Hi all,
Hoping you may be able to help me. I've finally decided to cut my losses and get rid of my terrible Ford Focus 1.8tdci estate.
Since I've had it I've had problems with ecu/fuel injection (£1,100 quoted to fix), blocked injectors (£250 to fix), battery problems (£150) and now I've been told that it needs a new flywheel system and possibly a clutch (at least £700).
So it's going! And I'm not sure I want another Ford either!
Can anyone suggest a suitable replacement? I've got about £8,000 to spend, and here are my needs:
* Generous boot (preferably estate/4x4 - got two dogs to take with me)
* Reasonable ground clearance (the Focus has been ok) as in the summer I go to dog shows and the parking is often on rough grassy fields
* Needs to be heavy enough to pull a (small) caravan
* Diesel
I loved the Honda Accord when I gave it a test drive but, though the boot was a good size, the roofline was too low.
I'm even thinking about something like a soft roader, like the C-RV or X-trail.
Any suggestions gratefully received!
Thanks in advance
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CRV fits the bill without doubt
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Your budget would get you a 06 plate Hyundia Tucson with 2 years warranty still to go.
£9K (possibly negotiable) would get you a 57 plate Kia Ceed estate with 5/6 years warranty still to go.
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Daughter has a Rav which seems pretty good but may not suit the dogs. When we had two dogs Volvo estates fitted the bill nicely ... 240 then 940. You can get a decent one quite reasonably of the newer models and they do starship mileage and servicing can be done by a local specialist to keep bills down.
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I'm currently looking at a 2002 BMW E39 520i Touring to replace my 1999 E46 318i Touring... both are very good cars, and my E46 will soon be for sale (if I manage to get the E39!). They're extremely reliable cars which will go on to very high mileages if looked after. 8k will buy you a rather newer 3-series (maybe even E90) or an early E60 5-series. Unfortunately, the BMW 2-litre diesel engine doesn't quite live up to the rest of the brand reliability-wise... a 330, 525 or 530d will, however, most likely be dependable. Volkswagens and Audis are mostly reliable, but the diesels are a bit agricultural - my neighbour has a 2005 Audi A4 Avant 2L diesel and it sounds like a taxi at startup! Avoid 8k's worth of Merc, though - they're just not well-built enough. Peugeot 406s have a good reputation, but the 407 hasn't lived up to it. The Citroen C5 and Renault Laguna need avoiding like the plague. A Kia Cee'd will be nothing if not reliable and, new, they come with a 7-year warranty. Hondas, Toyotas, Mazdas, etc. - all well-built, dependable but a bit dull. Bear in mind that a hefty load in the back in a front-wheel drive car will have an adverse effect on traction (I know I'm probably teaching my grandmother to suck eggs). Don't be tempted by Saab or Ovlov - both have suffered a great deal quality-wise at the hands of Detroit. The Saab 9-3 is OKish, but seems to have suffered some of the 9-5's arm-length list of problems. If you want 4WD + ordinary estate bodyshell, it might be worth looking at an Audi with the Quattro badge, particularly the jacked-up A6 Allroad, which has a very good six-cylinder diesel engine. I believe there's a 4WD version of the Volkswagen Passat, too. If you're looking at a soft-roader, don't overlook the Toyota RAV4 - the MkII version can be had with moderate mileage and the excellent 2-litre diesel engine for well within the kind of money you're talking as long as you don't mind an older one: if you want a three-year-old, thirty-thousand mile car, you'll probably need to look elsewhere. Your sort of money will only buy an absolutely fugly MkII Honda CR-V, which is as far as I know pretty reliable, but why buy one when you can get the reliability for the same money in the much prettier Nissan X-trail? OK, so it'll be a 5-year-old car, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. Avoid the Mazda Tribute/Ford Maverick due to build quality and safety issues - I don't think there was a diesel version of either anyway. There aren't any diesel Mitsus or Subarus to fit your budget. Take a look at the Vauxhall Astra estate - as made from 1998 to 2004 it was a decent car, and even the post-2004 car is well within your budget. Also, for my money, it's one of the best-looking small estates out there today.
If, as one other contributor suggests, you look at old Ovlov estates, the one to have is the 960, but the only engine available is a three-litre six-pot gas-burner - not exactly what you're looking for! Avoid the 850/all V70s/XC70 - the build quality is not good at all. By the way, although old Ovlov estates (pre Ford takeover) are well built, the handling is NOT good (except on the aforementioned 960).
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 22/03/2009 at 16:03
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A quick follow-up: curiously, our very own HJ has highly recommended the Rover 75 Tourer diesel - yet this is the same engine which has given so much trouble in the BMW 320d! The 75 Tourer's load space really is impressively big for such a handsome car.
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How about one of the new Citroen Berlingo's? Local dealer to me (Erdington, Birmingham) advertising new 1.6 (petrol) VT's for £ 7,995 OTR.
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Another follow up! The Jaguar X-type estate would be worth a look - particularly since they got out of Ford, the reliability has really got better.
Surely you don't want a van with windows, like this other contributor's suggestion, the Citroen Berlingo?
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The new C4 based Berlingo (this is the version I suggested) is a lot less van-like than the previous model. The ground clearance is reasonable. Will beat the vast majority of large estates on boot space on every count, and has a low loading sill - which will suit the dogs. Plus the PSA diesels are hard to beat.
Yes, it may be a wild card - but if it fits the bill!
Don't let other people's prejudices put you off.
The Jaguar is basically a re-skinned Mondeo, and the £ 8000 budget would be firmly in the territory of Ford built Jaguars.
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Whats changed on the X type and how far back do these changes go please?
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Hi all,
Many thanks for your replies....the Berlingo is a good idea, though not sure it has the weight to town my caravan.
I still like the idea of the X-trail and C-RV - though I've heard some terrible things about turbos/intercoolers going bang on the Nissan. If only the C-RV didn't have a side opening tailgate I'd definitely go for that.
Are side opening tails any more awkward? Or is it a case of getting used to them?
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Thought of a Skoda Roomster Scout ? All the advantages of a 4x4 with none of the downside. Well built with a cracking engine !
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I would have thought a Volvo XC70 would have fitted the bill.
Generous boot for the two dogs, 4-wheel drive with slightly raised ground clearance and more than enough grunt to tow.
Something like this - tinyurl.com/c398pd
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From the Citroen website - weight of Berlingo is 1407kg for the two lower powered diesels and 1427 for the 110bhp. Towing weights 1200kg for the 75bhp and 1300kg for the 90 and 110 bhp versions.
As regards side opening tailgates, main drawback is when car is parked and having room at back to open tailgate - though same applies to large tailgates which are top-hinged. At least with a side opener, there is no problem opening tailgate when in a garage.
With partner's old model 2007 Mazda 2, we have to be really careful to ensure we have enough clearance behind when parked to accommodate the upward arc of the opening tailgate. No chance of opening tailgate when garaged.
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Megan Estate 1.9 CDi 130bhp. very good economy (did 57 mpg on the 330 mile run Portsmouth to Durham last Friday), good load space (bigger than older Laguna) and a few toys like cruise etc. For your money, I have a 57' plate with FSH, so still got manufacture warrenty if interested.
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