2nd hand car, £20k?

[swamp]

Looking to replace my Mk4 Golf GTI which I love driving... but need to replace now.

Mk5 Golf GTI

[DimPrawn]

Mk5 Golf GTI

WHS

[lexington_spurs]

What car would you go for within the following parameters:-

-- Price up to circa 20k.
-- Low mileage / not more than 2 years old.
-- Family car, spacious in front and back.
-- Preferably a sports look/feel/drive.
-- Must have luxury features like leather seats, climate control etc.
-- Must be reputable, i.e. not a Passat for example.

In exchange for your 20k I would be persuaded to part with 'er indoors Focus which fits your criteria above.

[PAH]

Get a diesel. With the retrospective car tax changes due soon, diesels are looking more and more a good bet.

Apart from the rising price of diesel of course, which according to one pundit on the news yesterday could reach £1.50/litre before the year's out.

What are the best diesels around that still fit the OP's criteria, and are good on the motorway? BMW 330d?

I think I read somewhere about a Golf that averages 60mpg but when tested over a few weeks on Fifth Gear by the family of one of the presenters, did nowhere near that in reality.

[Clippy]

Tut, tut.

Can't believe no one has mentioned the true contractors car, an Audi A3.

[DimPrawn]

Get a diesel. With the retrospective car tax changes due soon, diesels are looking more and more a good bet.

Apart from the rising price of diesel of course, which according to one pundit on the news yesterday could reach £1.50/litre before the year's out.

What are the best diesels around that still fit the OP's criteria, and are good on the motorway? BMW 330d?

I think I read somewhere about a Golf that averages 60mpg but when tested over a few weeks on Fifth Gear by the family of one of the presenters, did nowhere near that in reality.

My wife has a brand new 320d. Does no more than 40 mpg. Barely 10mpg more than the 330ci it replaced which was whisper quiet. And it sounds like a taxi.

Diesels, leave them on the farmyard.

[gingerjedi]

Subaru Legacy preferably 3.0 R Spec B for rapid but discreet performance.

[malvolio]

Be lateral...

Subaru Legacy 3.0 R (hugely underrated)
Volvo S60 with the T5 engine
Old model BMW 7 series (not a 5 and certainly not a 3...)
Any Lexus for the money (GS is quite sexy)
Any Merc AMG for the money
Jag XJR

[Chugnut]

A monster BMW 4.8 X5, and then LPG it.

Or an older M5.

[PAH]

Diesels, leave them on the farmyard.

I agree in that I've so far never owned a diesel.

It is unbelievable that the govermin band diesels as better for the environment than petrol cars, simply due to CO2, yet there is other far worse stuff being chucked out of their exhausts.

Unbelievable that is until you see how they've raised the tax on diesel over the years, so it's in their best interests that we drive them. Tax on diesel will always outweigh the savings on road tax.