What to get?

[carbrochuretom]

I have a friend who wants to get a car within the following criteria:

5 door
Estate
Diesel
£12000 less
Used or new
No older than 05

Anyone got n e recommendations?

Hes been thinking of a Skoda Octavia Estate

I like the 2.0 Subaru Impreza estate, but that might not suit his needs. (wife has a baby on the way, and they have a big dog!)

[IWantAnAudiRS6]

Skoda Octavia is the best bet.

[Imakuni]

Subaru Legacy.

[h00t_h00t]

You can get diesel Subarus?

I'd go for the Octavia also. If it wasn't for the age restriction he could get a much bigger car for that money.

A five year old Vauxhaul Omega, its massive, the 2.5td engine is brilliant, Vauxhaul servicing prices, probably well under budget too.

Volvo V70s are also massive and you get the added bonus of people letting you out of side streets, not cutting you up and rarely overtaking ESPECIALLY if you get a white one.

[pimento]

I second the Volvo idea. If looked after they'll go for ever and they're a nice place to be. I just bought a '96 850 R with over 200K kms on the clock and it's as good as new.

[drakkie]

Dont forget to check out the most comfortable in it's class, the Citroen C5 Break. The HDi engines are pretty good

[Clivey]

Tell them to look at a Vauxhall Vectra 1.9CDTI (150BHP) Estate. The load bay is absolutely massive, it has a fantastic engine with good fuel economy and wont cost much to run. The latest ones drive really well too.

I really like the new Vectras, I'd buy a hatch with that engine if I could afford one.

[jorismo]

Originally Posted by drakkie

Dont forget to check out the most comfortable in it's class, the Citroen C5 Break. The HDi engines are pretty good

From '05 and less than 12,000? I think that can be hard...

[VtecMini]

Originally Posted by jorismo

From '05 and less than 12,000? I think that can be hard...

I'm guessing that you have no idea how heavily big Citreons depreciate over here.

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www...ch_full=SEARCH

If you refresh every half hour or so, you can actually watch them depreciating in front of your eyes...

[2ndclasscitizen]

Originally Posted by carbrochuretom

I like the 2.0 Subaru Impreza estate, but that might not suit his needs. (wife has a baby on the way, and they have a big dog!)

I don't know if this would suit the conditions for this purchase, but have you suggested a Subaru Forester? It's the same platform and engines as an Impreza, just a bit bigger and they are proper wagons, rather than hatchbacks. Supposed to be a very good car. But no diesel IIRC.

[Ferrer]

What about a Fiat Stilo 1.9 JTD Multiwagon? With the Bravo about to be launcehd I'm sure he'll be able to get a very good deal indeed. Here it costs about 15.500 € (~£10,200).

Another good option would be the Renault Megane 1.5 dCi Estate. It starts from 18.000 € here (~£11,900).

[h00t_h00t]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

What about a Fiat Stilo 1.9 JTD Multiwagon? With the Bravo about to be launcehd I'm sure he'll be able to get a very good deal indeed. Here it costs about 15.500 € (~£10,200).

Thats another good one, Stilos sold terribly over here and depreication is massive too. So he might be able to get a lower mileage/higher spec model than almost anything in the price range.