Bit of a milestone and some bodging

Hasn't had a service yet :-)

The Marea was an amateur at 72k miles on an R plate, but my old Passat was doing well with nearly 170k miles on it. I just hope my new one is every bit as good as the old ones were.

Probably not, but never mind, 'warrenty' :-D

Heh.

If I were taking the cash option, I'd be buying a nearly new B5.5 2.5TDI

- they really are an astonishingly well built car. New ones do seem to be distinctly low rent in comparison.

I tried to convince a workmate last week that a T reg A6 2.5TDI - the V6 one at the age as I'm sure you know - was a good thing instead of a leased car.

He couldn't see past the 2.5 engine and reckoned it would cost a fortune to run. I reckon it would be creamy smooth goodness - near enough a B5.5 to be the same thing.

They are very, very nice cars the 2.5TDIs.

I've experienced driving a late B5.5 in black pearl with tan leather and that 2.5 TDI lump. Was a very impressive car. Not driven that generation of A6, but I've driven the later one.

Over the last 12 months I've been incredibly tempted to buy a B5 based A6 in 1.8T trim. I think they're a work of art to look at.

Exceptionally well built cars. The diesels make huge sense in drivability etc if you can't run to a W8 or refuse to pay the fuel bill (that'll be me then).

I also had a go in Skoda Superb 2.5TDI Elegance when they came out - a very very fine thing indeed, although you wouldn't want to be the man that paid full list on a new one.

Now, talking of those, I'm kind of hoping the Superb qualifies as a 'German' car when my order form finally makes it here.

Just doing an Autotrader search while we're on the subject of B5.5s My old Passat was a whisker under 19 grand in Sept 2003 when it was ordered. I see that the same thing is down to as little as 8 grand now. 11 grand depreciation in 3 years.

Or if you like 300 quid a month in depreciation alone plus whatever the payments would have been if I had actually bought the thing rather than leased it through work. Still , it was a great thing. 229lb/ft of torque,

Stick this in your pipe and smoke it: R reg 306 1.9 NA Diesel - 157k.

Guess how many times it's broken down.

I would, but I can't find a key for 'infinity' on this keyboard ;-)

Infinity breakdowns? You crazy old man, that doesn't make sense!

A mate has a Seat Arosa 1.4TDI on 180k+

It's in Character Map.

Careful now or you'll spark /another/ Mac vs, PC "debate".

(c:

snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk (SteveH) wrote in news:1hhifrw.1ae3aw2kw0o9aN% snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk:

I have a beyond key :=)

"fishman" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

I had a 740 on 320,000

Douglas Payne wrote in news:4gannkF1lgk6mU1 @individual.net:

Yeah, must be the renoir engine in the 320,000.