A car for all occasions....15k?

[Swarf76]

Hi all,
In need of some advice here. I'm planning ahead somewhat, but basically due to the new mileage limits being imposed I will be handing my Motability cat back in 2028 and won't be renewing so I've decided to make the most of it and start researching what's available.
Must be an auto (so I can convert it to left foot throttle), 4 or 5 doors, able to do 35mpg ish on a run. But must be fun to drive and be engaging, as it will be my only car. 250bhp plus.
Really has to be comfortable too, as my spinal nerves are damaged and harsh riding cars are not great. I could probably manage with adjustable damping for the good days!
Absolutely no interest in ev's, just do nowt for me.
So far I'm considering:
Audi S4 or S3
Golf R
Bmw M135 or M140
Mercedes A45 amg
Alfa giulia
Any feedback on these, or other suggestions would be great!

[AddyT.]

7.5 Golf R with DCC or 7.5 GTI Performance with DCC. Not sure how easy they are to find these days but great cars to drive everyday. Can't speak for the GTI but my wife had a 7.5 R until recently (until some young scrote crashed into it and wrote it off) and that was a lovely and easy car to live with.

[ZX10R NIN]

Have to be honest come back in 2028 the market will have moved on significantly since then.

[paddy1970]

The A45, Golf R and S3 are probably the riskiest for your comfort requirement. I would also treat wheel size and adaptive damping as decisive, not optional detail.

Best choice for you:

1. BMW M340i: It is one of the few cars here that can be genuinely comfortable and still feel special.

2. Kia Stinger GT-S 3.3 V6: comfortable, rear-wheel drive, characterful and different.

Edited by paddy1970 on Wednesday 27th May 21:25

[TrevorHill]

ZX10R NIN said:

Have to be honest come back in 2028 the market will have moved on significantly since then.

Why will we have a significant move between now and 2028 other than depreciation?

[ND_19]

Not many of the cars you mentioned will be comfortable per se, so go larger.

Given you want comfort id suggest an A8 / 7 series or A6?

Could probably get a good 740d or S6 for your budget and you won't get more comfort / toys / speed for the money

[ZX10R NIN]

TrevorHill said:

Why will we have a significant move between now and 2028 other than depreciation?

More model (depending on the OP's budget) available.

[Heathwood]

Well, the first problem is trying to guess the depreciation curve of potential cars over the next couple of years. You may well find cars like the m340i which are now around the £30k mark will still be well north of £20k, but those cars not as far into their depreciation curve might come your way. How about something like a current model Octavia VRS?

[GTEYE]

You might find one of those choices for £15k but I’d say it won’t be a great example.

I’d be looking at a 320d if you really want a Swiss Army Knife type of car.

[Swarf76]

Thanks everyone, some helpful stuff there. I appreciate that there will be some changes in the market in the meantime, but it's good to get some experiences of said cars.
Unfortunately due to my disability I can't test drive vehicles. Obviously I can go passenger but that only tells me so much, so it's good to get feedback from other folks.

[mjf1]

Anecdotal and subjective, but I was a passenger in a Golf R estate recently and was extremely surprised at how comfortable it was to be in. Just rode really well and smoothed out the bumps in the road - more so than some more "luxurious" cars I've been in

[Swarf76]

mjf1 said:

Anecdotal and subjective, but I was a passenger in a Golf R estate recently and was extremely surprised at how comfortable it was to be in. Just rode really well and smoothed out the bumps in the road - more so than some more "luxurious" cars I've been in

Would that be a DCC model? I've heard good things about it.