Car to fit 3 child seats in please help!!

Flyboy152

bigjl wrote: »

Thats a pity, not looked at a new one closely as out of my price bracket, seems a glaring oversight.

How far into the floor do they go?

I am sure Ford made a big thing about them folding flat.

They don't. They fold down on top of the floor.

Fruity1

Can definitely do it in a Honda FRV. I recently went looking for a new car and by the time I'd finished realised I'd got exactly what I want in my car as couldn't find another 6 seater I liked which left me with plenty of boot space for my work gear plus buckets and spades.

karent_2

Another recomendation for the Citroen Xsara Picasso. Easy fits a forward facing seat, booster and rearward facing seat across the back seat. My sister and I can take all the little kids for a day out in one car. The boots huge, and the 1.6 HDI engine has lots of torque and it does 50 mpg on short journeys. I'm a very happy owner.

bigjl

Flyboy152 wrote: »

They don't. They fold down on top of the floor.

So they basically do exactly what the earlier one did, but with a slightly flat load area.


AS somebody mentioned, the C-Max will take three seats across, they are well priced at the moment, had a look at a 2.0 Auto one recently, not seriously, just checking it out online, lots of space if you don't need seven seats, and nice understated styling.

As far as a Citreon Picasso goes, they seem OK, but do seem to show a wear on the interior very easily. And soon look a bit tatty inside, even with just private use. Though this may be just down to the colours used. Every one I have seen at the auctions has looked in need of a valet, even the low milers.

I would rather have the C-Max than a Picasso, though the Picasso has been going for so long now that any problems should have long been sorted out.

It is ugly though, and I don't like the positioning of the speedo.

Kilty_2

bigjl wrote: »

Every one I have seen at the auctions has looked in need of a valet, even the low milers.

Most cars at auction are in need of a valet, no? Since dealers tend to send P/X vehicles there without prepping them and ex-lease cars are usually returned in a bit of a mess

I agree that the interior materials aren't that brilliant quality wise, but they're still decent enough cars.

bigjl

No, all the cars are sent in much the same condition, very few cars actually go through the decent auctions dirty these days, especially when from a dealer, they want to maximise the price they get for the cars, not lose money for the sake of a quick hoover.

But Picassos all have this grubby look about them, in fact the wife and I have some friends that had a Picasso from new, it has done about 10k in 4 years as it is hardly used, even that looks a bit grubby, it is as new externally, but just seems to have worn worst than you would expect, he still likes the car, hence why he still owns it.


One thing, just took a good look at a C-Max, yes at CarGiant as they have decent photos, and I don't think you will fit three full size child seats in the back, as the middle seat is not a full size seat, unlike the Picasso and Galaxy etc.

Flyboy152

bigjl wrote: »

So they basically do exactly what the earlier one did, but with a slightly flat load area.

Very far from it. In the old one, if you wanted to use the whole boot, you could remove all five rear seats, all rear seats on the new Galaxy are permanently fixed.

Edit: Not so sure about the second row being permanently fixed, but certainly the third row, perhaps someone could verify.

As far as a Citreon Picasso goes, they seem OK, but do seem to show a wear on the interior very easily. And soon look a bit tatty inside, even with just private use. Though this may be just down to the colours used. Every one I have seen at the auctions has looked in need of a valet, even the low milers.

Mrs Flyboy's Picasso Exclusive had done one hundred and twenty thousand miles, it didn't look at all tatty at the end (well certainly no more than the best of cars would, at that age and mileage). It had been supagarded, which helped to preserve the beige upholstery, but like any car, if it is looked after, there is no reason for it to deteriorate.

I would rather have the C-Max than a Picasso, though the Picasso has been going for so long now that any problems should have long been sorted out.

It is ugly though, and I don't like the positioning of the speedo.

Aestetics are of course a matter of choice, but I found the dash layout to be efficiently positioned and well thought out. The digital speedometer was a boon for accurate speed indication. The trip meter wasn't bad for the class of car, it did lack a real-time mpg meter, but many cars are like that. What is not surprising, is that the trend for such things has been copied many times.

bigjl

I must assume that the supaguard has helped keep your interior in good condition.

Though it isn't the fact that the seats wear out, just the materials they use just "look" dirty and worn, if that makes any sense, this is something that most traders bear in mind when buying a Picasso in to retail on.

This doen't make them a bad car, just somethig to bear in mind.

I had a Citreon Xantia for commuting purposes a while ago, when I went through my "using veg oil phase", and that was a 95M, and the velour was as new, not even a hint of wear.

I think it comes down to materials, perhaps it wasn't such a problem on the top if the range models, but I can only go from what I hear through the trade, as I keep myself reasonably up to date, just incase I need to earn a bit of money on the side, Idon't want toend up with a car that is hard to shift.

Interesting what you say about the Galaxy, if those seats are fixed then they really have dropped a clanger, as that was one of the big benefits of the older Galaxy's, remove the seats and you have a van, might go some way to explain why my sister and her husnad have no intention of changing their Galaxy, which is one of the first non VW clone ones, they still leave one seat at home and use a roof box when they go up to Scotland.

space_rider

I vote for picasso too. I had one when my 4 children were young.

bigjl

As it has been a while since I looked closely at a Picasso I had a look on a dealer website, not even going to say the name, but I must admit they are extremely cheap for what is a very spacious 5 seat MPV, spotted 2 1.6 HDi models, one a 56 plate for £4600, one a 57 plate £4300, both with around 80k.

The seats did indeed look a bit "dirty", but I think this may just be down to the velour settling with use, perhaps that is why mrs flyboys one stilll looked good, or perhaps the velour will look better after a shampoo.

But if all used HDi Picassos are as well priced as the ones I have looked at then they certainly should be considered by the OP, with that kind of depreciation already being absorbed by the first owner means for the money you do get a lot of car.