So, thinking of replacing my 05 Mazda 6 with something a bit newer now that I’ve two young kids. It’ll be the only car in the household.

We do 7000-8000 miles a year, so I’ve been ignoring diesels (mine and the mrs’ commutes are only 5 miles each way in stop start traffic).

Problem is, looking at cars around 10, 11 plates there’s not many petrol options.

Budget up to £8500 and I’m 6’6″ so need something with reasonable room. Mrs doesn’t really want an SUV.

Struggling to find something within 50 miles of Manchester

E90/E91 BMW 318/320i – boot not massive but also a catalog of issues from timing chains, vanos units, to injector and coil packs etc.

Mazda 6 – not that keen on the styling with the spoilers

Merc C Class – all diesels

Honda Accord – all diesels

Volvo’s – all diesels

Passat – all diesels

Seat Exeo’s – all diesels

Avensis & Mondeo – I’m only in my 30’s and was hoping something not quite so old man

Audi A4 – not massive inside leg room wise

5 Series/A6 out of price range and older ones still mainly diesels.

Am I missing something? A nationwide search on AT and Ebay isn’t providing much inspiration.

Octavia? Plenty of 1.4 TSIs and some 1.8 petrols in budget. Or the petrol vRS.

Tbh a lot of “prestige” and midrange cars are holding their value a lot more these days, especially in petrol/performance configurations as they’re more desirable now people have a bit more money to splash about, diesels threatened with higher taxation, and because they’re so astronomically priced in the first place.

You say you do bugger all mileage and no distance daily yet all these cars are on the large-mid to large size. Why do you need something so big? A Passat is certainly in “barge” territory!

I’d look at a Golf GTI at 8.5k, you might just about get one on a 2010 plate, but certainly a ’59 plate I would of thought. Or if you don’t care about performance your options open up a bit more in terms of cabin spec with your budget.

Stay away from BMW – your budget suggests not a lot of budget for maintenance also. You could easily spend half the cost of the car on a gearbox should the worst happen.

Octavia is very dull after driving a Mazda6 and at 6’6″ you’ll struggle for cabin space.
I went from a 06 Mazda6 2.0D TS to a 63 plate Octavia Elegance estate (company car) and it was a step down in terms of comfort, space and handling. I’m only 6′ 1.5″

I now have a 10 plate diesel Mondeo and its very good. Not as nimble as the 6 but more refined ride and even comfier on long drives

My father in law had a Skoda Superb estate 1.8T and it was really nice, pretty quick too for a big lump.

How could I forget the STW favourite.

They just seem a bit old man’y again.

“(mine and the mrs’ commutes are only 5 miles each way in stop start traffic).”

Why would you even use the car ?

Walk or cycle .

Stay away from BMW – your budget suggests not a lot of budget for maintenance also.

Incorrect assumption. I’ve had two E46 330ci Sports in the past. I’m just happy for someone else to take the depreciation hit.

Been looking at larger family cars due to kids and all the crap that that brings with it for weekends at the grandparents/camping etc.

Why would you even use the car ?

Walk or cycle .

I cycle. The mrs’ has the car. She’s an A&E nurse so commuting early and late in the day means the car is safer and quicker for her.

We’re also in Manchester so sometimes the weather isn’t that appealing.

Seat Leon? There were lots of petrols when I was in Seat the other day?

Had one for a day, very nice, I’m not tall, but hate sitting high I was able to get the seat very low.

A mate has just got an Octavia Scout for a couple of grand under your budget – the 1.8 TSI version. Its great – miss my old Octavia vRS despite its shortcomings in build quality vs BMWs etc but it was a great car. LOADS of room given its size on the outside. That good we put a deposit down on one a few years back, got cold feet, decided then it was right but it’d sold.

A quick look brings up this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201606104814240?searchcontext=default&search-target=usedcars&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&model=octavia&price-to=8500&fuel-type=petrol&page=2&body-type=estate&postcode=hx30us&sort=pricedesc&make=skoda&radius=1501&logcode=p&adPos=6

Right age – tick
Reasonable miles – tick
Well under budget – tick
Petrol – tick
Ace biking car – tick
Good child carrying ability – tick (we had a roof box as well for balance bikes, windbreaks etc)
Location – TICK
Main dealer and not some dodgy back-street place – tick
Be the envy of a whole host of STWers – tick

+ if you’re bothered a simple map will give you well above 200bhp so you’d have a 4×4 vRS beater.

Personally I wouldn’t buy another Mondeo. Maybe if someone else other than Ford made it but my example was a fine car flawed by poor quality.

Bought 6 months old Nov 2010 7,000 mi
Tyres @ 14,000
Power steering pump @ 27,000
Clutch pressure plate @ 36,000
Door seals @ 40,000
Air con ongoing problems, gave up in the end
Instruments erratic behaviour
Interior trim tends not to stay in place
Brakes @ 45,000
Bonnet catch
Engine warning light (cooling)
Engine warning light (turbo sensor)
Immobiliser failure @ 65,000
New battery @ 67,000

Don’t get me started on brake lights

Citroën C4 in Blackburn and haggle along the lines of “I’ll come and buy in for 8k but no more”.

*runs and hides behind sofa*

or the same engine in the cactus.

*flees room*

Skoda yeti or roomster

Audi A4 – not massive inside leg room wise

Do you mean drivers leg room or in the back? Im 6’5″ and had an A4 (B8 Avant) for 4 years, best driving position (comfort wise) of any car I’ve had.

New shape peugeot 308 sw look a nice motor with a choice of petrol engines. Even a fast gt version

Do you mean drivers leg room or in the back? Im 6’5″ and had an A4 (B8 Avant) for 4 years, best driving position (comfort wise) of any car I’ve had.

In the coupe version also, they’re pretty naughty in the looks dept.

Then again, i’m a sucker for a coupe.

Ford Focus no good? The Titanium and Titanium X have a very good spec level

Well that C4 I linked sold fast!

Would an Alfa 159 TBi be a bad idea?

Walk

2-2.5hrs a day, I love walking but no thanks

OP afaik most Hondas are petrol, I think its just they are getting sold very quickly.

Golf Plus have a bit more headroom, as someone with short legs I can’t offer first hand experience but A6 estates are very roomy for driver/passangers but a bit of a tank around multi-story car parks

Not too sure why you think a Mondeo is an old mans car, when it is one of the best handling cars in the sector

Subaru ?

Avensis & Mondeo – I’m only in my 30’s and was hoping something not quite so old man

You have Honda, Passat and Volvo in your list. You’re already aiming for a classic old mans car. Stop being the badge snob and take a Mondeo on a test drive, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Octavia is very dull after driving a Mazda6 and at 6’6″ you’ll struggle for cabin space.

We are all different shapes. I’m 6ft3 and 17 stone and find my 2012 Octavia 1.4Tsi fine for cabin space. The best seats of any car I’ve had for long journeys.

Not many toys but adequate power, similar to my last car a 1.8 petrol Mondeo. I’ve had it from 6 months old and other than servicing and tyres the only repair it’s needed was a number plate light.

The Scout is nice as well. We have a fleet of 17 diesel 2012 Scouts at work. Only issue with them so far seems to be a few getting false alarms from tyre pressure sensors. Otherwise no big problems despite a use pattern which involves doing about 40 – 60 miles per 7hr shift with much of the shift sitting idling at calls.

Got to be honest, at 6’6″ I’d be looking at big cars – I’m only 6’2″ (but long-legged) and in many cars my seat goes back so far that it impacts the rear considerably.

I’d be looking at a Skoda Superb and worrying less about whether it’s diesel or petrol.