Estate do the job?

ocallagh

Due to lack of space I need to get rid of my 96 328i coupe:mad:. I need space specifically for hauling stuff around (couches/tv's and also dogs - don't ask!) but would also need something that could act as a family car. I've set myself a 10k budget. I reckon I could pick up a decent Subaru Outback or 530 touring however would they be sufficient for stuffing a couch into (This thread was some help http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=239&perpage=20&pagenumber=2)? I've heard the outback is a great car. When it comes to jeeps I have no clue. I remember driving a Mitsubishi Pajero and I swore I'd never sit behind a wheel of one of those again... Landcruiser or Jeep cherokee look good. So any opinions?

peasant

A proper couch would not fit into most estates due to the height and length.

If you need to transport couches regularly something like a VW Caravelle would make life a lot easier ...if it's a once-off job, get a trailer

BostonB

+1 what peasant said.

ocallagh

Thanks for replies. I think I'd go insane driving a VW Caravelle... Saw a few Mercedes ML's in or around 6k. That seems quite cheap, are they decent cars? What's the catch? http://www.autotrader.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/ML-Class/320-AUTO/200928194531951/advert?channel=CARS

Owen

MLs are notoriously unreliable. We had one in a garage I worked in. It ended up being solld 3 times, and each of the 3 owners rejected the car after an extremely short period of ownership. Even Mercedes couldn't diagnose the fault that was causing the car to shut down after 40 minutes of driving. I was so relieved that I had nothing to do with the sale of the car, and I felt sorry for each customer who ended up having problems with it.

If you're planning on carting wardrobes/sofas around, there's no estate or jeep going to do the job. You'll need a van.

peasant

ML class ...pretty crappy and massively thirsty by all accounts.

Why don't you tell us some more what exactly you need to haul and how often?

Any standard estate car will cope with TV's and dogs no problem, possibly even all at the same time. It's the couch thing that's the killer, as you need two or more meters in length and about 1.2 -1.5 meters in height all the way through the loading ara to fit one ...even a cavernous Merc with the rear seats down will struggle with that, that's proper van territory.

EDIT: what he said ^

ocallagh

Part of my job is to rent out properties and I am constantly moving items like bedside lockers/TVs/ and occasionally I have to move the odd mattress/couch. I also have three dogs and play a lot of golf and the old 328i can fit max 2 people with golf bags/trolleys. The couches I seldomly move so I think I could get away with a trailor as others have mentioned.

Thanks for the replies on the Mercedes ML. I'll stay away from it, it looked too good to be true. I am considering a commercial Landcruiser which will keep tax down however the dogs might have a bit of a problem getting comfortable in the back! And also getting mates into it for a golf trip would be a disaster... So that puts me back to the Estate/Trailor combo. A few estates I'm looking at are the Audi A4/Subaru Legacy/Subaru Outback/Volvo V70/BMW 520/530.

http://www.autotrader.ie/search/Audi/A4/200935195055522/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.autotrader.ie/search/Subaru/Legacy/GTB/200935195007695/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.autotrader.ie/search/Volvo/V70/200934194988273/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.autotrader.ie/search/BMW/5-Series/DIESEL-T/200931194775006/advert?channel=CARS

peasant

Audi A4 is a typical "lifestyle" estate ...quite useless when it comes to doing real work. The Legacy and even some Volvos have a very shallow boot, any big dog will hit the low ceiling.


Here's one that will certainly swallow a scrunched up mattress or a Great Dane or two and might even cope with a small two seater couch.

Plus it's dirt cheap

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200928194554096

cabrwab

Just because you have an SUV don't think it'll do any better then an estate.

I was reading this thread and thinking of my dads omega estate, it ate so much junk, moved a couch once or twice two.
The 2 best estates for space are that omega and the volvo V70 for usable space.

But really you are in van territory completely for constant moving of stuff. Some of the newer vans are very car like to drive and the VW do i great version of the transporter (newer model).

The Landcrusier will swallow stuff up, but no better then an estate, and for Dogs they love the back of a jeep and unless there old no problem jumping in.

Think of the upsides of the van and the golf trips you can carry everyones bags the easiest!

ocallagh

Thanks peasant. I'll head in tomorrow have a look at the Opel, great price and who knows might get a few hundred for my 328.. The volvo's appeal to me as I've seen dozens of old ones around Dublin so they must last for years. I know they are built like bricks too. I think it's now a matter of trying a few different estates out

unkel

ocallagh wrote: »

I think it's now a matter of trying a few different estates out

You might want to try the late 90s Merc E-class as well.

guerito

I test drove an almost identical Subaru Legacy last week. Plenty of room for dogs/bag/mates etc, but as others have said, the floor is much too high to fit any large furniture.

Driving-wise it's got lots of power, more than enough to plaster your dogs to the back window if you're not careful . Permanent AWD, so loads of grip too. The biggest surprise was the steering - very light and a lot of play in the wheel. Not sure if that was the individual car or it's a model-wide thing, though. Definitely not what I was expecting from a high-spec Subaru. If that could be sorted out, I'd recommend the car highly. If not, could be very annoying.

The other thing is that a GTB like in that ad is a twin turbo, so VERY thirsty. If you're going to be doing high mileage, you'd be better off with a normally-aspirated 2.0 or 2.5. The Outback also has higher ground clearance, so that could be worth a look.

ocallagh

unkel wrote: »

You might want to try the late 90s Merc E-class as well.

I think for the interior alone I must purchase this car! http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/C-Class/C-180-Sp/200932194845085/advert?channel=CARS

Seriously though, some great bargains http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/E-Class/Komp-Ava/200933194903763/advert?channel=CARS and http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/C-Class/180-ESTA/200934194939750/advert?channel=CARS and http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/E-Class/E200-Kom/200907191838212/advert?channel=CARS

Is there much difference between c class and e class? Have my work cut out for me now.

ocallagh

guerito wrote: »

I test drove an almost identical Subaru Legacy last week. Plenty of room for dogs/bag/mates etc, but as others have said, the floor is much too high to fit any large furniture.

Driving-wise it's got lots of power, more than enough to plaster your dogs to the back window if you're not careful . Permanent AWD, so loads of grip too. The biggest surprise was the steering - very light and a lot of play in the wheel. Not sure if that was the individual car or it's a model-wide thing, though. Definitely not what I was expecting from a high-spec Subaru. If that could be sorted out, I'd recommend the car highly. If not, could be very annoying.

The other thing is that a GTB like in that ad is a twin turbo, so VERY thirsty. If you're going to be doing high mileage, you'd be better off with a normally-aspirated 2.0 or 2.5. The Outback also has higher ground clearance, so that could be worth a look.

Right legacy off the list, phew one less to go check out! My dogs are well used to my driving - the word bump gets them all sitting within seconds!

I have heard only good things about the Outback so if I could find one that won't cost me too much in fuel/tax I'll add it to the increasing list.

BostonB

If were me I'd go mpv some of which are much bigge than estates for cargo and still a decent drive. If it's a performance car you want then I'd just use a trailer. I don't see any point in a suv.

P D

i have this 325 Touring for sale

Space - Style and Performance - a bit of everything

http://www.octane.ie/ads/car.php?id=5296

Alot of car for the money