If my focus is beyond repair when it arrives back from Switzerland I will be in the market for a new estate car ,been looking at a Subaru Legacy anybody know much about them whats the fuel econmy like etc? and what model is the best ,or can anybody recomend anything else .

Honda Accord diesel. A couple of my colleagues have them and seem to like them.

audi a4 avant …love mine

Had an A4. Liked the car, hated the dealers.

Seat have started selling the 'old' A4 and cheaper than when it was Audi badged too. Skoda Octavia.

Mondeo TDCI with a new clutch unit – ooh like mine that i am thinking about getting rid of. 🙂

unless it is a diesel, the fuel economy of legacys is not that great- a mate had one and it struggled to reach 30mpg. A4's are very nice, but not all that big inside. Certainly an Octavia would provide a longer load space, and the diesels can give over 50mpg

my A4 isnt hug inside, A6 if you want bigger …… mondeo good value

Legacy 2.5 gets 35mpg in the book. My Forester has a book average of 30- I get 34mpg.

When I change car again its going to be a new shape Octavia 4×4 estate.

why do you want a 4×4 hora?

I like them. I also like rear wheeldrive. I like the way 4×4 pulls/bends etc

I've heard a few comments about Subaru's being a bit heavy on fuel consumption in real life, and expensive parts.

Audi's are beautifully build but expensive. You should look at the VW Passat, Skoda, and the Mondeo. Depending on your annual mileage, don't only look at fuel consumption. The biggest differential cost over the first three years is depreciation.

New?

Legacy price new is a rip off IMO. A great buy secondhand but not new.

If I was buying new I'd look at the A4, Octavia or why not the Focus estate?

The Octavia isn't full time 4×4 IIRC, one of those that comes in when its needed so the sales guys told me. Don't think I'll be going for another vRS as it's rather thirsty.

looking at buying 2nd hand cant afford new ,just want somthing reliable that will last me a few years for carting the bikes around in

Halidax(?) system? Ah yes its the same as the old S3/4motion.

Just love the way mine pulls into and out of roundabouts. **** its mindbending 😀

I've just picked up an '05 diseasel focus estate. Previous motor was a '96 A4 avant. It's a lot more plasticky but nicer to drive and the boot is far bigger on the frod. I'm well pleased, especially at the price (sub £4000)

(It's going to get a towbar and some nice towbarmounted bike rackage)

I can recommend the VW Passat 1.9 TDi – not super fast, but really comfy, huge boot space (much bigger than A4 and Octavia), proper roof rails for your bars and averages about 49mpg. Depreciation is better than the Mondeo and the service interval is around the 20k mile mark (it's 12k on a Mondeo)!?!

I've driven all over the place in mine (Italy last year, South of France this year) and it's a fantastic long distance tourer – even fully loaded with Mrs TB, the kids and camping gear.

Get one with parking sensors though – it looooong!?!

I have the 1.9TDi Passat Estate too: I bought it with 105,000 miles on the clock; it was immaculate. It's now up to about 140k miles, over the last 6 years, and is still great. Loads of room, can pick them up cheap now and can easily get 50mph. I have the "sport" version (what was I thinking, it's an estate car!) and can't recommend it as it grounds over South London's infuriating speed-bump extravaganza. The choice of car mechanics – so a car mechanic told me. Now, if I had the cash, on looks alone, it would probably be an Audi A6, or a new shape Passat, or sell the kids, ditch the gf and go mad on an old XJS/Jensen Interceptor.

I am looking for an estate car at the moment and have plumped for either a Passat TDI 130 or a Mondeo TDCI 130. Why do Ford feel the need to load their cars with toys but not fit alloy wheels? I have been driving for years without electric everything but cars on steel wheels look rubbish!

my mondeo is a 130 bhp tdci with Ford alloys, 82k miles and new clutch and DMF

Wanna buy it?

How much? Assuming it is an estate?

A6 Quattro does it for me, good economy, immense, keeps going in the snow.

£4k

Can you drop me an e-mail mark.pearson at madison.co.uk with some details?

when are you looking to buy?

My mother-in-law is having my Focus in the next couple of weeks, she has already paid me for it so I am looking at getting something sharpish.

too early i am afraid as we have a baby due in the next couple of weeks and have our hands full

I would have another Focus tdci had mine for 4yrs ,paid £4000 for it on an 03 plate so gutted it just went pop on the climb upto Verbier as it has served me well ,but I fear the worse and think the repair bill will be massive ,still dont know what is wrong with it until it comes back to U.K

Ah right, no worries.

The Focus has been a dependable reliable cheap workhorse and I would highly recommend another one. I just need something bigger as I have an 8 week old daughter and a partner who seems to need to take a ton of luggage wherever we go.

Mondeo ST all the way! 40-45mpg 150bhp diesel – looks the dog's B.ss too. I'm loving mine!!

I got rid of an 02 Focus a year ago, ended up with an 07 Passat after a bit of looking around.

The A4 was too expensive (was looking at something almost 3 years old for same money as a year old Passat) and ultimately too small – can't stand an MTB upright with front wheel and saddle off so no good for us for French road trips. Would have needed an A6 and simply too many beans for one of them.

I basically ended up choosing between Mondeos and Passats and the difference in residuals between 4 year old Mondeos and Passats swung it. The Mondeo (new shape) is as well banged together and possibly slightly more involving to drive, but the Passat is the 170PS version (which is nice!), very comfy and should be worth 2 or 3k more than the Mondeo when time comes to change once I've had it 3 or 4 years.

Did consider things like a Legacy, Accord and Mazda 6 but there are very few about so soon gave up on that. I think Vectras are just appalling things, didn't even bother looking at them. Mercs and 5 tourers were same issues as A6s.

Only downer on the Passat is that, seats up, the boot is smaller than the Focus as the wheel arches intrude significantly. I can get a road bike in no probs; the Soul fits with a bit of wiggling but have to take the rear mech off my large Rush to fit it in. Otherwise it's all good.
Loads of space – we can get 2 people, 2 MTBs, 2 road bikes, 3 weeks worth of kit and almost 100 bottles of wine inside without any probs – could still just about see out the back window as well.

Another vote for a Passat. I've got the 130 TDI model.

We've just got back from holiday in France. It carried luggage for 5 and four bikes on the roof without a hiccup. Perfectly relaxed motorway cruising.

Mondeo ST all the way! 40-45mpg 150bhp diesel – looks the dog's B.ss too. I'm loving mine!!

hehe .. more like dogs dinner 😉

much prefer them in standard trim opposed to ST or whatever spec. … all personal opinion of course 😉

The A4 is about the same size inside as a Focus or Octavia IME, i.e. not big enough. I've currently got a Passat TDI 130 which will effortlessly do 50mpg and 100mph (although not at the same time!) and swallows massive loads with contempt. If I were replacing it I'd go for an A6 if feeling flushed, otherwise a new-shape post-05 Passat which has a smoother engine, better ride & handling and is a bit bigger than it's predecessor. The Mondeo is bigger still and cheaper, but the problem with all Fords is that the interiors are so low-rent.

jontawn – The normal trim is boring…. 😉

mondao disel or new diesl legacy r the best way forward if u want to be sparing with cash

I did see a 04 2.0i petrol Legacy for under £5000 that looked the part ,maybe my Focus will be salvagable but I am looking on the bad side ,it arrives back in the U.K in a week so will know then ,by the way top marks to Greenflag who provided me and my family with taxis ,flights ,hire car and towing my car back to the U.K

We're on our second Accord estate. Looks nice, great to drive and HUGE load space. I have just discovered today I can get even more in than I thought. Our first one, a 53 reg was a slightly sportier one than the current 57 auto and my god it was fun to drive. 🙂 Have had 3 Audis before the Hondas, wouldn't have another.

fully loaded at set 2 rise