Estate car recommendations

[Wellington17]

Hi all,

I’m looking for recommendations for an estate car to replace a small hatchback, but not sure on makes and models!

We’re looking for something that’s most importantly reliable, but also efficient and not going to cost a bomb to run on fuel, tax etc.

Budget is 12k max and would like something that is likely to last us a good few years.

Suggestions?

Skoda Octavia or Superb

I'd also look at a Skoda Superb. Huge amount of legroom.

I came here to say exactly what Ibiza said. Super spacious inside and you can get an adult in between 2 x minikids in the back

Skoda Superb is massive. That's what we were going to get but ended up with a Mercedes E Class Estate which was a bit of an expensive impulse purchase. Would really recommend the Mercedes too though. You'd get a 65 plate for your budget I reckon.

Thanks all! Just looked at these and they look great.

In terms of specific cars… what’s the most important - mileage, age, service history?!

You can tell I’m not a car person

@Wellington17

Thanks all! Just looked at these and they look great.

In terms of specific cars… what’s the most important - mileage, age, service history?!

You can tell I’m not a car person

It’s a balance of all three things really. The service history gives you, and future owners, evidence/confidence that the servicing has been carried out as per the manufacturers requirements, and so will give value to the car.

Of age and mileage, I’d probably say that mileage is most important. The Octavia needs a cam belt at the 40K (I think) service, which is a big cost. You might find 40k/4 year old cars valued quite cheap because of this.

On the other hand, and car that’s getting on a bit but has done low mileage for its age (assume that normal usage is around 10k miles/year) is likely to have done lots of stop/start short journeys which are quite heavy wear.

An excompany lease is likely to have been properly serviced by main dealers, with genuine parts.

We’ve had 3 Octavias. We’ve had 3 not because they don’t last, but because DH gets a car lease allowance through work. Whenever the lease is up, he can never find a better car for the money. He upgraded when he got promoted (bigger car allowance), but only to a VW van, for all the camping kit, bikes etc!

Once or twice he’s thought about a Qashqai. I have one on hire at the moment because my car was in an accident a few weeks ago. It’s got all the whistles and bells but I hate it!

Mazda 6 estate.
My diesel is euro 6 and returns over 50mpg in all conditions.
Comfy (rear more comfy and rommier than an e class).
Decent boot.
Good styling (unlike an Octavia which has none).

We had an Astra estate and it was huge and fab. Miss it!

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads

Thank you so much - this is great advice!

Like the look of the Mazda 6 - very stylish. Something in my head says Mazdas are unreliable, but not sure if I’m making that up or if that was true in the past but not now?

Seen lots of newish lowish mileage Astras in our budget.. not sure whether it’s better to get something like this or a higher mileage older, but higher spec car.

I’m not too bothered about how it looks (but don’t want anything too horrid and granny), but more something that will last us.

Another vote for the Skoda Octavia. DH is on his second and they're fab, really spacious and comfortable to drive.

Tonnes of my friends have skoda octavia estates.

A couple of others have it in VW Passat option.

They seem to last for ages. Oldest car is about 14!
Newest one about 6 months old.

I've driven the passat a couple of times. Liked it but miles too big for me as I only need a wee car.

We've had a Focus estate for over five years and still going strong, very reliable. We got it as we needed the room for transporting large, heavy, canvas tents for events and it's big enough for that. Driven across fields with it and it surprised us by coping well.

@Labralion I MOURN my Astra estate. I loved it so much.

Anyone have a newer Volvo estate? We’re thinking along those lines.

The Astra we had was an 18 plate and really excellent value imo we all loved it dearly but sadly it was a write off in an accident. I have a 16 plate Mazda 6 now and it's loooovely! I imagine the estate version would be just as lovely and plush!

We have a vw touran - had 2 over the last 12 years
Huge boot, optional 7 seats, approx. 1000 miles per tank of diesel. We drove 709 miles last Sunday to Cornwall and back on just under 3/4 tank diesel so super economical.
Nice cars, nice to drive, comfortable, efficient reliable etc....

Skoda octavia or superb but bear in mind 2nd hand car prices are high at the moment and therefore 10k is going to get you an older car than it might have done a couple of years ago. Low mileage would be very important imo because people use these cars as workhorses and they do then need very expensive repairs. I have put 100k+ miles on an octavia and a superb and both did need serious repairs. A new turbo, a new gearbox etc.

Maintenance is most important. I've never worried about the age or mileage of a car - as long as the service history is commensurate with the milage, and that all scheduled replacements have been carried out - cam belts for example. Also, I always check MOT history. Any lingering advisories are a red flag for me. My last 3 cars have all been at least 7 years old, with no less than 70k on the clock, but I've not picked a duffer yet furiously touches wood.

We had an Astra Estate for years (10+) before we moved to a Passate Estate. Also over 10 years ago now.

Astra is Golf size, Passat a size up.

Out neighbours have the Octavia, same age as our Passat, same family size and very happy with it.

Accorcding to two friends looking currently for cars, second hand ones are very expensive. They struggle finding anything decent in their price range but both need new cars so will bite the bullet.

We found in the past that cars around 1 year were good value for money, you often get a newish car for a huge discount. If that's stil the case I don't know though. But if a car is properly serviced (proper records from the garages) then an older car may not be a problem as well.

Yeah second hand car prices are so high right now! We’ve got a baby due in a couple of months though so need a car that can take 2car seats and a pushchair/dog in the boot..

Kia ceed estate. Fab cars - we’ve had 2 now and they are great family cars.

The Qashqai was the car I disliked the most and the dealership was rude and unhelpful.

Astra Estate. 6 ft son sits in the back comfortably, back seats fold completely flat and it feels like a regular sized car, so it's easy to park.

I have a Skoda superb it is awesome and very reliable. You can fit massive amounts of stuff in it.

Ah ha if you've got a second in the way maybe something with sliding doors like a ford B-Max?
Small estate size and looks v practical and smart I think.

www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/b-max-2012-2017

www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mazda/6
Good luck with the choosing. £12k is a nice budget.