I can't bring myself to go hybrid/electric no matter how much it costs me in petrol. I'm running an E53 X5 4.8is, the 335i and the GTI. The GTI is supposed to be the daily economical car but still costing me £300 a month too as someone else mentioned. But hey ho, it's only money and the smiles per £ are worth more than trying to save a few quid and driving something so mundane and crap that I want to kill myself every time I get in it.
Also on the topic of the OP's initial questions, I have always gone with the car in budget (or generally increased my budget for the right car
) and gone with the most options I can get and mileage has never worried me as long as it's full service and plenty of receipts.
Again as already mentioned, my train of thought has always been I'd prefer a car that's clocked lots of mileage cruising along motorways than something that's driven only a few miles each day round town.
