What cheap old car will I get for commuting?

I'm looking for a car for heavy commuting as I have a new job and will be doing 750 miles a week for 9-10 months (two hours each way per day). I have a 2008 Focus but intend keeping this as a second car and I see no point putting massive mileage on it. Instead I hope to pick up an older car and get a year out of it. I am considering a 2001 Mercedes E 220, but I'm a bit concerned about fuel costs. What other car would fit the bill, capable of heavy mileage, comfortable and reasonably economical to run?

Kevin McCarthy (Limerick)

Feb 2013 Filed under: choosing used car

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Expert answer

Hi Kevin,

As is so often the case, the best answer here is ‘get a Golf.’ Or possibly a Passat. Or maybe a Volvo S80 1.6d. Any of those, if you can find them with a full service history, would fit the bill rather nicely. The Volvo is a great choice actually — comfy like an armchair, and can go 1,500km on a full tank of diesel. The Golf is probably the best value option — get one cheap, with the old 1.9 'Pump Duse' TDI diesel engine, and it’ll sit on the motorway doing 50mpg all day long, and it’ll be comfy too.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Advisor
@neilmbriscoe