My current steed is a 2014 Mondeo and although it has been reliable, the only issue has been a duff wheel bearing in almost 2 years. It isn't the most engaging and feels pretty cheap.
In contrast my previous 2008 3 series felt much more premium, drove much nicer and was overall a better car, but it snapped its chain. Which cost a fair chunk to repair and then had an expensive MOT with numerous suspension components needing replacing.
Not sure where I'm going with this other than yes the 'premium' brands are more 'nice' but as said it comes with the repair costs
Apart from the tax cost a decent Saab 9-5 meets your brief.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410165...
Or if you have a massive pair of balls how about a W8 Passat?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305016...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410165...
Or if you have a massive pair of balls how about a W8 Passat?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305016...
blue_haddock said:
Apart from the tax cost a decent Saab 9-5 meets your brief.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410165...
That Saab is a very good car for the money, IMO. Great seats, will be quiet and smooth. If you want soothing driving and ease of ownership, that would be mu choice. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410165...
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff