Looking for a comfortable motorway cruiser for under £6000?

Goudy

I would hazard a guess a C5 is really comfortable but I can also imagine they are a bit "Citroeny" in the reliability stakes as they have got older and finickity to repair.
Perhaps if you know a decent local independent Citroen garage that knows their way around them.

I would stick my neck out and say there are better cars on the market for your money in terms of reliability and running and repair costs.

There have been a couple of main stay suggestions like the Insignias and Mondeos, these do have something going for them, they should be fairly cheap and easy to service and repair as parts and model knowledge shouldn't be a problem.

The VAG products mentioned are all well known and well catered for but might be a bit more pricey to buy and maintain.

Japanese might be the way to go though not all Japanese car companies nailed their own diesel engines so borrowed or collaborated with others.

Mazda did developed their Skyactiv engine range with a lot of thought themselves.
They engineered in a lot of solutions to common diesel problems with the likes of lower compression ratios and phased valve timing to get ahead in the Euro emission stakes which effects what comes out of them rather than trying to treat what comes out of them after combustion.

They aren't noted for major engine issues, there are the usual stories of EGR failures and oil dilution in some of the earlier, short tripped cars but that's the same as all diesels really.

With any though, steer clear of the large wheeled cars, 20" rims with skinny profile tyres might look good but they spoil the ride.
Some people find a raised ride height good for longer trips, makes reading the road ahead a bit easier.
Also active cruise control for long trips might be out of reach at this budget but it can be worth it if you're piling on the miles on motorways.  

chrisw

Volvo V60 or S60?

cymruchris

raptor2004 said:

Goudy said:

The N47D20 engine (Euro 5) in the 320d is prone to cam chain problems.
Cracked and stretched chains jumping sprockets are pretty common on earlier versions but the later ones still suffer.

The chains are at the back of the engine making replacement a total headache and really expensive.

I also think they suffered clogged swirl flaps in the intake manifolds as well

The later (Euro 6 2014 on) B47D20 still suffers from cam chain/sprocket and swirl flap issues, so beware.

For your budget you'll no doubt be looking at some high milers, make sure the chain isn't rattling (or there's some evidence of replacement) and the service history is impeccable. BMW blamed poor servicing for both problems.

Okay, might be best to avoid those. I was really drawn to the older Citroen C5 HDi engines with the hydropneumatic suspension as they provide a really soft comfortable ride.

Citroen reliability as they age and the intricacy of the systems will likely mean high maintenance costs. If you’re ok with throwing a bit of money at it when it goes wrong, it’ll be a comfortable car, but keep your wallet handy. 

WellKnownSid

chrisw said:

Volvo V60 or S60?

Seconded. My wife gets almost 800 miles to a tank in her V60, goes like a train. Only weak points seem to be suspension and brakes which seem to be built with something smaller in mind. Like a Peugeot 106… 😄

cymruchris

chrisw said:

Volvo V60 or S60?

Unlikely to get those on Euro 6 at the budget given - but decently comfortable - can be a little pricier than the Ford's and Vauxhall's when it comes to maintenance. (I had an S40 - I wish I hadn't - but that's another story)

sparklymarkly

Agree with Jimjames - VW Passat diesel is a very good motorway car.
The 2.0 is much better than the 1.6 and not much difference in fuel economy (I’ve had both).
Mine were company cars and whilst they are not exactly exciting to drive or look at, they are very comfortable, spacious, very well equipped and great cruisers.
 My last one went back with 148k on the clock and aside from routine servicing I never had any issues with it in 7 years.
Road tax was only about £30 as well.

raptor2004

I have narrowed it down to a EURO6 diesel, ideally  automatic and something with comfortable seats.

chrisw

WellKnownSid said:

chrisw said:

Volvo V60 or S60?

Seconded. My wife gets almost 800 miles to a tank in her V60, goes like a train. Only weak points seem to be suspension and brakes which seem to be built with something smaller in mind. Like a Peugeot 106… 😄

Yeah, I sometimes got over 1000 miles out of a tank full on a long run in my V60 which was handy during the fuel shortage. The D4 engine is Euro 6, 190bhp, zero or £20 road tax depending on model, seats supremely comfortable. It did get through discs and pads though, particularly rears.