High MPG medium sized automatic car wanted

Stephen7372 · 6 Jan 2008 at 13:11

High MPG medium sized automatic car with firm seats wanted

any suggestions :confused:

We have a Saab of some description but it only does 25 ish mpg

Nice hard seats would be good too.

It needs to be automatic as my left foot is damaged (permantly)

Ben M · 6 Jan 2008 at 13:19

budget? age preference?

Stephen7372 · 6 Jan 2008 at 13:22

budget £12K ish
age OAP

Pyscho_Si · 6 Jan 2008 at 13:26

Stephen7372 said:
budget £12K ish
age OAP

Do you like the Saab? If so, maybe look at the diesel versions.

How much milage do you do a year?

[TW]Fox · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:02

Taking this thread literally, you want something like a Mondeo TDCi 130 automatic - which is your best chance at getting good economy from a medium sized automatic car.

However as is often the case with these threads I would put money on there being things you've not considered. In terms of used car desireability, a good automatic diesel is about the most desireable car out there - there are not a huge amount around, lots of people on the used market want one, supply and demand results in high prices.

Depending on your mileage you could actually save money, or not spend an awful lot more, by running an automatic petrol car instead.

How many miles a year do you do, and what sort of driving?

Type_R · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:03

Golf 2.0 GT TDi - 130 will do the job nicely :-)

[TW]Fox · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:06

Type_R said:
Golf 2.0 GT TDi - 130 will do the job nicely

If there is a worse value car on the used market today than one of these I've yet to find it.

Leaving aside the fact the car you've suggest doesn't actually exist - the 2.0 TDI develops either 140 or 170bhp - you are likely to get a 2004 car for this sort of money (Perhaps a 2005 if lucky), which means no VW warranty.

And would YOU fancy running a complex DSG gearbox engined car paying for the repairs yourself? I can't think of a single reason to recommend the Golf over other cars for similar money.

laissez-faire · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:06

yeah i'd go with either a passat or a golf TDI with a DSG.

DSG is easier on fuel than a normal auto.

VW have firmer seats that are infinitely more comfortable for long journeys than the ford efforts. (by long I mean 8-10 hours, I know some people think a long drive is only about an hour).

Sone · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:12

Volvo S60 D5 Auto. D5 engine is as good as any diesel of the same vintage imho and volvo seats are enarly as good as saabs.

Type_R · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:13

[TW]Fox;10829290 said:
If there is a worse value car on the used market today than one of these I've yet to find it.

Leaving aside the fact the car you've suggest doesn't actually exist - the 2.0 TDI develops either 140 or 170bhp - you are likely to get a 2004 car for this sort of money (Perhaps a 2005 if lucky), which means no VW warranty.

And would YOU fancy running a complex DSG gearbox engined car paying for the repairs yourself? I can't think of a single reason to recommend the Golf over other cars for similar money.

Your right its a 140 bhp.

I would recommend it because I dont drive a BMW and hence dont believe I drive the ultimate driving machine

Its a good car and yes the DSG does fail once in a while but no more often than a BMW auto (if u think it does I want to see hard proof!). Plus its an awesome auto box - miles in front of any other auto box I have driven.

Over to you oh wise one...

DannyW · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:13

i'd go with the mondeo 2.0 tdci auto, but test drive the passet auto aswell, i like both tbh.

i have been in dozens of passat's (taxi's) and i can't say they're anymore comfortable then a mondeo, i drove my mondeo for 5 hours yesturday without and aches or pains.

[TW]Fox · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:15

Type_R said:
I would recommend it because I dont drive a BMW and hence dont believe I drive the ultimate driving machine

And this has precisely what to do with a thread about a medium sized automatic car? Do you see any BMW references?

DSG is not like a regular gearbox, as you well know.

The Golf is indeed a good car, however £12,000 for a 3-4 year old car is poor value for money if the car in question is a hatch from a non premium marque. The car is not an Audi, yet it commands prices which make you think it ought to be.

Type_R · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:18

[TW]Fox;10829365 said:
And this has precisely what to do with a thread about a medium sized automatic car? Do you see any BMW references?

DSG is not like a regular gearbox, as you well know.

The Golf is indeed a good car, however £12,000 for a 3-4 year old car is poor value for money if the car in question is a hatch from a non premium marque. The car is not an Audi, yet it commands prices which make you think it ought to be.

Perhaps if you drove one you might see why it commands that price.

zain · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:26

[TW]Fox;10829290 said:
And would YOU fancy running a complex DSG gearbox engined car paying for the repairs yourself? I can't think of a single reason to recommend the Golf over other cars for similar money.

You can buy extended an warranty. The DSG box is also very reliable, great economy and totally smooth gear changes. On top of that there is nothing to say it will mess up quicker or more than a normal automatic gearbox.

CypherPunk · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:27

Type_R said:
Your right its a 140 bhp.

I would recommend it because I dont drive a BMW and hence dont believe I drive the ultimate driving machine

Its a good car and yes the DSG does fail once in a while but no more often than a BMW auto (if u think it does I want to see hard proof!). Plus its an awesome auto box - miles in front of any other auto box I have driven.

Over to you oh wise one...

DSG is a terrible automatic gearbox unless all you are concerned about is 0-60 times. It's not nearly as refined as a proper automatic and would quickly drive me mad if I had to live with one.

My vote would be for the S60 D5, I drove one before I bought my Jaguar and I was pretty impressed, it’s a really comfortable car and quite pleasant to drive for a diesel. The only thing I didn't like was the terrible turning circle.

zain · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:32

CypherPunk said:
DSG is a terrible automatic gearbox unless all you are concerned about is 0-60 times. It's not nearly as refined as a proper automatic and would quickly drive me mad if I had to live with one.

Right... it gives smooth gear changes, responds very well to each change you place your foot at and delivers good economy. How is that terrible? :confused:

[TW]Fox · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:34

Type_R said:
Perhaps if you drove one you might see why it commands that price.

I have, and I didn't. Granted it was a petrol 1.6 but the engine wouldn't have made the world of difference to it. It was a nice car, a bit like a Focus really, some reasonably built (but not amazingly) medium sized family hatchback. Absolutely nothing to get excited about whatsoever and even with a whole 140bhp of diesel engine, still not worth £12k at 3-4 years old. By a long shot.

Oddly it felt less well screwed together than a Mk4, and the difference in quality between it and the Audi A3 based upon the same platform was bigger than I had expected.

In this thread so far I am liking the S60 D5 suggestion most. It is better than a VW Golf. And probably not really any older.

Gonzo0 · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:40

Id say get a 2.0 or 2.2 D4-D Toyota Avensis, very very good MPG and quite nippy when needed. Good motorway muncher.

The avensis mpg will put the mondeos, passats and all the others to shame tbh.

[TW]Fox · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:49

Gonzo0 said:
Id say get a 2.0 or 2.2 D4-D Toyota Avensis, very very good MPG and quite nippy when needed. Good motorway muncher.

The avensis mpg will put the mondeos, passats and all the others to shame tbh.

Err... they do not do an Avensis with automatic gearbox and the D4-D engine. You can only get petrol automatic Avensis.

:confused:

Third Opinion · 6 Jan 2008 at 20:52

I would avoid the Mondeo TDCi in Automatic. My father has one and it only returns about 36-38MPG on a run. The gearbox isn't that relible either as he is on his second in under 70k.

Granted this may be a one off but Ford have never had a great reputation with auto's.