I'm looking to buy a used Japanese car. I had wanted a diesel automatic but they are rare. Then I realized there's something more important to me than out-and-out economy. I want serenity at seventy: a car that's nice to drive. I'm sure you know what I mean, though it's subjective and somewhat indefinable.
Moreover, I need reliability so well-proven that the car I settle on is in plentiful supply secondhand; and sorry, but it must be available as an automatic.
Don't want much, do I (like most of us)?
Thank you,
AF.
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Lexus LS400
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Beat me to it by seconds.....
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Much cheaper and anonymous with Lexus qualities.....Toyota camry.
Also consider Honda legend.
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I find my Avensis reasonably quiet and restful (incidentally, I saw RE 57 FUL the other day) at 70-ish.
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What about a Nissan QX? I knew a couple and they were amazingly quiet and smooth
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Any car in good order, other than some carpy little box is quiet once it hits 70 isn't it?
Even my old Daewoo, which has a GM lump in it -- not an engine known for its refinement -- is inaudible at this speed. Wind and tyre noise -- they're a totally different matter.
But yeah, a big lazy V6 of Japanese persuasion is probably the way to go. Mitsubishi Galant V6?
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The Peugeot 407 Coupe is astonishingly quiet, and they do a 2.7 V6 diesel auto.
HJ
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Honda Accord? Virtually silent at 70.
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May I ask a supplementary question ? What would be a realistic average mpg expectation on a Honda Accord petrol manual ? Reason I ask is that the estate versions look ideal for my purposes and I am a recent re-convert to nice smooth petrol engines after 12 years and some 450k miles in diesel wilderness.....
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I am a recent re-convert to nice smooth petrolengines after 12 years and some 450k miles in diesel wilderness.....
Your a sort of strange anomaly to the assumed wisdom here Humph, which is that under 15 or 20K miles annual mileage its not worth the diesel.
But your are proving beyond doubt with proper brim to brim figures that you can have the nice quiet smooth engine at virtually the same cost per mile, not including the lottery of repair costs of either sort.
Given your mileage i'm surprised you haven't thought about a slightly bigger engined petrol that someone else has LPG'd for you, i know the VED will kick in for that bigger engine, but given your mileage and the assumed 12 months grace putting the increases back to 2010, you could have an enjoyable and economical 18 months or 60K miles.
I was thinking for example just how many V70's and the like have factory fitted LPG, with the added bonus of those very comfy seats.
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I think about it all the time GB, among other things. (Must be an age thing as all I seem to do is think about it !)
If things continue to follow the same pattern re petrol/diesel price differentials I would certainly look at that sort of option "next time". I have made a sport in recent years of the washing machine attitude to my work cars. That is to just keep them until you need a new one. The recent aquisition of the Signum was a bit of of a whim. ( New Pirellis going on it tomorrow BTW ) I thought its price was too good to be true, how wrong you can be, it has certainly already lost quite a bit so the only sensible option is to use it and sort of throw it away when it has nothing left to give.
But, yes it is a very odd situation we have now where with the most recent price shift I have a petrol car which is more economical to run than a diesel equivalent. Doesn't feel right....
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( New Pirellis going on it tomorrow BTW )
Good man yourself Humph, i had a feeling you were pulling the proverbial leg when you led us up the slippery path about those ditchfinders..;)
I get the feeling that your still not really convinced about the Signum, does the Mondeo give that sad abandoned Labrador look and pitying whine? guilty feelings as you sail away into the sunset with the new love?
I say that with all sincerity as i should have replaced the ageing MB by now and i can't bring myself too, the chances of her going to as good a home are remote, and she's still beautiful and serene.
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Peugeot 407 Coupe
Well if we're talking non-Japanese then a 3yr old (no older) Mercedes E320CDi easily fits all of the OP's requirements.
Edited by Bill Payer on 22/11/2008 at 10:22
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But the Merc is not as quiet as the 407 coupe. Even on daft 19" tyres the 407 coupe is astonishingly quiet.
HJ
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You won't beat the Lexus for your original requirements. Cheap to buy now as well, if not maintain.
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Thanks, all, for your suggestions.
HJ, is the 407 Coupé available very, very used? (Am not trying to catch you out: genuinely don't know). I suppose I should've stated my budget (and apologize if I misled you); let's just say I'm of means so slender they verge on the invisible. (Why, I nearly took the pen-name of 'Claude Rains'. Whoops ? showing my age.)
AF.
Edited by AllFumbs on 23/11/2008 at 01:03
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I've got a VW Jetta tdi dsg which is lovely and quiet at 70!
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Cheapest 407 coupe near me on Autotrader is £8k, so I guess they are fairly recent models. Very pretty car. I don't know how quiet they are. but the 406 coupe is also a nice looking car. These now start at around £1k, with 100k plus miles on them.
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I agree with David Horn.
The Accord is almost silent at 70.
The 2003 -2008 is a very refined car and you could get the 2.0l in an auto with gear changes that you will hardly notice.
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The Accord is in many ways a great car, but it is most certainly not almost silent at 70. Tyre roar can be quite intrusive depending on the road surface, although on decent continental roads I will grant you it's very quiet. I suspect the saloon is probably quieter than the estate.
My friend's A6 is a far quieter car, although apparently the fancy Bose stereo has noise cancelling, so that may be slightly artificial.
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The Accord.... I suspect the saloon is probably quieter than the estate.
Not sure how it compares but I test drove the previous generation (just replaced) Accord saloon and I would use the same description - road road, especially from the rear was intrusive. Very out of character with the rest of the car.
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My A6 superbly quiet at cruising speeds , unless someone has seen the diesel sign on the back, they would find it hard to believe its a diesel!
(Almost equals a session in the gym as a destressor!)
Edited by JohnX on 25/11/2008 at 23:49
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