+1 for passat B5.5 in highline flavour. Very good cars for not a lot of monies, reliable and frugal. Passat B6 only after facelift 2008 onwards. But for 4k best option would be passat B5,5

B5.5 Passat is a good shout. Especially a Highline. Fair few B6s knocking about for sub £4k as well with 100k+ on them but like people have mentioned, the early 2.0 TDI is the victim of internet scaremongering… the 1.9TDI in the B5.5 isn’t.

Or if you’re scared of the diesel going wrong, may I present: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201303215883410/sort/pricedesc/usedcars/body-type/estate/price-to/4000/model/passat/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/hx30dl/page/2/radius/1500?logcode=p

Or a 1.8T for a grand under budget: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201301285085678/sort/pricedesc/usedcars/price-to/4000/fuel-type/petrol/body-type/estate/model/passat/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/page/1/postcode/hx30dl?logcode=p

like people have mentioned, the early 2.0 TDI is the victim of internet scaremongering

Yeah the earlier 2.0 TDI 2006-2008 is a PD engine and had two issues early on. A fairly small production run had an oil pump issue which resulted in sudden engine death at about 40-60k miles. And there were also injector issues which have also been recalled but fairly recently – mine was done a year or two ago.

They should all have been fixed by now in any case. It’s a much better engine than the 1.9 imo. I get well over 60mpg on motorway runs now in mine, got 67.4mpg between Warwick and Cardiff the other day 😯 The PD 2.0s are also available without DPF, if you think that’s a good thing or not…

Daveboywonder two nice autotrader finds there.

When does very low mileage become a problem, such as this?

BMW 320i tourer 14k on the clock for £5k

Used to have a 320i tourer and it was great to drive, but found the boot space small for an estate.

Saying that, would love to drive round the Alps in something like this 😉

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201306047108163/sort/default/usedcars/price-to/5000/body-type/estate/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/make/bmw/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/wr12ew/page/1/radius/1500?logcode=p

so, the concensus vehicles seem to be A6/Passat/5 series.
Are any of these likely to be difficult to quickly move on with minimal loss on purchase price?

Been looking on autotrader this morning. Is this reasonably priced, or is it a bit basic spec/compromosed by being manual?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201305297001369/sort/default/usedcars/fuel-type/petrol/price-to/5000/body-type/estate/model/5_series/make/bmw/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/page/4/postcode/al55qt/radius/1500?logcode=p

The BMW looks like a winner. One owner, good nick and fsh should help sell on

C5 estate, I am on my 3rd

In three years? 😉

That 330 estate – lovely!

signum

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/search/used/cars/saab/9-3/postcode/al55qt/radius/1500/price-to/4000/body-type/estate/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/sort/pricedesc/page/1

I`ve got a 2005 Megane 1.5 DCi estate for sale if you didnt want to blow your budget, was the Mrs DAily so its always been well looked after/ serviced etc.
Taxed and MOTed, decent tyres.
Its just had an Aircon compressor replaced and re-gassed, huge inside and has a towbar for a bikerack.
Done 120K but drives fine, cheap to run, surplus to requirements now as replaced with a 535D Touring
£1950 if interested, mail in profile

so, the concensus vehicles seem to be A6/Passat/5 series.
Are any of these likely to be difficult to quickly move on with minimal loss on purchase price?

The Passat will be easier to sell on, as the BMW and Audi are seen as ‘premium’ so you’ll be looking at a smaller audience.

FWIW I bought a B5 Passat recently, 12m MOT and £500 – only had to replace the window regulator, which they seem notorious for.

Accord tourer I just got one and it’s perfect for what you describe.

4k will bag a 06 with a reasonable mileage, bombproof chain cam vtec engine, all the toys and a full history, not the most attractive but for reliable transport you’ll sell on in seconds there is nothing better. I’ve had a few VAG cars and I’d take a Honda over them any day.

Please you see…

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/honda/accord/tourer-2003/

The MKVII Accord petrols are great for reliability. I had two 2.2 diesels and they weren’t the most reliable. That’s why we have a petrol 2.4 MKVIII. All the toys – you bet – except the voice regcongition only works for MrsG’s voice and not mine 🙁

I know of a 54 plate B5.5 Passat 1.9td with around 88K on the clock that might be available soon for around £3750. Pretty sure its a manual Highline .
If your getting a Passat try for a 130 6 speed. Much nicer to drive to the Alps in and will probably use half the fuel of that BM.

I’ve just got my newest vag car to date an 04 golf estate 130 tdi
And it has to be the worst build one so far

1997 passat bomb proof tdi 197k
2000 Audi a4 20v very nice but high fuel bills

And this golf rattles crashes and the seats are crap 50 ish mpg though

Can’t see me keepin this one very long

I’ve got a 2006 Mazda 6 estate 2.0 petrol, picked it up for 1300 quid. Got 150k on it but drives and looks better than many lower mileage cars I’ve had. Out of the 15 cars I’ve owned in the last 10 years though the only one I regret selling is a volvo 850 t5. Now looking for a nice v70…..

I know of a 54 plate B5.5 Passat 1.9td with around 88K on the clock that might be available soon for around £3750. Pretty sure its a manual Highline
That would have been of interest had I not got one already! Paid £4295 for mine on Monday less 1K off my old B5 one.
I even said 4 or 5 years ago, ‘my next car will be another Passat’.
Low (ish) mileage B5.5’s are like rocking horse poo though.

C5 estate, I am on my 3rd

In three years?

First one bought in 2006 with 50,000 on clock (took to 100,000 with no real problems (was actually Hatchback)
Second one bought in 2010 with 60,000 on clock (took to 90,000 with no real issues) (was an estate,massive)
last one was bought in january this year at 1,600 miles now at 5,500 is an estate slightly smaller than the older one

Pretty much any diesel estate will do the job and hold its value. If its just for a short time I’d be tempted to get something a bit silly maybe a huge old citroen xm don’t know if they can be found at 4k a mg zt rover 75 in v8 flavour.

My experience of the B5 Passat is a little different: I had the TDI 130 bhp model estate for 12 years and in many ways it was a great car; it was a joiners van and a family car; pretty rugged really.
It did have some pretty serious design flaws however:
-Front suspension ridiculously over complicated; needed replacement parts every 18 months (still understeered badly).
-Hiding the drain holes for the plenium chamber where you can’t even get a hand in to remove leaves etc was catastrophic; lots of people suffered drowned main computers (in passenger footwell). I had my brake servo rotted through resulting in my brakes seizing on and rusty water being sucked into the engine by the servo pump!
-On the PD engine the injectors were controlled by not very heat resistant wires, which was unfortunate as they resided inside the cylinder head; not much fun driving home from Italy with an intermittent misfire!
-Head gasket blew last year at 120,000 miles.
-electric window cable snapped.
-both front coil springs snapped.

Have bought a Mazda 6 diesel (which have a known issue with the dpf cleaning procedure resulting in diesel ending up in the engine sump; I am keeping my eye on it though.
2 observations: Cornering is so much better than the Passat. Rear seats fold flat to leave a 2m long bay, much better than the Passat.

Finally if you google reliability index of the new Passat against the Mazda 6 the results are quite interesting

Sport model BMWs are easier to sell on, as are the Autos.

FWIW, the Auto is a lovely box, and there’s no appreciable difference in fuel economy in the 528i over the 530i. The 530i sport is a better buy. If you’re happy to have a little less space, you get get a FANTASTIC 330i for under £5k.

Mine was a little more, but has pretty much EVERY optional extra.

My 330i Sport Touring:

German! I had 2 Peugeot 406 estates, the old one was brilliant(261000)
died of a rusty sill. The second newer one was a bag of knackers, the airbag worked ok though,as I found out, having had mainly French cars I vowed the next one would be German I ended up with an Audi A4,
not the most roomy but boy do I like it!.
I also have a Peugeot Partner van(only because it was silly cheap)
complete with lots of usual Peugeot problems, exploding crankshaft pulleys etc. However I don’t take the van seriously, It did pass its Mot yesterday without needing further expenditure.
As someone else said a second hand car is an unknown quantity until you own it.
Hope whatever you end up with is fine 🙂

Daffy that is noice. Any issues like sensors etc?

The only problem with beemers is they really can hide clocking very very well visually.

3 series BMW isn’t big like the OP was asking for though. Compared to Mondeo, Passat and 5 series it’s very small.

Daffy that is noice. Any issues like sensors etc?

Front wishbone bushes wear very quickly on the E46’s.
Cooling system is prone to issues on E46’s.
Rust on E46’s is also very common.

(Previously owned two E46 330ci Sports)

Agree with Craig above…E46 Tourer is not a big car / boot.

Rust on E46’s is also very common.

Sills are prob aren’t they?

Rust on E46’s is also very common.

[quote]
Sills are prob aren’t they?[/quote]

Mainly the arches but can also affect the sills:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=72&t=1243705&mid=49649&i=-17&nmt=e46+rust&mid=49649

Audi A6 all the way, huge boot and cofortable cruiser. German engineering so no need to worry about reliability or high mileages as long as its got good history. 🙂

Edit: Same goes for BMW 5 series touring or Volvo V70

dooosuk – Member

Daffy that is noice. Any issues like sensors etc?

Front wishbone bushes wear very quickly on the E46’s.
Cooling system is prone to issues on E46’s.
Rust on E46’s is also very common.

(Previously owned two E46 330ci Sports)

Agree with Craig above…E46 Tourer is not a big car / boot.

I did say “if your happy for a little less space”

Front wishbones are a £250 repair and can be done at home, The coolant system replacement is a £400 change, which can be done at home if you wish. As for corrosion, mine has been inspected by BMW at each service point in order to maintain the 12 year anti corrosion warranty.

There’s nothing major to go wrong on the 330i except the cooling system… If the engine temp goes above 1/2way STOP the car!

Daffy – I’m not saying they’re bad cars. I like them. Just not sure it fits the OP’s brief.

signum!