Buying first car - 7 seater

dwpn00b

So I was lazy not buying a car (5 years since I passed) and now I need a 7 seater car. Max budget £6500. I don't know much about cars but I was recommended Vauxhall Zafira and Toyota Verso. The Zafira is significantly cheaper but apparently prone to catching fire https://news.sky.com/story/vauxhall-recalls-zafira-models-for-third-time-over-new-fire-risk-11704018 so that's out of the question.

The Verso I was told is very reliable due to being Japanese. Now I've seen one for about £6000 but it's 2.2 engine size, 2010 model. Will that cost too much for insurance for me (I'm over 30 if that makes a difference). Also the engine will be too 'powerful'. Lastly it's diesel and I was told diesel engines get penalised alot more?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

VFR

Do you actually need a 7 seater though ?, if 6 is enough take a look at the Honda FRV that has a 1.8 ivtec engine.

dwpn00b

I definitely need a 7 seater car.

reeac

My son had a secondhand Zafira and after a few years bought a new one ... both were petrol, He kept the second one for many years until his youngsters started to leave home. His point was that his 3 kids had a habit of inviting friends along so having 7 seats was often handy. We joined them for a hol. in the Lake District once and whilst there just used the Zafira which coped very well, I thought.

Ectophile

I can't say I have ever noticed a penalty for buying a diesel. And there is no magic formula that equates engine size with insurance premium.


If it's the sort of car that people keep crashing, the premiums will be higher. If not, they will be lower. Small differences in engine size, or petrol vs. diesel aren't really important.

jimbo6977

Fiat Doblo.

mgfvvc

Do you need 7 seats and boot space or is a car with no boot space in 7 seat configuration OK?

tacpot12

To check how much the insurance will be, put your details into a price comparison website like Compare the Market. Find a car with the same spec that you are thinking of buying and put the reg. number of that car in with your details.

Check the road fund licence cost at Parkers.co.uk.

There is no chance that a 2.2litre Diesel engine will be too powerful.

forgotmyname

mgfvvc wrote: »

Do you need 7 seats and boot space or is a car with no boot space in 7 seat configuration OK?

Exactly.. 7 seats and a decent boot or 7 seats where the rear passengers sit in fear of being rear ended and their bodies being
used as the crumple zone.

Would you feel safe sitting in the back with your head mm away from the rear window?

fatbelly

dwpn00b wrote: »

So I was lazy not buying a car (5 years since I passed) and now I need a 7 seater car. Max budget £6500. I don't know much about cars but I was recommended Vauxhall Zafira and Toyota Verso. The Zafira is significantly cheaper but apparently prone to catching fire https://news.sky.com/story/vauxhall-recalls-zafira-models-for-third-time-over-new-fire-risk-11704018 so that's out of the question.

The Verso I was told is very reliable due to being Japanese. Now I've seen one for about £6000 but it's 2.2 engine size, 2010 model. Will that cost too much for insurance for me (I'm over 30 if that makes a difference). Also the engine will be too 'powerful'. Lastly it's diesel and I was told diesel engines get penalised alot more?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

You're going to see more Zafiras than anything else but other 7 seaters of that vintage are the Ford Grand cmax and Peugeot 5008, Citroen Grand c4. Maybe a vw Touran

[Deleted User]

forgotmyname wrote: »

Exactly.. 7 seats and a decent boot or 7 seats where the rear passengers sit in fear of being rear ended and their bodies being
used as the crumple zone.

Would you feel safe sitting in the back with your head mm away from the rear window?

Just stick the mother in law there...
Zafiras are probably the best value as there are so many of them. Just make sure the safety recalls have been done.