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[Varche]

We (94 year old MIL and dog) decanted to Madrid for three days and stayed in a hotel with thankfully a well stocked bar.

Viewed four cars All 2.0 150 bhp estates based on VAG MQB floor.

Seat Leon . Highly specced especially in the sounds dept. Perfect except we both had interior heat concerns over the full length sunroof with a flimsy mesh retractable screen. Good idea in 300 days of belting sun? Salesman reassured us that it was special glass. When we ran the elite over here, I liked the sun roof as it let light in but of course was only small. Cannot remember ever having it open apart from first week we had the car. The Seat was a French import from Paris where there is no sun of course.  Full LED lights front and back. No experience of them for effectiveness but look good I guess to thirty year olds.

VW Golf. Even higher spec including same full length sunroof. 12 speakers apparently. Full leather, parking sensors front and rear, camera and park assist. Ruled that one out on the test drive as it was like being on a ride at Alton Towers. You were always adjusting the steering to keep it in a straight line. Possibly shot suspension links?

Skoda Octavia Combi. Nice car but despite being the ambition model it was average for gizmos. I suspect Skoda drivers buy the car for huge boot, better rear headroom and legroom. It had xenons, cruise and media screen. Couldn't test it as it was in among 200 other cars on the second floor. It hadn't had DSG gearbox oil and filter change at 65k km. Salesman assured us that was only on earlier cars. Interval was increased on later cars.....

Skoda Octavia Combi. Low mileage. No xenons and a flat tyre. What sort of garage advertises a car and does not fix a basic problem like that. It was a bit out of our budget.

Glad to be back home but we haven't bought anything and to do so would involve one of us in going back..... I am so depressed that I have booked flights to go and see my Dad next week. 

[biggriffin]

This is an ongoing, nearly as long as war n peace, 

From what I've seen in Spain anything nice gets knocked and battered about, till it looks like a mini cab.

[Doctor Gollum]

Rear shocks on all those cars are the same and don't last past 80K if abused, especially on the estate versions...

Buy the first nice E Class estate you see and call it done

[Sir Tigger KC]

I think you should expand your hunt eastwards to Froggieland, Belgialand, Der Farterland, or Cloggieland. 

Seems like a business opportunity to me! 

[Varche]

You sound like Mrs V. ...

[Sir Tigger KC]

You sound like Mrs V. ...

 

[tunnie]

One of my main complains about the VW CC was the ride was a little on the firm side, not sure I'd go VW again unless it was Phaeton. 

Have you driven one of these Golf/Leon's on a mixture of roads?

Having done some big miles in a FWD diesel as a commuter, when I come to replace the 3.2 it has to be RWD again for me with auto. The mum bus is fine being FWD, it does it's job well. But for my daily hack to work, I need RWD'ness.

So I think that means Jag XF or XJ for me for the next car hunt.

[Varche]

One of my main complains about the VW CC was the ride was a little on the firm side, not sure I'd go VW again unless it was Phaeton. 

Have you driven one of these Golf/Leon's on a mixture of roads?

Having done some big miles in a FWD diesel as a commuter, when I come to replace the 3.2 it has to be RWD again for me with auto. The mum bus is fine being FWD, it does it's job well. But for my daily hack to work, I need RWD'ness.

So I think that means Jag XF or XJ for me for the next car hunt.

Yes. A lot of the dealers quite happily toss you the key and away you go and drive how and where you like. Having suffered our awful 4x4 ride , comfort, no rear seat side support or front for that matter etc ANY car would do. That in itself complicates the job.

[Varche]

Rear shocks on all those cars are the same and don't last past 80K if abused, especially on the estate versions...

Buy the first nice E Class estate you see and call it done

Like this one? https://www.milanuncios.com/mercedes-benz-de-segunda-mano/mercedes-benz-e220-cdi-237160767.htm

"with rain sensors and parking, heated leather seats, electric and memory, multifunction steering wheel. with memory, radio mpr3, bluetooth, bi-zone climate control, navigation system (gps), 4 power windows and mirrors, alloy wheels, electric gate, isofix, sensor change of sensor rail dead angle".

Trader without premises.

[tunnie]

Finding a good dealer is half the problem, when sourcing the mum bus I saw loads of adverts that looked good on paper. Start Googling them and the dealer is down a farm track road, or down an dirty industrial estate road with no signs outside or anything. Then you have the ones which are 'by appointment only'

This is fine if you want to spend say £1.5k max, which is an option for me if the 3.2 expires earlier than I can save up for a Jag.

But if you want to hand over 10 big ones, you want a reputable dealer.

[Doctor Gollum]

Rear shocks on all those cars are the same and don't last past 80K if abused, especially on the estate versions...

Buy the first nice E Class estate you see and call it done

Like this one? https://www.milanuncios.com/mercedes-benz-de-segunda-mano/mercedes-benz-e220-cdi-237160767.htm

"with rain sensors and parking, heated leather seats, electric and memory, multifunction steering wheel. with memory, radio mpr3, bluetooth, bi-zone climate control, navigation system (gps), 4 power windows and mirrors, alloy wheels, electric gate, isofix, sensor change of sensor rail dead angle".

Trader without premises.

Go and see it

Any front end knocks as you turn are almost certainly balljoint related, and the one that fails is a £20-30 part which takes 30 mins to change. Should otherwise drive smoothly with plenty of oomph

Interior has worn the mileage well, and apart from one missing centre cap, and a slight dent on the right hand rear quarter it looks pretty clean

Very well specced too...

Comand
Full leather
Heated memory fully electric front seats and steering column (very rare option here)
Front and rear climate, (actually three zone not two)
Fully orthopedic front seats, (again very rare)

Be a much better car for the money (and your needs) than any of the VAG tat you've been looking at

[Lincs Robert]

Why don’t you buy one from one of the specialist LHD dealers in the UK?

[Varche]

Lhd dealers in uk? Not so much stock, viewing then buying is a problem as we cant leave the mil on her own. Then you have issues with getting car back. Easiest option is to shell out for transport about £500.

Just found an octavia elegance combi in malaga. Going to look at it on way to airport on Wed.

Dont know whether i could face going back to Madrid again for that Merc. Even though it is well specced

[Doctor Gollum]

Lhd dealers in uk? Not so much stock, viewing then buying is a problem as we cant leave the mil on her own. Then you have issues with getting car back. Easiest option is to shell out for transport about £500.

Just found an octavia elegance combi in malaga. Going to look at it on way to airport on Wed.

Dont know whether i could face going back to Madrid again for that Merc. Even though it is well specced

If you're coming back to the UK for a visit, find a dealer local to you here with an E Class of that vintage here... ignore the exact spec, but try to find an SE model (as that is what that Spanish one is). Compare the load space and drive to the VAG stuff you have looked at/driven so far, but don't dismiss the E Class until you have given it a fair chance.

[Doctor Gollum]

Here's two to be getting on with, slightly newer but ballpark mileage. Also, be mindful that these are Avant-garde spec so 17" wheels, not 16" and slightly lower/firmer springs. Estates all have self leveling as standard (not even an option with the VAG stuff... a fully loaded Octavia estate platform will ground with annoying frequency on a rough road/track).

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201710049952428?radius=50&advertising-location=at_cars&model=E%20CLASS&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&body-type=Estate&postcode=ne138bz&sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&page=1

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201705125392730?radius=50&advertising-location=at_cars&model=E%20CLASS&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&body-type=Estate&sort=price-asc&postcode=ne138bz&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&page=1

[Sir Tigger KC]

Have you looked at a Mondeo?  I'm very pleased with mine and I think other members here who have them are as well. 

Mine's very comfy, is spacious, has plenty of toys and is economical to boot!