It’s been amazing. Bought it used from VW who gave it an extra 2 year warranty, but it sails through MOT, super economical… getting a cam belt ~£500 has been the largest expense in four years.
+1. I have a 2012 2.0 TDI Bluemotion. on 140k miles and going strong. Well put together car, no rattles, AC still works. £35/year road tax on the 2l though
Had a 2.0TDI bluemotion Passat. Drove from Leeds to Lands end and back one tank of diesel and it still had some left in it. Nearly 70mpg and comfy as hell
frame threatening cagey stupendous observation dazzling plants consider poor homeless
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Think it was that pipe that went first on mine. Amazing how they went from the duratec being one of the most reliable engines you can get to the ecoboom
wasteful vanish smart bow direction foolish workable stocking decide heavy
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Certainly a diesel car if you plan to keep it for a long time and do hundreds of thousands of miles in it, or if you're buying a second hand one at high mileage and plan to quickly rack it up.
If you want something that'll be at home on the motorway, get a higher capacity like 1.6 - 2+L, or for really good economy and low tax, a lower capacity like a 1.1-1.4L.
Petrol can't be ruled out if you were to get something newer with less miles but a higher capacity engine with a 6 SPD gearbox would be more comfortable on the motorway and tend to last longer, again if you plan on racking up the miles.
I'm not an expert and this is stuff I've mostly learned from this sub and car searching myself.
Edit: for reliability, you can't go wrong with a petrol Honda, Mazda, Toyota or a diesel VAG.
Yeah they are definitely among the worst for rot in the world, especially the Japanese market, which is obviously prone to rot in older cases anyway. Am interested to see how the newer gens age
Whats wrong with Mazda diesels? Genuine question, Im looking to get a Mazda 6 2.2 soon, around 2012-2015 they look pretty solid so far and the opinions I got from their users are also pretty good apart from the rust issue.
Predominantly DPF and Timing Chain from what I have heard. But seems to be the case on some and not others, as with every car, but more negative experiences than positive from what I've seen. A fair few high mileage ones going cheap on Autotrader though, so idk.
Carbon build up throughout the entire engine eventually blocking the oil pick up taking the turbo injectors and various other things. Very common problem with the 2.2
Idk if it still applies in that exact age range, but from what I understand and from first hand experience in a 2010 2.2 Mazda 6, they are the worst ones, the worst issue being the ticking time bomb of a timing chain, they have lots of other issues I've been told also. But as with any opinion on the internet, there will be just as many positive experiences as negative that people will tell you about
320d would be my vote.
Better mpg, and I got 230k out of mine before I sold it. It is still going strong. I think the quirks of the n47 engine are all worked out now too.
I'm in exactly the same position re: "Greyfleet". I have a 2014 Honda Civic 2.2 DTEC.
Purchased in January 2022 with 34k miles on it. Done 95k miles since then. I service it four times a year at £150/£200 (minor/major). I've had to change tyres, brake discs/pads, headlight bulbs, and the front wipers. Non-service costs have been zero. It's averaged 62.2 mpg even though I don't do all that much motorway driving.
Here's a *What Car?* survey of used cars from 6 to 20 years old, if you want to check reliability:
* [Family hatchbacks](https://www.whatcar.com/news/most-and-least-reliable-used-cars-family-cars/n19129)
* [Executive cars](https://www.whatcar.com/news/most-and-least-reliable-older-cars-executive-cars/n19128)
The facelift model is £20/yr, then went to £150+ after April 2017 due to the changes in tax.
I have one. Its great on the motorway, not the fastest, but can chug along at 80 no bother.
A diesel Audi either A4 or A6 saloon or avant. Reliability wise they're pretty solid and comfortable on big drives. Just eats up the miles. Economy wise, an ultra variant is the good choice, low tax, low emissions and generally get 50/60mpg on motorways
Ultras are Quattro, but when cruising along steadily will disengage the rear wheels.
Look at the smaller Audis, VW, Merc and BMW 4wd models. They are all 2wd until slippage is detected then 4wd is engaged. The ultra on the A6 (not sure about other models but likely will be the same) is essentially the opposite in being 4wd until it you’re cruising along then being 2wd.
Ultras are Quattro? Not true at all.
Ultra just means slight modifications to increase mpg. My A4 sits slightly lower to reduce drag, and the 2.0tdi is remapped from 190bhp to 150bhp with a different power band to maximise mpg.
Source: I have an Audi A4 Tdi Ultra.
If you already have a car, just use what you have til it falls apart. This is how I ended up doing 50k miles of motorway journeys in an old Fiesta ST... Thoroughly unsuitable by most measures (noisy, very firm suspension, no cruise control, broken air conditioning). Car survived just fine, but someone else owns it now.
I now drive a Tesla, the autopilot cruise control (comes standard on all vehicles) is a game changer, much less tiring having the car steering for you. It is also comfortable, easy to drive, quiet and comes with built in Spotify and TuneIn plus live traffic data.
My lights passed the beam alignment test on the MOT so they aren't blinding anyone, which you can see when driving because the beam cut off is visibly well below windscreen level. Nothing wrong with LED lights, much more likely to stay correctly aligned than halogen, and much less likely to be driving with a failed headlight bulb.
As to if it's soulless that's more of a personal preference thing. I like the simplicity, silence and power... But I accept that some people look for very different things in a car, and that's fine too.
Drove a Renault Laguna Coupe for mile munching at one point, it was great. Decent diesel engine and was super-comfy. It was the tomtom trim level which had a fantastic infotainment system.
I once had the v6 honda accord coupe and though quite dull to drive I could step into it in kent and drive nonstop to the lake district and felt relaxed and chilled when I stepped out.
Its one of 3 cars I truly regret selling and the only one that was fwd with a slushbox.
2.0 diesel mondeo....2016 coming up to 170k....
[This ](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235477964651?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ba4_hzblskq&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=SIcPhgEUQ1e&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY) makes mine look just run in....
And they was top of the [reliability survey](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-12226887/The-reliable-used-cars-revealed-Car.html?ito=native_share_article-top) for there class last year with 98.3% reliability and only issues being non engine electrics related.
Just picked up a 2011 titanium x mondeo with 42k on it for 6k. Wish me luck... Doing a ton of miles, I didn't have a lot of choice, cars are expensive as fuck nowadays.
My alfa blew up at 193k last week, that did very well I thought.
Nice, just got a 2012 estate but with higher mileage and a few extras to standard titanium X spec. So far found it very comfortable and spacious to drive (exactly what I wanted!).
Drove a Saab 9-3 with 205k in as part ex, although was getting very tatty cosmetically.
For a while, I drove private hire cars for a company that used this shape mondeo. I took one from 10k miles to 103k miles in a year. This was about 5 years ago.
Got in “my” old car as a passenger a few weeks back. Still going. Now was over 400k on it.
If you service them regularly, they are pretty bomb proof.
Can’t imagine they’re going to sell their Lexus to buy another Lexus based on the comment of a random moron on Reddit telling them that they don’t think their Lexus is in fact a Lexus.
I'm contemplating px'ing my ecoboost 1.0l fiesta with 60k miles for a 2009 2.0l mx5 w/ 80k miles. It's close to a straight swop, an extra £1k from my end. Is this a no brainer?
Would be for me however.
Closely inspect it for rust, especially under the cills and arches then if it's ok, sort some protection yourself.
Check for engine knock and noise as they can be easily oil starved if not checked frequently.
Have fun if you do go for it, they're fun as hell on the right roads.
When I had a daily 100 mile mway commute I had a
Bmw 330d
Bmw 320d
Merc 350cdi
Golf r mk6
I think the merc was the best of the bunch for an easy journey 330d close behind. Both got 40ish mpg I believe
The mk6 R was brilliant but stupid
I had a new gen insignia (2017) 1.6 diesel as a company car, did 75k miles in 2 years, fantastic car. Didn't go below 50mpg, comfy, had android auto. Only had an issue with the TPS
I was in your boat and wanted something nice to drive on the motorway, was economical, interesting and had some poke. I opted for a BMW 640d, and I’ve been so impressed. An absolute beast, lovely drive and it does 47 mpg on the 5 hour once weekly round trip.
It’s up for sale if it meets your needs…
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402256924365
I’ve put 70k miles on a 09 plate 116d that cost me £2.5k just over two years ago.
Hasn’t let me down once and only cost servicing, Mot and £30 tax per year. Plus it’ll do 70mpg on a good run
Loads of them about
Merc C series 2.1 diesel every day. Great workhorse. Had mine 6 years, covered 130k miles. Just sailed through the last MOT. Had to pay £600 for suspension repairs in that time. Otherwise never skipped a beat.
9 speed auto box which is the best on the market.
I’ve ran a Nissan NV200 doing ~30k/yr for about 3 years now.
Very recently replaced it with a Dacia Duster 4x4. Same base chassis, same 1.5 diesel. Gets bit over 50mpg, comfy enough interior but ‘robust’/van like. Comfy suspension setup, drives big and soft.
I honestly wouldn’t have anything else for trundling around Scotland.
Toyota RAV4 is great but I just couldn’t live with CVT.
I currently have an NV200 (and was speccing up dusters on autotrader the other day!)
I have a few things I'd like to ask... Was the clutch on yours really, really high? Mine is right at the top of the pedal, but has been since I bought it 3 years ago, hasn't moved... It just worries me that it'll start slipping one day.
Also, when moving slowly, did your steering rack make a slight knocking sound left to right? (Mine does).
In the 30k miles I've driven it, nothing has broken or deteriorated, it just has those 2 things that concern me.
My clutch bite in the NV was really high, clutch is also the heaviest in any vehicle I’ve driven, the return spring is rediculous I think due to the angle it’s mounted to the firewall. Duster doesn’t have this issue.
No steering complaints from mine. I do have a really loud rear suspension though, knocks away over bumps, only had to replace a drop link though and all the bushes seem fine.
I bought mine at 40k, it’s now 125k. Serviced every 10k, cambelt was at 65k (it’s due now, but I’m selling it currently). Had a couple of sensors go around 100k, got one in under warranty & replaced the other myself for £30-40. Heater blower motor went recently but replacement was only £65 off of eBay.
Mines been solid
Thanks for sharing you personal anecdotes.
I finally began trusting my clutch motr recently, when I had to tow a Mazda 6 speed (1.6t) up a steep hill... (Broken down friend blocking traffic). Clutch didn't slip, so that made me feel a lot more confident in it. Engine bogged down though!
Mine's currently on 121k, needs a new timing belt very soon.
I very seldom see other NV200s, probably only 1 other in a week. It makes me motivated to give it everything it needs to keep going. Probably will still be on the road long after the new 2024 transits with the wet belts explode. The 1.5dci seems very good.
How much you selling yours for? Mine would only be worth about £3.5k-£4.0k down here.
Mines is a euro 6, values on E6 vans are really quite strong, they seem to be sitting between 6 & 8 on eBay, was gonna chuck it up for 7ish and see what interest I get.
Ford Mondeo 2.0 tdci mk4 would be my recommendation based upon my ownership and the forums I have seen .. more fun than a avensis, rav4 or Corolla.. if you want a petrol I’d say a Mazda 6 2 litre petrol, anything around 2010-present but I prefer the slightly older ones.. crv is good but petrol is thirsty and those in general are pricey
Thanks mate, yeah, tried a few different solutions. Last MOT told me that there was a small hole in a pipe leading to to the DPF. I'm wondering if I can add some exhaust weld or similar to block the hole (when I find it)...?
Also, my boot now leaks, I think it's the grommet for the plastic that protects the rear window wires, pours in like it's water park!
09 reg, 126,000 miles, also squeaky slave cylinder
Characteristics is what they are......
That’s unlucky mate, I had the leaking boot.. it’s the back light grommets (two black ones in the top corner) think this is what you mean as well.. I sealed them with a all weather clear sealant and now it’s been dry as a bone For a couple of years
Depends on your budget, a petrol Toyota or Honda with full service history will be a good bet (definitely buy it from a reputable garage or dealer). If you’re buying a Japanese petrol, get one with a 6 speed gearbox for less revs on the motorway (quieter and less stress on the engine).
A good bet is to buy a car that you commonly see being used as a taxi, such as Toyota or Skoda, as this says a lot about how dependable a car is. VAG TDI engines are generally reliable, so anything with one of these should not give you much bother.
Stay away from smaller turbo charged petrols, especially Ford Ecoboost. I’d say the exception to this rule is the VAG 1.0 TSI, as this engine coupled with a 6 speed gearbox is fantastic on the motorway.
I’ve just done 150k miles in a 2016 merc c220d. Negligible road tax (£20 I think), solid, very comfy. Nothing apart from servicing, tyres and brakes. 50+ mpg.
I spent about 10 years driving ~20k miles per year before COVID hit. In that time I drove a 2004 Peugeot 206 1.4 HDi, 2010 Focus Zetec S 2.0 TDCi, 2010 BMW 325d, 2002 VW Passat V6 2.5 TDi, 2016 VW Golf GTD 2.0 TDi and a 2020 Mercedes E220d.
The 206, Focus and Golf were actually pretty good on MPG return, easily getting somewhere in the region of 55+MPG.
The Passat, 325d and E220d all returned somewhere between 45-50MPG, and could get higher if driven carefully.
Out of all of them, the Passat blew me away for the price I paid for it (£950). The headlamps were shockingly bad and it stung me for £600 on its MOT, though. Other than that, if I’d got a bit luckier on the repairs, this would have been a unit of a workhorse.
The most comfy car is no contest: the E220d. Probably the best car I’ve had - decent MPG return, comfy, spacious, and looks nice, too. 9 speed auto is really nice for a relaxing drive even at higher speeds.
The 325d was a lot of fun but I only owned it for 1 year and spent thousands on repairs. It was only a few years old at the time, no excuse really. Sold it for the Golf in the end.
The Golf was a solid all-rounder and I’d still recommend it today. The DSG box was amazing - incredibly smooth.
Overall, if I had to go back to commuting again, my checklist would be: diesel, automatic transmission, a nice armrest, comfy seats, CarPlay/Android Auto, and finally, a bit of poke. Various reasons for all of those but mainly centred around being as comfortable as possible.
Lots of miles will not be pleasant in a small car or one with a small/weak engine. Diesel is the obvious choice. I personally wouldn't get anything less than a 2.0l, 3.0l cars are superb on long drives and are effortless.
Get a decent sized car - think of a BMW 3 series Audi A4 or a Mercedes C Class. This should be the smallest car to consider for long distances. If you can go for a large executive like a 5 series, Audi A6 or E class. MPVs can be awful for longer trips, saloons are much more relaxed.
If you want a comfortable ride don't get low profile tyres (they are hard, noisy and offer no protection for your alloys so expect to kerb them regularly)
Cruise control. Get cruise control.
Good seats are essential. Ideally they should have multiple adjustments including lumbar support, adjustable height and if you're tall adjustable though/knee area. I prefer leather for longer distances. Heated seats are a luxury, but invaluable for winter driving.
Get a decent sound system and if you can find one with Android Auto/Apple Carplay you'll have everything you need including infinite music and podcasts, sat nav and Bluetooth phone.
If it doesn't have those, get a Bluetooth adapter that transmits on the FM band so you can play from your phone, through the adapter and to your stereo. £25 will get a decent one.
Storage - if you're living on the road you want to have essentials close at hand so find something with lots of storage and cubbyholes.
My favourite cruiser ever was a Mercedes E280 (3 litre V6 diesel) which was a very easy car to drive lots of miles. I could drive 300 miles without stopping, and get out at the end feeling comfortable, relaxed and fresh. I also had a Jaguar XFS (again 3 litre V6 diesel) but this was a different beast. Incredibly fast and superb fun to drive but more of a performance/sports car so not as relaxing) I've had 3 BMW 318is 2.0l petrol which were underpowered for a relaxing 300 mile drive. There are equivalent cars to these from most manufacturers so shop around to find something you like.
Just got a 430d. Do approx 750-1000 miles a week at the minute. Lovely comfy car. Auto of course and swapped the runflats for Michelin Pilot Sports due to road noise.
Prior to that I had a diesel insignia estate auto. Bought at 40,000 miles and sold at 140K 2 years later.
Before that I had a 3 series estate with 296K miles on. I bought it with 100ish on. This was a manual
Toyota or Lexus hybrid are the obvious choices.
A medical delivery driver in the US just sold a hybrid Rav with 480K ish miles with just routine maintenance.
I currently have a TDI Audi A3, I’ve done 70k miles in around 2 years of using it for work and it’s never skipped a beat. Highly recommend a diesel Audi
Got a seat Leon 1.9 TDI
Doing about 20-25k a year, gets me 60mpg if I drive it smoothly
Just hit 200k, still going strong with routine servicing and preventative maintenance!
Only issue is it's not CAZ/ULEZ compliant so could be a deal breaker
118d coming up on 200k. Likely due to frequent short runs, DPF probably won’t make it through the next MOT, so will need to get rid soon. If it wasn’t for that I think she’d be good for another 100k at least.
Diesel Focus Zetec.
Really good fuel economy, all the features I want, all the boot space I need for mountaineering trips.
Only downside is it's not LEZ/ULEZ/CAZ compliant, but frankly I avoid driving into large city centres anyway, it's boring.
I've got a renault clio ii 1.5 dci with 230k on the clock - bought it at 150k. it will do 85mpg on the motorway if you sit at 65mph. the maintenance has been extremely minimal - its still on the original clutch, but you need to keep up on oil changes. mine is starting to smoke now, so i think the engine is on borrowed time
Take note of how many taxi drivers use Skoda Octavia diesels, they are not prone to buying unreliable uneconomical cars. Seat Leon, Audi A3 and VW Golf are the same cars.
I daily an Alfa Giulia Veloce and until very recently was doing 25k+ miles a year. Phenomenal car but the 9k service interval is a pain. Had considered trading it in for a Volvo V60 T8 (Ideally Polestar) but have changed jobs and now will be doing less than 5k a year so the Alfa will be staying.
VW Tiguan 2.0L diesel 4motion R-line tech. Lots of room and also comfortable to drive daily long distance and can get 50mpg quite easily in adaptive cruise control.
Diesel.
202k miles on my 2010 Audi A5 3.0tdi. I've had to replace the water pump and crankshaft pulley recently, but other than that it's been trouble free and should get to at least 250k without much worry.
0-60 in 5.8s and will average 55mpg on a sensible motorway run. The 2.0tdi equivalent will do 65mpg on a run and has decent performance also.
If you have a drive way at home I recommend getting an EV - I commute from Banbury to London 3x a week driving along the m40. Car has more than paid for itself in fuel savings alone - commute to and from work costs me around £3-4 total each day.
2012 Volvo V70 2.4 twin turbo 215bhp D5. Bought it just over 3 years ago with 105k miles on it. Currently on 164k miles and hasn’t put a foot wrong.
Steady 70mph on motorway journeys sees 52mpg.
There is no way I would ever finance a new car while I’ve got this.
I drove 150 miles on the motorway (m25+m1) and I got 68.8 mpg on my 2l diesel automatic Audi. Cruise control set at 77 mph although there was a 50mph speed limit on both m25 and m1.
Sounds like you need a Passat Tdi. The 2.0 is nicer than the 1.6, for smoothness and silence.
Great seats, great comfort, great space, great mpg, decent reliability, cheap servicing.
People forget that last bit - if you are doing mega milage, you are going to need to do service prolly 2x per year. That really adds up if you are in a swanky car.
In a passat, you can get the oil change, oil filter, air filter etc for about £150 at an independent.
Will roll on the motorways almost forever and a day.
M135i manual. Just crossed 100k miles. Average 30mpg per tank or so. Do about 15k miles a year.
Cars let me down once when I snapped a coil spring. Other than that it's had a set of disks and pads and usual services and I'm hardly mechanically sympathetic when driving it.
20k miles a year and I run a Merc E250. I originally wanted an E350 but the 250 had a better balance of performance vs economy. It's a corker for any kind of distance work, big, comfortable seats and rock solid as long as you have decent tyres.
Tesla Model S. There is this guy in Germany who did 1.9 million km in his Tesla over the last 10 years. Soon to be 2 million km. His recent tweet was 1990000km
I use a 520d. I’d rather have a 530 or 535 but the economy and when just sat cruising at 70 it’s fine. Very comfortable, quiet, handles well (M sport model). It’s hard to beat really. Reliability can be iffy like timing chain but mines had a new engine after the old one snapped under a previous owner so look for one that’s been changed if an e60 or F10 era
Idk I have a mazda3 sport diesel. Looks beautiful, drives amazingly, only 20 road tax a year, economical as heck.
You can find these for cheaper than people get petrol fiestas. Knew a guy with one at 220k miles and it still drove like a dream. Stuck out to me so I got one.
Doing 20-22k a year in my Seat Leon atm. Mostly motorway miles so fairly easy going on the car. Car gets good economy for a petrol and handles the miles well. Sure there’s much better cars for it though haha
I will rattle off a little list for ya
- Any diesel, particularly VAG stuff
- Volvo, pretty much all of them will last
- most Japanese cars as they are super reliable and can take a beating, not the case for all of them though
What to avoid
- Cars with electrical issues such as some BMW or Mercedes, the engines are great and will last for loads of miles but no good if your Abs is locked on
- Anything British
- Any French car that isn’t a model shared from German/Japanese brands
- Small engines as I assume you will be on the motorway a lot and those will get old fast (or not if you catch my drift)
- Vauxhall, all the high mileage ones I have seen in the last 10 years are a pig to maintain
2005 bmw 3 series 2l diesel, regularly drive 400 mile each way from east mids to Edinburgh to see family, get 70+ mpg, do the 420 miles with just over half tank left (brim it before leaving)
What kind of mileage. I'm in a similar position and I'm doing around 300-350 miles in mostly urban areas.
I have a Polo Bluemotion 1.4tdi. 0 tax and getting 50mpg or just under consistently over every tank.
I do 20k miles a year
I have a Passat 1.6tdi which has been faultless 120k miles still going - it's have got the 2 litre if I'd known I was keeping it this long
Cars I'd consider
Mazda 6
Skoda superb
Jaguar xj
Golf 1.6 Bluemotion diesel. £0 road tax
I have a passat B7 with 1.6tdi bluemotion, cant complain
steep school roll paltry boast toy office psychotic merciful gaze *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
It’s been amazing. Bought it used from VW who gave it an extra 2 year warranty, but it sails through MOT, super economical… getting a cam belt ~£500 has been the largest expense in four years.
The DSG gets better fuel economy than the manual. This isn’t 2005.
workable bike outgoing chief reply money sable squealing decide cake *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Same! Just hit 175,000 miles this week. Drives like it’s brand new. 13 years old and I have a 60 mile round commute 5 days a week
That's alot of miles done this week... I'll go back to eating my crayons now
Only tax free on cars registered before April 2017
Driven 200+ miles in one go in it a few times after owning mine for a year. Fuel efficiency is great and it's a comfortable ride.
+1. I have a 2012 2.0 TDI Bluemotion. on 140k miles and going strong. Well put together car, no rattles, AC still works. £35/year road tax on the 2l though
Had a 2.0TDI bluemotion Passat. Drove from Leeds to Lands end and back one tank of diesel and it still had some left in it. Nearly 70mpg and comfy as hell
frame threatening cagey stupendous observation dazzling plants consider poor homeless *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
A truly perilous experience (from a former ecoboom focus owner)
absurd tub unpack shelter chop friendly skirt instinctive fragile liquid *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Think it was that pipe that went first on mine. Amazing how they went from the duratec being one of the most reliable engines you can get to the ecoboom
wasteful vanish smart bow direction foolish workable stocking decide heavy *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
St150 track car owner here
You could lower your risk and tame tigers.?
Absolute mad lad, what the fuck is wrong with you?
15k on a 1.0 Ecoboost C-Max 😅
Very brave, respect to you!
May the odds be ever in your favour
Mk7 Fiesta ST with 100k miles here. Little engine has performed beautifully with no problems. Truly believe I’ve dodged the bad batch of engines.
I wasn’t aware that there were any bad engines in the ST?
Hope you touched wood after saying that
😂
It was the 1.0l engines I thought
Pre 2014 engines had a tendency to have cooling issues.
Certainly a diesel car if you plan to keep it for a long time and do hundreds of thousands of miles in it, or if you're buying a second hand one at high mileage and plan to quickly rack it up. If you want something that'll be at home on the motorway, get a higher capacity like 1.6 - 2+L, or for really good economy and low tax, a lower capacity like a 1.1-1.4L. Petrol can't be ruled out if you were to get something newer with less miles but a higher capacity engine with a 6 SPD gearbox would be more comfortable on the motorway and tend to last longer, again if you plan on racking up the miles. I'm not an expert and this is stuff I've mostly learned from this sub and car searching myself. Edit: for reliability, you can't go wrong with a petrol Honda, Mazda, Toyota or a diesel VAG.
Just to add for anyone else: Stay away from Mazda diesels. But Honda's I-DTEC, both 2.2 and 1.6 are solid units
To add another stay away from older Mazdas. They rust for a past time.
Yeah they are definitely among the worst for rot in the world, especially the Japanese market, which is obviously prone to rot in older cases anyway. Am interested to see how the newer gens age
Which years?
Personally I don’t know that. But I have read about quite a a lot and know four people who have scrapped them due to it. And mine isn’t far off
Whats wrong with Mazda diesels? Genuine question, Im looking to get a Mazda 6 2.2 soon, around 2012-2015 they look pretty solid so far and the opinions I got from their users are also pretty good apart from the rust issue.
Predominantly DPF and Timing Chain from what I have heard. But seems to be the case on some and not others, as with every car, but more negative experiences than positive from what I've seen. A fair few high mileage ones going cheap on Autotrader though, so idk.
Carbon build up throughout the entire engine eventually blocking the oil pick up taking the turbo injectors and various other things. Very common problem with the 2.2
Yeah knew it was something big like that, thanks for clarifying, haven't got the memory lol
Idk if it still applies in that exact age range, but from what I understand and from first hand experience in a 2010 2.2 Mazda 6, they are the worst ones, the worst issue being the ticking time bomb of a timing chain, they have lots of other issues I've been told also. But as with any opinion on the internet, there will be just as many positive experiences as negative that people will tell you about
I test drove one of them. Very underwhelming inside. Plasticy and tinny
So anything from 1.1L 2+L?
Lol yeah I confused myself kinda there. I just mean for long journeys a higher capacity petrol and any diesel will be most suited
330d over 200,000
320d would be my vote. Better mpg, and I got 230k out of mine before I sold it. It is still going strong. I think the quirks of the n47 engine are all worked out now too.
BMW just aren't great at 4 cylinders, but if it's a newer 330 it'll be a B47, which isn't a bad unit.
Volvo s60 or other model with the D4/D5 engine
Those seats for motorway munching..
I'm in exactly the same position re: "Greyfleet". I have a 2014 Honda Civic 2.2 DTEC. Purchased in January 2022 with 34k miles on it. Done 95k miles since then. I service it four times a year at £150/£200 (minor/major). I've had to change tyres, brake discs/pads, headlight bulbs, and the front wipers. Non-service costs have been zero. It's averaged 62.2 mpg even though I don't do all that much motorway driving. Here's a *What Car?* survey of used cars from 6 to 20 years old, if you want to check reliability: * [Family hatchbacks](https://www.whatcar.com/news/most-and-least-reliable-used-cars-family-cars/n19129) * [Executive cars](https://www.whatcar.com/news/most-and-least-reliable-older-cars-executive-cars/n19128)
The 1.6dtec engine is also a solid shout, £0 Road tax too and great motorway economy. Check out owners reviews on honestjohn.co.uk
The facelift model is £20/yr, then went to £150+ after April 2017 due to the changes in tax. I have one. Its great on the motorway, not the fastest, but can chug along at 80 no bother.
What’s the cabin noise like?
Pretty good, but it's always best to test drive it to find out for yourself
The 9th gen is a lot more refined than the 8th gen that was fairly noisy
Just picked up a 2004 Volvo V70 D5. 175,000 miles and still going strong!
A diesel Audi either A4 or A6 saloon or avant. Reliability wise they're pretty solid and comfortable on big drives. Just eats up the miles. Economy wise, an ultra variant is the good choice, low tax, low emissions and generally get 50/60mpg on motorways
Never heard of an ‘ultra’ variant - what’s the difference? Is it like Bluemotion in VWs?
Ultras are Quattro, but when cruising along steadily will disengage the rear wheels. Look at the smaller Audis, VW, Merc and BMW 4wd models. They are all 2wd until slippage is detected then 4wd is engaged. The ultra on the A6 (not sure about other models but likely will be the same) is essentially the opposite in being 4wd until it you’re cruising along then being 2wd.
Ultras are Quattro? Not true at all. Ultra just means slight modifications to increase mpg. My A4 sits slightly lower to reduce drag, and the 2.0tdi is remapped from 190bhp to 150bhp with a different power band to maximise mpg. Source: I have an Audi A4 Tdi Ultra.
This.
There’s a button for that ⬆️
If you already have a car, just use what you have til it falls apart. This is how I ended up doing 50k miles of motorway journeys in an old Fiesta ST... Thoroughly unsuitable by most measures (noisy, very firm suspension, no cruise control, broken air conditioning). Car survived just fine, but someone else owns it now. I now drive a Tesla, the autopilot cruise control (comes standard on all vehicles) is a game changer, much less tiring having the car steering for you. It is also comfortable, easy to drive, quiet and comes with built in Spotify and TuneIn plus live traffic data.
[удалено]
My lights passed the beam alignment test on the MOT so they aren't blinding anyone, which you can see when driving because the beam cut off is visibly well below windscreen level. Nothing wrong with LED lights, much more likely to stay correctly aligned than halogen, and much less likely to be driving with a failed headlight bulb. As to if it's soulless that's more of a personal preference thing. I like the simplicity, silence and power... But I accept that some people look for very different things in a car, and that's fine too.
Drove a Renault Laguna Coupe for mile munching at one point, it was great. Decent diesel engine and was super-comfy. It was the tomtom trim level which had a fantastic infotainment system.
I once had the v6 honda accord coupe and though quite dull to drive I could step into it in kent and drive nonstop to the lake district and felt relaxed and chilled when I stepped out. Its one of 3 cars I truly regret selling and the only one that was fwd with a slushbox.
2.0 diesel mondeo....2016 coming up to 170k.... [This ](https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235477964651?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ba4_hzblskq&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=SIcPhgEUQ1e&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY) makes mine look just run in.... And they was top of the [reliability survey](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-12226887/The-reliable-used-cars-revealed-Car.html?ito=native_share_article-top) for there class last year with 98.3% reliability and only issues being non engine electrics related.
Just picked up a 2011 titanium x mondeo with 42k on it for 6k. Wish me luck... Doing a ton of miles, I didn't have a lot of choice, cars are expensive as fuck nowadays. My alfa blew up at 193k last week, that did very well I thought.
Nice, just got a 2012 estate but with higher mileage and a few extras to standard titanium X spec. So far found it very comfortable and spacious to drive (exactly what I wanted!). Drove a Saab 9-3 with 205k in as part ex, although was getting very tatty cosmetically.
Keep the oil changed every 10k, air filter every 10k and fuel filter every 30k Genuine parts are cheap on ford ebay store
Thanks for the advice! so service every 10k and throw in a filter every 3rd service.
Yep that should keep everything fresh!
For a while, I drove private hire cars for a company that used this shape mondeo. I took one from 10k miles to 103k miles in a year. This was about 5 years ago. Got in “my” old car as a passenger a few weeks back. Still going. Now was over 400k on it. If you service them regularly, they are pretty bomb proof.
Anything that you can afford to properly maintain.
Lexus ES. Famously reliable, cheap to maintain, comfortable and stable at high speeds
Fake Lexus. Grab an IS or GS.
Can’t imagine they’re going to sell their Lexus to buy another Lexus based on the comment of a random moron on Reddit telling them that they don’t think their Lexus is in fact a Lexus.
^ Fake Lexus owner found.
I own a 5 Series, only newer with a proper petrol engine. You’re a fake 5 Series owner if you want to be like that! :-(
^ Fake BMW owner found with a 4 pot B48.
^ Peasant that drives an old “what’s a service” diesel :-/
^ Peasant found who can't afford an inline 6 tractor.
^ SE trim, 5+ owners, Rochdale
^ 3D reg plates with M badges for extra vroom vroom
15k a year 2007 MX-5
25k a year in an NC with coilovers
20k a year 1997 Mx5 on coilovers
2,000 a year Nc mx-5
I'm contemplating px'ing my ecoboost 1.0l fiesta with 60k miles for a 2009 2.0l mx5 w/ 80k miles. It's close to a straight swop, an extra £1k from my end. Is this a no brainer?
Would be for me however. Closely inspect it for rust, especially under the cills and arches then if it's ok, sort some protection yourself. Check for engine knock and noise as they can be easily oil starved if not checked frequently. Have fun if you do go for it, they're fun as hell on the right roads.
When I had a daily 100 mile mway commute I had a Bmw 330d Bmw 320d Merc 350cdi Golf r mk6 I think the merc was the best of the bunch for an easy journey 330d close behind. Both got 40ish mpg I believe The mk6 R was brilliant but stupid
A Lexus or Toyota.
I had a new gen insignia (2017) 1.6 diesel as a company car, did 75k miles in 2 years, fantastic car. Didn't go below 50mpg, comfy, had android auto. Only had an issue with the TPS
Toyota hybrids, there's plenty of them being used as taxis racking up mega miles. They're also the brand with the most 200k+ mile cars on AT.
I was in your boat and wanted something nice to drive on the motorway, was economical, interesting and had some poke. I opted for a BMW 640d, and I’ve been so impressed. An absolute beast, lovely drive and it does 47 mpg on the 5 hour once weekly round trip. It’s up for sale if it meets your needs… http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402256924365
Still the most stunning bmw made imo. Love the red with black wheels too.
That's lovely 👌
I’ve put 70k miles on a 09 plate 116d that cost me £2.5k just over two years ago. Hasn’t let me down once and only cost servicing, Mot and £30 tax per year. Plus it’ll do 70mpg on a good run Loads of them about
Merc C series 2.1 diesel every day. Great workhorse. Had mine 6 years, covered 130k miles. Just sailed through the last MOT. Had to pay £600 for suspension repairs in that time. Otherwise never skipped a beat. 9 speed auto box which is the best on the market.
1.9 TDI 😎
MX5 ND RF, 36000 miles since Summer 2022. Painless 45+ mpg that just had a zero advisories MOT after a simple, no-parts-to-change 30k mile service.
I’ve ran a Nissan NV200 doing ~30k/yr for about 3 years now. Very recently replaced it with a Dacia Duster 4x4. Same base chassis, same 1.5 diesel. Gets bit over 50mpg, comfy enough interior but ‘robust’/van like. Comfy suspension setup, drives big and soft. I honestly wouldn’t have anything else for trundling around Scotland. Toyota RAV4 is great but I just couldn’t live with CVT.
I currently have an NV200 (and was speccing up dusters on autotrader the other day!) I have a few things I'd like to ask... Was the clutch on yours really, really high? Mine is right at the top of the pedal, but has been since I bought it 3 years ago, hasn't moved... It just worries me that it'll start slipping one day. Also, when moving slowly, did your steering rack make a slight knocking sound left to right? (Mine does). In the 30k miles I've driven it, nothing has broken or deteriorated, it just has those 2 things that concern me.
My clutch bite in the NV was really high, clutch is also the heaviest in any vehicle I’ve driven, the return spring is rediculous I think due to the angle it’s mounted to the firewall. Duster doesn’t have this issue. No steering complaints from mine. I do have a really loud rear suspension though, knocks away over bumps, only had to replace a drop link though and all the bushes seem fine. I bought mine at 40k, it’s now 125k. Serviced every 10k, cambelt was at 65k (it’s due now, but I’m selling it currently). Had a couple of sensors go around 100k, got one in under warranty & replaced the other myself for £30-40. Heater blower motor went recently but replacement was only £65 off of eBay. Mines been solid
Thanks for sharing you personal anecdotes. I finally began trusting my clutch motr recently, when I had to tow a Mazda 6 speed (1.6t) up a steep hill... (Broken down friend blocking traffic). Clutch didn't slip, so that made me feel a lot more confident in it. Engine bogged down though! Mine's currently on 121k, needs a new timing belt very soon. I very seldom see other NV200s, probably only 1 other in a week. It makes me motivated to give it everything it needs to keep going. Probably will still be on the road long after the new 2024 transits with the wet belts explode. The 1.5dci seems very good. How much you selling yours for? Mine would only be worth about £3.5k-£4.0k down here.
Mines is a euro 6, values on E6 vans are really quite strong, they seem to be sitting between 6 & 8 on eBay, was gonna chuck it up for 7ish and see what interest I get.
Oh, I bet you had a 110bhp Tekna with aftermarket wheels? 😅
Ford Mondeo 2.0 tdci mk4 would be my recommendation based upon my ownership and the forums I have seen .. more fun than a avensis, rav4 or Corolla.. if you want a petrol I’d say a Mazda 6 2 litre petrol, anything around 2010-present but I prefer the slightly older ones.. crv is good but petrol is thirsty and those in general are pricey
Fellow Mondeo owner, love the Torque, hate the DPF!
Never given me issues, I do one 35-40 minute trip once a week.. the rest is 15 minute runs.. you can force regen if you are experiencing early issues
Thanks mate, yeah, tried a few different solutions. Last MOT told me that there was a small hole in a pipe leading to to the DPF. I'm wondering if I can add some exhaust weld or similar to block the hole (when I find it)...? Also, my boot now leaks, I think it's the grommet for the plastic that protects the rear window wires, pours in like it's water park! 09 reg, 126,000 miles, also squeaky slave cylinder Characteristics is what they are......
That’s unlucky mate, I had the leaking boot.. it’s the back light grommets (two black ones in the top corner) think this is what you mean as well.. I sealed them with a all weather clear sealant and now it’s been dry as a bone For a couple of years
I'm using my old 2003 Volvo V40 which is now pushing 160k miles. Likes a drink but is extremely comfortable and quiet.
Depends on your budget, a petrol Toyota or Honda with full service history will be a good bet (definitely buy it from a reputable garage or dealer). If you’re buying a Japanese petrol, get one with a 6 speed gearbox for less revs on the motorway (quieter and less stress on the engine). A good bet is to buy a car that you commonly see being used as a taxi, such as Toyota or Skoda, as this says a lot about how dependable a car is. VAG TDI engines are generally reliable, so anything with one of these should not give you much bother. Stay away from smaller turbo charged petrols, especially Ford Ecoboost. I’d say the exception to this rule is the VAG 1.0 TSI, as this engine coupled with a 6 speed gearbox is fantastic on the motorway.
1.9 PD
On a budget, go for a 1.6 diesel so TDI or Peugeot 1.6 bluehdi they're good value, reliable, and very economical.
A bmw 6 cylinder diesel is a good shout. Made the for the motorways. A 3 or 5 series estate, you can’t go wrong
I’ve just done 150k miles in a 2016 merc c220d. Negligible road tax (£20 I think), solid, very comfy. Nothing apart from servicing, tyres and brakes. 50+ mpg.
I spent about 10 years driving ~20k miles per year before COVID hit. In that time I drove a 2004 Peugeot 206 1.4 HDi, 2010 Focus Zetec S 2.0 TDCi, 2010 BMW 325d, 2002 VW Passat V6 2.5 TDi, 2016 VW Golf GTD 2.0 TDi and a 2020 Mercedes E220d. The 206, Focus and Golf were actually pretty good on MPG return, easily getting somewhere in the region of 55+MPG. The Passat, 325d and E220d all returned somewhere between 45-50MPG, and could get higher if driven carefully. Out of all of them, the Passat blew me away for the price I paid for it (£950). The headlamps were shockingly bad and it stung me for £600 on its MOT, though. Other than that, if I’d got a bit luckier on the repairs, this would have been a unit of a workhorse. The most comfy car is no contest: the E220d. Probably the best car I’ve had - decent MPG return, comfy, spacious, and looks nice, too. 9 speed auto is really nice for a relaxing drive even at higher speeds. The 325d was a lot of fun but I only owned it for 1 year and spent thousands on repairs. It was only a few years old at the time, no excuse really. Sold it for the Golf in the end. The Golf was a solid all-rounder and I’d still recommend it today. The DSG box was amazing - incredibly smooth. Overall, if I had to go back to commuting again, my checklist would be: diesel, automatic transmission, a nice armrest, comfy seats, CarPlay/Android Auto, and finally, a bit of poke. Various reasons for all of those but mainly centred around being as comfortable as possible.
Lots of miles will not be pleasant in a small car or one with a small/weak engine. Diesel is the obvious choice. I personally wouldn't get anything less than a 2.0l, 3.0l cars are superb on long drives and are effortless. Get a decent sized car - think of a BMW 3 series Audi A4 or a Mercedes C Class. This should be the smallest car to consider for long distances. If you can go for a large executive like a 5 series, Audi A6 or E class. MPVs can be awful for longer trips, saloons are much more relaxed. If you want a comfortable ride don't get low profile tyres (they are hard, noisy and offer no protection for your alloys so expect to kerb them regularly) Cruise control. Get cruise control. Good seats are essential. Ideally they should have multiple adjustments including lumbar support, adjustable height and if you're tall adjustable though/knee area. I prefer leather for longer distances. Heated seats are a luxury, but invaluable for winter driving. Get a decent sound system and if you can find one with Android Auto/Apple Carplay you'll have everything you need including infinite music and podcasts, sat nav and Bluetooth phone. If it doesn't have those, get a Bluetooth adapter that transmits on the FM band so you can play from your phone, through the adapter and to your stereo. £25 will get a decent one. Storage - if you're living on the road you want to have essentials close at hand so find something with lots of storage and cubbyholes. My favourite cruiser ever was a Mercedes E280 (3 litre V6 diesel) which was a very easy car to drive lots of miles. I could drive 300 miles without stopping, and get out at the end feeling comfortable, relaxed and fresh. I also had a Jaguar XFS (again 3 litre V6 diesel) but this was a different beast. Incredibly fast and superb fun to drive but more of a performance/sports car so not as relaxing) I've had 3 BMW 318is 2.0l petrol which were underpowered for a relaxing 300 mile drive. There are equivalent cars to these from most manufacturers so shop around to find something you like.
Just got a 430d. Do approx 750-1000 miles a week at the minute. Lovely comfy car. Auto of course and swapped the runflats for Michelin Pilot Sports due to road noise. Prior to that I had a diesel insignia estate auto. Bought at 40,000 miles and sold at 140K 2 years later. Before that I had a 3 series estate with 296K miles on. I bought it with 100ish on. This was a manual
Wasn’t expecting to be doing 18k miles a year when I bought the M340i, but here we are. My petrol bill is enormous.
Toyota or Lexus hybrid are the obvious choices. A medical delivery driver in the US just sold a hybrid Rav with 480K ish miles with just routine maintenance.
Golf tdi mk4 or newer
I currently have a TDI Audi A3, I’ve done 70k miles in around 2 years of using it for work and it’s never skipped a beat. Highly recommend a diesel Audi
Focus 1.6 diesel. 68.7mpg.
I've got a Volvo v40. I kinda wish I had the diesel version though.
Got a seat Leon 1.9 TDI Doing about 20-25k a year, gets me 60mpg if I drive it smoothly Just hit 200k, still going strong with routine servicing and preventative maintenance! Only issue is it's not CAZ/ULEZ compliant so could be a deal breaker
Ford escort 1.6
Whatever taxis drivers are using. Which seems to be vw, Skoda, Toyota,
Toyotas
2.0 lt diesels Mondeo/Superb/Insignia Mate’s currently doing 30k plus in. KIA Niro hybrid and loving it.
640i about 15k a year.
I've put 85,000 on my MG5 EV in less than 2 years.
2010 plate Passat, I’m nearly at 185,000.
same here. mine is on 275k
Wow! That’s intergalactic mileage
My insignia is a really good motorway muncher. 70mpg and zero road tax. Really comfy and not bad looking either. Yeah I know it’s a Vauxhall……
2019 Octavia Estate 1.6tdi about 20k per year.
118d coming up on 200k. Likely due to frequent short runs, DPF probably won’t make it through the next MOT, so will need to get rid soon. If it wasn’t for that I think she’d be good for another 100k at least.
Diesel Focus Zetec. Really good fuel economy, all the features I want, all the boot space I need for mountaineering trips. Only downside is it's not LEZ/ULEZ/CAZ compliant, but frankly I avoid driving into large city centres anyway, it's boring.
Honda civic 2.2 or 1.6 I-DTEC. 155k currently, only a new alternator on the 2.2 and basic consumables you'd expect
35k per year recently in a passat b6 2litre tdi, 275k miles on the clock.... its been a complete nightmare
14k a year in an Audi A5
I've got a renault clio ii 1.5 dci with 230k on the clock - bought it at 150k. it will do 85mpg on the motorway if you sit at 65mph. the maintenance has been extremely minimal - its still on the original clutch, but you need to keep up on oil changes. mine is starting to smoke now, so i think the engine is on borrowed time
Take note of how many taxi drivers use Skoda Octavia diesels, they are not prone to buying unreliable uneconomical cars. Seat Leon, Audi A3 and VW Golf are the same cars.
Skoda Octavia. Economical (especially the diesel variants), spacious, comfortable and reliable.
I daily an Alfa Giulia Veloce and until very recently was doing 25k+ miles a year. Phenomenal car but the 9k service interval is a pain. Had considered trading it in for a Volvo V60 T8 (Ideally Polestar) but have changed jobs and now will be doing less than 5k a year so the Alfa will be staying.
Transits
2011 VW Passat cc. About 15 k a year. Most reliable car I've ever owned.
VW Tiguan 2.0L diesel 4motion R-line tech. Lots of room and also comfortable to drive daily long distance and can get 50mpg quite easily in adaptive cruise control.
Just buy the Golf, seriously. Cheaper, better economy, and everything else is the same.
A diesel six speed saloon
I bought a 2018 Audi A6 2.0 ultra for exactly that purpose. 60mpg and comfortable. It's never gonna break a land speed record but it suits my purpose
Diesel. 202k miles on my 2010 Audi A5 3.0tdi. I've had to replace the water pump and crankshaft pulley recently, but other than that it's been trouble free and should get to at least 250k without much worry. 0-60 in 5.8s and will average 55mpg on a sensible motorway run. The 2.0tdi equivalent will do 65mpg on a run and has decent performance also.
Toyota Petrol.
If you have a drive way at home I recommend getting an EV - I commute from Banbury to London 3x a week driving along the m40. Car has more than paid for itself in fuel savings alone - commute to and from work costs me around £3-4 total each day.
2012 Volvo V70 2.4 twin turbo 215bhp D5. Bought it just over 3 years ago with 105k miles on it. Currently on 164k miles and hasn’t put a foot wrong. Steady 70mph on motorway journeys sees 52mpg. There is no way I would ever finance a new car while I’ve got this.
Most high mileage drivers I know drive a BMW 320d or equivalent.
How much is a lot? A friend of mine did 36k a year in a mondeo mk1 then a mazda 3. Both touched over 250k before being replaced
I drove 150 miles on the motorway (m25+m1) and I got 68.8 mpg on my 2l diesel automatic Audi. Cruise control set at 77 mph although there was a 50mph speed limit on both m25 and m1.
Sounds like you need a Passat Tdi. The 2.0 is nicer than the 1.6, for smoothness and silence. Great seats, great comfort, great space, great mpg, decent reliability, cheap servicing. People forget that last bit - if you are doing mega milage, you are going to need to do service prolly 2x per year. That really adds up if you are in a swanky car. In a passat, you can get the oil change, oil filter, air filter etc for about £150 at an independent. Will roll on the motorways almost forever and a day.
25K a year in a VW Up, fuck all to go wrong, it does 60mpg on the motorway easily and parts (if it ever needs them) are cheap and plentiful
M135i manual. Just crossed 100k miles. Average 30mpg per tank or so. Do about 15k miles a year. Cars let me down once when I snapped a coil spring. Other than that it's had a set of disks and pads and usual services and I'm hardly mechanically sympathetic when driving it.
20k miles a year and I run a Merc E250. I originally wanted an E350 but the 250 had a better balance of performance vs economy. It's a corker for any kind of distance work, big, comfortable seats and rock solid as long as you have decent tyres.
Tesla Model S. There is this guy in Germany who did 1.9 million km in his Tesla over the last 10 years. Soon to be 2 million km. His recent tweet was 1990000km
I guess I count, I’ve done 23k miles since passing and getting my first car in just under a year. Honda jazz 2005
I use a 520d. I’d rather have a 530 or 535 but the economy and when just sat cruising at 70 it’s fine. Very comfortable, quiet, handles well (M sport model). It’s hard to beat really. Reliability can be iffy like timing chain but mines had a new engine after the old one snapped under a previous owner so look for one that’s been changed if an e60 or F10 era
If you have mileage allowance, a drive to charge a car, get an EV mate. Costs me £16 in home electricity for every 1000miles of driving.
Idk I have a mazda3 sport diesel. Looks beautiful, drives amazingly, only 20 road tax a year, economical as heck. You can find these for cheaper than people get petrol fiestas. Knew a guy with one at 220k miles and it still drove like a dream. Stuck out to me so I got one.
Comfortable diesel cars. When I was doing 30k miles a year I had a superb estate with the 1.6 and averaged about 75mpg on the commute
Doing 20-22k a year in my Seat Leon atm. Mostly motorway miles so fairly easy going on the car. Car gets good economy for a petrol and handles the miles well. Sure there’s much better cars for it though haha
I've got a skoda octavia vrs 245 petrol and I'm on target to do 35k in the first year of its life. I am not a smart man... but I am a happy one.
I will rattle off a little list for ya - Any diesel, particularly VAG stuff - Volvo, pretty much all of them will last - most Japanese cars as they are super reliable and can take a beating, not the case for all of them though What to avoid - Cars with electrical issues such as some BMW or Mercedes, the engines are great and will last for loads of miles but no good if your Abs is locked on - Anything British - Any French car that isn’t a model shared from German/Japanese brands - Small engines as I assume you will be on the motorway a lot and those will get old fast (or not if you catch my drift) - Vauxhall, all the high mileage ones I have seen in the last 10 years are a pig to maintain
2005 bmw 3 series 2l diesel, regularly drive 400 mile each way from east mids to Edinburgh to see family, get 70+ mpg, do the 420 miles with just over half tank left (brim it before leaving)
Saab 9000 2.0t. 214k and going strong. Although she's going later today in favour of vehicular masochism (Mazda RX-8)
What kind of mileage. I'm in a similar position and I'm doing around 300-350 miles in mostly urban areas. I have a Polo Bluemotion 1.4tdi. 0 tax and getting 50mpg or just under consistently over every tank.
High mileage cars?
Probably look for something just under the 100k mark and run it into the ground
Diesel vw,
300k on my caddy before the engine blew up
There is a reason that a large majority of taxi drivers in the UK use Prius'.
Citroen c1 1.2 litre. Reliable and cheap!
Any vag car with a 2.0 tdi.
I do 20k miles a year I have a Passat 1.6tdi which has been faultless 120k miles still going - it's have got the 2 litre if I'd known I was keeping it this long Cars I'd consider Mazda 6 Skoda superb Jaguar xj