Used Car Suggestions please!- Cmax/Scenic/C3 Picasso/Meriva...

bethie

Hi -

I will be looking to replace my Ford Focus in the new year (if it makes it that long...) and I am looking for suggestions on what to buy.


I would like something with a slightly larger boot, as I tend to camp every weekend from April - October.

I do NOT need seven seats, as it is really just for me, my dog, and sometimes a friend! but, I do need 5 doors.


Diesel may be preferred, and average mileage is probably about 12-13k per year.


It can't be brand new, but 2-3 years old is fine.


I've been looking at the Ford Focus C-Max, Renault Scenic, Vauxhaul Meriva, and the Citroen C3 Picasso.


Any ideas?, or other cars I haven't considered?


Any thanks would be greatly appreciated.

AlwaysPondering

What's your budget?

bethie

I won't really know until January/Feb..., as it will depend on how much money my parents are willing to lend/gift me!

The criteria they have set out is that it is less than 4 years old and less than 50k miles. They trust me to make a good decision. Ideally I would put down a rather large deposit, do some monthly payments, and hopefully pay the whole thing off in less than 2ish years. only other debt i have is a mortgage.

current car is only worth about £1100, and I know it needs new cluth and suspension....!

LandyAndy

With your requirements I think you would be better looking at an estate car than a people carrier.

getmore4less

I have been looking and rather than the MPV have decided an estate is probably a better option.

Skoda Octavia are on the list top spec 3 years old are around £10-£12 allthough rare.

lower spec much cheaper and more about

Jag X-type estate might stretch the budget at that age/mileage

Could stick with Fords, Focus or mondeo estates loads of them

Toyota Avensis estates seems to be a few of them around.

Octavia and Avensis are the taxi driver choice so must have something going for them.

bigjl

A lot of Police Forces and NHS Ambulance Trusts are going down the Octavia route, tough and rugged and good value, which is why my Trust "invested" in the lemon that is the Zafira CDTi Auto. At least they painted them yellow to confirm the lemon status.

The early CMax had a few reliability issues but seems to be better now, though the 1.6 Diesel has a few issues, I have seen loads of 2.0 Auto ones at Cargiant, not a bad looking car and in 2.0 Auto, three years old they start at around £6000.

Don't buy a diesel late shape Zafira!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Trust bought over 300, the worst, most unreliable piece of junk they have bought in 10 years. Petrol ones seem to be less troublesome, whoever thought the DPF was a good idea should be shot.

As mentioned the new Mondeo is a cracker, the boot is almost too big, and they have very good build quality, though my inner tightwad would point towards the Octavia.

JQ.

We have a C-Max as our family car and it's superb. The boot is absolutely enormous and swallows all our gear with ease. It's very comfortable and has not let us down yet. The C-Max has one of the biggest boots you can get, bigger than a Range Rover or 5 Series estate. We have a 1.8 diesel and whilst economy is not great, circa 40mpg, performance is brisk.

Have you considered a Skoda Octavia Estate - again a huge boot, good fuel economy, good reliability and good customer service?

hethmar

Or even the Fabia Estate.

Hintza

Just to broaden it out a bit another couple worth thinking about.

Nissan Quashquai
Suzuki SX4

bethie

thanks for all the suggestions. and, i realised i never actually said what the budget is. I think i will probably have a max of 10k - but spread between savings, trade in, monthly etc etc. so no fancy jags, bmw, or mercs for me!

I had thought about estates, but wanted to have a bit better of a vantage point over the road (the perils of being short!)


my main concern, once purchased, will be fuel economy.... i would like at least 50mpg if possible... is that out of reach?

getmore4less

Hintza wrote: »

Just to broaden it out a bit another couple worth thinking about.

Nissan Quashquai
Suzuki SX4

MY BIL says they get too many of these in his garage so will not be buying one.