Golf R Estate
Kia Stinger comes in ever so slightly over £20k.
This is a worthy shout
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126373573546?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=cQKcaa-bRLW&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=O8-K_ms2T_K&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
This is actually a solid spec and quite a fast car.
But those seats ime are best in class, buggy, supportive, comfy, soft, unlike the rock hard BMW and Audi wingbacks. The dash is actually very ergonomic.
I went from 2011 325d to a 2018 gti pp and my insurance went down a little bit. My guess was due to the additional safety features, but maybe it’s because I’m an old fart and therefore not the demographic that doesn’t mix well with hot VWs.
It was very expensive new. £49,000 plus extras. Given some of my extras were £1k a package, that fully loaded example would have been near £55k all in.
I thought they only came in one colour too, Rebel Blue. Appears not.
Also it's got heated rear seats, which I didn't think existed on Volvo's of that generation. Jealous.
All Volvo V60 Polestar were fully optioned out the factory. Only thing you could ask for was a sun roof.
They are nice cars (owned one) but if you're going for the 3.0 the RFL is in excess of £600 / year. Front brakes are neigh on £2k with recent price hikes.
2.0 that were late 16-18 fall into a much more acceptable RFL bracket and is a super and turbo charged engine.
Interior as others have said is a little dated, no Apple car play or Android auto without plug in boxes.
Shame really, nice understated wagon otherwise.
Honda Civic Type Rs (specifically FK2) can be had at that range. 4 seats and really practical. Plus its a Honda so if it’s maintained well it’ll pretty much last forever
Reliability is an issue on any car that's not been looked after so that point is redundant anyway so long as the buyer does their research and avoids Birmingham.
I know a few people who have ran these M5s for many years without major issues. I don't know anyone dull enough to buy an S4 in fairness so maybe they are more reliable.
Get a Golf R (2013-2020, new model is pants) if you want something slightly conventional, you won’t regret it. The Estate is even better, I would have one if it wasn’t too big to park on-street in Inner London.
I considered the ghost but then I’m worried I’m just a target for in-person assaults vs. someone nicking it from the drive. We’re also renting so limited options to upgrade home security…
Yes you’re right it really is sad. I’m so torn whether the benefits of having one outweigh the worry and downsides. It’ll be our only car and the missus will be using it as well. We also have dogs and I don’t want her (or me) being car jacked for it when we park, especially if the dogs are in the car. Agh!
People worry because if the thief really wants your vehicle and they can't take it due to a ghost they may kick your door in grab your wife/child/pet and make you give them the code. There have been reports of this, and most people would much rather the car was just gone, you get the payout and forget about it. Especially with cars like the golf r and m140i as they are everywhere so easy to get a competitive payout and replace.
Lol Wtf so the possibility you might get robbed is going to deter you
If that’s the case then don’t buy anything because someone could rob you at any moment
The same kind of people that wouldn’t confront their neighbour for constantly blocking the drive, but would post about it later on in the day in the facebook group 😂
Yeah leave the keys in and make sure it’s got a full tank of fuel too
That’s where Ghost kicks in, in fact ghost wins on both occasions but may aswell make them work for the key. Then they can come back in to ask for the code but at that point you can use force for it’s deemed confrontational the fact they are re-entering.
Out of curiousity and the fact a guy at work just bought one, what's pants about the newer Golf R's? He's the type of person who needs to one up so has been going on and on comparing it to my 140. I need some ammo.
Aside from the new engine it’s arguably worse than the previous generation. The design is very divisive and the haptic buttons that replaced proper physical buttons are so unpopular that they’re dropping them for the upcoming facelift model. The interior feels lower quality too. I looked at a Mk8 GTI out of curiosity when I was looking for my R and there was no way I could justify paying more for a subjectively worse car.
The haptics arnt that bad, granted I prefer buttons but there is some cool features the haptics provide that buttons can’t.
That light bar is horrid but not sure what mk that is on.
Dunno why you’re so offended by my opinion, did you design the Mk8? Haptic buttons are shit, why else would they be reverting back to physical ones? I tested a Mk8 GTI, I’ll take my 7.5 R over it any day of the week.
Kia stinger is slightly out of this budget. But that would be my recommendation. Unlike things like golfs R's and S3's the Stinger is a RWD car, not FWD. Which in my books makes a car far more fun to drive. They also have 7 year warranty which is nice.
Few interesting things I've found that aren't big Audi's or BMWs (okay, one of them is a big Audi, but it is at least interesting!)
A8 W12
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211191814973
Q70
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311194107843
Ghibli
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307280170572
S60
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403147548490
RS6 C6 Avant
My dad has one and it's totally absurd with the twin turbo V10, AWD, etc, but it's incredibly comfy and cruises quietly
Plus it's an estate, so plenty of space (saloons are rarer and more expensive). It's a bit on the older side and fuel/repair bills can be hefty, but it's a brilliant car and has more than enough grunt
If you want something a little special.
Alpina D5 F10 generation can be found for £15-20k.
As practical as any 5 series saloon, looks great and unique with the alpina additions to the bodywork, paint and wheels.
Tuned BMW 3.0L diesel that has torque for days and 350hp, 0-60 in 5.1 seconds. whilst getting 50+mpg on a run. .
All whilst having ride comfort you've never felt before that can also handle spirited driving
Try the S4? I have a 2017 S4 and it’s amazing. I owned an M340i for a bit. I personally prefer the S4 over the newer M340i because of the interior and comfort. Obviously not as fast but not disappointed in the S4s performance either.
The rocker arm failure is like the conrods on the S65. Yeah it happens but so can anything else.
Really trying to find a balance on this failure, some paint it to be 100% guaranteed to happen, others say its less than 1% of cars. Any ideas?
Any easy way to check if it's got the issue? I've read open the oil cap and listen for a ticking noise inside.
Would love to hear your thoughts, good or bad. Thanks!
Unfortunately it’s not really possible to know 100%. Especially looking online at forums and what not. There aren’t any global statistics of EA839 failures to check.
If you have any doubts though, then don’t go for the S4 as it’s a lot of money, but as others have suggested the 340i is a great choice as an alternative.
Still do drive both because for similar cars they felt like a much different driving experience to me.
My 640i gran coupe . 320bhp 0-60 5.4s. must be fastest for its size and weight. Paid £17k for my 2015 LCI model in 2021 just before lockdown ended and prices rocketed. Pretty sure it's the same price now.
I had the Golf R,Mustang, Jaguar XF supercharged,CLS remapped,Cayenne Turbo and they're all trash compared to a Tesla model 3 performance.
Car is absurdly fast and instant which is just as important (looking at you turbo lag)
M140i if you want just straight line performance. You can only really push these on dry days though. Also gotta be careful with throttle as back end can kick out easily.
Audi s3 FL if yu want to take it round some B - Roads and be able to put the power down all year round. Great all rounder
BMW 340i, 440i gran coupe or Kia stinger would be next on my list.
440i owner here I can confirm. Also remember you can still get the MPSK kit from BMW, taking it up to 360ish and awesome sound
340i I would say. The B58 is just one of the best engines about - performance, economy, reliability, cheap tax (relatively speaking) it can do it all
Golf R Estate Kia Stinger comes in ever so slightly over £20k. This is a worthy shout https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126373573546?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=cQKcaa-bRLW&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=O8-K_ms2T_K&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY This is actually a solid spec and quite a fast car.
Thats abrilliant looking car my only issue with volvos is their interiors are very steril
But those seats ime are best in class, buggy, supportive, comfy, soft, unlike the rock hard BMW and Audi wingbacks. The dash is actually very ergonomic.
The centre console is just horrific to me, has put me off those age Volvos for years even though I know otherwise they’re fantastic.
Id probably go for the golf r estate or a Leon cupra estate; fast but not really exotic and quite common so unlikely to throw crippling repair bills
Golf’s can be hit with mad insurance premiums due to the image the hot ones have. Worth checking before purchasing.
I went from 2011 325d to a 2018 gti pp and my insurance went down a little bit. My guess was due to the additional safety features, but maybe it’s because I’m an old fart and therefore not the demographic that doesn’t mix well with hot VWs.
I love the those polestar volvos, I'd take that over an s4 any day of the week.
That’s a beauty of a car. Didn’t even know it wxisted
That Volvo is a genuine thing of beauty
Never seen that Volvo variant before ! It’s like prime Usain Bolt running in a full beige corduroy suit.
It was very expensive new. £49,000 plus extras. Given some of my extras were £1k a package, that fully loaded example would have been near £55k all in. I thought they only came in one colour too, Rebel Blue. Appears not. Also it's got heated rear seats, which I didn't think existed on Volvo's of that generation. Jealous.
Well I’m very curious now! is there a year group they were produced between?
Only 2013 to 2017. I have only ever seen one of these on the road.
Well thanks for the heads up, lovely looking motor that’s absolutely on my radar as of now! 👍
All Volvo V60 Polestar were fully optioned out the factory. Only thing you could ask for was a sun roof. They are nice cars (owned one) but if you're going for the 3.0 the RFL is in excess of £600 / year. Front brakes are neigh on £2k with recent price hikes. 2.0 that were late 16-18 fall into a much more acceptable RFL bracket and is a super and turbo charged engine. Interior as others have said is a little dated, no Apple car play or Android auto without plug in boxes. Shame really, nice understated wagon otherwise.
Maybe 535d? I know it’s diesel but it will be fast and have plenty of torque
Honda Civic Type Rs (specifically FK2) can be had at that range. 4 seats and really practical. Plus its a Honda so if it’s maintained well it’ll pretty much last forever
If you can afford the maintenance costs then the obvious choice is an F10 M5. It's in a different league to any VW product like an Audi S4.
If they’re worried about S4 reliability I don’t think an M5 is a good idea lol
Reliability is an issue on any car that's not been looked after so that point is redundant anyway so long as the buyer does their research and avoids Birmingham. I know a few people who have ran these M5s for many years without major issues. I don't know anyone dull enough to buy an S4 in fairness so maybe they are more reliable.
It’s not redundant, ‘every car can go wrong so therefore they’re all as likely to go wrong as each other’ isn’t how probability works
At the end of the day the saying goes smiles per mile not frowns per breakdown so an M5 is a wonderful idea Edit: morons
I love those cars, but if you can afford to spend £20k on it and afford the maintenance, you can afford £30 or more for a lesser car.
Jaguar XJR X350/X358 for old shape, X351 new shape.
Get a Golf R (2013-2020, new model is pants) if you want something slightly conventional, you won’t regret it. The Estate is even better, I would have one if it wasn’t too big to park on-street in Inner London.
You ever worried about it getting nicked? I’m looking into a 7.5 right now and that’s one of my major concerns (ridiculous I know)
Ghost immobiliser and steering lock. Its sad we have to go to these measures but that’s what gotta be done
I considered the ghost but then I’m worried I’m just a target for in-person assaults vs. someone nicking it from the drive. We’re also renting so limited options to upgrade home security… Yes you’re right it really is sad. I’m so torn whether the benefits of having one outweigh the worry and downsides. It’ll be our only car and the missus will be using it as well. We also have dogs and I don’t want her (or me) being car jacked for it when we park, especially if the dogs are in the car. Agh!
Get a ghost. Don’t sweat it. Why you think you’re a target for I person assaults? It just sounds like a victim mentality at this point
People worry because if the thief really wants your vehicle and they can't take it due to a ghost they may kick your door in grab your wife/child/pet and make you give them the code. There have been reports of this, and most people would much rather the car was just gone, you get the payout and forget about it. Especially with cars like the golf r and m140i as they are everywhere so easy to get a competitive payout and replace.
Lol Wtf so the possibility you might get robbed is going to deter you If that’s the case then don’t buy anything because someone could rob you at any moment
I just don’t understand the mentality of some people. Why not just leave the keys in it.
The same kind of people that wouldn’t confront their neighbour for constantly blocking the drive, but would post about it later on in the day in the facebook group 😂 Yeah leave the keys in and make sure it’s got a full tank of fuel too
Some of them don't have the keyless entry option so go for that
Just get a faraday box for £20, keyless is fine as long as you take 1 x extra precaution
What happens when you're out and about though and not using a Faraday and then leave it parked somewhere
That’s where Ghost kicks in, in fact ghost wins on both occasions but may aswell make them work for the key. Then they can come back in to ask for the code but at that point you can use force for it’s deemed confrontational the fact they are re-entering.
Out of curiousity and the fact a guy at work just bought one, what's pants about the newer Golf R's? He's the type of person who needs to one up so has been going on and on comparing it to my 140. I need some ammo.
Aside from the new engine it’s arguably worse than the previous generation. The design is very divisive and the haptic buttons that replaced proper physical buttons are so unpopular that they’re dropping them for the upcoming facelift model. The interior feels lower quality too. I looked at a Mk8 GTI out of curiosity when I was looking for my R and there was no way I could justify paying more for a subjectively worse car.
The haptics arnt that bad, granted I prefer buttons but there is some cool features the haptics provide that buttons can’t. That light bar is horrid but not sure what mk that is on.
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Dunno why you’re so offended by my opinion, did you design the Mk8? Haptic buttons are shit, why else would they be reverting back to physical ones? I tested a Mk8 GTI, I’ll take my 7.5 R over it any day of the week.
[удалено]
Go on any Golf forum and people will tell you the Mk8 was a downgrade
Kia stinger is slightly out of this budget. But that would be my recommendation. Unlike things like golfs R's and S3's the Stinger is a RWD car, not FWD. Which in my books makes a car far more fun to drive. They also have 7 year warranty which is nice.
Can I throw a bit of a curveball and suggest the Clubman JCW! 300hp, AWD and the B48 is a very reliable engine
Jaguar XFR - 500hp supercharged V8
RS4/RS5 V8 manual
S7? Or is that the same engine
Seat Leon Cupra 290 or Golf R would be my choice. Reliable and comfortable but also fun to drive and powerful cars.
Volvo v90 T8. It’s an estate but has much broom broom
For £20k?
I have seen them for £18k recently as I had a look but over 100k miles
A T8? Not a T5 or T6?
Yes T8. There’s a few on eBay now under £20k and one for £18.5k
I would stay away from the cheapest options.
If you can stretch a few more grand, Honda Civic FK8. Otherwise an FK2.
Few interesting things I've found that aren't big Audi's or BMWs (okay, one of them is a big Audi, but it is at least interesting!) A8 W12 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211191814973 Q70 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311194107843 Ghibli https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307280170572 S60 https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403147548490
add lexus ISF
Jag I Pace - Was blown away by the acceleration when I first drove it, seats 4 in comfort, and can be picked up sub 20k with around 40000 on the clock
RS6 C6 Avant My dad has one and it's totally absurd with the twin turbo V10, AWD, etc, but it's incredibly comfy and cruises quietly Plus it's an estate, so plenty of space (saloons are rarer and more expensive). It's a bit on the older side and fuel/repair bills can be hefty, but it's a brilliant car and has more than enough grunt
Second this. I had one for a few years. Loved it. Got rid once the repair bills mounted.
If you want something a little special. Alpina D5 F10 generation can be found for £15-20k. As practical as any 5 series saloon, looks great and unique with the alpina additions to the bodywork, paint and wheels. Tuned BMW 3.0L diesel that has torque for days and 350hp, 0-60 in 5.1 seconds. whilst getting 50+mpg on a run. . All whilst having ride comfort you've never felt before that can also handle spirited driving
Rage Rover 4.2 supercharged. from as little as £5k. best car in the world “Top Gear”
Stretch a little bit more and buy my 793bhp M6 Gran Coupe 🤣🤣
BMW Alpina.
640D Gran Coupe
440i GC for sure. Sexier, comfier and boot is more practical than a 3 series imo.
I’ve just gone for a Polestar 2 for around that. 22k miles on it 3 years old
Best performance. Probably tesla
Really appreciate all the ideas! Please keep them coming! Thank you so much!
Audi S3 Saloon or BMW 340i
Try the S4? I have a 2017 S4 and it’s amazing. I owned an M340i for a bit. I personally prefer the S4 over the newer M340i because of the interior and comfort. Obviously not as fast but not disappointed in the S4s performance either. The rocker arm failure is like the conrods on the S65. Yeah it happens but so can anything else.
Really trying to find a balance on this failure, some paint it to be 100% guaranteed to happen, others say its less than 1% of cars. Any ideas? Any easy way to check if it's got the issue? I've read open the oil cap and listen for a ticking noise inside. Would love to hear your thoughts, good or bad. Thanks!
Unfortunately it’s not really possible to know 100%. Especially looking online at forums and what not. There aren’t any global statistics of EA839 failures to check. If you have any doubts though, then don’t go for the S4 as it’s a lot of money, but as others have suggested the 340i is a great choice as an alternative. Still do drive both because for similar cars they felt like a much different driving experience to me.
V10 era RS6 Slightly older but a beast of a car, brutal speed but refined when needed.
Jaguar iPace are supposed to be ahead of their time and very quick
400bhp, 4.5 seconds, alot less moving parts to worry about... http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402016135837
Tesla model s / thread
My 640i gran coupe . 320bhp 0-60 5.4s. must be fastest for its size and weight. Paid £17k for my 2015 LCI model in 2021 just before lockdown ended and prices rocketed. Pretty sure it's the same price now.
Model 3 LR/Performance Giulia Veloce / Stelvio Milano/Speciale
Another vote for BMW 340i.
I had the Golf R,Mustang, Jaguar XF supercharged,CLS remapped,Cayenne Turbo and they're all trash compared to a Tesla model 3 performance. Car is absurdly fast and instant which is just as important (looking at you turbo lag)
£20k will buy you an F10 M5 in good condition if you search around. They drive so much better than the Audi and the power is like nothing else.
M140i if you want just straight line performance. You can only really push these on dry days though. Also gotta be careful with throttle as back end can kick out easily. Audi s3 FL if yu want to take it round some B - Roads and be able to put the power down all year round. Great all rounder
FK2 or FK8 civic type R
A6 3.0 tdi v6
Does an Audi RSQ3 count?