New Daily...

[classic900]

I'm currently running a Renault Megane 1.5dci as my daily. The only reason I've got it is to keep the costs down. I had previously run a S6 (4.2 V8) which was costing me £500 p/m in fuel. As a compromise I sold it and bought a mint 2000 A4 1.8 TQS which was great. Not especially quick (180BHP) or amazing to look at, and I was getting around 30mpg. So I halved my fuel cost but thought I could do better.

So I sold the A4 and bought the Megane. With the spare cash I went back to my routes and bought a Saab 900 T16S which I've been spending all my time and money on. It's great and I use it for work once a week. It's not mint and needs some cosmetic work but is very tidy and I've rebuilt the engine, suspension, wheels, interior. I'm not parting with it!

So my quandry is the Renault. I can't fault it. It's excellent for the money and does a solid 50-55mpg despite how I drive it. No rattles, keyless entry, six speed, cruise, twin glass roof etc etc.................but I don't want it! It is as boring as everything else.

I want a more interesting daily.

So if I sold the Megane and freed up £1500, what do I get?

Well tbh I've had a hankering for something german again>

- MB 190e/ MB W124
- E28/E30/E34..maybe an E39
- An S2 looky-likey Audi 80

I realise none of these cars will return anything like the Renault unless perhaps a VAG 1.9tdi although I still think the Renault will beat it on fuel.

I'm prepared for this and would like something I want, that isn't bland or like the rest of the cars in the street.

At the moment I favour an E34, a late tourer would be great.

Views...

Here's my T16S by the way:
uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=115350

[composimmonite]

When I was interested in a Kangoo diesel everywhere (dealers) told me to avoid the Renault 1.5 diesel so I think you are making a wise decision.
I'm bias as we have a 1.4TDi diesel Skoda Fabia that does amazing mpg but what about other VW group diesels with the same engine - Polo, Lupo, A2, Fox, Arosa, Cordoba & Fabia ?

[classic900]

Jul 30, 2014 21:29:17 GMT composimmonite said:

When I was interested in a Kangoo diesel everywhere (dealers) told me to avoid the Renault 1.5 diesel so I think you are making a wise decision.
I'm bias as we have a 1.4TDi diesel Skoda Fabia that does amazing mpg but what about other VW group diesels with the same engine - Polo, Lupo, A2, Fox, Arosa, Cordoba & Fabia ?

Hi. The 1.5dci I understand is a NIssan engine and is 14 months has been great. It's the 106HP engine and pulls very well, especially with the six speed gearbox.
The car has plenty of plastic panels so there is no rust on it and it's light. I'm converted!

Thing is I tried a Polo (1.7 sdi) and couldn't afford anything less than tatty. In fact the 1.4tdis were very expensive. Forget A2s...£3000+

However, my question is not about a little cheap euro derv. It's that I'm bored of them and want to buy a non sensible 80s german luxo barge!

Here is my dilemma. Which one?

[adam73bgt]

A barge you say? step right this way retrorides.proboards.com/thread/164353/big-bargain-barges

[THE_Liam]

My 190E is my daily, and it does the job brilliantly. Comfy, quiet, great cruiser, and it's a nice place to be. Fuel economy isn't their strong point though, I average 23mpg in my 1.8 manual, but a diesel should average 30mpg round town, and maybe 45mpg on a run, but they will run on pure veg oil from Costco at 76p a litre. Slow as hell though.

Best thing with 190's just now is value. One went on here with tax and test for £200 last week!

retrorides.proboards.com/thread/168771/190-sale-375-newcastle

[mt2man]

Why not a 1.9tdi Audi a4 or a passat or something? Mega mpg and very comfy!

[classic900]

I do need to consider fuel though, which makes this more difficult!

That barge thread resonates with me.

For whatever reason E28s and E34s are the biggest itches at the moment.

I'm commuting c20 miles a day total. Mainly B-roads in cheshire, with a town at each end to navigate. It's flat and I tend to miss traffic due to the times I commute. This does ofcourse encorage a bit of hooning.

[adam73bgt]

20 miles with low traffic? ideal conditions for fuel economy then Not that I'm going to pretend the Jag is particularly economical, but 30+mpg on motorway at 65mph and late teens mpg on my traffic dense commute would probably average out at mid 20's mpg for B road stuff so long as you keep sensible perhaps?

I suppose it depends what sort of mpg you'd be happy with

[classic900]

Jul 31, 2014 10:21:05 GMT adam73bgt said:

20 miles with low traffic? ideal conditions for fuel economy then Not that I'm going to pretend the Jag is particularly economical, but 30+mpg on motorway at 65mph and late teens mpg on my traffic dense commute would probably average out at mid 20's mpg for B road stuff so long as you keep sensible perhaps?

I suppose it depends what sort of mpg you'd be happy with

I'm happy with 50-55mpg I get out of the Megane. Strangely it does this going to work and back and the same return going to Edinburgh and back.

I understand I have to sacrafice economy in any of these cars, however I wasn't after a 4.0 litre Jag. I didn't want a 535i either.

I guess I should have said 520i/525td(s)/ 2.0 190E type stuff. The saab is fast enough with 1.1Bar of boost.

I suppose in all honesty that none of the above are going to be particularly good on fuel. Late 20s would be nice, mid 30s would be great!
In reality it's what that translates to per week in ££.

Quick maths=

Megane @ 50mpg.

120 miles p/w=2.4g=10.92l=£15.18 @ £1.39/l for diesel

Alternative @ 25mpg.

120 miles p/w= 4.8g= 21.84l= £28.83 @ £1.32/l for Super Unleaded

This doesn't seem too painful however the odd trip to the wifes folks (253 miles each way) and my folks (96 miles each way) would be.
That said, I can count on one hand how many times we've done this in a year and I'd still have two fingers left to stick up to the inlaws!

[adam73bgt]

haha I suppose I can just about live with it as I use a park and ride service for work

I'm not an expert on the smaller engined BMW's and suchlike but I imagine you should be able to get liveable mpg figures with one of them most of the barge stuff should have pretty long gearing so shouldn't be 'too' bad on a long journey, like I say if I can get around 30mpg out of a 4 litre, auto, 1800-odd kg Jag with the aerodynamics of a brick then a 520i or 190 should be fine

the straight 6 diesel 525tds seems to get good praise from what I've seen also

[classic900]

This doesn't help either:

[waveman1500]

Why not just drive the Saab? Your commute isn't really that long and your car is really fairly sensible, I don't see any reason why you need a separate daily. I much prefer to enjoy an interesting car every day! I commute 100km per day (60 miles) and have driven all sorts of cars. Life is too short to drive a car you're not interested in every day!