New car time in the autumn, need something dull

griffo_001 said:
Wait 6 months and get an Evoque if you think you need one. :)

We used a Freelander last Christmas, properly kitted up - we use aggressive (and noisy) all terrain winter tyres (designed for snow and mud) all year round. Even then you could happily light up all four wheels, do subtle, controlled four wheel drifts and so on on REALLY bad roads - the ones where the was a 100mm high curb formed along the centre of the white lines where people hadn't driven. :D

It was almost completely unstoppable. But Joe Public wasn't, and he caused absolute CHAOS with his inability to drive to the conditions - that's the bigger problem imo. A 4x4 can't get the motorway to magically reopen, so you're still going to hit problems trying to do a serious mileage in that weather.
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That type of M&S tyre isn't as well suited to the snow as a specific winter snow tyre though, isn't it just the large open treads which gain it such a rating.

The tyres fitted to the Land Rovers at work are M&S rated, but weren't comparable in the snow to a specific winter tyre.
 
Berger said:
That type of M&S tyre isn't as well suited to the snow as a specific winter snow tyre though, isn't it just the large open treads which gain it such a rating.

The tyres fitted to the Land Rovers at work are M&S rated, but weren't comparable in the snow to a specific winter tyre.
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That's very true, my main point was (supposed to be) you can have all the toys but you're still out of luck if someone bins it on the road in front of you :) Which if previous performance is anything to go by, is quite likely :p
 
I'm going to throw in a suggestion then run away...
Insignia 2.0 CDTI 160PS 4x4

Fits the bill according to the OP and does 47mpg.
Can add in as many options as you like for the electric stuff
Lots of space including in the boot.

Wait wait, let me guess..? Its a Vauxhall.
 
A friend has a s-line A6 and that was worse in the snow that my 318is due to it's large low profile tyres. If you absolutely need to get about you'd need snow tyres whatever car you pick.
 
4wd definitely does help in the snow though, my step dad works over the moors and has previously had a 325i which wasn't great whenever it snowed up there.

His old R32 and current 911 though have always been alright (still not great, but better) the previous couple of years.

And in a similar situation to Merlin, if he can't get to clients he's losing money to someone else who can!
 
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Gribs said:
A friend has a s-line A6 and that was worse in the snow that my 318is due to it's large low profile tyres. If you absolutely need to get about you'd need snow tyres whatever car you pick.
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The 318is has a LSD though doesn't it? LSD on the rear helps get the car through snow in a big way, problem with my car is the open diff so the wheel with no traction gets all the power.

I've had some pretty bad times in the snow with this car, like being stuck miles from home 11pm at night. Yes I could and should fix the problem with snow chains or winter tyres or whatever but to me a better fix would be a nice 4WD car.

Let's face it - the 325D Sport is a nice car but it's by no means a sports car so I wouldn't actually be missing some car of automotive weapon. It's just a 200bhp diesel company hack with some posh switchgear and a badge of a propeller front and back. It's spends 40% of it's time either pootling in 2nd gear through town, 30% motorway at 80mph and the balance doing A and B roads with cruise control set at 21.77 mph stuck behind Mr Magoo in his Nissan Micra. 2 of my 6 cylinders have seized due to lack of use.

Not sure where to go with this now. Need to think it all through and bottom out whether what I want is what I need and vice versa.
 
no_1_dave said:
I'm going to throw in a suggestion then run away...
Insignia 2.0 CDTI 160PS 4x4

Fits the bill according to the OP and does 47mpg.
Can add in as many options as you like for the electric stuff
Lots of space including in the boot.

Wait wait, let me guess..? Its a Vauxhall.
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Put it like this - it wouldn't be absolutely totally out of the question, but I don't presently feel any urge to rush to my local Vauxhall dealer.
 
some kind of audi with AWD is the answer (or any 4WD tbh!). Forget the naysayers, the 4wd makes ALL the difference when the weather is bad. I never once got stuck in mine, and my arse was twitching a few times! Contrast with my father in his 5 series which ended up living in his garage for 4 weeks this last winter.
 
merlin said:
The 318is has a LSD though doesn't it?
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No.

Yes I could and should fix the problem with snow chains or winter tyres or whatever but to me a better fix would be a nice 4WD car.
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So you can sit and spin 4 wheels instead of two?

The correct answer to ensuring you have the mobility you want in the weather you think we'll have on the roads you say you drive on is the right tyres, not 4 wheels driving 4 summer tyres.
 
Didn't you go through something similar a while ago and ended up with a Passat that you absolutely hated?
 
OllyM said:
Didn't you go through something similar a while ago and ended up with a Passat that you absolutely hated?
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In a word - no.

What happened with the Passat was very simple - I owned an Accord, it was mine and paid for.

My boss said - would you like a company car for free, it won't be anything special - but it'll be for nothing.

I said yes - bring it.

A Passat arrived.

I hated it.

It wouldn't die.

Eventually the lease expired and I rejoiced.
 
Half of me hopes you buy some horrible FWD Vectra thingy and then get stuck in the snow because it's tyres not drivetrain that helps the most.

The other half of me thinks you are a decent chap and wants to help you make the right decision not some silly knee-jerk one.
 
[TW]Fox;19167166 said:
Your car, replaced in 2012 with perhaps the new F30 - will be better in snow on a set of ContiWinterContacts than any of the stuff in that list of yours on conventional tyres.
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Pretty much sums up my thoughts on the subject, very wise words.
 
I still have the 325D.

It's 3 years old soon so it's time to move it on, not my rules it's just company policy. Problem is I got the 325 at £8k off list - paid £23k for it brand new. I can't repeat that feat now so anything is going to be a downgrade.

I've done little in the way of research since making this thread but by chance I bumped into a SEAT salesman today who offered me an insane amount of money on my 325D against an Exeo SE TECH.

I still want something along these lines as my company car budget is £23k ish.

The guy said he'll do an Exeo SE TECH 2.0 Tdi CR 140 with Met paint + Nav + Leather + winter and lighting packs for £20k and as said he's offered a silly figure for the 325 - so silly that I think he's made a mistake.

The Exeo any good? It just has to be a decent company workhorse + family hack, I'm not expecting anything spectacular.
 
The Exeo is a previous generation Audi A4 with a Seat badge.

So yes, it's good, but only in the same way something like an older Audi A4 or an E46 3 Series is good. It certainly isn't the sort of place £20k should go in a hurry. Especially not with that dire 140bhp 2.0 TDI. If we ignore the horrible enigne for a sec, fundamentally think of it as a competitor to your old 330Ci that doesnt handle as well, but is built nicely

With the E90 ending production next month I wouldnt rule out repeating your feat again. Your 325d was a bargain because it was a pre facelift car and the facelift had come out. Imagine the deals on an E90 once the F30 is here..
 
Is the engine the same as the POS one my old Passat had?

Spot on & well remembered my deal was because of the facelift hitting the shelves. Cracking deal. Problem is I'm not sure I want another E90.
 
It's the previous Audi A4 with a new badge on it. Lots of shared VAG bits underneath, so depends how much you hated the Passat. Certainly worthy of serious consideration if the deal is *that* good.
 
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