£3/4k economical motorway cruiser

[willmagrath]

I may soon end up with a 100 miles round trip commute along the M4, about an hour each way. Looking to buy a 3 or 4 k cruiser to munch up the miles cheaply and easily.

Preferably something interesting, Volvo? Saab? BMW?

Any ideas would be great

[SuperNads]

I bought a 2010 Honda Accord for £4k and it's the most comfortable car I've ever had with cruise control, reversing camera, and heated leather seats. Feels solid as a rock even at 136k miles. My petrol car will do over 40mpg so the diesel is probably even better for motorways.

[Canon_Fodder]

willmagrath said:

I may soon end up with a 100 miles round trip commute along the M4, about an hour each way. Looking to buy a 3 or 4 k cruiser to munch up the miles cheaply and easily.

Preferably something interesting, Volvo? Saab? BMW?

Any ideas would be great

Just trying to think what would make an hour on the M4 'interesting'...

[agent006]

I'm facing a similar choice, albeit M1 not M4, and I keep coming back to a Citroen C5. C5 Exclusive, so it has the nice suspension and the comfy seats. You can pay silly money for one, but decent ones seem to hover around £4k.

[MrGTI6]

Canon_Fodder said:

Just trying to think what would make an hour on the M4 'interesting'...

Laughing gas?

[ZX10R NIN]

willmagrath said:

I may soon end up with a 100 miles round trip commute along the M4, about an hour each way. Looking to buy a 3 or 4 k cruiser to munch up the miles cheaply and easily.

Preferably something interesting, Volvo? Saab? BMW?

Any ideas would be great

I can recommend a CLK they have nice low NVH with good ride as well as nice 5/7 speed auto.

CLK270cdi pretty much bulletproof & will see 40-45mpg on a run & will see 45-52mpg with a remap:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204204...

CLK320cdi Avantgarde solid drivetrain that'll see big miles with ease & similar fuel numbers to the 270 above but with a smoother V6d as well as the added benefit of heated seats & xenons:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204034...

Sports have the added benefit of Orthopedic seats:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204144...

220cdi's give similar real world numbers to the two above as you have to work them a bit harder:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204224...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202052...

[ninjag]

willmagrath said:

I may soon end up with a 100 miles round trip commute along the M4, about an hour each way. Looking to buy a 3 or 4 k cruiser to munch up the miles cheaply and easily.

Preferably something interesting, Volvo? Saab? BMW?

Any ideas would be great

Comfy seats with plenty of adjustment, a cracking sound system and adaptive cruise would be my main priorities for commuting on a motorway.

[Defcon5]

You recommend those Mercs a lot ZX10R - is the equivalent E class equally as good?

[ZX10R NIN]

Defcon5 said:

You recommend those Mercs a lot ZX10R - is the equivalent E class equally as good?

That's because they were my go to as a daily up until recently & they just work when you're piling on the miles as well as being comfortable.

The E Class/CLS are both good cars I just prefer two door coupes, my ultimate would've been a CL with the 4.0 V8 diesel but the new E400d is a peach.

[dan425]

ZX10R NIN said:

Mercedes CLKs

How are the petrol ones? Would you recommend at all? Noticed all the ones you linked were diesels. (Or was that purely based on the motorway mile-munching in the OP's brief?)

[ZX10R NIN]

dan425 said:

How are the petrol ones? Would you recommend at all? Noticed all the ones you linked were diesels. (Or was that purely based on the motorway mile-munching in the OP's brief?)

That was more to do with the OP's brief it's dependent on your budget, as there are a couple of engines to avoid.

[dan425]

Would be interest on your view on the same budget, but petrol.

I'm looking for something cheap and reliable as a secondary to my Exige.

[Chicken Chaser]

SuperNads said:

I bought a 2010 Honda Accord for £4k and it's the most comfortable car I've ever had with cruise control, reversing camera, and heated leather seats. Feels solid as a rock even at 136k miles. My petrol car will do over 40mpg so the diesel is probably even better for motorways.

Theyre reliable enough but things do go on them and mines rusty underneath. Diesel will return 53mpg on a run, mid 30s around town.

[ZX10R NIN]

Depending on what your usage would be I'd recommend the 500 they're pretty much bulletproof & in the real world are only 3-5mpg worse on fuel than the 320.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203033...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384836046289?hash=item5...

On the flip side you will get a last of the line 320 for nearer 3k:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205045...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201181...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205045...

Leftfield is the C Coupe 320:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204204...

[Zerosumgame]

Lexus IS220d

[dan425]

ZX10R NIN said:

Mercs

What do you think to the 2.6 CLK240 Avantgarde?

There's a 1 owner one near me, clean MOT history, 2003, 130k, Auto, Petrol - £2.5k.

One of the engines to avoid, regardless of what looks to be a well looked after car? Or one you'd recommend?

Usage is short commutes and runabout duties, rather than long motorway trips.

(OP, sorry to hijack, will make my own post after this!)

[ZX10R NIN]

dan425 said:

What do you think to the 2.6 CLK240 Avantgarde?

There's a 1 owner one near me, clean MOT history, 2003, 130k, Auto, Petrol - £2.5k.

One of the engines to avoid, regardless of what looks to be a well looked after car? Or one you'd recommend?

Usage is short commutes and runabout duties, rather than long motorway trips.

(OP, sorry to hijack, will make my own post after this!)

That engine is fine but lacking go, personally that's a bit expensive for that car unless it's in exceptional condition with lots of receipts.

Also the pre 2004 models are more likely to get some rust showing at the front of the rear (stone flicking up from the tyres is the cause) arch, it's a cheap fix as long as it's caught (£200) early enough .

At that price point I'd probably take a look at this 320 Avantgarde first:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205045...

But if that 240 is on your doorstep then why not take a look.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Thursday 5th May 19:19

[W201_190e]

Pre 2004 CLKs May have a Valeo (sp?) radiator that leaks into the transmission through the cooler basically destroying it and writing off the car. I would avoid if you can. Also, all CLKs can go rusty around the rear arches, it got better post 2003 but by no means did they fix it.

The CLK is a solid car, the V6 engines both petrol and diesel and transmissions are almost bullet proof but do not get a later 280 or 350 up till model year 2009 (the internet will tell you up to model year 2008 and a certain chassis number, it’s wrong) due to balance shaft issues, again possibly writing off the car. If it doesn’t take the engine with it it’s a £2000-£3000 repair.

I’d be tempted with a W211 E220 facelift (2007 onwards). No SBC, no airmatic. Yeah only four cylinders but they are quick enough. Pick up a decent one for £3k with a grand in the slush fund.

[georgeyboy12345]

Renault Laguna Coupe 2.0 dCi GT
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203314...


Honda Accord 2.2 i-CTDi
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203143...


Saab 9-3 TTiD
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202202042...


Volvo S80 D5
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204285...

[mitchell6]

Zerosumgame said:

Lexus IS220d

I bought one a few weeks ago very comfortable and so far reasonable on fuel so far.