What car would you recommend?

Dancook

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An Audi A6 Avant 2.0 TDI was probably one of the first cars to spring to mind. However I think I need to keep my options open and review other manufacturers that I'm probably overlooking.

It looks like performance vs fuel economy will be a tough battle. I've been getting 65mpg from my Clio 1.5 dci, I think anything <30 mpg is not going to be attractive.

I'm also coming around to the idea that cost of motoring is largely affected by pot holes, so whilst I will still try to avoid them - a car which is less affected by pot holes would be a bonus. Not sure how the A6 fairs here..

I don't think I want a large 4x4 type vehicle, I probably don't even need the size of the A6 Avant - no family, just I like the look and I liked the comfort of my 10 year old A6 when I had it.

I googled "good car for potholes" and the "top 10" list wasn't very appealing.
10 cars best able to cope with potholes - Telegraph

Most are what I call 4x4 type vehicles? SUV?

any thoughts? Wouldn't say I'm a fan of BMW, due to the stigma of the brand.
 
What about the Audi A3 or a Volvo V40. These are the 2 cars that I have narrowed down to in my search for a new car. Looked at the A-class Merc and Golf (which I have) and Bmw1 but the first 2 named seem the best for me. Just have to make a decision.
 
Thanks Audi A3 has been one i've looked at before, as well as the A1. Maybe it would be a better choice for me.
 
Guess it's down to budget but would certainly consider 3/5 series BMW etc.
 
An Audi A6 Avant 2.0 TDI was probably one of the first cars to spring to mind. However I think I need to keep my options open and review other manufacturers that I'm probably overlooking.

It looks like performance vs fuel economy will be a tough battle. I've been getting 65mpg from my Clio 1.5 dci, I think anything <30 mpg is not going to be attractive.

I'm also coming around to the idea that cost of motoring is largely affected by pot holes, so whilst I will still try to avoid them - a car which is less affected by pot holes would be a bonus. Not sure how the A6 fairs here..

I don't think I want a large 4x4 type vehicle, I probably don't even need the size of the A6 Avant - no family, just I like the look and I liked the comfort of my 10 year old A6 when I had it.

I googled "good car for potholes" and the "top 10" list wasn't very appealing.
10 cars best able to cope with potholes - Telegraph

Most are what I call 4x4 type vehicles? SUV?

any thoughts? Wouldn't say I'm a fan of BMW, due to the stigma of the brand.

Mini was in the middle of the list, or does that have BMW stigma? :)
 
Mini was in the middle of the list, or does that have BMW stigma? :)

Yes that was a bit of a surprise, I have mixed feelings about the mini :)

I think I find the mini uninspiring, and I'm already bored of the idea of having one. No offence to those who have one :)
 
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Surely Audi has just as much of a stigma as BMW?

Anyhow, why let stigma put you off a potential car purchase? Seems strange to me.

Regarding ride quality, if you do go for an Audi, make sure you get a test drive first as the S-Line suspension is far too firm IMO and even some of the models sports suspensions are not the most comfortable over a period of time. I had a new A4 Black Edition on loan for a week and felt fatigued after pretty much every drive....not an enjoyable experience tbh.

EDIT: Will you be buying new or used?
 
Surely Audi has just as much of a stigma as BMW?

I'm not aware of that and so i'll conclude ignorance is bliss :smashin:

Anyhow, why let stigma put you off a potential car purchase? Seems strange to me.

Although I don't believe everyone who drives a BMW is an arrogant driver. It's just the car itself now screams arrogance to me, and if I can't get past that I wouldn't want to feel that way about the car I purchase.

Regarding ride quality, if you do go for an Audi, make sure you get a test drive first as the S-Line suspension is far too firm IMO and even some of the models sports suspensions are not the most comfortable over a period of time. I had a new A4 Black Edition on loan for a week and felt fatigued after pretty much every drive....not an enjoyable experience tbh.

EDIT: Will you be buying new or used?

I think I'd go a couple of years old.

Sounds like another annoying compromise sport vs comfort :devil:
 
Anyhow, why let stigma put you off a potential car purchase? Seems strange to me.

Regarding ride quality, if you do go for an Audi, make sure you get a test drive first as the S-Line suspension is far too firm IMO and even some of the models sports suspensions are not the most comfortable over a period of time.

I stupidly let anti-BMW stigma keep me away from their products for a few years.
How daft did I feel when I 'gave in', got one and realised they are, in fact, much better cars to drive than the Audi A4 and A3 sportback I had previously.:facepalm:
I also agree with the above suspension comments, I still drive a colleague's A3 sportback S-line from time to time and the suspension is just ridiculously hard.
the only thing I'd say is that Audi (and BMW for that matter) have been letting buyers change from S-line/M-sport suspension to normal suspension as a free option for a while now.
So if buying at 2 years old, the car might have S-line/M-sport spec, but the soft suspension option.:thumbsup:
Check the option codes, a salesman will just lie.
 
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My mrs has a BMW3 series and it is one of the most comfortable cars I have ever driven and it can shift a bit. But if you don't let "stigma" colour your views what about a Dacia Duster. You can have a brand new model at less than £15k and I've seen a few videos on how good the 4wheel drive is on this car. I went to look at one recently and it didn't look bad at all. Unfortunately for me I can't see one on my drive due to the "stigma" . For the same reason that's why I couldn't have a Skoda,but that's me.
 
I was always under the impression that Audi has now taken the throne for a**hole drivers. I know BMW had it for years.
Either way, from my experience, I would choose BMW all day long. I do like Audi's but I have found the BMWs a bit more refined. Never owned either but parents have had numerous ones over the year and plenty of friends with them too.
My next move will be to a 3 Series Touring. :)
 
Don't get too caught up on the figures. I seem to recall someone posting on here a while back and saying the difference between a 30mpg car and a 40mpg car over something like 8000 miles works out to be a tenner a week.
 
Don't get too caught up on the figures. I seem to recall someone posting on here a while back and saying the difference between a 30mpg car and a 40mpg car over something like 8000 miles works out to be a tenner a week.

We have a clio 1.5dci doing about 65mpg... I don't imagine there will be many cars that I want that will reach the same figure. But I don't fancy 30mpg.
 
But how boring is it to drive? ;)

We had a Clio 1.5dci.
Ask my mate how boring they are, when we were valiantly hassling a Caterham along a road near Aberdeen.
I bet the bloke driving the Caterham didn't tell his mates about that.:laugh:

"Went for a blast at the weekend"
"Didn't I see a Clio hard up your backside..?"
".....No, wasn't me...."

The Clio was amazing on fuel, but my 320ED isn't far behind.
 
I'm sure the guy in the Caterham was really trying! ;)
Probably had a mate in his car and was saying "hey check out these guys in the clio, lets string them along for a while" :)
 
I'm sure the guy in the Caterham was really trying! ;)
Probably had a mate in his car and was saying "hey check out these guys in the clio, lets string them along for a while" :)

It was a Caterham, unless his mate is Verne Troyer safe to say he was the only one in it.
And I'm not denying he must have been a crap driver.
But he was trying alright.
Mid-life crisis man, all the gear and no idea.
 
Only 48.7 combined, plenty of cars better than that out there.

Depends what you mean by 'better', better performance?

The article was about reaching 50mpg and having a 0-60 under 10 seconds.

It would be good if I could find an database which allows me to filter against mpg and 0-60 for example.
 

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