Forum menu
£585 VED????
Has the benefit that for those who complain that as a cyclist you shouldn't be on the road as you don't pay road tax you can tell them to get out of your way in their diesel (it's always a diesel) as you pay more than them.
For the OP there's nothing boxy and reliable you can buy from the 90's with minimal mechanical knowledge. The Lexus above is the prefect though especially in Jewish racing gold. A Volvo 940 SE saloon is the waftiest car I've owned but they're far too expensive now. Saab 9-5's are very comfortable and cheap, but don't really waft.
Toyota Crown for wafty weirdness for JDM
Mazda Xedos 9 for wafty curvy 90s or how about Honda Legend.?
Some excellent suggestions. Lexus currently in number 1 position... surprised there's been no mercs suggested - aren't they the million mile cars of choice swanning around west africa?? surely something like this must be a goer?
this is an approximation of my current vehicle - a mondeo will not be sat alongside it on my drive!
6K gets you a lot of Deutsche Waft in an A8 via Autotrader
Quattro, filthy diesel, even a W12 long version for back seat waftery and crucially available in Jewish Racing Gold.
The LS430 I had was the best and waftiest car I have ever owned. As long as the air suspension is OK, everything else was pretty cheap to work on as it is Toyota parts.
Oh and that bonkers citroen 6 wheeler - chec out http://www.thejoyofcx.co.uk/index.php?page=home
My favourite car for big mile trips was my rover 620si just comfortable. Loved that car. Mind you it was the late 90s
Mondeo 2.0L TDCI estate. Titanium X spec. You should be able to get a 2012 or newer with under 80k for your budget. Very comfy on the motorway. Reliable and the few known issues are well understood by the indie Ford specialist mechanics and much cheaper to fix than BMWs, VWs, Jags etc.
Doesn't tick the 90s style criteria
I think that the OP mentioned reliable? I had 3 XM V6 over about 10yrs and 2 were reliable. One, the least reliable car I have ever owned. However they were all the waftiest things ever!
Waft factor 999, plus its cooler than literally any car Jaguar or BMW have ever made. I will not be taking further questions at this time
Honda Goldwing
It’s basically a car, and a wafty one at that.
Mine looks like this, not like a car but is wafty.
So the OP wants 90's ish.
Maybe it's my age as I passed my test in '89 but late 80s and early 90s car interiors almost make be feel a bit bilious! Earlier car interiors (thinking 60s and most of 70s) I like - some good styling and some so basic and rustic that they are good because they are crap kind of way. 90's cars almost feel like a really bad version of current cars - not retro enough to be cool and not new enough to function particularly well!
Range rover?
Mercs are classic waft-mobiles and cruise up the motorway without breaking a sweat. Even more importantly you'll still be able to walk when you reach your destination as the seats are supportive unlike the marshmallow stuffed torture devices used in french motors 😉
There's the classic beige leather and wood trimmed E class estate:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104161426116?model=E%20CLASS&radius=200&include-delivery-option=on&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&body-type=Estate&body-type=Coupe&sort=relevance&price-to=6000&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=sa54nf&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1
But for proper waft you want the car inspired by speedboat curves & style as there's a few CLS in your price range also available, with monster Petrol V8s possible:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105112477079?model=CLS&radius=200&include-delivery-option=on&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&body-type=Coupe&body-type=Estate&sort=relevance&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=sa54nf&price-to=6000&page=1
Boring as f*** but vectra diesel estate (120hp is powerful enough) - can be had for a grand or less - enormous boot - no need to remove wheels if the rear seats are down.
£585 VED????
Wowzers, I know there's an era of car that got hit hard by retrospective emission based VED rules, I guess that's one of them.
Wowzers, I know there’s an era of car that got hit hard by retrospective emission based VED rules, I guess that’s one of them.
There's a £600 band too......
That's 2001-2017 though. Anything >1.55l before that is £280
The Lexus above is the prefect though especially in Jewish racing gold.
Lexuses (Lexii?) have to be in two-tone for me:
[img] 
[/img]
But - how about a Toyota Crown? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265140692701?hash=item3dbb9de6dd:g:I7kAAOSwdDZgiWH4
[img] 
[/img]
I really want that CLS superlightstu linked above. No idea what I'd do with it though, just start it up on the drive and listen to it occasionally!
A former boss of mine had one, it was amazing to waft at light speed in. Although he did tell me once it devalued by £25k EACH YEAR he had it!! (He had it 4 years from new)
Something with a Japanese brand badge on, Camry?
YES Toyota Crown!
Or how about the last hydrapneumatic suspension car Citroen produced, the pinnacle of the design.
Citroen C5 with hydramatic 3. These are actually very sought after by those in the know.
that toyota is beautiful 😍
Or see if you can find a Toyota Century
https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/117-1997-toyota-century-v12/?lot=4633&sd=1
This Citroen XM looks good for £3.5k
My grandad used to have an estate version, but haven't seen any of those on the road or for sale in a while
Surely the obvious choice here is a Volvo 850/V70 from the mid-late 90's (as mentioned above), preferably the T5 variant? My 'S' Reg V70 2.5 was wafty as you like, and frankly they just look so effortlessly cool.
Not fast by today's standards mind, but honestly if you're buying a Volvo then all out speed probably doesn't even feature on the priority list.
"Jewish Racing Gold"
"Deutsche Waft" (maybe even better as a single word Deutschewaft)
I love this thread.
Lexus is the way to go. I have a 2010 IS250 and it is the best built and most comfortable car I have had. It is harder to watch TV than sit on the motorway in the heated & cooled leather seats with the cruise control on and the AC working perfectly.
C6 for waft. I had a Xantia and it was sublime at wafting. Merc various. Left field choice VW Phatoen
As much as I love old Citroens, the suspension is a serious liability as they start to age. All the seals, spheres, high pressure pipework etc. etc...
When it's working, it is absolutely sublime thought. The couple of BX's I've owned were the best cars I've ever had for a long motorway journey at, er, 90's and early 2000's motorway speeds.
I've already sent you all these on WhatsApp but thought the group might enjoy them-
£5kish for a very nice condition car WITH A V12! Looks at home plonked outside one's pile in the Cotswolds.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124698780532?hash=item1d08a06374:g:mMcAAOSw0L5gYf2p
Reliable you say? Also very cool, partly because it's massive and has only 2 doors.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353485510815?hash=item524d60d89f:g:F1sAAOSwULpgAbqr
The waftiest cars I've owned were a mk2 Cavalier (yes, really) and a Nissan QX V6 (their Lexus clone).
Wouldn't recommend either TBH, but if I had £5k to spend on a car I'd go for as modern a saloon/estate as I could. Not just for reliabilty but modern cars seem quite wafty to me anyway, in feeling more isolated from the road.
Something like a Skoda Superb or Vauxhall Insignia (seem good value) maybe.
Italian Busso Engined Potential Liability 12mpg is what a mate gets from his.
not a Jaaaaag. Expect a lottery of errors, flashing lights and perilous electrical malevolence at any moment. Fun when they work.
V8? Check, Mile eater? Check So you think a Jag's badly put together?
Or not reliable but very cool (sadly the much cooler 164 is out of budget)
[img] 
[/img]
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203445336874?hash=item2f5e497b2a:g:CWoAAOSwU1pggzmB
Or get the budget bumped for a Granada-
[img] 
[img]
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333991209976?hash=item4dc36d6bf8:g:454AAOSwLW5glAPs
Got it...
Nissan QX
Or Nissan Moreno
I have owned a GS, CX, BX,and Xantia , the hydraulic systems were the easiest parts to
work on , it is reliable uses non corrosive oil and when the suspension sinks it protects
the hydraulic suspension rams , the only special tool that is useful is a decent sphere wrench,
change the system oil and clean the filters and it is good for decades.
Colleague had a Phaeton was a very impressive wafter - double glazed windows and all, Lexus a good choice
too , Mercedes S class are OK but lots goes wrong, another colleague runs them , E class does 90% of the job
and goes wrong a bit less but they do have a lot of expensive known issues.
I've always pined after a Chrysler 300C
The best wafter I've ever had is a 5 series beemer. 5K gets you plenty to choose from if you don't mind a higher milage. The SE is very comfortable, the sportier ones look better but have a much harsher ride.
Mine got to 190k miles before I got rid and it needed very little doing to it.
BoardinBob
Full MemberI’ve always pined after a Chrysler 300C
I so nearly bought a hemi estate... I'd have regretted it in a bunch of different ways I'm sure, but still.
Ford Grenada cosworth.
300bhp of smooth waft
It's not about the bhp it's about arriving at your dedication unruffled, feeling content that you really are that wonderful.
Hence why I said Toyota Crown last night. Not the 90s Lexus rehash but the 70s or 80s models. Understated, elegant and good enough for the heads of Japanese corporations
Isn’t this a competition to see how few MPG OP can expect in return for chauffeuring a bicycle along motorways? 🧐
1988 Range Rover should get you up a motorway in relative comfort, and also close to the trailhead? About 13mpg combined. Fitting a snorkel and bike rack should help further reduce MPG.
#badlyshoppedboy
Ford Grenada cosworth.
300bhp of smooth waft
In standard form ideal for moderately paced wafting, but I’d want to know a lot about how they got it to 300bhp from the standard 204bhp without ruining waftability, assuming you could find one in reasonable nick.
In tradition of recommending what you have (well had until recently), I’d rather have 3.0l Mondeo Ghia/Titanium X (not an ST220).
1979 Merecedes 280e, I bought one on a whim I’m coming back from a three day bender in northern France, great waft wagon with the benefit of guzzling fuel like a park tramp on sherry.
My brother MiL had an early 90’s Cadillac De Ville in burgundy I borrowed one holiday, that took wafting to new levels!
https://www.driftworks.com/forum/attachments/de10-jpg.11878 /" alt="" />