Ultimate compromise car/best all-rounder

[SierraMikeHotel]

My word, those 406 Coupés were beautiful cars.

 

I vividly remember the first time I saw one: I had no idea they were coming out, hadn't seen them advertised, so it was a total surprise.

 

The way Petts Wood is laid out, there's a handy short-cut through the back of the Peugeot dealership during opening hours.  I used it once and was confronted with one of these - just parked there, presumably dropped off the transporter but not yet prepped for display.  It stopped me in my tracks: just absolutely stunning.  We probably still had the 309 then (decent cars but a little gawky) and here was Peugeot bringing out something that wouldn't disgrace Ferrari.

 

They've aged really well too: if you'd never seen one before you could be forgiven for thinking it was a new model.

 

I'd love one but never been in the market for a coupé and I'm definitely not now that we've got a big dog.

[castros_bro]

One of these. Mark 1 Seat Leon. Interior from an Audi, engines from VW, large enough for four, capable of a tip run, but still compact enough to cope with car parks.

 

Diesel version gives mega mpg and being a VW benefits from numerous tuning and tweaking options, not to mention being relatively conventional to service.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/33496-for-sale-seat-leon-19tdi-y-plate-%C2%A3200-onoswindon/

[forddeliveryboy]

For a long time (pre children and marriage) I wouldn't accept that just because a car was reliable, useful and fun it had to be average, so a Saab "900 Turbo 3S DOHC 16 16v" (twin tone grey B plate) or turbo CXs (S1 with Maikonics upgrades). They were very, very different beasts but both tougher than anything else I've had since, totally reliable (quite something when ~15yo/~150k) as well as economical given the comfort, quality of drive and ludicrous speed.

 

The Saab felt like it'd been hammered together by a gifted Viking blacksmith after the Cit, full of strong character and blisteringly quick on smaller, twisting roads but hard physical work once the turbo started glowing in the twisties. After the Saab, the French car felt as refined and smooth as some elegant Professor of Philosophy at the Sorbonne who usually dressed in comfy jeans, tweed and woolly jumpers but changed seamlessly into her crop-wielding studded leather garb when the circumstances were right. Where the Saab was fast and hard, the CX was as sublimely gentle and accurate at warp-speeds as when tootling along at 90-100.

 

I've no idea what would please me so much today, the only new cars which appeal are the two electric BMWs.

[DodgeRover]

That's a really interesting question. Got me thinking of all the cars I've owned/own, what would be the one I would keep if only allowed one.

 

I think it would have to be my LPG'd Jeep Grand Cherokee. Is never really gone wrong, parts were cheap when it has. MPG is very bad, hence why LPG, but it does everything else really well.

 

Comfy to drive, not massive power but enough, loads of kit cruise/heated seats etc, large enough boot space, 4WD for winter.

It was unstoppable in the snow last year, so much so I was actually trying to get it stuck.

 

Its in for its MOT the weekend, so aware this will be the kiss of death now.........

 

V8? Whats it like MPG wise on gas? My dads doesn't seem as bad as you would expect tbh, would do low to mid 20's on a long steady run on petrol, so its not wallet shattering on LPG.

[iainrcz]

Gt86 not bad on juice? I was talking to an owner a few months back and he was getting less than I get in my 3.0 H6 legacy

 

Mine has done 35mpg average since I've had it. Tracked using Fuelly. That's just day to day running. It hasn't been on any decent runs yet.

[Asimo]

Subaru Legacy Mk4 (2002-2009, absolutely NOT the Diesel)

Had one for 9 years and apart from not being the six-cylinder found it hard to fault as an all rounder. Saloon, estate or (increased ground clearance estate) Outback.

Subaru at their best.

 

Look out for rotten rear subframes and avoid the much poorer following model.

[eddyramrod]

Volvo 740 estate...  well someone had to say it!

 

Also, 306/406, possibly Xantia.  Pretty much any Toyota or Proton.  Plenty of contenders, enjoy trying them out!

[loserone]

Subaru Legacy Mk4 (2002-2009, absolutely NOT the Diesel)

Had one for 9 years and apart from not being the six-cylinder found it hard to fault as an all rounder. Saloon, estate or (increased ground clearance estate) Outback.

Subaru at their best.

 

Look out for rotten rear subframes and avoid the much poorer following model.

See if you can get the 3.6 for maximum 911 in reverse effect

[Snipes]

Why compromised when you can have it all?

 

[SierraMikeHotel]

May I submit my W203 estate?

 

Easygoing drive. Tight turning circle. Small footprint. Pleasant place to be. Available with a variety of specs. Good seats. Big glass area.

 

That or a big old Volvo.

[BorniteIdentity]

Why compromised when you can have it all?

 

Sadly, they are just terminally dull. And I’m a man who’s spent 10 years of an 18 year driving career behind the wheel of a 90s Toyota. They’re just not ‘different’ enough. That said, if I could only keep one of my fleet - the Avensis would probably be it.

 

I think Mercedes 190s have all but fled the sub £500 market. Minty fresh ones are still about around £1500, and they genuinely are all the car you’ll ever need. Competent, comfortable, reliable and people will remark on you having one. I’m rather fond of mine.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Seems like most of the recommendations above are for bigger cars. Maybe it's because I live in town, but a smaller all-rounder is cheaper to run, easier to park, often better handling, and better for the planet. Saying that I would second the recommendation for a saab 900 (or a 9-3). Nice practical cars and not boring although they are a long way from being a sports car. Heavy and soft.

 

When I asked this question to myself 5 years ago the answer was a MK2 Golf. It replaced a BMW e28 and was much easier on the wallet as well as a bit more friendly in its road manners...if lacking the presence of the beemer. Saying that my priorities were more about practicality than performance, and even then it was getting very hard to find a decent GTI cheap... Anyway, it (a 1.6 driver automatic) was perfect family transport for the few years that I kept it. Reliable, cheap to run, nippy in town but solid-enough feeling on a run. Would also second the recommendation for a Scirocco (they're actually based on MK1 golf chassis). Still a bargain and a great combination of fun and practicality.

 

My Peugeot 205 has really impressed, too. It's so sure footed - even at 90, and because it's so light it's quick enough with a 1400cc engine, cheap tax, parking etc. More of a drivers car than the Golf, but it's also more fragile - I know which I'd choose in a crash...

 

These days I would have thought the MK1 focus an obvious choice for a good smallish allrounder. I've never owned one but they were (by all accounts) a worthy successor to the Golf's throne. Having owned a (MK4 golf based) new Beetle I think VW lost it after the MK2, although a MK3 is still a good car if you can find one that's not rotten. Saying that, my neighbour's Audi A3 is quite nice to sit in...

[Marm Toastsmith]

I think Mercedes 190s have all but fled the sub £500 market. Minty fresh ones are still about around £1500, and they genuinely are all the car you’ll ever need. Competent, comfortable, reliable and people will remark on you having one. I’m rather fond of mine.

 

The only thing you can't really do with a 190 is put bikes (or other large awkward items) in the boot. Saloons are cool, but...

 

May I submit my W203 estate?

 

Easygoing drive. Tight turning circle. Small footprint. Pleasant place to be. Available with a variety of specs. Good seats. Big glass area.

 

That or a big old Volvo.

 

I have to say that my W202 was brilliant too. Shares the attributes mentioned above. They are well under-rated IMO - and an estate is very practical. The 190 is still a good buy though, they do drive very nicely, and by comparison with beemers of the era they are both cheaperer and betterer.

[blakey79]

Quick

Room for family

Handles well

Keeps its value

Economical

 

Boom

[gadgetgricey]

V8? Whats it like MPG wise on gas? My dads doesn't seem as bad as you would expect tbh, would do low to mid 20's on a long steady run on petrol, so its not wallet shattering on LPG.

 

4.0 straight six. 

 

16 mpg around town, mid 20's on a run.

 

Currently paying 52p litre for lpg, so apx 2.5 times cheaper than pez..

 

40 mpg around town,  apx 60 mpg on a run, (equivalent petrol costs)

[clayts450]

Impossible to have a one car fits all approach IMHO.

 

My ideal fleet would be divided into (1) city commutawagon (2) load lugger (3) motorway wafter and (4) token impractical old car (Including hairdresser cars)

 

Possibly (2) and (3) could be merged into one, and there's some good suggestions for estates/tourers that easily tick both boxes (for me: ideally either a Saab or Alfa sportswagon would do the do).

 

(1) can sometimes double up as (3) to some extent unless you have a low powered asthmatic fart-wagon

 

(4) is not practical, but my goodness it can be fun.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

You know, it's funny but I quite like my Golf as an all-rounder.  Yes.  It's VAG.  And it's my car and I'm attached to it, so I'm biased... 

 

But...

 

55+ MPG on a motorway run.  Had it up to 60.

130ish BHP with oodles of torque, so takes off quite swiftly.

6 gears for maximum motorway ease - but enough torque to accelerate in 6th at 50 if you get caught out.

Estate, so it's got a decent load capacity.  No problem loading up my drum kit, guitars, etc.

Small enough to be easy to park.

MKIV Golfs are cheap and easy to get bits for.

Piss easy to service.  All of the major service items are at the top.

Comfortable.

Climate control.

Normal-sized wheels and tyres with an actual sidewall, so ride is decent and tyres are cheap.

Decent occupant safety rating in a crash.

Reasonably good, certainly predictable, handling.

Cheap insurance.

 

The only downside is the dual-mass flywheel and the access to the clutch.  Which is what's currently wrong with mine, along with a dodgy relay for the rear wiper motor (it doesn't switch off once you've activated it).

 

Fuel consumption is not brilliant in heavy traffic or around town.  My way to work is quick country roads and I get about 43 MPG out of it on a cleanish run (half an hour, 12 miles) but on the old motorway commute I had I regularly had it sit at 48+, sometimes 50 even with half of that being NSL country roads.

 

I'm sure there are better cars out there.  I do, however, think mine is a pretty good all-rounder.  A Passat might be even better but is just that bit bigger - which goes either way.

 

Which of course means I want a Volvo 740.

[Zelandeth]

Quick

Room for family

Handles well

Keeps its value

Economical

 

Boom

And costs how much to insure unless you can park it overnight in a garage made from a decommissioned nuclear bunker?

 

They are fun cars to drive and supremely capable, especially for the time. A mate of mine loves them, however after the third one got nicked (despite diskloc, pedal lock and expensive tracker) he gave up on the idea of owning one. None of the three were ever recovered either.

[Jewel25]

1.8 rover 45 saloon ? Reasonably and far less complicated than a 75. Fairly swift in 1.8 form and will return 40-45mpg on a run and 35-37 pottering around.

[Tamworthbay]

Phase 1 Volvo V70 T5, fast, good looking, space for the whole family, not bad economy. The perfect car?

[loserone]

45: yes, but impractical saloon. That interior though. Cor!

V70: yes, but steering.

[Matty]

Manual pre-9/98 528i in decent condition. Great performance, great handling, great comfort, great looks, great interior, decent reliability (if taken care of no different to most other cars). Also used parts are dirt cheap (so are the cars really), everything is easily available. Can't get better than that!

 

Second that one but why early. My E39 530 manual arrived with 150000 on it and left 4 years later with 200000 on it. During this time it was the main family car and was fucking brilliant. I loved it, and can't quite work out why I sold it. Lovely noise lovely place to sit. Best thing about them is they're not trying to be something they're not. They ride well comfortable with decent handling but not rock hard like more modern things. In short they're what posh saloons used to be about, pace with grace and something I think modern day manufacturers are forgetting a bit

[Dan_ZTT]

45: yes, but impractical saloon.

Normally I'd agree, estates are fundamentally the best design of car. However, original poster said he didn't need to carry much in the way of people or stuff so in this case saloons, coupes, soft-tops are all fine suggestions.

[Zelandeth]

To quote the adverts from the early 90s...

 

"Just what you need!"

 

 

Which is pretty accurate actually. Especially now it's fuel injected.

 

That should do shouldn't it?

 

Xantia still gets my vote. Just as the 406 Coupe is one of Pininfarina's great works, this has to be one of Bertone's I think. The Series 1 styling really has aged very well I think. Every time I see it in a car park I'm reminded how much I like the looks of it.

 

 

 

This one will hopefully be seeing a full respray in the next couple of years. Best contender for that is that almost glowing Ferrari like red at the moment.

[Lanciaman]

Subaru Legacy Mk4 (2002-2009, absolutely NOT the Diesel)

Had one for 9 years and apart from not being the six-cylinder found it hard to fault as an all rounder. Saloon, estate or (increased ground clearance estate) Outback.

Subaru at their best.

Look out for rotten rear subframes and avoid the much poorer following model.

^This.

 

Defo a 3.0. The normal auto- or not a spec b or an Outback - can be picked up quite cheap now. Find one with a decent lpg conversion and its all the car you'll ever need. Or want.

[catsinthewelder]

My whole fleet vaguely match the description because with 3 kids I can't buy coupes, I'm too tight for 20mpg motoring and my work is easier with an estate.

 

The 405 TD is a great long distance car with big comfy velour seats, enough power to allow you to use the fantastic handling and an almost Volvo sized boot.  It felt a bit big after driving the R3 but just nicely solid after driving;

 

The Rover 220 is a cracking car, mine is admittedly a bit rough around the edges but repairs shouldn't be too expensive.  It is plenty fast enough for the local twisty roads without being too thirsty.  There is a good sized boot and once the exhaust is fixed it will be a lovely car to cover a lot of miles in.  I bet Laquer Peel, Richard and Hairnet still have ringing ears from the drive down.

 

The Dacia is harder to justify but I think we proved it was a brilliant car to cover a lot of miles.  It's good on fuel, has plenty of space particularly with the seats down and has wonderful suspension and enough ground clearance for the roughest roads.

 

I don't think the OP considered off roading but being as most new cars seem to be some kind of SUV perhaps we should?  If we do then the 200TDi Discovery is the obvious choice.  Classic Land Rover mechanicals finally offered in a vehicle which combined vaguely comfortable and economical motorway cruising with a van like space in the back with the seats down or room for 7 with them up.  Obviously mine is broken at the moment but one day it will be fixed (causing something else to break on Vulgs Princess because BL) at which point the 220 won't be the scruffiest thing I have on the road.

[dollywobbler]

Rover R8 is certainly a strong call. Comfortable, handles well, practical, available with zingy engines and cheap to run.

[AlsoMike]

And I’m a man who’s spent 10 years of an 18 year driving career behind the wheel of a 90s Toyota. They’re just not ‘different’ enough. That said, if I could only keep one of my fleet - the Avensis would probably be it

 

Having owned a late 90's Corolla I have to agree, they are fantastically competent cars, but dull as fook. A car for the apocalypse perhaps.

[AlsoMike]

Impossible to have a one car fits all approach IMHO.

 

Totally agree, I do wonder if there's a compromise that most of us could agree on though. Not the optimum choice, but almost everyones fall back option. One option could be the Peugeot 306 TD, it ticks a lot of boxes.

[DSdriver]

Some time ago I started a thread called "is it wrong to want one of these" followed by a pic of a 406 coupe. It seems to have been lost in the various forum meltdowns we have had over the years.

I still think they are gobsmackingly beautiful and outrageously expensive to own and run but if one came up in a roffle I would certainly be putting my money up front.