Looking for a family car

Victor_Meldrew

Can anyone help in any way.

I'm now in the market for a family car ( 2 adults and 2 small girls). I've been driving a Ford Mondeo 1.8LXi which has just blown its engine and exhaust at 50000 miles :mad:

I can spend approx £5000.

Any advice is welcome from what I might look at to where I might buy from (I'm in the East Midlands). I know next to nothing about cars.

My wants from the car would be as follows:-
1. We average 6000 miles per annum
2. CD player
3. Air con
4. Heated windowscreen
5. 5 door
6 Good boot size

Any ideas will be greatly received even if they only get me narrow down what I might require.

Victor

mancitychick

Citroen Picasso will give you plenty of room and excellent boot size. Mine has CD player, air con but no heated windscreen :-(. Its 5 door with 3 individual seats in the back - I love the amount of space and the driving position is great. Before owning citroens I only had Fords before fiesta, then escort & finally new style mondeo and I don't think citroens handle as well as fords & the turning circle is rubbish! After 2 kids I just couldn't afford a big ford anymore :-(

vansboy

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk clik The Backroom clik Discussion.

They'll all suggest another Mondeo there (almost!!)

But guessing the girls will increase in size sooner, or later, the Picasso, or Zafira, or if you find a nice one, Fiat Multipla.

& think about spending a day at British Car Auctions Measham, on a Motability sale day. Take a look at the Zafiras there - 3 year old, 30000 miles & just around £6000 would be £$£$ well spent.

VB

Chris_VRS

Skoda Octavia I'd recommend....heck of alot of car for the money

D&DD

We Have a renault megane scenic and its great for storage/bootsize..theres 5 of us and we still have plenty of room for luggage

blue_haddock

vansboy wrote:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk
They'll all suggest another Mondeo there (almost!!)

I can't even get away from mondeos here now

Stevie_T_2

I would go for a Vauxhall Astra hatch back, plenty of boot space and easily within your budget.

My mother has the 1.6 Sxi model and its got a cd player, air con and alloys. I've got the coupe version but that isn't so much of a family car.

moonrakerz

If you want a heated windscreen in a sensible priced car you really are looking at Mondeos and Focuses (Focii ?). Otherwise they are in expensive cars or optional extras on others, which makes them a bit thin on the ground.

Victor_Meldrew

Many thanks for the replies. I could certainly go for another Mondeo but life's short so why not try something different? Are the Renault and Skoda cheap and easy to repair?

What about Motorpoint in Derby. Hearing bad things about them - justified or not? And availablecar.com they're close by - any good?

Once again thanks in advance

tomstickland

Why not put another engine into the Mondeo? Could be done for £1500.

I find it odd that a Mondeo is seen as too small for two adults and two children. It's designed for 4 adults.

You're right in the mainstream with your requirements, so there's loads to choose from. Nissan Primera, Skoda Octavia, Vectra, Passat etc.

mrwibble

Victor_Meldrew wrote:

Can anyone help in any way.

I'm now in the market for a family car ( 2 adults and 2 small girls). I've been driving a Ford Mondeo 1.8LXi which has just blown its engine and exhaust at 50000 miles :mad:

Could you explain what happened ? Why do you think the engine is kaput ? Cambelt failure ?