Which Car?

dexter_fan

I am looking for your opinions

My OH is driving me mad (pardon the pun!) about changing our car. We have a budget of around £10-12k. We currently have a V70 Volvo Estate (our 3rd or 4th one) and are looking for a change.

No young children to consider and we don't do a great deal of mileage. OH is now looking at Range Rover 3L Diesel, Audi A6 estate diesel or BMW 5 series estate diesel. (I think he is having a bit of a mid life crisis, as he is 50 later this month!)

For our budget, I think we may get a 2002/3 Range Rover but plan to keep the car for 5 plus years. I have some concerns that it will depreciate too much as it will be 12/13 years old by the time we trade it in. Is there much re-sale value in vehicles this age?

Audi A6 - 2.5 or 2.7 L Diesel or BMW 2.5 or 3L Diesel. Do you think these will be a better buy in the long run? What are peoples experiences of any of these cars?

gilbert_and_sullivan

RR is a lovely motor but it will go wrong (gearbox number one on the list) and it will be expensive to keep.
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/land-rover/range-rover-l322-2002/?section=bad

Audi a good car, but the BMW will be as reliable and durable as anything on 4 wheels provided of course it's been serviced and cared for proper like before.

Finding a good competent specialist independent workshop for your servicing and repairs would be a deal breaker for me on either the Audi or BMW...owners forums are good places to find them, dealer servicing will be very expensive.

emmell

The Range Rover Sport is a very nice alternative to the Range Rover we had one when they first came out. Never had an Audi but there are a couple of A6 on my Husbands companies fleet and both are changing to different models next time and, BMW will be changing the 5series touring soon probably making the old model look very dated.
ML.

thescouselander

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

RR is a lovely motor but it will go wrong (gearbox number one on the list) and it will be expensive to keep.
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/land-rover/range-rover-l322-2002/?section=bad

Audi a good car, but the BMW will be as reliable and durable as anything on 4 wheels provided of course it's been serviced and cared for proper like before.

Finding a good competent specialist independent workshop for your servicing and repairs would be a deal breaker for me on either the Audi or BMW...owners forums are good places to find them, dealer servicing will be very expensive.

I know BMW have a reputation for reliability but in my experience this reputation is not deserved. The BMW I owned had quite a lot of things go wrong with it despite being meticulously maintained - in fact is was the most unreliable car I have owned.

Also other people I know who have had BMWs have had similar problems. BMWs are a great drive but if someone was to buy one for reliability they will probably be sorely disappointed.

LandyAndy

Range Rover = great vehicle but make sure everything (and there are a lot of things) works.

Audi = Everyone will think you are an arrogant knob.

BMW = Everyone will think you are an arrogant knob who hasn't realsied that arrogant knobs now drive Audis.

Kilty_2

LandyAndy wrote: »

Range Rover = great vehicle but make sure everything (and there are a lot of things) works.

Audi = Everyone will think you are an arrogant knob.

BMW = Everyone will think you are an arrogant knob who hasn't realsied that arrogant knobs now drive Audis.

And a Range Rover doesn't give that impression? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

LandyAndy

Kilty wrote: »

And a Range Rover doesn't give that impression? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Of course it does.

Doesn't stop it being a great vehicle though;). :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

property.advert

Mercedes E Class ?

New model, great diesel engines, low insurance at your age (mine too !) and not ruinous to keep.

Mankysteve

I thought you wanted a better mileage ? so why are looking at RR?

If you don't buy such prestige cars you get a car with a few years of manufacture warranty or something a bit newer, less likely to go wrong.

dexter_fan

Range Rover = great vehicle but make sure everything (and there are a lot of things) works.

Audi = Everyone will think you are an arrogant knob.

BMW = Everyone will think you are an arrogant knob who hasn't realsied that arrogant knobs now drive Audis.


Thanks :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Thanks for all your responses. OH says he could pass as a knob, but not arrogant :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

OH seemed to have his heart set on a RR but has heard horror stories about unreliability. We don't want to spend a fortune on maintenance and need something fairly reliable for work. OH devasted that he has become sensible with old age (apparently that's my fault! ) He also knows 12k is not a lot of money for a decent RR (although a huge amount of money to us). I guess he is having a heart v head dilema.

I am no help as I am not really into cars and my input has been limited to "what colour is it?" although I am the one who will have to drive it to work as OH has a van.

We have liked our Volvo Estates so does anyone have views on the XC90?

emmell

[QUOTE.We have liked our Volvo Estates so does anyone have views on the XC90?

I'd prefer a Range Rover, but I don't know what £12,000 will buy.
I didn't realise when I suggested Range Rover Sport that your limit was £12,000. I think most prestige 4x4 for that amount of money will have had a hard life considering that the RR has been well over £50k mark new for at least five years (last time we looked at them).
What age/mileage XC90 can you get for your money?
ML.