New car suggestions - don't laugh

It looks like my Rover's finally going to be failed big time at it's MOT on Monday. Faults include: leaking power steering, cat gone, leaking and corroded radiator plus others.

Therefore ... what do people think of the following. I'm looking for a car with: grace, pace, space. Doesn't need to be an estate (the Zafira got rid of that need) and has to have some style. Must have 4/5 doors. Budget's 3-4K max.

Daimler 4.0 1995-8 versions. There's one in Huddersfield at £3995 that's a

1997 version which seems OK. The reason for a Daimler is that the quality's a bit better than a Jag and its' the LWB version.

Alfa 166 - either 2.5 or 3.0. I do have a thing about Alfa's! I'm a bit concerned about reliability though. /ducks

Possibly (just possibly) a Skoda Superb. The base ones come in at the top end of the budget.

Lexus GS.

Saab 9-5. (used to own a beige 1973 Saab 99 - bought for £250, treated badly, sold for £400).

Any suggestions?

I've had two Mercs and the ones in my budget are of the bad years. I also find BMW's and AUDI's a bit austere. Oh, and a Lexus LS is a bit nuveaux riche (or whatever). I'm also OK with a slightly higher servicing cost - the Merc cost me a small fortune over 4 years.

David

Reply to
David Lane
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Subaru Legacy Combi: interior a bit cheap but it refuses to die.=20 Collegue received the 3.0R Combi, so I took over his 2.0 GL.

Thought that it would last a month with my driving style but we now=20 around 15 months further and it is still there.

Comfy seats, doesn't feel fast but is fast enough as intervention=20 vehicle (ours has always 200-300 kg of tools in the back, helpsprings in=20 the back were a big bonus in road holding). Engine is quiet even at=20 higher speeds, it tops around 190 kph (longtime both feet on the=20 gaspedal and you'll see 205, use a small descent and it stays there=20 forever), fuel consumpion is within limits. Gearbox with extra small=20 ratio and electro-mechanic anti-roll back system when you are on a ramp.=20 Starting uphill (without rolling bachwards) is a doodle, even with a=20 loaded trailer attached.

3.0R combi has all the whistles and bells (and a lot more). Too quick=20 for me driving that all day (I need to keep my drivers licence).=20 Addictif growl and positif acceleration. EXPENSIF Bridgestone tires (210=20 UKP per tire, don't ask how I know) on 18'' rims and a real gasguzzler=20 (in town 20 l/100 km)

If you can't live without class: Audi A6 of even better A8 but beware of=20 leaky auto-boxes with the A8.

Tom De Moor

Reply to
Tom De Moor

go for the superb :)

its just a rejigged/rebadged Vw at the end of the day :)

bloody lovely motors and i'm considering one come the summer for taxi purposes

Reply to
Rob

Right. How much space?

Sounds like a nice idea except for the great unknown of repair costs.

On the one hand you'll (probably) love driving it. On the other you may forever be worrying about that strange noise you hear every so often.

And for goodness sake make sure you're comfortable in it. :)

You may also wish you had something rear wheel drive with as much poke (and

22 mpg) as the 3.0.

And for the grace. From some angles the 166 looks awful. From others it looks great.

I like the Superb. It's better value and less pretentious than the A4 / Passat, it's available with similar engines and it's massive inside. De-badge it and most people won't know what it is, but will assume it's an Audi.

Hmm. The great unknown about repair costs. They have proven reliable though. More to be driven in than to drive I suspect. Image is a bit bling too.

The 9-5 is also massive inside. It suffers from front wheel drive. You will fit and be comfortable in it. Saab purists reckon the 9000 is a better machine. If you can find the Aero (2.3 turbo, 230, 250 or 260 bhp) it's a handful but fun, if you like that sort of thing. Sounds dangerously sensible in this group too, our fleet Aero returned an indicated 34 mpg on a long haul trip, cruising in that fuzzy part of the speed range between the legal limit and where you know you'll get nicked.

Citroen XM? Not especially quick in the above company though.

Mitsubishi Galant? Superb V6 engine. I like the look of them. Not especially big inside compared to say the Saab or Superb.

Ford Scorpio 24v? Acres of space, cheap, strange looks are not to all though. :-p

As a long shot how about the Peugeot 605? It always looked too much like a

405, except the 605 could be had with a superb-sounding 3.0 V6 and lots of toys.

And don't forget the Volvos. The S60 is smaller than a Mondeo but has a great choice of engines. The S80 is larger with larger engines. The 850, well, yeah these too.

Reply to
DervMan

Jags are generally pretty reliable in terms of not leaving you stranded. They can be expensive if you insist on fixing every single electrical fault, but that's more of an XJ40 than X300 (what you're looking at problem). However, the 95-98 versions suffer from Nikasil problems. Make sure it's had a replacement engine (yellow tag on the block IIRC).

They're good cruisers but there's no point in a cheap version. You want all the toys.

Reply to
Doki

I would have the Skoda or the SAAB 9-5 (based on my small amount of knowledge of what a wonderful thing the 9000 we have is).

I would probably opt for the Skoda - safe in the knowledge that I would be unlikely to need to repair it any time soon. That would leave some money spare to buy something a bit tasty for some weekend fun. (Locost, Sylva, GTM etc...)

But that's me...

Reply to
Bob Sherunckle

And if you want more, talk to Hirsch. They will supply upgrades for your dealer to fit, and any Saab dealer/factory warrenty it has will be intact.

Reply to
Elder

*brings back horrible memories from not to long ago* sniff yeah don't want that shit happening i can tell you!
Reply to
Vamp

Thanks - I'll watch for this. The idea of a Daimler's proving interesting - although it seems the luxury is in the back and my two young boys would get that.

David

Reply to
David Lane

And unfortunately they're out of my budget.

David

Reply to
David Lane

A Saab's possible - and an upgrade would be good.

David

Reply to
David Lane

Enough for a family of 4 without being squashed. The 124 series was OK but a bit tight in the back.

Agreed. I'm OK with a budget more than normal though.

I do that now!

I quite like it.

Agreed - it was a thought. But not one that appealed all that much.

Possible - but does it have the kudos?

Like the idea, but getting a decent one's a bit more difficult. The VR4 one looks more interesting though.

No. Big fish-gaping no.

No thanks. They're good value though since they have depreciated like a 605 being dropped from a plane.

Last year I had a 740 estate for about 2 weeks. It was like driving on the inside of a coffin!

David

Reply to
David Lane

Hirsch (dunno how the f*ck your meant to say it!) do some call remaps. 93 turbo can be remapped to give 255bhp (had one at work as a demonstrator, they wouldn't let me near it as we had it around the time i got done for

120mph) but they also do remaps for dervs too which REALLY makes them a cool toy! boss had a 93 sport wagon remapped and that was to quick i kept saying 'this is a diesel right?' hehe
Reply to
Vamp

You see, a family of four can fit into the original Mini, thoug...

In that case...

We all should... :)

Dunno. It's different. Different may be enough.

Indeed.

Nice to ride in too.

The 850 is better, the S60 and S80 a world apart. Worth a look even if you suspect you'll hate it.

Reply to
DervMan

Yeah, mine too. I could afford maybe a 1.9 if I stretched and was keeping it a few years. But the 2.5 is well out of my league.

Reply to
Elder

Dunno if the Daimlers have the same suspension as the Jags but they drive pretty well. Plenty comfy enough in the front IMO. SWBs are a bit cramped for such a big saloon.

Reply to
Doki

Approximately like 'heersh' but with a short 'ee'.

Reply to
Timo Geusch

cheers i'l practice lol

Reply to
Vamp

And you have to get to love black and gold Saab badges, and pretend they aren't anything special.

Reply to
Elder

"Doki"

The Daimler is essentially a LWB Jag XJR with better fittings and hand-built. That's why I'm looking at one.

David

Reply to
David Lane

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