Cheap, reliable diesel advice please

[mattc]

I have a company car at the moment which is up for renewal in April. I am thinking I may run my own vehicle for a while and just trouser the cash instead. The current restrictions from the company are 4 doors and diesel. Age is not an issue. I would basically be using it to do 20 miles each way on mainly major A and motorway routes. In a year I do about 10k, mostly to/from work or airport

So far I have thought of a W201 and 202 and a 124.

Outside of the Mercedes pantheon of vehicles what would the forum suggest and why please? Say £2k as a limit for the purchase.

Looking forward to the advice.

 

[grober]

Anything pre-turbo will be pretty slow = UK W201- W124- EARLY W202 - { there were some turbo LHD cars} The first diesel Mercedes with a " bit of pep" were the W202 250 and later 220 turbo diesels Likewise the turboed straight 5s and 6s in the W210. Problem with the bulk of these cars is the body will have rusted away or the engine will have done mega miles- and they all wear out eventually.
Vehicles with the VAG "Pumpe Düse" engines get a good rep for lasting plus their bodies seem to be long lasting so might be worth a look in that "stable" VW, AUDI, SKODA, SEAT

 

[wemorgan]

Many premium marque £2k diesel cars from traders are high mileage nails. I'd focus the search on a private seller of a less sexy car with FSH. The Civic would be my choice from the below - quality car&engine with a timing chain (not belt)

Ford Focus C-Max 2.0TDCi Ghia 5dr

Ford Focus C-Max 1.6TDCi Zetec 5dr

Honda Civic 2.2i-CTDi Sport 5dr

Peugeot 307 2.0HDi XSi 5dr

Saab 9-5 1.9TiD Linear Sport 4dr

Skoda Octavia 2.0TDI Elegance 5dr

 

[Reggie-rock]

Annual mileage of just 10,000 miles a year,I would not bother with a diesel.

I STAND CORRECTED wemorgan, JUST IGNORE THIS.

 

[wemorgan]

^ he says it's a company restriction

 

[C36fan]

Find a nice late W202 220cdi and you'll be over the moon .

 

[mattc]

Like your list Will, out of interest why the C-max rather than a vanilla focus?

Which of these choices has the best rep for bodywork/rust resistance?

 

[Scott_F]

I'd forget any of the aged Mercs that you have considered - do you really want to rely on 15 - 30 year-old machinery to get you to work every day ? Most managers quickly get cheesed off with phone calls from staff members at 8.45am saying that they will be late (again) due to car problems.

I would be inclined to go for something circa 2006 from Ford, Vauxhall, VW or Skoda.

 

[wemorgan]

Like your list Will, out of interest why the C-max rather than a vanilla focus?

Which of these choices has the best rep for bodywork/rust resistance?

C-max: no particular reason, it's just what was available around Birmingham

I'd imagine all those cars are OK body rust wise. One mark against the Civic is that the paint chips easily, so bonnets and wings can become easily chipped. I'd visit a few local cars, you'll quickly see what your money buys. For a £2k car I personally wouldn't travel too far, so it's about finding what's local to you.

 

[Red C220]

Saab 9-3 1.9 TID Vector Sport 4dr

Saab 9-3 1.9TD Vector 4dr

Peugeot 407 2.0TD SV 4dr

Volvo S60 2.4 D5 SE 4dr [Geartronic]

Toyota Avensis 2.0 T3-S 5dr

Volvo S60 2.4 D SE Sport 4dr

Nissan Primera 1.8i SVE 5dr Auto

 

[Jeff666]

Golf 1.9 Tdi?

 

[mattc]

Like the S60 idea. My brother has one and I never even thought of it

 

[mattc]

Opinions on this one please?

E320 - nice looking spec I thought. Can anyone run a data card from the reg please?

 

[Meldrew2]

Around that budget I'd vote for a well looked-after VW Passat. Or maybe a Ford Mondeo. Anything but a Vectra!







.

 

[John Jones Jr]

Outside of the Mercedes pantheon of vehicles what would the forum suggest and why please? Say £2k as a limit for the purchase.

Looking forward to the advice.

£2k? Buy a Jap petrol.

 

[DSB SL AMG]

+1 for the W202 C220 cdi / Volvo S60 D5

 

[blue gnome123]

£2000 might get you a early MKV11 diesel accord with under 100K too. It's a pity that you can't go for a petrol. £2000 could get you a much nicer car. Something like a 2.4 typeS

 

[mattc]

Update

Well I thought I should update this thread. I bought an S202 C250td with 124K in Feb. Since then it's done 17k with no real issues (v. occasionally turning the key does not work-but always starts on the next turn of the key - EIS Issue beckons I guess)

It helps that the previous owner had significant engine work (read paid someone to replace every air and fuel line) done on the car and since I've had it I have replaced front lower arms and upper arms (despite Olly telling me he's never replaced a set), ARB's, steering damper, drag links, new rear lower arms and outer bushes, fitted an H & R touring kit (shocks and springs) and a new outside temp sensor (when is it ever -38 in the UK!). The car now rides great over humps and swales however the new set up is a bit crashy over severe bumps and I may replace the rear springs.

The car returns 40mpg and I rather like it. I must be honest and say it does not engender the love of a 124 however I do respect it. The car is a bit noisy (could it be the Michelin Winter tyres I am running by any chance) however I plan to fit some sound deadening to improve that.

So what's the point I'm making - I guess it's the fact a 17 year old car can be used as a reliable daily for business use however it does need maintaining.

 

[Rory]

I didn't realise it was an oldish thread when I first looked - is the company still insisting on deisel only? That was odd a year ago, and would be even more so today.

 

[S205-FTW]

Agreed. Not sure how they can put restrictions on your personal car, even if you use it for business.

My ex-employer had rules for permitted company cars (eg. no 2 door cars) but nothing to dictate fuel. If you took the cash, you could drive what the hell you wanted but had to demonstrate it was appropriately insured for class 1 business.

Glad to hear you're getting on well with the S202.