Ultimate compromise car/best all-rounder

[Mrcento]

The 406 coupe in 2.2 hdi form certainly covers most bases as a day to day runner, but if you also need rear seats and a largeish boot, it starts to come undone.

 

I reckon something like a Mondeo mk3 st tdci estate (or st220 for the pez fans) is pretty unbeatable as an all rounder. Or if you want one in a frock, an x type estate... the Pez models can also come with 4wd.

 

Similarly, a Bmw 330d touring covers the same bases as the Mondeo, with RWD. A nice late e46 fzcelift m-sport would be a hard thing to beat as a car that covered all things.

[paulplom]

I need to try a c70 before everyone realises how good they are

I've got a lovely silver one in t-5 flavour. Blue floppy top. Possibly for sale.

[Shep Shepherd]

Saab 9-5 estate, prerferably a 2.3t SE/Arc or an Aero HOT. The latter is a truly phenomenal daily driver 

[Shirley Knott]

The winner is clearly a Volvo 940 Estate.

 

 

 

 

Rugged, stylish, iconic, easy to work on, oodles of space, capable of 30mpg on a run, won't depreciate and in turbo flavour very capable of keeping up with modern traffic.

 

I *might* be a little bit biased.

[Guest Hooli]

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

 

If only the AWD version didn't break or they'd done them in proper RWD spec. My ideal car can never be FWD as it ruins the steering & doesn't handle right.

[shedenvy]

I'd vote either an E36 coupe or Ford Puma. The Puma is small, quick, economical, not a bad looker, sublime handling, most parts shared with fiesta. They used to be cheap too. Fit 4 adults at a squeeze and the boot aint bad. Finally Steve McQueen drove it, so there!

[Shirley Knott]

My ideal car can never be FWD as it ruins the steering & doesn't handle right.

 

Agreed on the RWD thing.

 

I think someone's already mentioned Mk1 MX5's (Imported Eunos specs preferably) IMO they offer the best value fun motoring £ for £ of anything out there, woefully impractical though so not very suitable as an 'all rounder'.

[Guest Hooli]

Agreed on the RWD thing.

 

I think someone's already mentioned Mk1 MX5's (Imported Eunos specs preferably) IMO they offer the best value fun motoring £ for £ of anything out there, woefully impractical though so not very suitable as an 'all rounder'.

 

Oh I dunno, I managed to run a Midget as my only car for years. A Mx5 has to be more sensible than that.

[Shirley Knott]

Oh I dunno, I managed to run a Midget as my only car for years. A Mx5 has to be more sensible than that.

 

Perhaps MX5's are more sensible than a Midget but that's surely a kind of 'tallest dwarf' award or like being the most intelligent contestant on Love Island, in the great scheme of things it's all relative.

 

DISCLAIMER: I love MX5's and spent a long time using as my only transport.

[Snipes]

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.

(Note no boot spoiler, very important).

Still not even close to the all conquering Carina E but I can see I'll have to lower my standards here.....

[loserone]

That was me, and I won't retract it.

 

If you only ever have one passenger, and don't crash, a MK1 MX5 IS the best daily.

 

Source: quite a lot of miles in a V-spec, with a hardtop for winter and a boot rack for fortnight long wild camping trips.

[DSdriver]

Of course the Autoshite answer is to have one of each: saloon, estate and floppytop, the combination of which comes to a purchase price of less than three grand which is 10% of the price of an average* new car. 

My fleet

Peugeot 206 more door saloon (known as the Peugeot of last resort)

Saab 9-5 estate (eco flavoured)

Saab 9-3 floppytop (eco flavoured)

 

we also have the DS Pallas for when posh is required which cost £1,200, but that was in 1986, and it is currently awaiting another rebuild as the roof rails and the door bottoms are made of french cheese. Also the boot floor and the C pillar have rust holes.

[Snipes]

we also have the DS Pallas for when posh is required which cost £1,200, but that was in 1986, and it is currently awaiting another rebuild as the roof rails and the door bottoms are made of french cheese. Also the boot floor and the C pillar have rust holes.

That's quite an important point. An Mx5 is absolutely a great steer (second only to Toyota's all dominating T190 of course) but a rusty, pog'd pink MK1 isn't a great ownership prospect.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

50/50, that's better than usual for Cavcraft

That's quite an important point. An Mx5 is absolutely a great steer (second only to Toyota's all dominating T190 of course) but a rusty, pog'd pink MK1 isn't a great ownership prospect.

I beg to differ, my oldest had just such a rusty, pog'd pink Mk1 as her only car for 3 years at uni. A little sparkly tickle once a year and apart from that never cost a penny . Sat on the drive for 2 years when she finished, eventually sold for what we paid to guy who rents out trackday cars.

[Crooner]

I too have to put my vote for the best all rounder to be a Mk.1 Focus. When I met my wife she had one. Had it from new and had it for 13 years. I thought it the most grey porridge on wheels. But it really did do everything. It was a three door. When bebeCrooner came along SHMBO wanted the same car in five door, Ghia flavour. I found a nice, low mileage, 1.6 Ghia. By default, it ended up my car for about six months, and I really fell for it. Good on juice, very comfy in Ghia/velour, and, my goodness, with a decent set of tyres you can't half have some fun throwing them around! Even things like heated front quickclear 'screen , A/C, and a good standard radio/C.D.

Just like Morris Minors, Minis and Mondeos, because they were everywhere, they aren't on the radar, but definitely on to get and keep hold of. Oh yes, the wife's one she had for thirteen years only needed one battery, and it failed it's test and a ball joint just before we swapped it.

[Justin Case]

Skoda Octavia, 1998 to brand new, so all pockets covered.  Trim levels from S to L&K and a choice of petrol or diesel with power outputs from lowly SDi to mighty* VRS. Hatchback or estate, certainly sir/madam, and while we're at it , FWD or 4x4, the latter also available in slightly jacked up form as the Scout, if you want to go off-road(ish).

 

So there you are something for everyone, and all pass the washing machine test, ie can you get a standard size washing machine in the back and still close the hatch/tailgate. My choice would be second generation SE estate with bombproof 1.9 TDi engine, in fact I very nearly bought one, it was only the better deal on the Mazda that swayed it.

[Ghosty]

Agree that R8 is a good point. If you can find a cheap GTi you'll be sorted.

See also Honda Concerto 1.6i-16, a 216GTi in a posh frock.

 

Honda Civic 2.0 Type-S - five door 2001-06 Civic shell with a lightly detuned Type R engine. Still good for power though, all you need to do is take the obnoxious 2.0 badge off the grille.

This may sound daft but early Binis too. Decent things to chuck about.

Oh and the very early Seat Leon Cupras that don't have any obnoxious styling, just a 20VT badge on the tailgate. Great dark horses.

[rainagain]

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.

years ago one come up on Gumtree near me for not much more than scrap money with a knackered engine. I was so tempted to buy it and swap in a XUD but the lack of my own garage prevented me. 

[320touring]

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.

A Lynx Eventer covers all those needs.

[loserone]

My recommendation for a car to tick all boxes was a ginetta G26.

 

Coupe, decent boot, easy to get parts, rwd, plastic body which won't rot. What could possibly go wrong?

[garethj]

My recommendation for a car to tick all boxes was a ginetta G26.

 

Coupe, decent boot, easy to get parts, rwd, plastic body which won't rot. What could possibly go wrong?

The only thing to go wrong is that they were built by average people who struggled to put a shelf up straight. This makes Red Robbo’s comrades look like the most conscientious workers in the Lexus factory.

 

Having said that I loved mine and I’d have another in a heartbeat if it worked when I bought it

[loserone]

Yeah, our first owner hadn't ticked the "galvanized chassis" option, preferring to spend the same amount on re trimmed seats.

 

Very nice they were too, though they could have put them on runners instead of welding to the floor, mrs_l1 could either see or use the pedals. Ideal first car!

[burraston2006]

My recommendation for a car to tick all boxes was a ginetta G26.

Coupe, decent boot, easy to get parts, rwd, plastic body which won't rot. What could possibly go wrong?

Or a Reliant Scimitar. Wouldn't argue with Princess Anne!

[Cavcraft]

Looks cool

 

Good on juice

 

Fast

 

Reliable

 

Leather

 

Vauxhall badge

 

Fanny magnetism

 

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Vectra-Elite-Nav-1-9CDTi-16v-150ps/113109251225?hash=item1a55d63499:g:VyoAAOSwSrxbM-jp:rk:34:pf:0

[320touring]

Sometimes you take the Jokes too far...

[sierraman]

Yeah, our first owner hadn't ticked the "galvanized chassis" option, preferring to spend the same amount on re trimmed seats.

 

Very nice they were too, though they could have put them on runners instead of welding to the floor, mrs_l1 could either see or use the pedals. Ideal first car!

Agree with this and the above comments, very few of these lot cars were ever finished to a satisfactory standard. Most I’d seen were cobbled together from ill fitting grp bodies round a medley of bits of knackered escorts/sierras.

[davehedgehog31]

I think a Rover 200 in R8 form takes some beating.

 

Cheap

Reliable

Spacious

Comfortable

Fast enough

Handle nicely

[Luxxo Waftybarger]

Having had a about 6 cars in the last two years I'm bloody sick of changing. Got through a mk2 MX5 1.6 too small and slow, mk2 V70 2.4 petrol auto, massive but a boat to drive, E46 saloon and coupe 1.8 petrol fine but mostly knackered now, K12 Micra 1.2 the best of the bunch, hoot to drive, economical, loads of space and mega cheap to buy/fix. Bit of bean can though.

 

Then needed something more salubrious so acquired an early BMW E91 in pre lci 320d se spec flavour. This will do it all. Quick, plenty of space, handles superb, 50mpg on a run and will have toys like parking sensors, cruise, heated seats etc. No DPF and fairly easy to work on.

 

Amazing how these looked big when new but have a lower roof and are not much wider than the Micra. Not really an estate, more of a large hatch. They were the ultimate rep mobile so there are tons to choose from. Will keep mine till it dies.

 

Don't let the 'you must have straight six' bores put you off a four cylinder. Drove a 325i the same day I bought it but it was gutless in comparison and would defeat the object of mingebag motoring.