I have a KIA Cee'd 2.0 diesel which I use to tow a caravan of less than 1,100 kgs MTPLM max. It is a task that it does satisfactorily, albeit only nine or ten times a year. My annual mileage is around 12,000.

I require a larger car and am looking at estates. Rather than buy new I thought of a nearly new to avoid the big drop. Two I considered are the Ford Mondeo hatch or estate and Vauxhall Insignia hatch or estate. Reading through the WHAT’S BAD on the Insignia doesn’t instil me with confidence, but they are being heavily discounted. Another I looked at was the Toyota Avensis but that isn’t without its troubles.

I was thinking of spending £10,000 to £12,000 including the Cee'd as a trade-in. For that I can also buy a three year old Mercedes C-Class 2.0 or 2.2 diesel Estate. However, the mileages are high, from 70,000 to 90,000.

My question is; would I be letting myself into expensive repair bills in purchasing a 3 year old C-Class Estate with a high mileage? Or should I look for a two-year-old lower mileage Mondeo 1.8 or 2.0 diesel hatch or estate?