I do 15-18k a year, and I’m after a cheap second hand motor to get to work. Commute is mainly at 50mph under average speed cameras…

Priorities are:
Cheap TCO. Good MPG, tax out of the silly brackets, good reliability and cheap bits.
Comfy and quiet.
Able to get a bike in (3 coupes all have folding rear seats if what I’ve read is right). Not a total deal breaker though as if I have a cramped car, my girlfriend will get a decent sized hatch.
Simple to service – I like to do my own and save a few quid.

Obviously the BMW is going to be quicker and more fun, but reading around suggests they’re pretty complicated machines too.

I’ve had loads of Golfs and know the parts can be had cheaply. Always had petrol ones though, which tend to be steady and do reasonable MPG, although I’ve read some frightening “real world” figures for the 1.6 petrol (ie, low to mid 30s).

Do they both have the DMF issues that seem to plague all the modern diesels?

Why not look at the likes of a Volvo V70 or S60/S80???

Set the cruise control and relax.

Or a Mondeo.

Out of those 2 I would have the BM any day, but your not comparing like with like in any way.

If you look at the TDCI Mondeo try and get the auto-box. It doesn’t have DMF issues.

Not having a big old man’s saloon! Had a 406 estate for work and hated the size of it.

Won’t have a Ford, had a couple and just not a fan. I’m after something German or VAG group to be honest.

Skoda Octavia estate?

VW Golf TDI is a good choice imho.

The 1.9 engine in those will go on forever, ok, a ‘bit’ aricultural & a narrow power band, but ‘real world’ mpg figures will be in the mid to high 50’s.

Look for one with either the red ‘I’ badge, 100bhp, or better still, the red ‘DI’ badge, 130bhp.

The same engine is found in the usual stw recommended car…Skoda Octavia.

EDIT: Just thought of another one, VW Polo TDI, with the 1.4 3 cylinder engine ? In particular the MK4 version, built between 2002 & 2009.

Leon 1.9 Tdi…? The previous shape…

With regard to the BMW coupe, I think folding back seat was an option, so don’t assume the car will have it. Might be wrong, but seem to remember it cropping up on car forums in the past…

I’m after something Golf sized, no estates! Just don’t like them, or their stupid window blind load covers.

Good call on the Leon. Based on the Golf, uses the same engines, but doesn’t carry the price premium of the Golf.

My last 3 coupe didn’t have folding seats so definitely check.

Be careful of the badging on the VAG range as well. Dealers applied the badges so a red DI doesn’t always mean it has a certain engine. For example my Bora had a Red TDI but was a 115 not 150.

Cheers,
Mart

E46 320D has all sorts of problems with turbos, swirl flaps, front suspension bushes.

Yes, the coupes have folding rear seats but you struggle to get one bike in easily (I have a 330ci) as the vertical height of the boot is a limiting factor to sliding it through (I have an XL frame though)

having had an older shape leon TDI i wouldn’t recommend TBH. 5hite handling and a bit flimsy inside. oh! and it leaked water into the cabin – quite common. it wasn’t ‘that bad’ a car but the water got really boring. you’d go to drive to work or something and had to spend 10 mins wiping the damn thing out.

I’ve had an E46 coupe for 10 years and it’s been pretty easy to live with (it’s a petrol though). MTB goes in fine with the front wheel off and seat post dropped (assuming your seats fold down obviously). Road bike is a tighter fit at the bars on mine as I have the HK sub that takes up space.
In those 10 years apart from routine servicing costs and tyres it’s been pretty cheap to run. Had new discs & pads at 55k, thrust bearings at 65k and a couple of other minor things. Only issue atm is parking sensors are playing up (and have been for years) and are pricey to replace and recently started getting some dodgy sensor false-positives (O2 sensors and front headlight).
BMW main dealer labour charge isn’t cheap but it’s not ridiculous either. I’d have another if I didn’t want more space.

Got an E46 320D Touring – whilst the chassis dynamics and general build quality are excellent the engine is lumpy, unrefined and not as economical as you might think. It does deliver the oomph if you get the 2005 170hp version. Avoid the auto with that engine though as it is also very lumpy and unrefined… I took mine back to the dealer convinced something was wrong only to be told by BMW that it was “characteristic” which means “it’s shite, but it won’t break, so not fixing it”. try the bimmerworld forum for more info.

Skoda Fabia or the estate version. 😀

We had a Golf Mk 4 1.6 SE.

It was a nice car, but as you’ve indicated it was much more thirsty than one would expect – we really struggled to get much more than low to mid 30s and I found it slow and the handling a bit sloppy compared to the Mk 2 1.8 Driver I’d had for years previously. I’d go for the TDI in preference if I was to have another Mk 4.

We’ve now got an Octavia Scout 2.0 TDI which I much prefer – I wouldn’t discount the Octy completely – they’re popular for good reasons and it’s on the same platform as the Golf so is really not that much bigger in size.

We had a Golf mk4 1.6 SE and never failed to get less than 37/38mpg from it. Never more than about 42 either, but still consistent. Handling does go sloppy as the front shocks wear and the gear change on ours never felt perfect. TDI mk4 golfs are bullet-proof.

I’ve also owned the mk2 Leon 1.6, which is a completely equivalent car as others have suggested. The only real problem I had was also with leaks, which when you learn where to unblock is not too bad, and very cheap to fix.

Tested a Skoda Fabia, but it felt like a rubbish Polo to me. Average build quality and even the top spec one didn’t impress me much.

Currently have a mk5 1.4 tsi golf (122) (the one with just the turbo, not the supercharger as well) and it’s excellent. Low spec inside, but great to drive, well-built and decent mpg (low to mid 40s).