Information: - Best touring car for a European trip? - Page 2

eternal optimist · Mar 24th, 2018, 18:44

I'd go for an early Lexus LS400 or Honda Legend. Both can be picked up from an elderly, long term owner who has carefully maintained what was/is a pretty bomb proof car.

However, there's no fun whatsoever in that kind of reliability, so I'd end up buying an old Jag (again, from long term ownership) and smoking around in that.

scotchglen · Mar 24th, 2018, 19:06

toyota avensis 1.8l petrol absolutely bombproof any age!!

StatusRed · Mar 24th, 2018, 20:16

Cheers guys! Many words of wisdom, so yeah I just looked up European breakdown cover and looks like can be a max of 15 years old. So really I need a 2004 car onwards, might price me out of BMW / Merc territory but the Honda looks like a good option!

fleming164 · Mar 24th, 2018, 20:24

Maybe this won't give quite the same sense of adventure as buying an old car, but why not take your S40?

Surely you like driving it, or you would have moved it on my now?

We took our S40 round France last year and it just ate up the miles!

StatusRed · Mar 24th, 2018, 20:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by fleming164

Maybe this won't give quite the same sense of adventure as buying an old car, but why not take your S40?

Surely you like driving it, or you would have moved it on my now?

We took our S40 round France last year and it just ate up the miles!

Yeah I'm sure it would be fine but to be honest I don't know why but I don't want to put the miles on my S40, I want something I don't care about and know I'm going to sell on by the end of the trip. S40 is my pride and joy and if anything happened to it on the trip it would get to me haha

fleming164 · Mar 24th, 2018, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by StatusRed

Yeah I'm sure it would be fine but to be honest I don't know why but I don't want to put the miles on my S40, I want something I don't care about and know I'm going to sell on by the end of the trip. S40 is my pride and joy and if anything happened to it on the trip it would get to me haha

That's a fair point. Then I'd either go for something barge like, such as a Volvo S80, or something like an MX-5, depending on the type of trip!

PhilJ82 · Mar 24th, 2018, 21:26

Lexus LS400 or a 5 series BMW (e39 with a 6 cylinder Petrol) would be my choices for reliability on a cruising holiday.

If you’re taking on twisty mountain passes and want some fun, MX5 or e46 3 series BMW (328 or 330) would work.

Going for a Volvo is too similar to what you have already, choose something different or just take the one you already own.

Older cars can be covered for breakdowns (think of all the classics at Le Mans etc) but probably costs a few quid more

I-S · Mar 24th, 2018, 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotchglen

toyota avensis 1.8l petrol absolutely bombproof any age!!

Nope.

Avensis 1.8VVTi is notorious for short-block failure. A friend of mine had one that he managed to get, to everyone's amazement, to over 150000 miles, but by that point it was consuming more than 2 litres of oil for every tank of petrol.

Also the headlights are hopeless - plastic that deforms and gets brittle when it gets hot, so the bulb holders break.

This is the T250 generation (2003-2009) that I'm referring to, but avoid the 1.8 at all costs.

cheshired5 · Mar 24th, 2018, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by StatusRed

I just looked up European breakdown cover and looks like can be a max of 15 years old

A service at a main dealer includes Volvo European breakdown cover.
Just double check any age restrictions.

StatusRed · Mar 25th, 2018, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by fleming164

That's a fair point. Then I'd either go for something barge like, such as a Volvo S80, or something like an MX-5, depending on the type of trip!

I'd love to take an MX-5 but luggage space would be a real problem, part of reason I want to take a car across is practically unlimited luggage!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilJ82

Lexus LS400 or a 5 series BMW (e39 with a 6 cylinder Petrol) would be my choices for reliability on a cruising holiday.

If you’re taking on twisty mountain passes and want some fun, MX5 or e46 3 series BMW (328 or 330) would work.

Going for a Volvo is too similar to what you have already, choose something different or just take the one you already own.

Older cars can be covered for breakdowns (think of all the classics at Le Mans etc) but probably costs a few quid more

Cheers, I will look more in depth at the breakdown cover, I don't want to end up spending a fortune though.

What are people's opinions on 2004 Mondeos?

Mar 24th, 2018, 20:16	#13
StatusRed Premier Member Last Online: Apr 24th, 2024 19:28 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Glasgow	Cheers guys! Many words of wisdom, so yeah I just looked up European breakdown cover and looks like can be a max of 15 years old. So really I need a 2004 car onwards, might price me out of BMW / Merc territory but the Honda looks like a good option! __________________ 2009 S40 SE Lux 2.0i \| 2022 Suzuki V-Strom 650 \| 2002 Audi TT 225 Previous: C70 Coupe 2.4i \| Saab 9-5 Aero \| Daihatsu SporTrak

Mar 24th, 2018, 20:24	#14
fleming164 Member Last Online: Apr 12th, 2024 00:04 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Southampton	Maybe this won't give quite the same sense of adventure as buying an old car, but why not take your S40? Surely you like driving it, or you would have moved it on my now? We took our S40 round France last year and it just ate up the miles! __________________ '07 XC70 D5 SE - 213,000mi / '08 Mini Cooper S - 108,000mi / '03 Audi TT 225 -140,000mi Ex: '06 S40 2.0D SE - 178,000mi / '00 Renault Clio 1.2 - 138,000mi

Mar 24th, 2018, 18:44	#11
eternal optimist Master Member Last Online: Apr 22nd, 2024 16:19 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Reading	I'd go for an early Lexus LS400 or Honda Legend. Both can be picked up from an elderly, long term owner who has carefully maintained what was/is a pretty bomb proof car. However, there's no fun whatsoever in that kind of reliability, so I'd end up buying an old Jag (again, from long term ownership) and smoking around in that.

Mar 24th, 2018, 19:06	#12
scotchglen Junior Member Last Online: Yesterday 19:49 Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Nottingham	toyota avensis 1.8l petrol absolutely bombproof any age!!

Mar 24th, 2018, 21:26	#17
PhilJ82 Junior Member Last Online: Feb 16th, 2019 10:38 Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Swindon	Lexus LS400 or a 5 series BMW (e39 with a 6 cylinder Petrol) would be my choices for reliability on a cruising holiday. If you’re taking on twisty mountain passes and want some fun, MX5 or e46 3 series BMW (328 or 330) would work. Going for a Volvo is too similar to what you have already, choose something different or just take the one you already own. Older cars can be covered for breakdowns (think of all the classics at Le Mans etc) but probably costs a few quid more

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