1K+ Miles a week 6K estate, is the E61 535D the best option?

[Danny4494]

Long story short doing around 1000-1500 miles a week at the moment for the foreseeable, been driving a volvo v40 cross country manual 5 cylinder diesel cracking car adaptive cruise, 55mpg, been super reliable over the past year or so and 30k miles.

However cabin is small, manual isn't great especially when around London, and the seats are so uncomfortable after a few hours driving so driving 7-8 hours a day some days more its very uncomfortable.

I have found a couple of 535d e61 with comfort seats decent history etc, just trying to think outside the box or is the 530D a better option for reliability I know the m57 is a solid unit does the complexity of the 35d add any reliability issues for me.

Budget 5-6k can stretch if needs be

[7 5 7]

Stick with Volvo, but a Volvo 2.4D in S80/V70 guise?

[ZX10R NIN]

If you're driving around London is ULEZ an issue?

I'd say get a good rep car:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506263...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506043...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506283...

E220d:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506193...

CLS250:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505202...

508:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506263...

[Danny4494]

7 5 7 said:

Stick with Volvo, but a Volvo 2.4D in S80/V70 guise?

Are the seats any more comfy because the v40 ones are crippling ?

[Danny4494]

ZX10R NIN said:

If you're driving around London is ULEZ an issue?

I'd say get a good rep car:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506263...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506043...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506283...

E220d:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506193...

CLS250:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505202...

508:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506263...

Cheers I'll have a nosey at them and ULEZ isn't a huge issue my clients pay my ulez and they get expensed too although would be a bonus because I do regularly forget been meaning to set up auto pay for a while now.

[borcy]

Late model accord diesel?

[7 5 7]

Danny4494 said:

7 5 7 said:

Stick with Volvo, but a Volvo 2.4D in S80/V70 guise?

Are the seats any more comfy because the v40 ones are crippling ?

Wouldn't know on the V40's seats, but I just know a longer wheelbase car for such long journeys/high mileages is relatively more comfortable and forgiving, and less skittish than a shorter one.

Engine wise, the 2.4d in the Volvo I would say on paper is a tad more reliable than a 35d in the E61 5 series, covering big miles.

Edited by 7 5 7 on Thursday 3rd July 08:53

[ChocolateFrog]

80000 miles a year at the upper end of your predicted use.



If that's accurate and you're paying for fuel then fuel, comfort and reliability should be the biggest considerations.

I don't think a BMW would be on my list.

[Ed Banger]

Up the budget and go electric at that mileage as long as its only no more then 300 mils a day. A used Model 3 LR at 15K but then only £3-£5 to charge overnight at home. What are you spending a week on fuel, £150ish?

[66HFM]

Danny4494 said:

7 5 7 said:

Stick with Volvo, but a Volvo 2.4D in S80/V70 guise?

Are the seats any more comfy because the v40 ones are crippling ?

We had a Volvo V70 and I can honestly ay they were the most comfortable seats in any car I've owned or driven, the V70 also came with a brilliant stereo as standard.

That's some miles per week every week, I expect the local garage, for both fuel and servicing must love you!

[macron]

Ed Banger said:

Up the budget and go electric at that mileage as long as its only no more then 300 mils a day. A used Model 3 LR at 15K but then only £3-£5 to charge overnight at home. What are you spending a week on fuel, £150ish?

with a budget of 5-6k, spend 15?

wot?

[Ed Banger]

macron said:

with a budget of 5-6k, spend 15?

wot?

Simple maths, He has 6K, add 9k in loan payments over 60 months is circa £175 a month. You offset your fuel costs of circa £600 a month for home charging at circa £80 a month and you see where I'm going with this. Even a home charger at £1k is only another £20 a month. Overall your £500 a month better off.

Of course if the OP has to do only remote charging then its not going to work but we weren't provided the full detail.

[Matt_T]

The 2008 onwards Honda Accords have big, comfortable seats. Regularly drive 10 hours to Scotland and no issues.

[Rob P]

Ed Banger said:

macron said:

with a budget of 5-6k, spend 15?

wot?

Simple maths, He has 6K, add 9k in loan payments over 60 months is circa £175 a month. You offset your fuel costs of circa £600 a month for home charging at circa £80 a month and you see where I'm going with this. Even a home charger at £1k is only another £20 a month. Overall your £500 a month better off.

Of course if the OP has to do only remote charging then its not going to work but we weren't provided the full detail.

With those sort of miles there could be late nights and early starts...so not enough time to charge fully at home.

I would avoid an EV if I was doing this many miles. Last thing you want to do is add charging into an already busy day.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

Rob P said:

I would avoid an EV if I was doing this many miles. Last thing you want to do is add charging into an already busy day.

If it is 1000 miles a week, then 200 miles a day would be perfect for an EV (assuming you have home charging). Surely this is the sort of thing a Tesla is designed for?

52K miles a year at 55MPG in a diesel is going to cost about £6500 in fuel alone

[OutInTheShed]

If I had £6k in the bank and needed to do 1000 miles a week, I'd buy a diesel shed and keep at least half the dosh in the bank.
Any banger can go bang when you're doing these mileages.

The EV suggestion is IMHO, very valid, even if you can only put some of the miles on the EV.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

ThingsBehindTheSun said:

If it is 1000 miles a week, then 200 miles a day would be perfect for an EV (assuming you have home charging). Surely this is the sort of thing a Tesla is designed for?

52K miles a year at 55MPG in a diesel is going to cost about £6500 in fuel alone

This. Buy the cheapest Tesla M3 you can.

[Danny4494]

I know a lot of these topics never materialize but I did end up buying a very well looked after e61 LCI 535D i went over budget was 7.5k private its got some tasteful oem+ mods (yes i know not really what i need for a work vehicle) and got the wife a byd seal, I'll be mixing and matching what I use, thanks for all the suggestions always been a BMW man at heart and I know the m57 like the back of my hand this weekend just gone did the vortex breather and a full gearbox service (real service with the mechtronic seals) I'll just pray to the car gods its a good one, appreciate all the advice given!

I did go view a 2017 Mondeo estate automatic and it was a lovely car and probably if I'm been honest would of done a better job than the e61 but heart was really with the e61 wish me luck !

[ChocolateFrog]

OutInTheShed said:

If I had £6k in the bank and needed to do 1000 miles a week, I'd buy a diesel shed and keep at least half the dosh in the bank.
Any banger can go bang when you're doing these mileages.

The EV suggestion is IMHO, very valid, even if you can only put some of the miles on the EV.

You'd only be keeping the dosh in the bank for 5 or 6 months until it's all disappeared out the exhaust pipe.

[OutInTheShed]

ChocolateFrog said:

OutInTheShed said:

If I had £6k in the bank and needed to do 1000 miles a week, I'd buy a diesel shed and keep at least half the dosh in the bank.
Any banger can go bang when you're doing these mileages.

The EV suggestion is IMHO, very valid, even if you can only put some of the miles on the EV.

You'd only be keeping the dosh in the bank for 5 or 6 months until it's all disappeared out the exhaust pipe.

Anyone who thinks they can do 1000 miles a week without running costs is deluded.

If you're doing 1000 miles a week and you're not earning enough to buy the fuel, you need to change job.
£6k is not going to buy you an EV that will do 1000 miles a week on home charging, so there are no better options than a diesel unless you can get a really small petrol car or an economical motorbike, even a bike will eat money in the form of chains and tyres etc.

Transport costs money, you can't avoid that.

Back in the day, some of us used to find cheap digs rather than spend the fuel to drive home every evening.

Maybe the OP needs a £6k estate or van he can sleep in?