I’ve never quite understood why someone is happy to spent £25k or so on the depreciation on a flash motor, then worry about whether it does 45 or 55mpg,

Well, if you want a nice new motor, better all round to get one that does 60mpg rather than 40 isn’t it?

I think he was just saying that it seems a little odd to be putting so much effort into avoiding the few hundred difference in fuel costs on something which is going to cost fifteen grand in a couple of years in depreciation

The runout Octy vRS (the Blackline) does seem like a good deal. I believe some more of the Blackline models have been ‘found’ and made their way into dealers too.

But whilst they’re great, they’re not in the same league size-wise compared to a Superb etc. That said, I’ve had all kinds of stuff in the back of mine. Full built single bed, 6ft x 3ft kitchen table, double mattress etc…

Perhaps cost isn’t the only issue?

I looked at the a6 estate when i was looking for an estate and honestly didnt like it, the boot is long but not especially tall so probably an awkward shape to load!!

Suberb is a very nice/understated motor.

I settled on a mazda 6 estate in the end.

New 5 series beemer would be my choice with your budget(secondhand though !)

Yes, if you’re going to spend upwards of six grand a year to own it, the one I’d choose would be the one that’s nicest place to sit/impressed the neighbours/caused hot wimminz to want to make babies/fastest/most reliable/bestest gadgets etc. Fuel economy pretty far behind for the sake of maybe £500ish fuel in a 20000 mile year.

You could just about squeeze a Merc E Class into that budget. In a different league to Passat, Superb etc.

‘Any chance of an XF Sportbrake coming within budget? May be a little older than the other options but that means it won’t depreciate as fast.’

Where exactly are you going to find an ‘old’ XF Sportbrake?

Fuel economy pretty far behind for the sake of maybe £500ish fuel in a 20000 mile year.

Six grand a year isn’t leaving your bank account, is it? Your monthly payments are what’s leaving your bank account. Depreciation is only a cost if you look at it that way.

If you want to keep the car 20 years, it’ll still be doing 60mpg in 2023, long after all the depreciation is done.

My fuel saving cost over 4 months and 6000 miles equates to around 300litres of diesel. 30mpg vs 45mpg.

So saving just over £100 per month / £1200 a year.

For £25K you would get a fairly new S212 e250cdi. They are big, bigger than my ’08 eclass and I can get my Camber 29er striaght in mine with the seat folded down.

I had a V70 D3. It was great in every respect other than its drink habit.

The automotive equivalent of Oliver Reed after several hours running around in a desert.

520d will do 50mpg if you stick cruise control on at 70mph.

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4 blokes, loads of legroom, all the gear for a week and a spare Nomad in the boot!