The Perfect Motorway Muncher

[BorniteIdentity]

Hello.

 

I've agreed to take on another contract with work which will see me doing a pretty reasonable 155 miles a day Mon-Thu. Then 175 miles on a Friday. Then 70 miles on Sunday. Chill on Saturdays. Yes it's not ideal and yes I'm a masochist, but do it for a couple of years and then everything falls into place financially.

 

I'm pretty confident I could do it in my 1999 Avensis. But compared with the comfort of the w124 it's not as good being manual and firm.

 

Is there a panacea? Diesel... Auto... Big MPG whilst purchasable at a sensible price point that doesn't negate the increase in wages? A bit of safety would be nice because fatigue and motorways. The thing is 38mpg is quite normal from the Toyoda.

 

Just wondering if there's anything I ought to be considering?

 

Tia.

[Supernaut]

Picasso.

[Rocket88]

Something wafty on lpg?

[Supernaut]

Something wafty on lpg?

LS400!

[Bren]

LS400!

I concur.

[djimbob]

big merc diesel auto, that's what they are made for

[cort16]

There was that excellent beige Nissan laurel for sale for ages on RR. 2.8 na diesel auto, beige with velour interior.

 

i think the poor chap selling it eventually lost the will to live

 

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/187122/rare-nissan-laurel-medalist-1500preston

[cort16]

an early 5 series 530d would do a great job. The later one's are money pits though.

[Supernaut]

There was that excellent beige Nissan laurel for sale for ages on RR. 2.8 na diesel auto, beige with velour interior.

 

i think the poor chap selling it eventually lost the will to live

 

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/187122/rare-nissan-laurel-medalist-1500preston

I remember that! It's brilliant in such a shite way! I mean, a luxobarge with a 2.8 N/A diesel... winning!

[hairnet]

The Jeep; on LPG I posted in junkman's what can I buy thread

[JohnK]

Talbot Solara.

 

In all seriousness though, my V70 2.5 TDi Auto takes some beating as a long distance cruiser and could be for available for sub £600 motoring.

[Captain Slow]

Rover 75 diesel auto. I rest my case.

[Cavcraft]

 

I'm free tomorrow to accept cash monies.

[mercrocker]

Sell the Avensis and use the proceeds to fuel the Merc.

[sierraman]

Not necessarily a diesel. Averaged 42mpg commuting on the motorway in a Mondeo 2.0. Similar figures easily obtainable in Vectra 1.8 etc. A diesel could be a false economy if DMF or injectors go west.

 

On the other hand if I was looking for a diesel I'd look to spend no more than £7-800 on a Mondeo TDCI or a Vectra DTi ideally with evidence of a recent DMF and clutch. Make sure it starts without smoke and stops that way when you clobber it. A few bouts of hard acceleration should also test this. Look after it don't start filling up at Asda etc for fuel and you should be ok.

[gadgetgricey]

Best motorway car I've ever owned was an E38 728i.

Set the Cruise at 65 and you'd easily get 38mpg on the motorway.

Would drop to 20's in town though.

 

But for covering large distances in comfort was fantastic.

And I didn't even have the comfort seats which are awesome if you can get them.

[dieselnutjob]

Diesel autos don't have a DMF.

 

The 607 HDI auto was pretty good, and I struggled to sell it.

 

My XJ diesel will get 40mpg on the motorway.  They aren't cheap but a similar S type is, and the early ones don't have a DPF.

 

I bet a S80 would be good on a long trip as well.

[Honey Badger]

In a move that will suprise no one, I suggest the Honda Accord coupe 2.0 pez. I will persuade someone on here to buy one, think of it leaning more towards the Legend in terms of comfort rather than the slightly crashy UK
Accord.

 

High 30s may well be achievable if it's dual carriageway work, seats are mega comfy and it should be as reliable as your Avensis. This one is in Northampton.

 

https://www.gumtree.com/p/honda/honda-accord-2.0-es-2dr-auto-/1188235432

 

[BorniteIdentity]

Not necessarily a diesel. Averaged 42mpg commuting on the motorway in a Mondeo 2.0. Similar figures easily obtainable in Vectra 1.8 etc. A diesel could be a false economy if DMF or injectors go west.

 

On the other hand if I was looking for a diesel I'd look to spend no more than £7-800 on a Mondeo TDCI or a Vectra DTi ideally with evidence of a recent DMF and clutch. Make sure it starts without smoke and stops that way when you clobber it. A few bouts of hard acceleration should also test this. Look after it don't start filling up at Asda etc for fuel and you should be ok.

 

This is a good point, and exactly why I've never owned a diesel car before.  (Only our big Granvia is TDI).  My 2004 Avensis 1.8VVTi would do 48mpg tank after tank.  Sadly, that incredible fuel saving was negated by the amount of oil the thing would burn.

 

Rover 75 would definitely be a contender as I've owned one before and loved it.  99% of them for sale seem to be owned by traders in Birmingham asking good money for what are probably shitboxes.  

 

The answer is probably to run the Avensis until my arse hurts too much.  Then perhaps look at a newer one on diesel... or a W211 Mercedes 220CDi.  

[83C]

Best motorway car I've ever owned was an E38 728i.

Set the Cruise at 65 and you'd easily get 38mpg on the motorway.

Would drop to 20's in town though.

 

But for covering large distances in comfort was fantastic.

And I didn't even have the comfort seats which are awesome if you can get them.

This. My 728i is a wonderful old thing. Mine has the sports seats and yet it's still very comfortable.

[Ghosty]

In a move that will suprise no one, I suggest the Honda Accord coupe 2.0 pez. I will persuade someone on here to buy one, think of it leaning more towards the Legend in terms of comfort rather than the slightly crashy UK

Accord.

 

High 30s may well be achievable if it's dual carriageway work, seats are mega comfy and it should be as reliable as your Avensis. This one is in Northampton.

 

https://www.gumtree.com/p/honda/honda-accord-2.0-es-2dr-auto-/1188235432

 

 

If you prefer aerodynamics over comfort, try a late Prelude 2.0.

 

BX/405?

[scruff]

PRIMERA

 

Or failing that a jag

[eddyramrod]

My Cadillac.

 

Too juicy?  What about a Transit?  I drive a last-of-the-old-shape 63 plate daily and although it doesn't go more than a few miles, I would happily take it to Inverness or Penzance.  Modern, diesel, manual, yes it's all those, all of which is unfortunate, but it's exactly comfy enough for the job without being so nice it sends you to sleep.  It also has enough power if you want to cruise at 70-ish (ossifer) and still overtake.  What the specific fuel figures might be I have no idea; no doubt Ford or What Van or some such will have data online.  Being a van, people will think you're at work so as long as you don't drive like it's an Audi, they will let you into gaps where appropriate.

[Angrydicky]

The Avensis is a modern car. Therefore more than capable, it's what they were designed to do and better that than some super, super dull modern diesel minicab like most other people are suggesting.

 

I'd do it in any old shit personally. Such as a Sierra base.

[sierraman]

I wouldn't look to spend a lot on a diesel personally, the likelyhood is with modern diesels that one at £2,000 could be a money pit. At £700 you aren't risking much money wise if it blows up after a year. Loads of diesels out there for next to nothing that someone's had a big bill for and got frightened off. Only for you to benefit!!

[Captain Furious]

Buying at the shite end of the modernish diesel scale and doing big miles in it is probably a recipe to have all your fuel savings evaporate in its first inevitable breakdown

 

Injectors, turbos, fuel pumps and DMF's all have good potential to fail and put it beyond economical repair

 

I'm not sure what I recommend though, either something pez and reasonably economical, or a Sierra 2.3D with the Indenor boat anchor engine, probably the least stressed engine ever built and a perfect companion for the base

[chatsharris]

My Saab 93 is wafty, comfortable and refined on long drives.  It also gets over 50 MPG if you're sensible with it. 

 

The 2.2TID engine is available in 115 or 125 BHP flavours, I'd go for the 125BHP, it's relatively unstressed and just keeps on going.  I just look after it with new filters and fluids every now and then and it just keeps plugging away.  Also they don't have the oil sludge issue that the pez versions have.

 

Mine was £450, but I had the sellers pants down.  You may have to pay a little bit more to get the right one.  But I totally back these 100%

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Go to your local airport, watch the taxis dropping off. Apart from a few Priuses and MPVs, the vast majority will be Mercedes E-Class of various vintages.

Today I've done about 620 miles in mine so far at an average of 35mpg (3.0 Dizzler) it is super comfortable and quiet and in 90 odd thousand miles this year all I've done apart from oil,filters, tyres and pads is a pair of front discs and a rear gearbox mount .

If you can find a late W210 that's not too rusty that could be a better bet than a pre-facelift 211 with its potentially expensive SBC problems. In fact if you've got space just buy a scruffy 2/300 quid 320 cdi with a bit of test and run it till it breaks, park it up as a spares source then buy another.

 

If you're feeling brave get an S320 cdi , likely to be even rustler than an E and one suspension problem could see it scrapped, but nothing this side of a new Phantom would be more comfortable.

[Parky]

Hello.

I've agreed to take on another contract with work which will see me doing a pretty reasonable 155 miles a day Mon-Thu. Then 175 miles on a Friday. Then 70 miles on Sunday. Chill on Saturdays.

 

You are Craig David AICMFP

 

On a more serious matter I found a diesel Astra was just about the best motorway car ever. Hopeless at bendy bits but good in a straight line. Cheap too!

[BorniteIdentity]

Go to your local airport, watch the taxis dropping off. Apart from a few Priuses and MPVs, the vast majority will be Mercedes E-Class of various vintages.

Today I've done about 620 miles in mine so far at an average of 35mpg (3.0 Dizzler) it is super comfortable and quiet and in 90 odd thousand miles this year all I've done apart from oil,filters, tyres and pads is a pair of front discs and a rear gearbox mount .

If you can find a late W210 that's not too rusty that could be a better bet than a pre-facelift 211 with its potentially expensive SBC problems. In fact if you've got space just buy a scruffy 2/300 quid 320 cdi with a bit of test and run it till it breaks, park it up as a spares source then buy another.

 

If you're feeling brave get an S320 cdi , likely to be even rustler than an E and one suspension problem could see it scrapped, but nothing this side of a new Phantom would be more comfortable.

I'd love a really early w210 with the 606 engine carried over from the w124. Almost overnight they now look instantly retro.