Big Family Car - What do you recommend?

BaileyB

Thanks everyone, may be able to stretch the budget out. Have seen the Mazda5 and really like the sliding doors on it.

Will look at the cars above

Spendless

funkycoldribena wrote: »

Chrysler voyager-terrible crash rating
S-max and Touran-2.5k-????
Kia Sedona-passable,just.too thirsty,too high tax.
Best for 2.5k-galaxy/Alhambra.

it was me who mentioned them, just as general things in them for the OP to look for when buying, some aspects I'd liked and disliked in 7 seater cars. I don't know anything about car prices. Hubby's is a company one and we pay less than £2k every 4-5 years for a run around for me. Hubby's s-max is an 07 plate diesel and we've had it from brand new. it's got 148,000 on the clock and other than wear and tear items, it has broken down twice, during it's history, once when it needed a new fan belt and the 2nd time last week on our way back from hol when the clutch went. It cost £1k to fix and am amazed hubbys employers did it, considering hubbys new car is on order and they could have found him something else to drive for next few months. Hubby when I asked him how much he thought car would fetch put in an estimate for his car with a high mileage at around the OP's budget- but he could be miles out.

funkycoldribena

Spendless wrote: »

. Hubby when I asked him how much he thought car would fetch put in an estimate for his car with a high mileage at around the OP's budget- but he could be miles out.

Try more like double his estimate.

Spendless

funkycoldribena wrote: »

Try more like double his estimate.

That would certainly make sense why his employer spent £1k on repairs but I certainly wouldn't want to be paying that much for a car with 148,000 on the clock (and several thousand more by the time hubby's new car is ready) even if it is a diesel.

Sorry OP if I've mentioned cars outside your budget, but I still think the pros and cons of what I've mentioned about 7 seater cars, tunnels on floor of middle row, how big seats are, boot space are things worth taking into account when buying your car. Good luck finding one.

jackyann

We had a Vauxhall Midi - now Izuru, or similar name - for years (they do them with different numbers of seats. Very good, if rather basic.
At that budget look for a van with seats rather than a MPV, IMHO

Maestro.

Other half and his family used to go away in a Citroen Dyane... they seemed to cope fine

gkerr4

i loved our old VW touran TDI - it was such a useful car. we bought it new on a '57 plate and changed it at xmas just passed - covered 60,000 trouble free miles in it - well except for a (common issue) ABS pump sensor fault which was replaced no quibble under warranty.

it was economical, quiet and refined and very well put together - and such a useful car! - camping trips for the four of us, trips with grandparents - all no trouble - town or motorway - such a good car.

replaced with a BMW X1 at xmas, which while my wife loves it, it isn't really a patch on the old "tourbus"

BaileyB

Ok been looking all weekend (online) and thinking the 7 seater car may be a little big, but still have not ruled any out yet.

Might be tempted with an estate

Seen a few around the budget

Renault Laguna
VW Passat

Not overly keen on the Mondeo

I have a renault and had no major issues with it (touch wood), but heard loads of horror stories about French cars.

Any recommendations on estate cars?

Thank you everyone, been so helpful so far

nickj_2

i had a renault scenic which was a great reliable car and now i've just got a grand scenic , diesel which according to the trip computer is doing just under 50mpg atm iyswim

verityboo

What about a Volvo V70 estate like This. Great family car, lots of room and a couple of extra seats fold out in the boot to make it a 7 seater