Bargain Cars Jan 2021 Sample

AFFORDABLE, DESIRABLE CARS

FROM THE 1990S, 2000S AND TODAY! WINTER 2020 £3.99

LAND ROVER FREELANDER: SERIES 1 BUYING GUIDE

MERCEDES-BENZ SL: CAR TO KEEP FOREVER

BEST OF BRITISH LUXURY

FOR JUST £5K!

ISSUE 00 WINTER 2020

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KEEP WINTER OUT BMW E39 5 SERIES ROAD TEST £3K ESTATES ROUND-UP

CONTENTS

06 48

37

24

Contents

COVER FEATURE: 6 JAGUAR XF

All Jaguars go through a cheap phase, and with prices now starting at around £3000 for cars that originally cost £40k plus, early XFs are now firmly in bargain territory. But are you buying an effortless luxury cruiser or a pile of trouble and aggravation? We’ve the full story – and if you follow our advice it’s good news!

BUYING: LAND-ROVER 14 FREELANDER

Land-Rover’s first small off-roader has a very mixed reputation on the used car market, but the large number that are still around after 15 to 23 years cannot be ignored or overlooked, and we reckon they’re a good buy if bought with your eyes open. The Editor tells you all you need to know, include how to spot and avoid 4WD troubles.

CAR CHOICE: THREE 22 GRAND ESTATES

Want a load lugger for £3000? Here are our suggestions, plus a few buying tips.

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ROAD TEST: 24 BMW E39 520

The late-nineties 5-Series saloons were good but many reckon the Touring estate cars were even better! Good ones are getting scarce, but we’ve managed to track down a really nice one. We also explain why you might want to own one, and what to look out for.

32

BUY TO KEEP: MERCEDES R129

Values are definitely on the up, and there are still some good ones out there to buy for long-term ownership, and a wide range of engines to suit all drivers. Craig Cheetham explains what’s involved…

37

ROCK BOTTOM BARGAIN: MAZDA MX5 MK2

14

Winter 2020

45 SUBSCRIPTIONS

Like what you’ve read this month? Here’s your chance to be sure of receiving every issue irrespective of any government restrictions, and save some money into the bargain!

COMMENT: 42 FUTURE FUELS

Is diesel really dead? Is electric all its cracked up to be? What about LPG? The Editor presents his thoughts on how we’ll be powering cars in 10, 20 and, for those who’ll still be around, 30 years time.

TECH TOPIC: 48 WEATHERPROOFING

Has your car sprung a leak? With winter use in mind, here are a few tips on tracing and fixing.

Mk2 MX-5 prices have never been cheaper, as the most classic enthusiasts prefer the Mk1, and those after a daily driver generally reckon the Mk3’s a better bet. But the in-between model has a lot to offer, and for not much money…

Winter 2020 3

WELCOME

24 KELSEYmedia www.kelsey.co.uk Bargain Cars, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL Email: bargain.cars@kelsey.co.uk EDITORIAL Editor: Peter Simpson peter.simpson@kelsey. co.uk Art Editor: Lee Caple Senior Contributor: Craig Cheetham Photography: Martyn Barnwell ADVERTISEMENT SALES & PRODUCTION Tandem Media 01233 228750 Catherine Rowe (Manager) catherine.rowe@ tandemmedia.co.uk Laura Crawte laura@tandemmedia.co.uk Liam Stone Liam@tandemmedia.co.uk Perianne Smith Perianne@tandemmedia. co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS 12 issues of Bargain Cars are published per year UK Subscription and back issue order line: 0845 241 5159 Overseas subscription order line 0044 (0) 1959 543747 Toll-free USA subscription order line 1-888-777-0275 UK customer service tea 01959 543747 For customer service support, please visit https://help.kelsey.co.uk Customer service and subscription postal address: Bargain Cars Customer Service Team, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court,Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL Find current subscription offers on our website: shop.kelsey.co.uk/CME MANAGEMENT Chief Executive: Steve Wright Managing Director: Kevin McCormick Chief Operating Officer: Phil Weeden Subscription Marketing Director: Gill Lambert Retail Director: Steve Brown Print Production Manager: Georgina Harris Print Production Controllers: Kelly Orriss, Hayley Brown Subscription Marketing Executive: Dave Sage Affiliate Marketing: Kate Chamberlain DISTRIBUTION Distribution in Great Britain Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP Tel: 0330 390 6555 Distribution in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland Newspread Tel +35 23 886 3850 PRINTING William Gibbons Ltd Kelsey Media 2020 C all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden except with written permission from the publishers.

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We much prefer material to be submitted electronically, and while every care is taken of submitted material, we are unable to accept responsibility for loss or damage, however caused.

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NEXT ISSUE ON SALE FRIDAY JANUARY 22

4 Winter 2020

WELCOME to the first issue of Bargain Cars – brought to you in association with Car Mechanics which, as Britain’s secondoldest motoring monthly, has been telling people how to save money and find bargains since 1958.

Bargain Cars has exactly the same philosophy. However, while we will of course be covering the bottom end, we believe the concept of bargain goes beyond cars that can be bought for a few hundred quid. Bargains exist in every sector, and almost all cars go through a time of life when they represent unbeatable value; £5000 and £7000 cars might not, at first glance, sound like bargains if you typically pay a grand or less for a car. If, though, that five grand buys you a really nice Jaguar which, 12 years earlier, cost someone nigh on £40k new, then that, surely, is a bargain too!

There are of course downsides and caveats to cars like this. In many cases however these don’t need to end interest; you just need to be aware of the pluses, minuses, potential pitfalls and cost-effective cures.

And that is where we come in with all the knowledge you need to make informed choices before purchase and, just as importantly, during ownership.

As part of our brief we’re also going to fully encompass the ‘modern classic’ 1990-2000 era; I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that part of our aim is to fill the gap left by the recent demise of magazines dedicated to this era!

Anyway, the best way of finding out what we’re all about is by reading the magazine you have in front of you. First, though, on a ‘start as we mean to go on’ basis, here’s an important tip for anyone looking at buying an interesting vehicle with an 06 registration.

THE 06 TRAP

In 2006, the government introduced a new, emissions-based system for calculating road tax on post-February 2001 Vehicles. A banded system was

introduced, comprising thirteen bands from A to M, with the highest two, for the biggest polluters, a lot dearer than the rest. The idea, of course, was to make cleaner vehicles more attractive.

However, it quickly emerged that besides big, thirsty, high performance cars, many low-value ones owned by families on tight budgets were also in the top two bands, and, for example, people with 2.5 V6 Rover 75s, some Kia Sedonas, 2.8 Ford Galaxies and even Daewoos (remember them?) were suddenly without warning facing road tax hikes from £180 a year to nearly £500!

To its credit, the government acted quickly once the problem came to light and changed the rules.

Now, the (expensive) top two bands apply only to cars first registered from the date of change; May 23 2006. For older vehicles, Band K is the top band and included everything from 201g/km up. This was fair as it meant only people buying a high polluter after the change would pay the punitive rates.

Now, though, some 2006/06s are knocking, tentatively, on the door of classic status, and a new generation are taking an interest. The top two bands are currently £565 and £580 compared to £330 for Band K. What’s more, the changeover isn’t linked to a year-marker change; it’s part-way through 06!

Fortunately, it’s easy to check a car’s CO online at https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-informationfrom-dvla I’d recommend a vehicle-specific check here using registration number rather than looking through lists of models; things like transmission and exact engine type can affect it. Then, if the date of registration is on or after March 23 2006 AND the CO figure over 226g/km, beware!

So check before you buy an interesting 06 – that bargain price might just be hiding an expensive surprise – every year!

Peter Simpson Editor

Email peter.simpson@kelsey.co.uk Instagram @cmbargaincars Facebook facebook.com/Car-Mechanics-Bargain-Cars Bargain Cars

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£5K XF! COVER FEATURE

With some early cars selling for as little as £3000 at auction, Jaguar’s latenoughties saloon is now tempting to many, especially as diesel power means traditional Jaguar luxury without traditional Jaguar thirst. But are they really a good prospect?

WORDS PETER SIMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY MICHAEL BAILIE

6 Winter 2020

S

ince the beginning of time, all Jaguar saloons have gone through a cheap and thirsty stage of life. That’s the period in between being aspirational modern cars and collectable classics when you can buy one for next to nothing. It seems incredible now, but back in the early-mid 1970s, MkIIs and S-Types were regularly seen on stock car circuits; some promotors even ran special classes for them!

They were powerful, came with plenty of surplus of rusty metal and, most significantly of all, were available in quantity for little more than scrap value.

Since then, it’s happened to pretty-much all Jags – MKX/420, the various XJ6 models in turn, the ‘new’ S-Type and the X Type. Typically, the cheap stage starts at about ten years old and shortly after depreciation has stopped.

Now, it seems, the XF is applying to join the Cheap Jag Club. Retail prices for early cars start at £4k ish, and by buying at auction or on trade to trade terms you can knock another grand off that. For cars which new cost from £29,500 up to nearly £50k, that’s a bargain with a capital B. Then factor in the crucial fact that most XFs are diesel powered and return, typically, 35-45mpg, and it’s clear that a little investigation at least is justified.

WHY YOU WANT ONE

The XF replaced the S-Type in 2008, but it was a completely different car in concept as well as metal.

The S-Type was unashamedly retro but the XF is entirely its own car; a modern Jaguar designed by Ian Callum and his team to compete head on with German rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

Build-quality was good too – as it needed to be – and comfort, ride and handling were class-leading.

The XF succeeded in matching an exceptional and extremely cosseting ride with taut, level and very controllable cornering at speed. It really does offer the best of both worlds… Classic Jaguar, only more so than ever before.

The cabin, too, was a lovely place to be; unique, classy, tastefully-used wood and very, very comfortable, especially on long journeys. The one downside, and it’s a far from uncommon complaint, is that rear seat head and legroom are a little restricted; fine for children but not ideal for carrying two adults, lt alone three, long distances.

LUXURY ALL THROUGH

At the start there was a choice of just two spec levels; Luxury and Premium Luxury. But – and it's an important But – Luxury spec was exactly what it says on the tin. Once, base-spec Jags were aimed at people whose company car budget was intended to buy a range-topping mainstream car. By choosing an entry-level Jag they could, instead, have a car that was the same shape as the MDs. But to do so, they had to settle for a stripped-out model lacking everything most people would expect from a Jaguar. Remember the cloth trimmed 2.9 XJ40 of the late eighties?

The XF, however, consigned all that to history.

The entry-level XF Luxury’s standard specification includes leather trim, climate control, cruise, rear parking sensors and touch-screen satnav, along with 17in alloy wheels.

Winter 2020 7

COVER FEATURE Premium Luxury replaces the standard leather with ‘softgrain’ leather, bigger wheels (possibly a mixed blessing as bigger wheels generally mean dearer tyres…) power sear adjustment, an improved/ upgraded sound system and a heated windscreen.

From March 2009 a range-topping Portfolio model was added, This adds heated/cooled seats, a 1200Watt amplifier, dimming rear mirrors and 19in Artura alloys, plus a DAB radio (this was 2009 remember…) and radar cruise control as options.

There’s more good stuff right across the range.

Okay, some may consider the opening air vents and a gear selector which rises when ignition is switched on and off to be a bit theatrical, but the touch-contacts to open the glovebox and switch on the reading lights are very nice, as are the blue backlights around the controls; inspired by Motorola mobile phones it’s been claimed. There’s also plenty of wood in the cabin, but it’s very tasteful and supplemented by contemporary-style aluminium.

Interior noise levels are good too – quiet but not so quiet that the engine’s best bits can’t be heard.

Talking of which, one ‘traditional’ Jaguar feature which was, thankfully, missing from the 2008 XF lineup was a low-power engine. Options like the 2.4 Mk2, 2.8 XJ6, 2,9 XJ40 and so on were usually offered as a means of avoiding high taxes on big engines in some overseas markets. They generally gave little economy benefit however, and were usually dogs from a durability/reliability point of view.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the XFs standard power unit to all intents and purposes, and certainly in terms of numbers sold, was the 2.7 V6 diesel. But with 204bhp on tap it’s no slouch. There was also a 3.0litre petrol V6 – though despite higher power (238bhp) it’s marginally slower than the diesel.

Arguably a bit pointless, it was dropped in 2010.

8 Winter 2020

Also rare is the 300bhp 4.2 - a traditional Jaguar engine size of course but a V8 rather than a twincam straight six. Finally, a bit specialist and outside our remit for this feature, there was a supercharged version of the 4.2 V8 with 410bhp on tap.

One year later it was (almost) all change in the engine department, with the 2.7 diesel replaced by a 237bhp 3.0litre, and the 4.8 V8 giving way to a 5.0, and the SV becoming the XFR. For those wanting a more modest power boost coupled to dieselesque economy, in 2010 a 275bhp S version of the 3.0 diesel was added alongside the 237.

The two 3.0 litre diesels really are the best engines of the bunch being more powerful, but also using less fuel and producing lower emissions; it’s called progress. They’re also considered more durable, but I’ll come back to that...

Then, in September 2011, a minor range facelift took place, accompanied by a shuffling of specification names and levels. The biggest change, however, was a new 2.2 straight-four diesel designed for economy and low emissions rather than performance. It averaged over 50mpg with 149g/km emissions – so relatively modest Band F road tax – but with just 188bhp on tap, performance was, shall we say, somewhat modest by Jaguar standards.

For the purposes of this feature, we’re treating 2011 at the cutoff. This is roughly when age starts affecting value. If you are looking post-2011 however I would think twice about a 2.2 diesel; the 3.0litre options remained, go a whole lot better, and the extra costs of fuel and VED are pretty marginal.

CONDITION COUNTS

Some may be confused by our ‘from 5k’ tag to this piece and on the cover. You can buy an early XF in running and road-legal condition from, as already

Below (Clockwise from main) Interior is a superb mix of contemporary and traditional, well thought out and well put together. A lovely place to spend lots of time.

Many minor-ish controls are on the steering wheel. It’s worth spending time to find out exactly what’s what and how it all works. Photo: Peter Simpson Rear interior. Legroom – or a slight lack of – is one of the few drawbacks of the XF. The slightly sloping rear roof does also affect rear seat headroom slightly. Photo: Peter Simpson

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COVER FEATURE

"THE XF MATCHED AN EXCEPTIONAL AND EXTREMELY COSSETING RIDE WITH TAUT, LEVEL AND VERY CONTROLLABLE CORNERING AT SPEED. CLASSIC JAGUAR, ONLY MORE SO THAN EVER BEFORE." noted, around £3000. But as with so many things in life, the fact that you can doesn’t mean that you should…

You see, among the 2008-10 XFs under consideration here, conditions vary enormously. At one of my local auctions, I’ve saw three 08 2.7 diesels sell within a fortnight, and at £5150 the dearest was nearly twice the £2600 price of the cheapest.

The cheaply was clearly a dog – blacked-out windows, ugly black aftermarket alloys and a “replacement” (auction-speak for secondhand) engine 30,000 miles earlier. It was sold with an auction trial, but as this generally guarantees little more than that a car goes, changes gear, steers and stops, there was still a lot of scope for expensive problems.

The mid-range car (which sold for £3200) was interesting – I had a good look around it, and apart from a bit of internal wear, I couldn’t see much actually wrong with it. However it just didn’t look cared for. And crucially, while it came with a huge pile of invoices and receipts, most seemed to be for repairs and replacements, possibly caused by a lack of informed servicing earlier. Such a car may well have further issues waiting to emerge under the next owner’s stewardship.

By contrast, the £5150 car was a beauty. Two

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owners , 70k on the clock and a full main dealer service history. It was also clean inside and out apart from a bit of easily blown-in tarnishing on the bonnet, the body seemed pretty-much unmarked.

It had matching decent-quality tyres all round. In short, it was clearly a car that had been cared for and cherished by its last owner, and was ready for another to carry on the good work.

To be fair, £5150 was too much in an action environment when similar cars can be bought retail from around £5600 but it was a lovely car and a much better long-term buy than either of the others. If you pay £3500, chances are a specialist inspection will find £1000 worth of work’s needed to start bringing the car up to scratch, and then the relative price difference between a good one and an average one narrows significantly.

Look at it another way. These are complex, luxury cars with servicing costs in line with new prices rather than fully-depreciated used ones. Your servicing costs are going to be higher than for a runof-the-mill car anyway, and you should also expect a bit of ‘catch up’ in the first year or so. However the last thing you want is to be paying for someone else’s neglect on top, and by choosing one that’s been cared for thus far, you reduce the risk of big bills significantly!

Winter 2020 9

COVER FEATURE So please choose carefully and buy the best you can. Service history is paramount, low ownership desirable (but bear in mind that as an interesting car gets older, enthusiasts sometimes buy one intending only to keep it a short time to see what they’re like) but above all, you want a car that looks clean and cared for. They’re around if you look; not least because although Jaguar was targeting a new generation of owners with the XF, a fair few were bought by about-to or recently retired people who invested a pension lump sum in a quality luxury car to see them out. Some of these people are now moving on or giving up driving…

SPECIFIC CHECKS

Though build quality was generally superb, early cars so sometimes suffer from electrical faults, so make sure, as far as possible, that everything works; windows, central locking and so on, plus the touchscreen on the satnav, as other things also work through it. Tyre pressure monitors are a common problem but the usual cause is corrosion on the sensors at the wheels which is easily sorted.

Engine-wise, general opinion as already noted is that the 3.0litre diesel is a worthwhile improvement on the 2.7 durability-wise as well as efficiency; a stronger bottom-end for starters. Either, however, has what another well-known maker of luxury cars would describe as ‘adequate’ bhp/power, and last well if looked after. Look online, and you’ll read reports of major failures affecting both. Yes, it happens. But what you won’t read about are the far greater numbers of

10 Winter 2020

Below All but a small minority of XFs were diesel-powered.

These engines are good if looked after, but will bite you hard if neglected.

these engines – and the same basic units went into Discoveries and Range Rovers – which have run to 150,000plus without issue. They’re good – the 3.0 in particular – but they’re high-tech units and things like regular oil changes are crucial.

They also need to be used. The big weak-spot is the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) which captures soot from the exhaust and then burns it off during a high-speed run. If, though, the filter fills in the meantime, you’ll be warned that it needs burning off, and you then need to do a decent run to clear it. However, DPFs can also fail if this isn't done.

Worthwhile replacement DPFs start at around £500, but as with most things, you get what you pay for. However, to add further confusion, on the 3.0 litres it’s common for the DPF sensor to fail; this gives similar symptoms to a failed DPF but obviously is a whole lot less serious.

Incidentally, don’t forget that DPF removal, though once common, is now illegal and if visible at Mot time, it’s a failure. Really, the best way of avoiding DPF problems is to make a point of going on a decent run every month or so. Not exactly a massive ordeal...

Diesel engines have timing belts (the V6 petrol a chain) and the recommended change interval is ten years/100,000 miles. It should therefore have been done by now on almost all cars under consideration, and is due soon on the rest. It’s not a deal-breaker with a typical independent charging £3-500 all in depending on prevailing labour rate, but it’s definitely something to do as they do break, and a broken belt wrecks the engine.

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COVER FEATURE So far, I haven’t talked much about the petrol cars. They’re all rare – you’ll typically find six to eight diesels advertised for each petrol - and the supercharged versions really need derivative-specific advice as you’re buying a specialist vehicle.

The 3.0 and 4.2 normally-aspirated petrol engines are generally good with few specific weaknesses other than a tendency for the 3.0’s bottom crank pulley damper to separate. It’s a large dinnerplate sized wheel with a rubber inner that splits away.

The symptoms are a rumbling sound from the front and cracking where the metal and rubber meet, though the cracking tends to be more severe on the inside where it can’t be seen. Renewal is fairly straightforward and the parts cost under £100, but if present this fault needs fixing, as a broken damper will wreck the engine.

There is, though, one other good reason not to buy a petrol XF, even if you’re anticipating low mileage and aren’t bothered about 26mpg overall. The 3.0 is Band L and the 4.2 Band M, meaning current annual VED costs of £555 and £570 respectively.

The rest of the running gear is basically okay and no better or worse than anything else. Rear brake pad life is, however, relatively short by modern standards (20,000 miles is a typical maximum) because the pads are slightly softer than normal to improve parking brake efficiency. Pad-only renewal is relatively straightforward, but if left until metal to metal contact occurs, changing the discs as well adds complexity.

Bear in mind too that some aftermarket pads may not have the same performance characteristics as OE quality items.

And finally, there are a couple of extra things to verify online, as well as the usual ‘HPI’ type checks.

Firstly, there have been no fewer than 13 – yes thirteen – recalls on XFs so far. While no one car will have needed them all, any that need doing should be done, so go to the MoT history check page at www. check-mot.service.gov.uk where any outstanding recalls should be listed. This is especially important if a car has been serviced by independent specialists.

While you’re at it, check the VED rate on a particular car you are interested in at www.gov.uk/ get-vehicle-information-from-dvla . The V6 diesels range from Band G to J (currently £205 to £305 a year), but the exact band varies with age and engine type. The website won’t tell you the band or rate without a V5c number but the vehicle-specific g/km figure is recorded, and you can work the VED out using tables elsewhere on the DVLA website.

JAGUAR XF UP CLOSE

1

As mentioned in the main text, some XFs were bought new by retirees wanting a quality last car. Here’s an example – albeit an extreme one – I spotted at an East Anglia auction recently; a 2008 XF Premium Luxury 2.7 diesel that’s done just 3600 miles from new. Interesting, though low mileage generally means lots of short runs which might not be such good news. Estimate is £8-£10,000 and I’ll let you know what it made next time…

2

Check, as far as possible, that all the electrics work.

Some things you can live with, but issues like sticking windows and dodgy central locking will be irritating to put it mildly. Make sure also that you get both keys; replacements are expensive and obtaining them can be a bit awkward.

4

Though serious body corrosion doesn’t seem to be an issue on XFs – at least not yet – there have been a few instances of localised rust under the rear boot trim, leading eventually to a bit of damp in the boot. By no means all cars are affected; in fact most aren’t.

3

Gear selection is electric of course, via this knob which rises out of the centre console when ignition is switched on, at the same time as the front cabin airvents open.

5

All XFs have alloy wheels of course, and their condition tells you a lot about how a car’s been cared for. Don’t read too much into a bit of age-related tarnishing, but kerbing damage is a definite sign of careless ownership.

There have also been cases of the largest (20in) alloys cracking.

IN CONCLUSION

I’ve owned cheap Jaguars in the past, some good, some bad. All, however, have had the usual two drawbacks; thirst and high maintenance and repair costs. The XF is different; you don’t need to own an oil company to run one. Maintenance-wise, the secret seems to be to choose a good one and understand the difference between a service history and a pile of bills for repairs needed due to lack of servicing.

I thought this an interesting project before starting this piece. Now it’s written, I’m even more interested.

So much so, that I might well be in the market myself at some point. But I’ll definitely be buying on condition rather than price…

Bargain Cars

6

We saw the main gear selector control a moment ago, but there are also paddle up and down gear selection controls on the steering column. Some owners will love playing with these, others will never touch them. .

7

Spare wheel options are, basically, a space-saver or an aerosol emergency inflation can. Both are, of course, intended as get you home devices only. If the boot’s leaking, this is where you’ll probably see it.

Winter 2020 11

NEWS

Cat Theft is Back

S

adly, it seems that after disappearing for a while due to a combination of low metal prices and Covid-related transport difficulties, Cat theft is now back. Over the past couple of weeks we’ve heard of several cases in London, on the South Coast and in East Anglia. Second-generation Toyota Priuses are especially susceptible because the OE cars on them are very good and easy to remove, and 4x4s along with medium-sized vans are also often targeted as there’s often room to get under without jacking.

Some of the thefts seem to be very brazen too – we’ve seen CCTV pictures of them being removed, in less than two minutes, in broad daylight. Some also work in gangs, and rely on intimidation rather than not being seen to carry out their crimes.

Our Editor has also been a victim – his Prius has been targeted twice in the past eighteen months, though the second time all they got away with was an aftermarket cat which having cost less than £200 new, can’t have had much scrap value.

Specialist protection plates are available for some vehicles including Priuses, and while these won’t stop a determined thief, they will

Sometimes a dog is the best way of stopping cat theft...

slow them down and maybe make them think twice. Tilt alarms which you place in the car and sound if someone starts to jack it up are also handy, and can be moved from car to car which could be useful if you’ve a yard with stock that changes.

Other than that, the best defence against quick in and quick out theft is probably to do all you can to stop them from getting in…

Log books online Like most organisations, the DVLA has been affected by Covid 19, and is still operating on reduced staffing levels and with many staff members working from home rather than the big square office in Swansea that one sees from the M4 when heading towards Swansea from Points West. Many who have experienced delays with things like supply of V5c registration documents will already know this.

However, to help counter this and future possible problems, DLVLA is expanding the range of services available online. Notification of owner change online has been possible for some time if the old keeper’s V5c is available, and since June it’s also been possible to notify change of owners name and/or address.

Now, though, duplicate V5cs to replace lost or damaged documents, or replacement V5cs for written-off vehicles that have been retained by the insured. A five working day turnaround is claimed for online applications, and from what we’ve seen, thet do seem to be meeting this.

Change of name and/or address notifications are normally free, but duplicate replacements for lost, or damaged documents carry a £25 fee.

This quick online service applies only to

12 Winter 2020

DUPLICATE V5Cs - ie NO change of keeper.

If there is a change of keeper – because, for example, you’ve bought a vehicle without a V5c - the DVLA need to make enquiries, including contacting the last known registered keeper.

These applications must still be made by post, and replacement V5cs can – and often do - take up to six weeks to arrive. Without a V5c or a valid new keeper Green Slip you can’t tax the vehicle.

Bear in mind too that the green slip can only be used to tax a vehicle once, so if a previous owner used it, you can’t.

To access the services that are available online, go to https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-log-book and follow the prompts to the section that you need.

Real Trade Discounts Often, ‘trade cards’ and similar are pure marketing gimmicks that offer little if any real benefit. One that does, however, seem to do what it says on the tin, is the Halfords Trade Card.

Available only to genuine people involved with the motor trade – though a wide range of trades and professions are eligible including, for example, taxi/courier drivers. The card does give genuine discounts of, typically, 20-25% on parts, oils etc and tools, 10% on most cleaning products and 30% on some consumables such as fuses.

Our Editor has had his for several years, and finds it very useful, as while Halfords aren’t always the absolute cheapest even after discount, it does make them pretty competitive overall, and you have the big advantage of long opening times, lots of branches and warranties on things like batteries being valid at any of them.

You will, though, need to provide proof of entitlement – you can’t just go into a branch, say “I’m in the trade” and claim the discount. To check whether you qualify, and find out more, go to www. halfords.com/customerservices/trade-card/

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U.K. Specialists In Repair And Reconditioning Of Freelander & Evoque Transmissions Reliable, Professional & Economical Service For Viscous Coupling Units (VCU), Front & Rear Differentials, Haldex Units And Intermediate Reduction Drive (IRD) Units

Tel: 01299 266 503 Mob: 07484 841813 Info@bellengineering.co.uk www.bellengineering.co.uk

ModiďŹ ed, Close Ratios, Heavy Duty ModiďŹ 50 Years of Experience Complete Boxes and Parts Mail Order or Collection Telephone: 01580 714114 bghgeartech@btconnect.com www.bghgeartech.co.uk Kent, TN17 3LE

We are specialists in reconditioning all Freelander engines.

NO PROBLEM! We can help you keep your Freelander in tip top condition so you can focus on enjoying the ride!

Tel: +44 (0)780 9575 421 sue@freelanderspecialist.com www.freelanderspecialist.com

BUYING GUIDE

LAND-ROVER FREELANDER MK1 With prices ranging from next to nothing to just over £2000, Land-Rover’s first small off-roader has never been cheaper. But are they really as troublesome as their reputation?

WORDS PETER SIMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY MARTYN BARNWELL 14 Winter 2020

T

he first generation Land-Rover Freelander is something of an enigma on the secondhand market. The trade, and the man in the pub will tell you how unreliable and troublesome they are.

But on the other hand, an awful lot of the 540,000odd sold in eight years still seem to be around; especially considering the youngest is now 15 years old.

The Freelander came along fairly late – by 1997, Toyota’s market-leading RAV4 was three years old, and scoring high on driveability and durability.

Honda’s CRV was also selling well, and Nissan’s Xtrail, although slightly larger, was also within the territory, and its second generation came in at almost exactly the same time as the Freelander.

The Japanese manufacturers controlled the ‘soft roader’ market. However while many Brits loved these – and their legendary reliability, what many really wanted was a British version, made by Land-Rover who, as well as being Britain’s first name in 4WD, also retained a first-class international reputation.

Land Rover had been working on what eventually became the Freelander since the late 1980s. However it took BMW acquiring Rover and Land-Rover in 1994 for the plans to get the go-ahead. Many have suggested that access to Land-Rover’s 4x4 patents and technology was a key factor in BMW buying Rover.

The Freelander was introduced in August 1997 at the Frankfurt Motor Show with a choice of softback (open with a removable folding hood and lift-out roof panels) and hardback (detachable hardtop with electric tailgate window) three door bodywork, or a five-door Station Wagon, again with electric tailgate window plus a split rear seat. To add confusion, the softback could be bought with a factory-option hardtop, and the hardtop with an optional hood and frame…

These were later joined by a Freelander Commercial with the three-door body but no rear seats and no windows behind the driver/front passenger and the detachable hardtop permitted use as a van or pick-up. Rare in the UK, the Commercial’s main market was export territories such as the Irish Republic where vans are taxed much more favourably than cars.

VCUS AND IRDS

The Freelander’s ‘secret weapon’ was an extremely innovative 4WD setup which was streets ahead of the Japanese rivals but also simpler and cheaper to make than the traditional LR transfer box and third differential setup.

At the front, the Freelander has a conventional gearbox beside engine transverse FWD layout.

However, behind the engine and between the gearbox and offside driveshaft mechanically, there’s a one drive in, two drives out, right angled Intermediate Reduction Drive or IRD. One IRD output goes to the offside driveshaft. The other, pointing backwards, links to a propshaft running to a conventional rear axle via, half way down, a viscous coupling half-way. The VCU transmits power to the back only when the front wheels lose traction, causing the front shaft to turn faster than the rear one. Thus, the Freelander moves in and out of 4WD completely automatically, and is in 4WD mode only when needed.

Winter 2020 15

BUYING GUIDE

As there’s no transfer box, there are no alternative high and low ratios. Instead, Hill Descent Control (HDC) was standard on higher-spec Freelanders and a popular option on others. It works via the ABS sensors. With HDC switched on, first or reverse gear selected and your foot off the accelerator, HDC maintains descent speed at 5.6mph (9kph) in a straight line or 4.4mph (7kph) for twisting and/or undulating declines. To go down faster, just press the accelerator and descent speed can be raised to up to 31mph.

Some hardened offroaders were a bit sniffy initially, but most came round once they saw that HDC actually worked well and, just as importantly, that the Freelander had genuine Land-Rover offroad capability.

Right 2004-on dashboard layout accompanied by some range-topping HSE leather trim.

MODEL RANGE

CAPABLE OFF-ROAD

‘Offroadability’ was vital, not just for Freelander but for the Land-Rover brand overall. Since 1948, LandRover’s ‘unique selling point’ had been legendary off-road capability. The brand’s worldwide reputation depended on it, and had Freelander been seen as in any way deficient in this respect, it could – and probably would – do enormous harm to Land-Rover as a whole. Hence massive effort went into ensuring Freelander really did cut the mustard away from made-up suburban roads.

To quote Freelander Project Director Richard Elsey: “Current cars in this market are rarely durable enough to stand consistent recreational use, and are incapable of anything but the most elementary off-road work.

Freelander is the answer. It can comfortably be used as a family or a fun car, but that genuine all-terrain

16 Winter 2020

presence is always there – not a dominating presence, but one which is inherent in the vehicle. The only skill that may be required is the flick of a switch.”

Of course, that “flick of a switch” was referring to the Hill Descent Control.

Below 1.8 K-Series petrol engine was used throughout the production run. You probably know its main weakness already…

Hill Descent Control is switched on and off by the yellow switch in front of the gear selector.

Besides the new 4WD setup, Freelander was LandRover’s first vehicle with unitary construction, allindependent suspension and a transverse engine. The body was based on a modified Rover 200 floorpan and initial engine choice was 118bhp 1.8 K Series petrol or a 96bhp 2.0litre L series diesel. The Rover parts bin also provided much of the interior switchwork and minor trim componentry. Five-speed transmission was standard and two spec levels were at first entrylevel i and higher-spec XEi In July 2000 the diesel was replaced by BMW’s 110bhp TD4 and at about the same time a highperformance petrol option was offered courtesy of the 175bhp KV6 V6. At the same time spec designations were extended and changed to S, GS and ES and automatic transmission was offered as an option on the TD4 and KV6. The autos are good to drive, long-lived, (especially with a non-schedule fluid change every 80,000 miles or so), and becausevtheres no clutch, there’s no clutch renewal.

A more radical facelift came in January 2004 featuring new interiors, revised front and rear styling and a further change to specification names, with the three-door model was available in E, S, ES, Sport and Sport Premium trim and the five-door in E, S, ES, HSE, Sport and Sport Premium trim. The firstgeneration Freelander was replaced by Freelander 2 in September 2006.

These days, spec matters much less than body and engine type and, of course, condition. Relatively few softbacks survive in their original form, most now have run with a semi-permanent hardtop. Despite changed perceptions and knowledge since these cars were current, diesels remain more popular than petrol, with the TD4 the preferred powerplant.

Many special editions have been offered; the Millennium (December 1999 unsurprisingly…) and Serengeti (May 2000) for example. Though handy marketing tags at the time these nowadays mean little. The two that may be worth looking for are, if any survive, the Anniversary limited edition of 1998 which marked 50 years of Land-Rover and might appeal to Land-Rover collectors. Then there’s the rangetopping HSE (2004-6) as seen in the photos. Available as a Station Wagon only, this came with, basically, everything; leather trim, aircon, a six-disc CD changer and as options, parking sensors and a basic satellite navigation system which gives directions via a small display within the radio head.

The Freelander was well-received. At its launch, Parkers said “with excellent engines, refined manners on-road, serious off-road capabilities and a choice of body styles. Land-Rover has managed to pull ahead of the four-wheel drive pack once again.”

From 1997 to 2002, Freelander was Europe’s top-selling 4x4. Everyone was satisfied. Dyed in the wool Land-Rover fanatics were pleasantly surprised by its off-road capability, while most buyers who would never actually go off-road found its ride stable, Bargain Cars

BUYING GUIDE

smooth and, by 4x4 standards, refined.

By 2002, however, Parkers reported “owners have reported a variety of problems, most of them niggling.” It was classic BL-type stuff such as the poorly-fitted trim and minor mechanical maladies.

This about the same time as significant numbers started slipping out of main dealer servicing, and the 4x4 system in particular stopped getting the informed attention it needed. There was also of course the welldocumented (but actually quite straightforward to rectify) K-Series head gasket issue.

TRANSMISSION TENSION!

Today, the main weakness is the 4WD; specifically VCU failure. Experts recommend treating the VCU as a routine replacement item, and renewing every 70,000 miles.

Failure happens in two ways. One – rare – is to just stop transmitting drive at all, meaning you’ve got 2WD only. This is relatively straightforward to fix; you fit a new or rebuilt one.

More usually, a VCU tightens with age – though contrary to belief they rarely seize completely. But a stiff one passes more drive than it should, and passes it when it shouldn’t. This puts tension into the rest of the transmission, which often causes collateral damage – sometimes serious.

When this starts or is noticed, many owners who don’t need or use 4WD simply remove the propshafts and run as full-time 2WD. The car still works, and it’s seen as a better option than £3-400 to fix it properly…

Therefore, the first thing to check on any Freelander is that the propshaft’s there. Look at the back axle’s nose underneath and you’ll see either a propshaft, or a flange connecting to nothing. They may say it was removed for economy. Cobblers; as this 4WD works only when needed, disconnecting makes virtually no difference! No, missing shaft always equals something

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Inset The earlier dashboard layout used until January 2004.

Prices These days, values are all about condition, and road-legal runners range from around £4-500 up to a little over £2000, though its only exceptional examples that make the top money. If you’re handy with spanners mechanically defective examples can sometimes be bought for little over scrap money, though specialists will typically pay at least £200 for complete breakers.

There’s also significant demand for cheap Freelanders for export, though this can vary almost from day to day with changing market conditions and the ease or otherwise of travel.

broken. It might be just the VCU, but it could have taken the IRD as well, as a non-mechanical driver might not notice a stiff VCU until that point. Less likely but not impossibly, a stiff VCU can damage the rear axle or exceptionally, the main gearbox.

Until recently, I’d have said walk away from a propless Freelander. Nowadays, the wider availability and cheaper cost of good secondhand parts have softened my line slightly, but the minimum parts expenditure to reinstate 4WD, assuming you have the removed shaft, will still be £225 for a Bell Engineering exchange VCU (don’t risk a secondhand one) plus £60 for decent support bearings and £40 for a prop fitting kit. If the removed props have disappeared you’ll need another £100 or so, and the VCU will be £75 dearer without an old one for service-exchange. Reconditioned IRDs costs £720 exchange; but reputable specialist breakers supply good used ones for £100-150. Labour-wise the props are fairly straightforward to fit – say a couple of hours – though you’ll need a press to install the VCU. The IRD’s a bit more involved – 1-2hrs on a hoist if you’ve done a few before, the best part of a day first time and working with jacks and wheelramps.

So with a minimum cost of £300 up to £600plus maximum, you really don’t want much else wrong.

You could, of course, just live with a 2WD Freelander.

Many do, but though most people don’t bother, propshaft removal is a modification which should probably, if known, be disclosed to an insurer.

More importantly though, 2WD spoils the vehicle; a non-enthusiast owner might not notice the difference, but anyone interested in cars will. When working well a Freelander with its 4x4 kit present and correct is absolutely superb.

Unfortunately, the only definitive IRD test is to drive with it connected. You can, though check for free movement at the pinion end. There shouldn’t

Winter 2020 17

TECHNICAL BUYING GUIDE TOPICS Left Going through mud.

Early advertising featured a Freelander following some ‘native african animals’ into a river, hence the enthusiastapplied Freelander nickname ‘Hippos.’

Below Launch press shot showing the interior space – LHD, due to launching at Frankfurt.

be more than about 1cm of movement of the rim. You can also, if a seller agrees, remove the oil filler plug and check for bits of floating metal indicating internal failure; a shimmer of metal within the oil is normal, but visible pieces floating are not.

So how do you road-test for IRD damage and VCU stiffness? Listen first for a banging sound from about half-way down, indicating failed prop bearings. This has three possible causes. One is that they’ve worn out naturally. Another is that they wore out and someone used cheap replacements. The third is that they were knocked out by a tight VCU. On the road, the usual sign of a failing or failed VCU is a tight feel in the drivetrain, and/or the brakes seeming to bind, especially when on full lock and even more especially when reversing. A seizing VCU also tends to cause unusual tyre wear, often around the edges or on alternating blocks.

A worn VCU may also feel warm after a 10-15 mile run, but be very careful as in severe cases, ‘warm’ can become burn your hands hot! If a VCU is this hot, severe damage isn’t far off. If this happens on your vehicle remove the propshafts until you’ve found out what’s going on. If you find it on a test drive, don’t buy. I’d ask the owner to drive back too – just in case something breaks and they try to blame you.

Finally, bear in mind the maximum 70,000 mile service life, though it’s far from unknown for VCUs to fail sooner on vehicles that are driven hard.

The usual road-test symptoms of IRD problems

18 Winter 2020

Useful contacts Bell Engineering (recon drivetrain components including VCUs) 01299 26650 www.bellengineering. co.uk Freelanderspecialist. com (good model specialist in West Norfolk, very good website) 07809 575421 or 07889 936364 www.freelanderspecialist.com There are also two excellent Facebook groups for Freelander owners: Freelander Owners Club and a smaller Land Rover Freelander Mk1 group.

are a clonking or grinding noise when applying or releasing power or turning a corner – again most noticeable on full lock in reverse. In more extreme cases you may intermittently lose drive, followed by a loud banging/grinding noise.

Finally, two commonly-used VCU ‘tests’ which don’t work. Forget marking each side of the VCU and seeing if the marks still align after a drive. They won’t. This, though, tells you nothing, because a failing VCU retains some movement. Some also say you can test a VCU by jacking one rear wheel and trying to turn it. Total rubbish – you probably need to standing on a 2ft bar to move it anyway, and the VCU has no effect on this.

MATCHED TYRES VITAL

Mention of tyres a moment ago brings us to another important point. IRD and/or VCU failure is also caused by mismatched tyres between the front and rear axles, because the difference in tyre diameter creates a constant difference in the rotational speed of the front and rear propshafts. This makes the VCU act incorrectly and causes the same tension/potential transmission damage as a failing VCU. What’s more, the heat causes permanent VCU damage so it won’t work properly, even with correct-size tyres. The system’s very sensitive - just 5mm difference in tyre diameter increases rotational difference dramatically.

Therefore, specialists strongly recommend renewing Freelander tyres only as a set of four, and because tyre size can vary from make to make, sticking to the same brand and type front and rear.

That, clearly, has a big cost-implication, especially at this price range. What if only one tyre actually needs changing because, say, it’s got an awkward puncture in the sidewall and you can’t afford or justify four new tyres? Unmatched tyres on the same axle is, I’m afraid, non-negotiable. Matching tyres all round are also normally a warranty condition for a recon VCU. If, though, four new tyres really are unrealistic, you can try changing just two, but doing so requires care and involves a degree of risk. Firstly, the tyres not being changed must still have at least 4-5mm of tread – otherwise the size differential will definitely be too big – and the same make, type and size as the ones remaining. You should also put the new tyres on the back, not the front as you would usually do. Then take the vehicle for a 6-10 mile drive, see how it feels and check the VCU temperature– carefully! If it’s hot, you do need to change the other two tyres. If not, you should get away with it, but keep an eye on the VCU and bear in mind you’re taking a chance.

After all that, we need some good news, and here it is – the Freelander bodyshell isn’t especially rotprone! Obviously, given their age, there are rusty ones about with the spring/suspension mounts and sill structure the most common weak spots, but equally, enough are around to avoid real rot-boxes.

A lot comes down to usage – one that’s been offroad a lot and has the bumps and scrapes to show is more likely to be rotten than one that’s belonged to a suburban mum. The three-doors are also more rotprone because it’s easier for water to become trapped inside. Rusty brake pipe and fuel tank retaining straps are common on them all, but easy enough to sort.

The K Series petrol engine’s key weakness is wellBargain Cars

TECHNICAL BUYING GUIDE TOPICS known and it’s a case of finding out when, not if, the head gasket’s been done, and how often and how well. If it’s been done without skimming the head, it won’t last.

The TD4 diesel is the most common and ‘the same with differences’ BMW unit as in Rover 75s.

It’s generally good, and a chain-driven cam means no belt changes. Injector and glowplug changes can be a bit tricky though – and for some strange reason problems with these seem more prevalent here than on the 75 and MG ZT. Thermostat failure is also common, leading to cold running and an inefficient heater; the temperature gauge should sit half way up.

Changing the original thermostat is a surprisingly big job, but a conversion kit is available to fit a 'stat in the top radiator hose instead.

The biggest problem with the L Series diesel is that it’s not a TD4! It’s a bit small for the Freelander and not generally as strong or durable. Having said that, it has few engine-specific weaknesses not found on other units as they get older, though it does need a timing belt every four years/48,000 miles.

The 2.5V6 was always rare and rather specialist.

The V6 Freelander arrived after the KV6 head gasket issues of 1996-8, and while gasket failures aren’t unknown, coolant in the engine’s ‘vee’ is more likely a leaking thermostat housing. The biggest KV6 issue is the big timing belt change every eight years/90,000 miles; three belts, limited access, and can’t be done without KV6-specific locking pins.

A clutch change, as noted earlier, is a bit involved as the IRD also has to come off; a weekend DIY job for someone reasonably skilled with spanners. There’s also a slight complication with clutch hydraulics.

On petrol and L Series diesels, the master and slave cylinder plus linking pipework come as one sealed unit filled for life with fluid, so any failure means changing the whole lot. The TD4 does have separate components, but the slave cylinder and clutch release

Right Softback version was open at he back with a hood, frame and optional hardtop.

Insurance Costs Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance www.lancasterinsurance. co.uk 01480 809176 Land Rover Freelander 2.0TD4 Auto £195.28 including Insurance Premium Tax and £20 fee, or £213.28 with Agreed Value This price is for a 40 year old welder/fabricator, married, living in Kent with a clean licence and full No Claims Discount.

As always with insurance, premiums vary according factors such as age, occupation, driving and claims record, and the level of cover required.

bearing are combined, meaning if the slave cylinder leaks – fairly unusual, admittedly – rectification is a gearbox-off job.

Other issues are fairly easy to spot. Check all the windows and the sunroof work – failure is usually down to the internal mechanisms rather than switches, though some of these can also fail, and things like heated seat switches can come into the ‘always broken on scrap vehicles’ category, making them hard to find secondhand. Finally, diesel Freelanders registered on or after March 23 2006 are caught by the VED trap described on page 4 – 240g/km emissions equal £565 a year tax compared to £330 for the same vehicle registered on or before March 22.

So there you have it. Yes, owning an older Freelander does require a certain amount of knowledge, and a good model specialist is also a great help. But it has its rewards; not least that you will own a ‘soft roader’ which really doesn’t deserve that title; the Freelander really is superb off road. Couple that to great interior space, plentiful parts availability and a surprising amount of traditional Land-Rover homefixability, and you have a pretty good package overall.

I like them. Which is probably why I own one…

Buying and Owning

The Freelander Viscous Coupling Unit or VCU, and support bearings. The key to the 4WD’s long term survival is a new one of these every 70,000 miles.

Automatic gearboxes benefit from occasional fluid changes; here’s the ‘obvious when you think about it’ way of getting the level right without a dipstick or similar. Measure how much you take out, and put the same amount back in!

A sight many owners will recognise; water in the bottom of the jack compartment under the loadspace floor. Usually caused by leaks within or around the tailgate.

Window winder mechanisms can fail, and often it’s the cables that go rather than the motor. Clever people sometimes ‘restring’ them, others just fit a new assembly.

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As with most BL/Rover related products of the period, brake pipe and other fluid line corrosion is fairly common. If yours are still sound coating with copper grease or similar will prolong their life considerably.

Simple fix to a common TD4 problem; the turbo intercooler pipe frequently chafes and wears through.

Protecting it with a rubber sleeve and a pair of cableties takes only a couple of minutes.

Winter 2020 19

3K ESTATES

THE (THREE)

GRAND TOUR The estate car may have dropped out of fashion in recent years, but with £3k to play with there’s all manner of stylish tourers on offer.

Here are our favourite borderline modern classics.

B

ack in the days before the average family car stood three feet above the ground and had faux-by-four pretensions, the definitive family car was based on a saloon or hatch, but with extra luggage space – and the estate car was very much the preferred choice of dad transport for everyone.

Today, though, the traditional load lugger has fallen out of fashion.

There’s still a fleet demand, along with an interest from more traditional customers, but the family cars had evolved – and not necessarily for the better. Compact SUVs, MPVs and hybrids of the two are today’s family cars of choice – but for canny buyers there are still some amazing estate cars out there for a very sensible budget.

Here are our favourite £3k bargain cars with more to boot.

ALFA ROMEO 159 SPORTSWAGON Its neither the most practical nor the best made estate car on the market, but the Alfa Romeo 159 still has a huge amount going for it. First up, it’s an Alfa, and that means a name steeped in history and brand that epitomises driving enthusiasm.

That’s backed up by a thoroughly well sorted chassis and by far the best steering feel of any front-wheel-drive

car in its class – hardly a prerequisite for most estate car buyers, but an essential for most Alfistis.

Then there’s the styling. There isn’t another estate car at this price that looks this good.

For £3k we found: 2009 159 JTD Ti 150, black, 132k with full history and new DMF and turbo, £2995 ono

AUDI A4 AVANT The A4 Avant was Audi’s most successful estate, with strikingly handsome looks, a clean and stylish cabin and a useful albeit relatively compact luggage area.

The first generation Avant was a credible rival to the BMW 3-Series Touring, lifting Audi into a new area of the market, while the ‘B6’ facelift in 2001 made the A4 even plusher.

Today, the early 2000s A4s are exceptional value, with prices from £1000 up. The V6

models have modern classic appeal, but it’s the PDI diesels that are the ones to go for if you want a classy, reliable and comfortable car that will clock up the miles as well and as frugally as a modern.

For £3k we found: 2006 A4 2.0 TDI 170PS Sportline, Quartz Grey, 123k, FSH, new cambelt, heated seats and steering wheel, £2995 ono

BMW 5-SERIES [E60] TOURING The BMW E39 5-Series (see p26) was a very hard act to follow, but with the E60 the German brand ensured that what many considered to be the best car in the world remained so. The Touring version was particularly impressive, with a wonderful mix of handling dynamism and passenger comfort.

The star of the range (both then and now) was the twin turbo 535d, which

20 Winter 2020

had sequential turbochargers – as one peaked out, the other picked up, delivering sensational performance and impressive MPG. Time has proven it less reliable than the E39, but the E60 is still a fine car.

For £3k we found: 2005 525d SE Touring, Titan Grey with Dakota Grey leather, 147k, auto, part history, new tyres £2795

NEED CLASSIC CAR INSURANCE? 25% DISCOUNT FOR CLUB MEMBERS 01480 484 860

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3K ESTATES

CITROEN C5 TOURER Not to be confused with the original oddball C5, which failed to capture the imaginations of both Citroen traditionalists and mainstream motorists alike, the second generation C5 was pitched as a model that would give the Germans a run for their money in terms of cabin quality and feelgood factor.

And for a while, it worked. The new C5 got rave reviews. Its cabin was a massive shift upmarket and while it lost the hydraulic magic of the original, it gained a whole new following from fleet managers and drivers, who liked

what it promised. But the honeymoon period was soon over, as the traditional D-Sector fell into terminal decline. Why buy a Citroen when you could have a BMW? It’s a very different question when you apply it to a used car, though. Because £3k will buy you one of the best – a quirky yet refined and comfortable car that handles indecently well.

For £3k we found: 2010 C5 VTR 2.0 HDi, silver, black leather, 82k with full main dealer history, £3295 ono

FORD MONDEO ST 220 ESTATE If you want a fast estate that has pinsharp handling, great looks and all the appeal of a classic Fast Ford, then now is the time to track down an ST 220, before the classic Ford fans crack on.

Launched in 2002, the 3.0-litre V6 wagon was pretty much unique in the market and found a niche of its own, despite high running costs and the fact it was “just a Mondeo” underneath. But don’t discount it on that – the platform was one of the

best front-wheel-drive set-ups of the era and the Estate was even sharper than the saloon thanks to a stiffer rear end.

It’s quick, cavernously spacious and a fabulous drive. Watch out, though, for high VED on post-March 2006 examples.

For £3k we found: 2005 ST220 estate, blue, 142k, 6-speed manual, black leather, 10 months MoT, £2395

JAGUAR X-TYPE ESTATE Jaguar’s first factory estate car made its debut in 2004, three years after the X-TYPE became the company’s first real fleet offering.

It was a nice effort too – classy and nicely detailed. The V6 petrol models are great to drive, but it’s the diesels that were the best sellers thanks to their fleetfriendly fuel economy.

you need to check the sills for corrosion as those plastic sill covers can hide all manner of woes underneath. Find a solid one, cherish it and you’ve got a guaranteed future classic on your hands.

Today, an X-TYPE estate is a very classy bargain car, but

For £3k we found: 2009 2.2d SE auto, grey, 122k with Jaguar history, £3150 ono

LEXUS IS300 SPORTCROSS With the IS200 saloon drawing comparisons from the media to the BMW 3-Series, Lexus decided to push its luck a bit further in 2001 with the launch of the IS300 SportCross, which gained an Audi Avant/Alfa Sportwagon style rear end and a bigger 3.0-litre sixcylinder engine.

It was a terrific car to drive, but running costs meant it never really high emissions and less than brilliant achieved much volume in the UK.

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Nevertheless, those that bought one generally swore by it – Toyota reliability, BMW-like handling and a super-smooth and punchy six-cylinder engine were quite a beguiling combination. They still are.

For £3k we found: 2003 IS300 SportCross DualFuel petrol/LPG, 109,000 miles, enthusiast owned and maintained, £3500

Insurance Costs Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance www.lancasterinsurance. co.uk 01480 809176 Ford Mondeo ST220 £265.37 including Insurance Premium Tax and £20 fee or £283.73 with Agreed Value This price is for a 40 year old welder/fabricator, married, living in Kent with a clean licence and full No Claims Discount.

As always with insurance, premiums vary according to factors such as age, occupation, driving and claims record, and the level of cover required.

Winter 2020 21

3K ESTATES

MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS S211 WAGON The 2003 E-Class shifted the game forwards considerably for Mercedes, which had come in for some criticism when the second generation E-Class replaced the wonderful W/S124 Series.

The W210 was a nice car to drive, but woefully built with serious corrosion issues. The W/S211 model, from 2003 to 2011, put that right with much better build along with less challenging styling.

The estate was a very handsome

beast as well as being one of the most capacious cars in its class, with much greater load space than a BMW 5-Series Touring or Audi A6 Avant.

CDI diesels are especially appealing for their combination of economy and refinement, plus they handle the miles well.

For £3k we found: 2005 E220 CDi AvantGarde Auto, silver, 123k with part history, £2995 ono

SAAB 9-3 SPORTWAGON SAAB was a bit late to the estate car party with the 9-3 Sportwagon, which arrived in 2005. The stylish Swede was well executed, though, with a bigger boot than most of its compact executive rivals, even if the fit and finish were compromised a little as a result of GM cost-cutting.

The 1.9 TiD models were most popular, powered by GM-Fiat diesel engines, but it’s the petrol turbos that are the ones that are both the

most interesting and also the most appealing to SAAB enthusiasts.

The four-wheel-drive 9-3X and lively Aero HOT versions already have an enthusiast following, driven in part by SAAB’s untimely demise in 2010.

For £3k we found: 2007 9-3 Aero V6 SportWagon, silver, 149k, 12 month MoT and three month warranty, £2495 ono

SEAT EXEO SW

Insurance Costs Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance www.lancasterinsurance. co.uk 01480 809176 SKODA OCTAVIA vRS ESTATE £241.25 including Insurance Premium Tax and £20 fee or £239.25 with Agreed Value This price is for a 40 year old welder/fabricator, married, living in Kent with a clean licence and full No Claims Discount.

As always with insurance, premiums vary according to factors such as age, occupation, driving and claims record, and the level of cover required.

22 Winter 2020

When is an Audi not an Audi?

When it’s a SEAT of course. The Exeo was a clever way of VW Group helping SEAT to expend its fleet sales while also giving the outgoing Audi A4 B6 a new life when the B7 model arrived in 2007.

The Exeo was basically an A4 with a new nose and rump – the middle bit, main dashboard and most of the interior were Audi

carryover. But because of the Spanish badge, the Exeo was always the cheaper option and it’s a classy car today on a £3k budget.

For £3k we found: 2010 Exeo SE Tech 2.0 TDI, red, sat nav, 139k

with full history and new cambelt, £2895

SKODA OCTAVIA vRS ESTATE Skoda’s go-faster Octavia raised a few eyebrows when it debuted in 2001, and has continued to do so ever since.

With a turbocharged VW engine and 225bhp, the vRS is no slouch. The small ‘v’, incidentally, is supposed to represent the accent found on the Skoda badge and was added within weeks of launch after Ford threatened a

lawsuit for Skoda using the RS badge.

The second generation vRS was more of the same but with a better chassis, making it hugely popular with police and paramedics.

For £3k we found: 2007 vRS 2.0T, red, 159k with full dealer history, £2495

Bargain Cars

3K ESTATES

SUBARU OUTBACK Most of Subaru’s models only make sense to stalwart fans of the brand, but the Outback is the exception. A genuinely useful large wagon with excellent handling and performance, but with a raised ride height and incredible traction from its all-wheeldrive system.

It’s hardly surprising, then, that the Outback holds its

value brilliantly and has always been a hugely popular car with farmers and country dwellers.

Its flat-six Boxer engine is also a charming thing, with wonderful performance and a quirky exhaust note.

For £3k we found: 2004 Outback SE, blue, 112k, part history, newly serviced and MoT, £2695 ono

VAUXHALL INSIGNIA SPORTS TOURER Voted European Car of the Year in 2009, the Vauxhall Insignia had a lot going for it – great dynamics, good ride comfort and a lively engine range, backed up by a cabin aura that was vastly improved over the Vectra before it.

The estate (or Sports Tourer in Vauxhall parlance) was bigger than it looked, too, with clever additional taillights

For £3k we found: 2010 2.0 SRi D VX Line Nav, silver, 86k with some history, oil seals replaced, £2995

VW PASSAT B5 ESTATE If you want a genuinely useful estate car that will take all the abuse you can throw at it then the ‘B5’Passat is hard to beat, especially in 1.9 PDI diesel form where they just keep on going.

The B5 is a much better can than the B6 Passat that replaced it, too. The latter is prone to corrosion and electrical failures, whereas

VOLVO V70 Choosing a Volvo estate for this feature wasn’t easy – they’ve never made a bad one. And while the £3k Volvo load lugger of choice in terms of dependability is probably the old 740/940 series, it’s the later 2000on V70 that’s the best compromise between reliability and modernity.

Bargain Cars

• Look at the headlining above the rear seats.

Damage or heavy soiling here is a good indication of extensive/regular use with the rear seats folded down.

• Look too at the

trim panels on the rear passenger doors, though minor damage here may, especially if accompanied by rear seat wear, simply indicate a family car.

• Some estate cars have

of the car to lift up and increase the load aperture – a clever if overly complicated piece of design.

SRi models have a usefully sharper chassis – it’s not just a trim level.

integrated into the inner rear pillars, allowing he entire back

TOP ESTATE CAR BUYING TIPS

the old-fashioned B5 is tough, resilient and simple. In Wagon form, it’s an estate car of the old school and a very cheap way of getting stiff around.

1.9 TDIs are easily good for over 300,000 miles.

For £3k we found: 2005 1.9 TDI Trendline Auto, blue, 100k, well maintained, no rust, £1895

complex heavy-duty or self-levelling rear suspension as standard or as a factory option.

This can increase parts prices dramatically – for example Nivomat self-levelling rear shock absorbers – most common on Volvos but also used on other makes - can be £300plus apiece. Conversion kits are sometimes a cheaper option; investigate this with specialists.

• Nivomat shock

absorbers are generally fatter than standard shocks, sometimes mounted ‘upside down’ and the plunger section is often covered by an accordian-type rubber boot. Nivomat shock absorbers are also accompanied by weaker coil springs as the shock absorber also provides part of the springing effect.

• On cars with timing

belts do check the change interval and complexity. On some VW group products in particular the interval is quite long but it’s a fairly big job which people sometimes avoid by selling just before its due.

• Police Forces use a lot

Stylish, exceptionally comfortable and well made, the V70 is best served in traffic cop special T5 form.

For £3k we found: 2005 V70 2.4 T5, Cedar Green with beige leather , 94k with service book stamped by main dealer to 90k, £2995 ono

of estate cars. Frontline police cars lead very hard lives and are often modified; these can be good buys; but only at the right price. However, the police also have large fleets of unmarked vehicles for routine work such as scenes of crime, family liaison and so on. These receive the same care as frontline cars but without the hard use.

Winter 2020 23

ROAD TEST

HIGH 5!

The BMW ‘E39’ 5-Series was regarded as one of the best cars in the world when it first appeared, but how does it shape up today, almost a quarter of a century since it first appeared? Bargain Cars took one for a long drive to find out.

WORDS CRAIG CHEETHAM PHOTOGRAPHY MARTYN BARNWELL

24 Winter 2020

Bargain Cars

T

he BMW E39 is one of those cars that’s spoken of in hushed tones across the car industry. From engineers to designers, car enthusiasts to automotive journalists, it is regarded as one of the finest four-wheeled objects

ever made.

It’s one of those cars that was ‘right first time’ and kept on getting better throughout its life, with impeccable build quality, wonderful road manners and super-smooth performance no matter which one you went for, be it the entry-level 520i or the blistering M5.

Even the diesels had the hardcore road testers in raptures. Performance motoring magazines that had previously decreed diesel as the fuel of the devil were blown away by the prodigious torque on offer, and by the fact that - for once - a diesel engine had the power of a deity.

The E39 was, quite simply, brilliant. Sturdy but far from staid, it was a rewarding car to own and the king of the corporate car park in companies across Europe, such was its brilliance as a business car, where its impressive image was backed by rock-solid residual values that kept fleet managers as happy as the drivers the cars were allocated to.

It’s no surprise, then, that no sooner had the E39 appeared than the mainstream car makers gave up on the executive market altogether. Within three years of its debut, the Ford Scorpio, Rover 800, Renault Safrane and Nissan QX (to name but a few) had gone without direct replacement, while sales of the Vauxhall Omega dwindled to a slow drip.

The 5-Series, meanwhile, went on to win awards left, right and centre. It bowled its closest rival (the Mercedes E-Class) out of the park in sales terms and it sent Jaguar’s chassis engineers scurrying back to their drawing boards to have a rethink of the imminent S-TYPE’s undergarments.

Today, a quarter of a century since BMW achieved the impossible and replaced the fabulous ‘E34’ 5-Series with something even better, how does the E39 fare as a bargain executive car and modern classic in-waiting? We took to the roads in a last-ofthe-line Touring to find out.

STYLING

Some cars manage to look great from any angle and the E39 does just that, certainly more so than its ‘flame-sided’ E60 successor from the controversial pen of Chris Bangle.

It was styled by Japanese designer Joji Nagashima, who had evolved BMW’s styling away from its traditional ‘Russian Doll’ approach of the 1980s when he created the E36 3-Series.

While the E39 was in some ways more of the same – the fared-in headlamps and distinctive side strakes marking it out as definitely of the same genesis – it was a different type of car. Noticeably a BMW by virtue of its kidney grille and distinctive ‘Hofmeister kink’ in the D-pillar, it was nevertheless squatter and fatter than the E36, with a more dynamic, leaner appearance.

It looked excellent, so when it grew a tailgate in 1996 and became the 5-Series Touring it was no surprise that BMW had created one of the most Bargain Cars

Winter 2020 25

ROAD TEST

handsome estate cars ever made, triggering the more verbose of the car mags to once again burst into a round of platitude-heavy lyrical waxing. Yet in this case, it wasn’t undue praise. It was a fine evolution of a fine car – and that’s what we have here.

17 years since our E39 first hit the road (in the same year as the model itself was discontinued), the car looks amazing still. Indeed, its simple elegance has helped it age better than its E60 successor, which looks a bit of mess by comparison.

COMFORT

Let’s be realistic here – a BMW isn’t a car you buy with comfort front of mind, so it’s no surprise that the E39 isn’t as nice to lounge around in as a Jaguar, for example, while rivals such as the Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 are far more design-focused inside.

The E39’s fascia, by comparison, is clinical to the point of being a bit boring. The tan-coloured dash and wooden inserts on our test car give it a cheerier disposition than plainer black and silver cabins on more business-like Beemers, but it’s functional and well laid-out with neat retracting cupholders and a flip-up stereo front that keep the driver’s vista plain and simple, with plenty of Germanic precision and very little fuss.

If you like a British exec such as a Jaguar XJ or a Rover 75, it’s all horrifically plain and ordinary, but if user-friendliness is your thing then it’s excellent, with a few hidden features such as pop-out door pockets and secret storage boxes under the seats and in the boot.

26 Winter 2020

The toffee-coloured leather in our test car ages it, but to an era that you’re probably quite fond of if you’re reading this anyway, while the seats are firm but supportive. They’re not immediately comfortable, nor will they give you backache on a long journey, while the heated seats have the novelty of actually staying warm, unlike the irritating type that switch themselves off every 10 minutes.

Those with cloth seats are less sumptuous and are an even starker place to park your bum, but are likewise very supportive on a long run and never uncomfortable once you get used to their firmness.

The driving position is excellent, too, though leg room in the rear is a bit tight.

Right Though the E39 was intended as primarily a saloon, the Touring estate car looks superb and good examples like this are highly sought-after.

PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING

The E39 had a terrific reputation for performance and roadholding when new and this still rings true today – even if the basic design is over a quarter of a century old.

The fact that our car – an entry-level specification Touring – feels swift and assured tells you all you need to know about the E39 in general.

The larger-engined cars were extremely rapid, but even the 520i is lively enough for most.

Confusingly, the powerplant isn’t a 2.0-litre as traditional BMW nomenclature would suggest, but a 2.2-litre straight six developing 170bhp – enough for 0-60mph in 8.8 seconds and a top speed in excess of 130mph. So no slouch, but similarly not as eager as the bigger versions, particularly at higher revs where the 2171cc unit feels like it lacks a bit of torque.

Below left Classic BMW interior – the obvious luxury isn’t exactly over-done, but it’s all bolted together very well indeed, and after a few miles you realise it’s actually comfortable and extremely well-designed.

Bargain Cars

ROAD TEST

It’s a small criticism of an otherwise fine car, though, and the performance of the 2.0-litre engine is lively enough for most.

Our test car comes with a five-speed ZF5HP19 gearbox, the very same five-speed automatic transmission as used in many cars of the era including the Porsche 911 Tiptronic, Range Rover L322, Audi A6 and Jaguar XJ8, as well as the smaller BMW E46. They don’t tell you that in the brochures of course, but neither of the gearboxes offered in the E39 were of a BMW design.

The manual transmission in either five or sixspeed configuration came from Getrag and gave a sportier drive, but at the expense of a fairly heavy clutch and long-throw shift. Perfect if you want to get a pedal on, but as with most executive cars the E39 tends to work better as an auto; a relaxed cruiser that takes the effort out of driving, yet at the same time can be a sporty and engaging drive when it needs to be.

And that’s where the BMW’s impressive chassis comes into its own. The handling is impeccable, the steering wonderfully weighted and the balance almost perfect – and that’s just the impression you get from the entry-level car in long-roof form.

It’s no wonder, then, that the V8-engined M5 was considered one of the best driving cars in the world back in the late Nineties, if this was the base upon which it was built.

Even side-by-side with modern cars, the E39 has a lot going for it in terms of chassis dynamics and driver reward. Sure, it’s noisier, less technologically advanced and has clunkier controls and fewer touchscreens (for fewer reads no), but it more than holds its own in modern traffic.

Indeed, it’s a lot more engaging to drive than many of its modern equivalents. And that is the main reason we like it so much.

Bargain Cars

RUNNING COSTS

Here’s a potential stumbling block – the E39 was never a particularly cheap car to run and its popularity with some of the less savoury members of society means that insurance is dearer than the equivalent Jaguar S-TYPE, for example.

But many classic insurers are covering E39s these days, especially if you can prove that yours is a cherished example, so it’s worth getting a few quotes before you go shopping.

Fuel economy isn’t brilliant. Even the 520i struggles to beat 30mpg on a mixed cycle, while the larger petrol engines get progressively more ‘average’. The diesels are more frugal and made a lot more sense as used cars back in the day, but that’s not as true today as it once was, as so many of them have been driven into the ground – hardly surprising after two decades of use. Noisy flywheels, blocked injectors and worn cam chains are all common problems, as is general wear and tear, whereas smaller engined petrol examples are often the best cars, from private rather than fleet ownership and with sensible mileages.

BUYING TIPS

The E39 is a hardy car overall, but it’s also an old one and you can’t expect it to be free of faults.

Starting with the bodywork, neglected examples tend to rot out around the rear end and sill edges, while bubbles on the wheelarches can point to much greater problems with the overall vehicle structure – look closely at where the rear body meets the bumper, as if there’s rot here there’s a very good chance there’s no metal left beneath the bumper line.

Walk away, as there are better cars out there.

Mechanically, listen for a clattering noise at idle on the sixes, both petrol and diesel, which can point to a worn timing chain tensioner – if it lets go, so will the engine. You’ve been warned.

What’s the appeal?

The biggest appeal of the E39 is in its driving characteristics, followed by its timeless styling.

A quarter of a century since the automotive media decreed it the best mainstream car in the world, it has evolved into one of the best modern classics.

What are the downsides?

E39s rust quite badly and don’t suffer neglect very well, with juddery gearboxes, tired suspension and rattly cam chains all signs of impending major expense that could end up in a non-economic repair.

Will it be a classic?

Without a doubt.

There’s already strong collector interest in the nicer examples and things like specification and colour are becoming less important than overall condition. For us, that’s the tipping point where demand starts to exceed supply and the collectability of the E39 in the future is assured.

A great car then, a great car now and an assured modern classic.

Winter 2020 27

ROAD TEST

A high pitched whine from the automatic transmission or an occasional jolt going into gear shouldn’t be ignored either – the ZF transmission has a known weak spot between the torque convertor and the box itself, where gearbox oil can leak past the seals and eventually drop the lot, with disastrous consequences.

BEST BUYS

Mechanically we’d go for a petrol model every time these days and the simplicity of the straight six models outweighs the appeal of the V8s or the frugality of the diesels, which are probably the worst buys today but were the best when new – the exception being if you can find a great low mileage example, but they’re touching on the hen’s dentist scale of rarity.

The best you can probably get is a 528i M Sport SE Auto in a decent metallic with leather sports seats, which is the ultimate combination of driver appeal and reliability. The most affordable to both buy and run are the 520i models such as the one driven here, which is a terrific and usable modern classic.

WHAT TO PAY

The age of E39s cements many of them firmly in banger territory and if you only have budget of £1000 you should be able to get one with an MoT that’ll do you a turn for a few months and – if

28 Winter 2020

Above (clockwise from main) Still ever inch an executive barge, despite being an estate car!

Though the diesel was muchpreferred on the used market for many years, nowadays the few that remain tend to have had hard lives, and petrol has staged a comeback. Though the baby of the range, the 2.2 520 engine packs a decent-enough punch, and 30mpg overall isn’t that shabby.

Lots of room, even with the rear seats up.

you’re lucky – come through another test without a ridiculous amount of expenditure.

But the price gulf between rough ones and good ones is getting greater by the day. For example, our 520i Touring with low mileage, leather, full specialist history and no rot is easily a £3k car on the grounds of its pedigree and overall condition rather than its spec, whereas a rough 528i would be worth less despite being a ‘better’ car. Condition really is crucial.

M5 and special models such as those converted

by Alpina and Hartge aside, the very best E39s are now £5-6k cars and with very good reason. They’re collectable already and won’t go the other way.

But if you budget for £2500 to £4000 and find the best car you can find then look after it carefully, it’ll reward you by being a sound investment.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Engine

Power Torque 0-60mph Top speed Price new Value now

2171cc 6cyl in-line 170bhp @ 6250rpm 210Nm @ 3,500rpm 8.8secs 133mph £26,995 £3500

Bargain Cars

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320SL

£POA

320SL

£23,500

500SE

£16,000

300SL-24

£18,500

230TE

£11,750

500SL

£36,000

420SEL

£14,250

R170. 2002. 38k miles. High spec. Superb condition.

R129. 1999. 27k miles. V high spec.

1992. R129. 3 previous owners. 45k miles & full MBSH.

R107. 1981. 92k miles. Documented restoration.

R129. 1999. 71k miles. High spec. Superb condition.

W126. 1990. 67k miles. Superb condition.

W124. 1986. 121k miles. Excellent S/H. Restored 2019.

W126. 1990. 83k miles. 1 former keeper. Superb condition.

Mercedes cars invited on consignment or outright purchase

Classic or New there’s something for you.

The UK’s only officially recognised Mercedes-Benz owners Club provides products, services and events which enhance the enjoyment, value and experience all Mercedes-Benz owners and enthusiasts get from their cars.

As well as receiving a quality monthly Club Gazette, members can enjoy a wide selection of benefits and activities, including:

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