What next?

[Gravitypilot]

Sad to see another member go! I dont know how long to keep mine or what i would get next... For reliable similar performance or more performance you have got to be talking 20-30k more!

[Shoppinit]

The stupid flashing indicators when you brake mildly hard will drive you completely insane.

I'm working on an electronic solution to get rid of this ridiculous feature for a friend who bought a 159 (going from a focus ST and is properly regretting his choice).

[MalcolmSu]

Any thoughts on a VW Passat R36??

[RS6Steve]

Any thoughts on a VW Passat R36??

Lol... I just purchased an R32 to replace my 6 and it's really nice. Quite a lot slower, but handling is fantastic, build excellent and really comfortable

[MalcolmSu]

Could you give us some idea of what's on your long list of requirements? It might help us come up with some suggestions!

I think financially I'm going to have to pare back my original requirements a little. The RS6 has fleeced me once to often. I'm sick to the back teeth of not being able to take the car into the garage and come out with a bill of less than a grand (my wife is even more so!) and of having to visit the garage every 6 months or so!

So I was looking at something around the £30k mark now I'm setting a limit of £20k-ish.

Here's my must haves:
- 4 wheel drive
- automatic or semi automatic
- paddle shift
- cruise control
- xenon lighting
- no more than 40k on the clock
- sports / bucket seats
- come with a warranty or be easily covered by a 3rd party warranty
- sub 6s 0-60 (don't mind a mod or two to get there)
- something that's comfortable cruising motorways all day but equally at home on twisty country roads. I spend over two hours every week day in my car so it needs to be comfortable as well as entertain me. Much of my commute is motorway, some of it stop start nose to tail but equally some of it is country roads.
- some form of phone prep (bluetooth, etc)
- air conditioning (used to love the system of my 5 series BMW)
- front and rear parking sensors

Then my nice to haves
- leather seats
- in built sat nav
- memory seats
- electrically heated seats
- 18", 19" or 20" alloy wheels
- decent sound system with autochanger
- MFSW
- electric windows
- electric folding door mirrors

Then my don't cares
- happy with petrol or diesel
- 2, 3, 4 or 5 door
- I would prefer a four/five seater but if the majority of the above 'boxes' were ticked and it was a 2 seater I could be tempted
- to be honest the weekly fuel bill isn't a determining factor, I'm quite happy to pay up for my pleasure!

I'm not even sure that that such a car exists! To some extent an S4, S6 or S8 fits the bill but I'm nervous that I'd be stuck with huge servicing or repair bills again (certainly with the S8?). The one car I keep coming back to is a Passat R36 but one that ticks the majority of the above 'boxes' is pretty rare...

So go on, do your best, is there anything out there fits my criteria?

[drybeer]

A4 or A5 or A6 3.0TDi quattro tiptronic (or S-tronic depending on age)...

S4 or S4 Avant S-tronic would be my best bet - but at £20k you should get the A4 3.0TDi quattro to a great spec.

To keep you in 4x4 the other choices could be... (whispers) BMW X3 35d M-Sport - stupidly quick for a tall car... but you'd have to live with the ride being harder than a hard thing on a hard day... and import Merc GLK class...

[bam_bam]

Oh my, I'm having a crisis!

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2912996.htm

Yes I know it doesn't tick all boxes but who cares, right?

[MalcolmSu]

http://www.audi.co.uk/used-cars/used-ca ... c=se_na_re_

[bam_bam]

^ Meh.

Look at it - it's so painfully pretty!

[MalcolmSu]

^ Meh.

Look at it - it's so painfully pretty!

I'll give you that However first trip to the garage it's another grand straight up!

[MalcolmSu]

Tempting...
http://www.audi.co.uk/used-cars/used-ca ... c=se_na_re_

[bam_bam]

Yeah, very grown up. Would sound soooo creamy with a Milltek on it too. Lovely waftmobile.
I really liked that VW Phaeton W12 posted a while back. I'd have that, in black, debadge the <beep> out of it, Milly. It's probably a highter spec inside than the C6 S too! Job done.

[HYFR]

yeah W12 or V10 Phaeton is the wise mans choice .... its a Bentley for £15k

or map a 3.0TDI for a sensible choice

for the petrol head in you, go for the 5.2 S6 .... but not a £26k, these things are going to take a pounding in depreciation so make you only buy one sub £20k

[Golfather]

C6 S6 all day long.
The most reliable V10 you'll ever own

[HYFR]

yup

cant believe that dope on srs sold his for £14k