some ideas on family cars...?

Deals_2

we are looking for a second hand car which is reliable (i usually trust Japanese cars) for a couple with a toddler of 2. I prefer 4 W drive type of cars because of the height convenience of getting our toddler in and out of the car (smaller cars put pressure on our backs - something which i think Ken Livingstone does not think of when he says that 4W should get taxed more!).
any ideas appreciated.

philhuff

There's no idea of budget, so I could suggest anything from a ropey old Fiat Panda to a plush Mercedes R-Class...

If practicality is above all else, take a look at a Citroen Berlingo or Fiat Doblo. No prizes in a beauty contest, but they'll suit your needs. For something a bit more stylish, see if you can stretch to a Mazda 5 - probably about the best car in its class.

If you really do want to go the 4x4 route, consider perhaps the Nissan X-Trail, Toyota RAV4 or Honda CRV.

scatz

Depends how second hand you want it?

I purchased a second hand Renault Laguna a while back and, touch wood, have not had any problems with it. It serves very well as a family car due to the massive boot space and is also a pleasure on longggg journeys.

Coincidentaly it's a 2.2 diesel and I don't really pay that much more for fuel per month.

numberonemummy

I've got a hyundai santa fe, its 5 yrs old now,

i love it, compared to some 4x4 its shorter in height, but i can fit 4 adults, 1 baby seat, 3 dogs, all in comfort. Lovely to drive, easy to park and steer, not too bad on petrol, really economical on motorways up and down to the caravan

loads of extras built in, plus i love being higher up, especially when getting bubs in and out of the seat, and she gets a good view of the fields etc. when we're driving around

hth

Deals_2

will look up the cars . thanks.

scatz wrote:

Depends how second hand you want it?

I purchased a second hand Renault Laguna a while back and, touch wood, have not had any problems with it. It serves very well as a family car due to the massive boot space and is also a pleasure on longggg journeys.

Coincidentaly it's a 2.2 diesel and I don't really pay that much more for fuel per month.

Deals_2

will look up the cars . thanks.

scatz wrote:

Depends how second hand you want it?

I purchased a second hand Renault Laguna a while back and, touch wood, have not had any problems with it. It serves very well as a family car due to the massive boot space and is also a pleasure on longggg journeys.

Coincidentaly it's a 2.2 diesel and I don't really pay that much more for fuel per month.

DavidHM

Renault Lagunas are horrendously unreliable though :-(

Incidentally, I think Ken is well aware of the convenience of having a taller car for children, etc. However the additional tax will not apply to all 4x4 cars but the most polluting in terms of CO2 emissions.

If you keep to a car (probably diesel) that emits less than the Band G threshold (currently 225g/km CO2 but that limit may well fall) then you won't pay any extra tax. If you go over that, you will be hammered.

Of course lots of small MPVs like the Ford Focus have the height and the economy so it's simply not fair to say either that

a. you will be hammered on tax if you drive any 4x4; or
b. that you need a 4x4 purely to have the convenience of a wide, flat and high rear seat and a commanding driving position.

scatz

DavidHM wrote:

Renault Lagunas are horrendously unreliable though :-(

Any car can be horrendously unreliable. As stated in my previous post I have had no problems (apart from replacing the battery). The car is a '96 model and has 123K on the clock, starts first time every time (now the battery has been replaced), sticks to the road like glue, doesn't make me end up with a flat !!!! after a long trek, is insulated better than Dungeoness's A & B nuclear reactors and is lower on insurance than a lot of other motors.

My previous car was a British made Rover 214i and that lasted all of about 2 months!!

DavidHM

All of which may be true, but a 2001 on Laguna (which, given their low used prices and the fact that a 4x4 was mentioned, the original poster is likely to be considering) has an entirely different diesel engine which is well known for frequent, massively expensive turbo and fuel pump problems which almost inevitably run into four figures to repair.