I've expended - and caused others to expend - a fair amount of electric ink on my search for a family estate car, but I feel the time is coming to move towards a decision. This thread isn't intended to cover the merits of the cars themselves, but to discuss the forces at work in the market for moderately new cars and what represents value for (my) money.
Quick review of the shortlist and my view of their strengths and weaknesses:
Volvo V70 Long-time front-runner, mainly because I've been so pleased with the long-distance capabilities of my old S60, and the V70 feels reassuringly similar. New D3 engine is pleasingly punchy and fuel-efficient, even as an (almost obligatory) automatic, and has the five-cylinder warble I've come to enjoy. Only serious concern is rear-seat legroom, which may limit its long-term usefulness as the Beestlings become teenagers.
Skoda Superb Answers the space question emphatically and doesn't disgrace itself anywhere, even with a VW four-pot diesel aboard. Only contender with a fully viable manual option, with both a left footrest and a conventional handbrake, and this may yet carry the day with Mrs Beest. Best of the bunch on fuel costs and (probably) insurance too.
Mercedes E220CDI My budget will buy one of the last S211 models from 2009. Haven't driven one yet but will remedy that very soon. Seems very promising on space, solidity, comfort and ambience. Concerns linger about high running costs - owners on the MB forum report anything from 50 down to 32 mpg. E280CDIs sell for very little more, but can't possibly be cheaper to own.
If we limit it to those three (and exclude the Audi A6, which I've not even sat in yet, and is probably too jiggly for my taste) then it's a question of what my budget will buy.
Volvo There are ex-Volvo lease V70s everywhere, mostly in boring colours, but I looked at a nice one yesterday that was lifted by a paler leather interior. £18,000 gets you an enormous choice of D3 SEs around a year old, and there must be scope to negotiate that down a bit more.
Mercedes Again, plenty around if the Avantgarde model suits you (I think it does me). £18,000 gets you in among the late 58s and 09s up to about the 40,000 mile mark, which should mean there's scope to play one dealer off against another.
Skoda Ought to be the value-for-money option, right? Bit of a shock: year-old Elegance diesels go (or are advertised, anyway) for V70 money - and more. One dealer has one that is fully two years old and wants nearly 20 large (as they say on The Sopranos) for it. Scarcity may play a part here, but would you choose a 12-month-old Superb over an 18-month-old A6 at the same price?
I think I'd be happy with any of the three, even in the boring colours that seem hard to avoid. I appreciate that large cars are unfashionable these days, but we can't really help needing one to accommodate eight long legs, and I feel it should be a buyer's market. But next to the other two, and for what you get, the asking prices for Superbs seem absurdly high. Any thoughts on what's going on here, and where the real value lies?
|
