Comfortable, engaging, roomy, less than £6k?

[ChiggyWiggy]

Hello people.

I really enjoy driving my Mazda 3 2.0 Sport Saloon, which has a lot of features for the money and feels quite composed in corners, but feel it's ride quality is fairly harsh and my area's roads keep getting worse.

It's also started having some other issues of late and needs bodywork doing, so I'm tempted to change.

I have a preference to 4dr saloons, but hatchback options considered if roomy (5dr), manual, petrol cars. Ideally something engaging to drive and competent, if not fast, but primarily something that takes one look at bumpy council-neglected roads and says "so what?"

I don't mind going old; everything is considered (gliding on oldschool Merc would be nice!), but lower mileage examples (below 100,000) preferred.

Any help would be most appreciated - the more reliable the car the better though.

For reference, if my budget was closer to £10-13k I'd probably go for the C180 4dr (2011-2014) AMG Sport (for the folding rear seats omitted in other models for some daft reason). I don't need BMW handling if it sacrifices ride quality. A4 2.0 TFSi would be fine also in that price bracket, but my personal preference is the Merc.

Finally, I tend to steer clear of French, with really only Renault ever tempting me.
I did look at the C6 but would need to have a really good case to be tempted by it.
Other cars looked at: Jaguar S-Type, Rover 75, various Alfas (because pretty), and lots of classics.

Thanks a lot all!

[kambites]

I think you'd get a decent facelift mk2 Octavia VRS for that. Just avoid the 18 inch wheels (which are awful).

The Rover 75/MG ZT is a much under-appreciated car, IMO. Especially in V6 guise.

[Bennet]

If you're willing to consider Rover 75s then perhaps you are also willing to consider a mk2 Mondeo. The best all round car I've yet owned. Engaging to drive, and yet it rides well. (Why can't these two traits be found simultaneously in more cars?) The 2.0 petrol is happy to rev and even sounds ok. It's big enough, but not stupidly massive like a modern Mondeo.

If I were looking and I could find one in decent condition (ideally the St24), the only thing stopping me from buying it would be that my wife can't see past the image.

[Burnzyb]

The mk2 Mondeo had some annoying flaws though main 2 where bumpers made of glass, and sills that rusted for fun along with other body parts, I had a couple of mk2's and they where nice and comfy, but they have all but disappeared now, I can't remember the last time I saw a mk2 let alone a Mk1.

Aren't the zetec engines in the mk2 supposed to be good for turbos and kit cars? Probably why they got sacrificed so much when prices dropped.

[Bennet]

I scrapped mine last month, mainly because of rust. No doubt there are a few decent examples left in old people's garages that will surface every now and again.

I've never driven a mk3 but I gather it came in for a lot of the same praise as the mk2. Again, you just have to get past the image.

[MorganP104]

Alfa, you say? Four door saloon, you say? How about a 166?



I had a pre-facelift example a few years ago, and it was a lovely car. Nice to drive, decent handling, comfortable (and good looking) interior, good ride. Mine was equipped with the Busso V6 engine, so epic-sounding, too.

I'd recommend spending £3-3.5k on a really good one, and sticking £1k aside (as a bork fund). Later cars with a full service history will be as reliable as anything else of a similar vintage, but best to have a bork fund anyway.

ETA: The best looking cars are in Ti specification. Large wheel gorgeousness.

[Howard-]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[Harvey Mushman00]

Lexus IS250

[mr_spock]

I'd go for a V6 Jag X350. Spend 5K for a very nice one, have 1K for any suspension bushes, compressor etc. and have change.

[ChiggyWiggy]

Interesting suggestions so far.

Mk2 Mondeo has always been a favourite, especially in ST24/200 guise, but as people have said, rust-free, good examples are hard to come by.
That being said the later ST220 was always tempting and even the newer, boat-like Titanium X linked here should be comfortable (not sure how good the drive is, must research).

The Alfa 166 is tempting because I've always wanted an Alfa. I'll have to research.

The Lexus IS250 is worth considering but I much prefer the look of the newer models than when they first came out (desirability-wise they didn't hit the spot).

Thanks for the suggestions, will research and keep ploughing on!

[MorganP104]

ChiggyWiggy said:

The Alfa 166 is tempting because I've always wanted an Alfa. I'll have to research.

Do yourself a favour, and get a V6 166, whilst you still have free choice... You never know when that'll be taken away from you (budget contstraints, horrendous taxation, wife having triplets, losing your job, etc.)

In case you need any further convincing, the engine sounds as good as it looks.



While I'm in the mood for gratuitous Alfa porn, have an interior shot, too.

[hyphen]

ChiggyWiggy said:

Hello people.

I really enjoy driving my Mazda 3 2.0 Sport Saloon, which has a lot of features for the money and feels quite composed in corners, but feel it's ride quality is fairly harsh and my area's roads keep getting worse.

Volvo?

[ZX10R NIN]

For 6k you could get a nice Mondeo for you budget there hard to find but worth looking for, does it have to be manual because that rules out most Mercedes.

2009 Mondeo 2.3 Titanium X Auto 67k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 2.5T Titanium X 66k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2010 Mazda6 2.5 Sport 67k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2007 C280 SE 53k (the SE will have a smoother ride than the Sport models)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2005 CLS350 (low Road Tax model) 61k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2005 E500 75k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2009 BMW 523i SE 69k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 325i SE 59k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 Honda Accord 2.4 EX 67k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Lexus IS250 SE-L 33k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

All the above will ride well how engaging you will find them only a test drive will tell you, for me I'd be looking at the Mondeo Mercedes & the Lexus

[TurboHatchback]

I would second the suggestion of a M4 Mondeo 2.5t. On the 17" wheels and standard suspension the ride and body control are truly excellent and the drive is hard to fault. They are big cars so certainly roomy and even really nice low mileage cars are under £6k.

[ZX10R NIN]

TurboHatchback said:

I would second the suggestion of a M4 Mondeo 2.5t. On the 17" wheels and standard suspension the ride and body control are truly excellent and the drive is hard to fault. They are big cars so certainly roomy and even really nice low mileage cars are under £6k.

Like this one:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

For me the 17's are a step to far they look lost in the arches

[ChiggyWiggy]

I like the Titanium X Sport (apparently good balance between sporting dynamics and ride) and the 2.5T sounds great - always wanted the Volvo I5 - found one but it's £2k too much! But as a long time Ford fan who has never owned his own Ford, this may be the right route for me to start me journey. Thanks all!

[TurboHatchback]

ZX10R NIN said:

TurboHatchback said:

I would second the suggestion of a M4 Mondeo 2.5t. On the 17" wheels and standard suspension the ride and body control are truly excellent and the drive is hard to fault. They are big cars so certainly roomy and even really nice low mileage cars are under £6k.

Like this one:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

For me the 17's are a step to far they look lost in the arches

Yes exactly, that one looks great. Mine is the same colour .

[daemon]

kambites said:

The Rover 75/MG ZT is a much under-appreciated car, IMO. Especially in V6 guise.

One thing i would say is having owned a 2.5 v6 ZT, parts, whilst readily available generally speaking, can have to be ordered from the likes of Rimmer Bros. This can mean (a) some parts are more expensive than you'd expect and (b) it can take longer to get a problem resolved (c) you dont have the instant swap out of wrong parts that you'd get with a local motor factors.

I lost use of my car for a week odd at a time when i'd a problem as it went to my mechanic for diagnosis, then we'd to order the parts online, await them arriving and then schedule fitting.

[ChiggyWiggy]

daemon said:

One thing i would say is having owned a 2.5 v6 ZT, parts, whilst readily available generally speaking, can have to be ordered from the likes of Rimmer Bros. This can mean (a) some parts are more expensive than you'd expect and (b) it can take longer to get a problem resolved (c) you dont have the instant swap out of wrong parts that you'd get with a local motor factors.

I lost use of my car for a week odd at a time when i'd a problem as it went to my mechanic for diagnosis, then we'd to order the parts online, await them arriving and then schedule fitting.

Thanks for the heads up! I'm kinda gearing towards a newer Mondeo now!