Serious what next question.

Clio V6.

MX-5.

I hope you're getting a decent mileage rate for using your own car...

My suggestion would be a Carlton Estate, only the chain driven straight 6 ones won't be that much better on fuel than your one. A pre-cat 2 litre (if you can find one in a shell that hasn't rusted into oblivion) is a good bet and not as gutless as you might expect (no rocket ship either, mind). 2 litre ones are cambelt driven, but non-interference, so just run it 'til it snaps, line up the marks, whack a new belt on, bingo :-)

Or a 405 estate. Belts are pence to replace.

Might be an idea. A largish hatch (saab sized), or smaller estate (v40 sized) were more that I had in mind.

Other than that it was people carriers and 4x4s (roomy, large flat load area, and quite often 2 fold down seats for when the tribe needs taken home drunk).

Probably only works out about 30-40 miles a week max for work related stuff. About 270-300 total including commuting.

Commuting is between 6 and 40mph on the motorway, works stuff is arround town so close to a steady 0-30 without the stop start of the motorway.

Pavement grey Passat 2.0 TDI 140 automatic SE.

How about an A-Class?

We're recommending our own cars not our fantasies/fixations. Find a new theme :-)

I wouldn't buy an auto one with my own money, but Peugeot 306 Estates have a useful, flat, near as dammit flush with the bumper boot floor. The rear suspension is all under the floor so there's no turrets impinging on loadspace.

Decent spec ones have nice seats and aircon. I fit OK in them (I know you're probably a different shape). Diesel ones go allright, last forever and are frugal.

Dunno much about the Petrol ones except that 1.4s are to be avoided.

We've had 4 306s (2 Estates) here at Payne Towers. One of them was written off in the snow a few years ago but the older one is still going strong at 10yrs and 160k. Bits are cheap and freely available. They are comfy, ride well, are grippy and handle quite entertainingly.

I'm still breathing.

They're good cars. They don't do an auto, as such, and you can't afford one.

HTH.

That sounds great. Never knew that. Even though a mate of mine's got one.

Also, Xantia Estates are fecking mahoosive thanks to the super-low loading floor. I never used to think so, but I'd almost certainly say they're a lot bigger than a Carlton, and still reasonably chuckable and not as barge-like as an XM. Exclusives come loaded with toys, and you could get an Exclusive with any choice of decent engines for probably a couple of grand.

Saucer of milk for table two.....

Maybe, but I would like the avoid having to fold seats to fit in servers flat.

My latest off the wall "maybe, what if" thought is what about a jeep cherokee 2.5.

The mid 90's boxy ones have come down since the newer bubble car ones. Consumption is palatable compared to the grey whale, boot should be just about big enough to fit a few servers flat.

For a cherokee it would have to be a diesel not the big lump petrol though.

Build quality is atrocious and performance of the 2.5 is glacial.

Then there's the absolute and complete lack of grip.

A class seats are very foldable, but if you want decent bump absorption over high frequency road undulations etc. look elsewhere.

Omega Estate? Knew a guy who used to move about fruit machines and video games in one so I can't see a 4U rack being a problem.

Have you ever driven the M56 at rush our, the speed between Lymme and=20 altrincham is roughly 3mph (My speedo goes down to 5kph) if it threatens=20 to rain.=20

OK, not such a good thing.=20

Not such a good thing with =A310k servers in transit.=20

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream: