Some emails that I just love, like this: “James, I have to go to the south of France, transport there for two weeks, and then come back. Don’t feel like flying. I was wondering about buying a Volkswagen Passat Estate for decent drive, space for the kids and 60mpg for the 800 mile drive. Do the sums add up? How old? Where to buy? What to look for? ”Lots of questions from Nigel, so let’s try.
The used car story of being “an engine for the price of a train ticket” is always a belt, and this time around we have the added benefit of a sexy Riviera destination. Ultimately, however, this is a story about reliability and resaleability.
Personally, I would go for the great big Ford Mondeo that can put in colossal mileage. A 2008 2.0 TDCi in Titanium X trim with 134,000 miles and recent service history is yours for £ 1999. Just check that the air conditioner is working and the remote control is working.
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Granted, the Toyota Avensis is a bit boring, but it can be very valuable and shouldn’t break. I was delighted to stumble upon a revamped 2010 example that looks very contemporary and I had chosen a 1.6 V-matic T2 to make the journey easier. It comes with a not insignificant 168,000 miles, but it’ll be fine. There have been a lot of callbacks for this generation so best to make sure they got ticked off. Otherwise it’s just wear and tear.
A little more fun traveling around Europe would be a Mazda 6. These are damn bulletproof too, but keep an eye out for common Japanese recall diseases and leaking air conditioning. I went for the curse of the unloved diesel as a 2010 2.2 TD TS2 with 179,000 miles for £ 1290 seems worth the risk. It has a story and lots of working extras and should be a perfectly comfortable way to travel.
I agree that a Volkswagen Passat is a decent old bus for this type of job. I’m a huge fan of diesels so it’s easy to recommend a 2008 2.0 TDI Highline with a reasonable 120,000 miles. What a chic set of wheels they still are and also wonderfully practical. In the long run it will do around 47 mpg, and all it costs is £ 1495. I would be inclined to keep it after my breaks too. Evidence of a recent timing belt change is essential and ensure that the air conditioning system is not leaking in the cab.
