Cars for large families..

pigpen

I am looking at a large vehicle for ferrying the troops about.. we don't want a minibus or 4x4, we want it to look like a car not a jugganaut! so.. 7-8 seats are needed.

We are currently viewing a vauxhall zafira and a ford s-max zetec.

we currecntly have a ford focus which has been most reliable and great but we cannot fit the 4 children in for the school runs like we need to.

Does anyone have any advice as to anything to avoid? Any issues with these cars which we need to be aware of?
Fuel efficiency/seating problems? etc...

I am hoping to get it sorted this week.. though last week wold have been a better idea

Thanks in advance for your help!

oldtoolie

Search this forum -- this question has come up many times in recent months.

pigpen

I did it came up with 1 post which had one useless reply.. and wasn't asking anything similar to what I did.

tanith

Quite a lot of info re Zafiras here... https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2713921

and here..http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?searchid=88590215

pigpen

Cross that off the list then.. thanks Tanith..

3 booster seats, inc 2 high back and the baby seat means we need all seats and boot space .. hence me asking what was best.

maninthestreet

I think you need one of these:

Spendless

We have had a Touran. Very little boot space when all 7 seats are up and also there is a 'tunnel' on the floor of the middle row, so awkward for a taller child to take this seat if they are tall enough that their legs touch the floor.

Currently we have an s-max. It's wider than the Touran and I dislike parking it for this reason -hubby has no problems. It has a pillar bit at the front windscreen next to the side window. Hard to describe what I mean but a pic should explain better. I found this hard to get used to at first as it created me a blind spot. I'm 5ft 4-5, so it might be my height that created this issue. Am used to it now though. The s-max has more boot space than the Touran. The middle seats are all full size seats, so no squashing up. I've never sat ont he back row so couldn't comment, but did in the Touran once - and thought they were only suitable for children or very short trips!

We borrowed a zafira to go away with. I don't know if they are still like this, but 2 of the seats of the middle row are on the same frame, whereas the cars we've had each seat is independant of each other, so you can put in any combo you wish.

optimus_primera

pigpen wrote: »

Cross that off the list then.. thanks Tanith..

3 booster seats, inc 2 high back and the baby seat means we need all seats and boot space .. hence me asking what was best.

Given the above then, you might have to rethink what you want.

Seeing as the Tardis tdi had yet to be produced, you might have to get a bit bigger motor.

Rolandtheroadie

Grand Voyager CRD.
4 kids? tick
2 high back? Tick
1 booster? Tick
Still have PLENTY luggage space? Tick
Looks like a juggarnaut? Possibly, it's a big vehicle. Its my wifes car and at 5ft, she's no problems with it. Side sliding doors help with getting the little uns out in a standard parking space.
Fuels around 33-35 MPG, make sure the timing belts documented. If not, your around £220 for parts alone not including water pump (which isnt a problem item on these apparently)
They can have gearbox problems, this would be most noticeable 3rd to 4th or vice versa I believe.
Theres other possible faults (what car hasnt) our only real problem in 18 months is our timing belt snapped (own fault).
Ours is 8 years old and the 2.5 CRD, I believe the newer 2.8's have stow and go seating whereas we need to remove ours if we want extra room (pull down 2 levers, wheels pop out bottom of seats, wheel out via the bootlid).
It has a poor NCAP rating though (at least our's does, dont know of the newer 2.8's).
If its nearly new your looking for, I'm sure Dodge also produce something very similar.

pigpen

maninthestreet wrote: »

I think you need one of these:

That would be amazing.. I could take out all 9 children 1 gf and the grandson... and still have room for a picnic!

Eyeing up the fiat scudo.. and grand voyager now.. I WILL make some kind of decision (eventually)

LandyAndy

If you fancy something a bit more sporting.