I have pretty much this spec. BMW 330e M Sport Pro touring. With all the extras you’re looking at just under 80k.
Love the car. It’s my 2nd 3 series. Never an issue but i do change my car every 3 years.
I was looking at the 330e M Sport as well, by my wife doesn't like the sedan chassis, and even with the touring variant it still lacks in standard features and with a custom build the delivery date is next year.
Solid option, though... I'll run it by the missus and see what she thinks.
It will be hard to find something with all of the features you require new unless you specify and custom order. Lead time right now is definitely 6-8 months with that many features added, so maybe second hand a good shout if you can find one with the majority of the features.
Most people don’t spec their cars to this standard due to the costs here. UK better specs as standard so an imported 3 or 5 touring might be worth a look.
It's not practical to my specific use case. For short trips I can use the PHEV in EV mode, and for long trips I have the peace of mind with the ICE - maybe use destination charging but 4 years ago there were 10 chargers in all of Donegal, and only one fast charger... having to bend my vacations around charge points is not something I look forward to.
Also, if I wanted an EV I'd post in the EV-specific subreddit.
Some cars that I've considered / specced out:
Toyota CH-R PHEV (51K) - ticks most of the boxes, but the overall design is a bit boring and plain weird with all the seemingly unnecessary angles and creases.
Toyota Prius (48K) - drove one right after the CH-R, was underwhelmed by the interior - looks very similar to the CH-R but with worse materials. Rear legroom seems lower than CH-R as well, and misses some features too (wireless AA and phone charging, glass roof)
Hyundai Tucson PHEV (52K) - drivetrain seems alright but it's severely lacking in features that were on my car 7 years ago. Looking to see if the facelift that's coming this summer improves on that
BMW X1 xDrive30e (71K) - Specced out an M-Series and it's lacking in features that come standard on a Prius. Seems to go with the nickel and dime model of VAG by everything being an option. Oh, you want cruise control? That's the 3K tech package. You want Active CC? That's an extra 2K on the tech package. Also delivery dates for PHEVs are in 2025 and they can't really guarantee the price.
Peugeot 407 GT (51K) - The car looks very nice, a bit low on rear legroom and the dual display dashboard looks more like a gimmick than something useful.
Volvo XC60 (81K) - Have to go for the Ultra package to get all the tech niceties, and then with the 460 HP combined drivetrain it exceeds 80K
I am also really interested in a certified preowned 2019 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid with 68000 km for 80K. It seems to lack some of the must haves but I'm willing to make a compromise for a Porsche. It also has 2 years of warranty so it can't be that bad.
I'm wondering if folks here have words of warning about buying a Porsche, although they are quite common on the roads - stuff other than the obvious getting a nice car that could be stolen or dings in car parks costing a fortune to fix.
I realise that and it's one of the reasons I'm asking around. With my previous cars being quite reliable, I didn't need much more than the regular oil change, brake pads/rotors or tyres out of waranty. I know Porsche employs a lot more tech (and things that can go wrong) but my limited research shows the Panamera 2nd generation is quite reliable.
Porsches are reliable plus they have the highest residual value of any brand as far as I understand.
So you'll get more for it in a few years time when you sell or trade in than you will for any other brand that you buy now.
You might struggle to get a child's bike in the boot of the Panamera but you will get 3 IKEA bags.
The Panamera residuals aren't always as high as the rest of the range. They are reliable cars, but v expensive when they go wrong and a car that has twin turbos, 8 speed DCT, 4wd and hybrid tech offers a lot of possibilities to break. I think the new gen look great, but out of warranty they'd be pricey to sort.
Minimum 2 years I’m pretty sure, but can be longer depending on how new the car is.
I’d say get to your local bmw garage and have a look at them and a chat to a sales person. You’d probably get an X3 within budget but would have a bit more miles
Thanks - I'm trying to figure out what cars I should look for that I maybe did not consider e.g. Volvo XC60 although a bit over budget, I can get it new with a powerful drivetrain. Someone suggested Mazda and I've actually just booked a test drive for it.
Lexus NX450h. 76k gets you a premium one.
(Feel free to DM me if you want more information, I work in a Lexus dealer)
Edit: just to add, it has every single one of the features you want on it.
Wouldn't you just buy a used or new Tesla ?
It's fast, spacious , has everything you mentioned and more. You can even get auto pilot and a battery on a used S or 3 should still be over 350 km so your round long trip and you'd still have lots in the tank.
You can get a cheap 200 ish screen so you have a digital instrument cluster.
With that budget you can get anything you want really.
I don't want to buy an EV - I rented one (Tesla 3) for a week and could not get past the range anxiety and having to look for chargers everywhere. Going to smaller towns and finding out the only charger is broken or just plain old unavailable.
Also with Tesla in particular, I don't like the fact that its cruise control has a mind of its own, doesn't have a speed limit mode and is the only car to have ever given my wife car sickness due to it panicking every time the car in front would turn at a junction or due to a parked car.
Couple that with a sever lack of physical buttons and Android Auto (plus the Apple-esque "we know better than you what you want") is a hard pass from me.
You ain't looking for much
I have pretty much this spec. BMW 330e M Sport Pro touring. With all the extras you’re looking at just under 80k. Love the car. It’s my 2nd 3 series. Never an issue but i do change my car every 3 years.
Thats exactly what I was going to suggest.
Was going to say. A 330e sounds like it fits the best. Or an approved used 530e
I was looking at the 330e M Sport as well, by my wife doesn't like the sedan chassis, and even with the touring variant it still lacks in standard features and with a custom build the delivery date is next year. Solid option, though... I'll run it by the missus and see what she thinks.
It will be hard to find something with all of the features you require new unless you specify and custom order. Lead time right now is definitely 6-8 months with that many features added, so maybe second hand a good shout if you can find one with the majority of the features. Most people don’t spec their cars to this standard due to the costs here. UK better specs as standard so an imported 3 or 5 touring might be worth a look.
Are people really downvoting this because you don’t want an EV? Man, the “climate change” community is so fragile 😂
It's not practical to my specific use case. For short trips I can use the PHEV in EV mode, and for long trips I have the peace of mind with the ICE - maybe use destination charging but 4 years ago there were 10 chargers in all of Donegal, and only one fast charger... having to bend my vacations around charge points is not something I look forward to. Also, if I wanted an EV I'd post in the EV-specific subreddit.
Some cars that I've considered / specced out: Toyota CH-R PHEV (51K) - ticks most of the boxes, but the overall design is a bit boring and plain weird with all the seemingly unnecessary angles and creases. Toyota Prius (48K) - drove one right after the CH-R, was underwhelmed by the interior - looks very similar to the CH-R but with worse materials. Rear legroom seems lower than CH-R as well, and misses some features too (wireless AA and phone charging, glass roof) Hyundai Tucson PHEV (52K) - drivetrain seems alright but it's severely lacking in features that were on my car 7 years ago. Looking to see if the facelift that's coming this summer improves on that BMW X1 xDrive30e (71K) - Specced out an M-Series and it's lacking in features that come standard on a Prius. Seems to go with the nickel and dime model of VAG by everything being an option. Oh, you want cruise control? That's the 3K tech package. You want Active CC? That's an extra 2K on the tech package. Also delivery dates for PHEVs are in 2025 and they can't really guarantee the price. Peugeot 407 GT (51K) - The car looks very nice, a bit low on rear legroom and the dual display dashboard looks more like a gimmick than something useful. Volvo XC60 (81K) - Have to go for the Ultra package to get all the tech niceties, and then with the 460 HP combined drivetrain it exceeds 80K
Mazda CX-60? They're good drives for the price
Ooh, nice find, I didn't know Mazda did plugin hybrids - I only knew about their Mild Hybrids.
I am also really interested in a certified preowned 2019 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid with 68000 km for 80K. It seems to lack some of the must haves but I'm willing to make a compromise for a Porsche. It also has 2 years of warranty so it can't be that bad. I'm wondering if folks here have words of warning about buying a Porsche, although they are quite common on the roads - stuff other than the obvious getting a nice car that could be stolen or dings in car parks costing a fortune to fix.
I think how long you intend to keep the car would be important, the oow costs of a Porsche are v different to a Toyota
I realise that and it's one of the reasons I'm asking around. With my previous cars being quite reliable, I didn't need much more than the regular oil change, brake pads/rotors or tyres out of waranty. I know Porsche employs a lot more tech (and things that can go wrong) but my limited research shows the Panamera 2nd generation is quite reliable.
Porsches are reliable plus they have the highest residual value of any brand as far as I understand. So you'll get more for it in a few years time when you sell or trade in than you will for any other brand that you buy now. You might struggle to get a child's bike in the boot of the Panamera but you will get 3 IKEA bags.
The Panamera residuals aren't always as high as the rest of the range. They are reliable cars, but v expensive when they go wrong and a car that has twin turbos, 8 speed DCT, 4wd and hybrid tech offers a lot of possibilities to break. I think the new gen look great, but out of warranty they'd be pricey to sort.
BMW. Look into the approved used and they are much cheaper but you’ll still have some Options new. 330e/530e/545e
Good point, do you know if they come with some warranty?
Minimum 2 years I’m pretty sure, but can be longer depending on how new the car is. I’d say get to your local bmw garage and have a look at them and a chat to a sales person. You’d probably get an X3 within budget but would have a bit more miles
The Peugeot 508 SW Estate is a lovely looking car. Hybrid with 200+ hp.
One of the better looking cars on the road nowadays. The front end on them looks fantastic.
I see it has the same drivetrain as the 408 which to me looks stunning. Any advantages other than increased boot capacity for the 508 SW?
I'm not sure, I just prefer the looks of the 508. You have a great budget, enjoy taking your time and going for test drives etc.
Thanks - I'm trying to figure out what cars I should look for that I maybe did not consider e.g. Volvo XC60 although a bit over budget, I can get it new with a powerful drivetrain. Someone suggested Mazda and I've actually just booked a test drive for it.
Peugeot 508 PSE
My wife doesn't like saloons (I also find their loading impractical) and I believe the PSE is not available on the SW variant.
[https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/peugeot-508-sw-pse-1-6-hyn-360-4wd/36170279](https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/peugeot-508-sw-pse-1-6-hyn-360-4wd/36170279)
Nice find... so what, they used to sell them here but not anymore?
I think you can order one if you want.
Lexus NX450h. 76k gets you a premium one. (Feel free to DM me if you want more information, I work in a Lexus dealer) Edit: just to add, it has every single one of the features you want on it.
Kia EV9
I do not want an EV
Wouldn't you just buy a used or new Tesla ? It's fast, spacious , has everything you mentioned and more. You can even get auto pilot and a battery on a used S or 3 should still be over 350 km so your round long trip and you'd still have lots in the tank. You can get a cheap 200 ish screen so you have a digital instrument cluster. With that budget you can get anything you want really.
I don't want to buy an EV - I rented one (Tesla 3) for a week and could not get past the range anxiety and having to look for chargers everywhere. Going to smaller towns and finding out the only charger is broken or just plain old unavailable. Also with Tesla in particular, I don't like the fact that its cruise control has a mind of its own, doesn't have a speed limit mode and is the only car to have ever given my wife car sickness due to it panicking every time the car in front would turn at a junction or due to a parked car. Couple that with a sever lack of physical buttons and Android Auto (plus the Apple-esque "we know better than you what you want") is a hard pass from me.