Help buying a 7 seater MPV, recommendations please!

metalgear2k2

Hi guys, I have €13000 to spend. Want to get a 7 seaters MPV. Have been looking at:

VW Touran
Corolla Verso
Avensis Verso

Would like to get as much bang for my buck as I can so would be looking for as new as possible with low milage and a diesel.

Could anyone make any recommendations other than the ones listed above?
Hope to do alot of test driving this weekend.

Thanks!

bbam

Hi..
We have a Zaferia for the last four years and it's been a great car, covered good miles with only regular servicing. The only drawback is moving the back seat forward to lift the last two from the floor..

The S-max is popular but considerably more pricey...

alias no.9

Renault as a brand comes in for a lot of abuse but we recently got a Grand Scenic which is the 7 seater version. It's a 1.5 DCI 106bhp and performance is impressive given the small engine size.

robtri

One of the cars we have is a zafira... perfect 7 seater... very reliable and easy on the fuel...

Stevie Dakota

A friend just went through just the same dilemma. Ended up with a 07 Zafira, 1.6 Club petrol, very low mileage and main dealer with 12 month warranty. She considered the other cars you mentioned, but they were a good deal more costly with bigger miles. She is delighted with her choice as are her 3 kids.

Mr Magners

You probably won't get one for the money you've quoted but I think the S-Max is the best looking MPV out there

Eoin

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

Would like to get as much bang for my buck as I can so would be looking for as new as possible with low milage and a diesel.

Why would you worry about the plate if you want to get as much bang for your buck as possible?

tagoona

Not sure about the avensis verso, but I have a 05 corolla verso.
It's only a base model, 1.6 petrol.
In terms of 7 seats, the 2 at the back, are really only for kids. You wouldn't get an adult in there at all. Theres also no room at all in the boot when the last 2 seats are out.
The heating/cooling is woeful - make sure you get air con.
Otherwise, it's a good car and does what it says on the tin.
It's not fast, but it's not as slow as our previous 1.4 focus either.
Pulls grand on the motorway.

Relations have a renault grand scenic diesel and he's happy with it. More imporatantly, there's some boot space left when seats 6 and 7 are up.

Bonito

Do you need an adult 7 seater or a young family 7 seater?

Guy:Incognito

I hated the Zafira when I had one for a few days. The seats were'nt particularly comfortable I moving the rear seats and arranging them the way I wanted seemed pointlessly difficult having come from a Scenic I and II. Plus everything was bloody square inside it.

It's the only one we wouldnt even consider if we were looking for a new car.

Lex Luthor

tagoona wrote: »

Not sure about the avensis verso, but I have a 05 corolla verso.
It's only a base model, 1.6 petrol.
In terms of 7 seats, the 2 at the back, are really only for kids. You wouldn't get an adult in there at all. Theres also no room at all in the boot when the last 2 seats are out.
The heating/cooling is woeful - make sure you get air con.
Otherwise, it's a good car and does what it says on the tin.
It's not fast, but it's not as slow as our previous 1.4 focus either.
Pulls grand on the motorway.

My missus has a 05 Verso but its the 2.0 diesel and has the Sol spec so it has the a/c, cruise and all the toys (for a Toyota). Only gripe I have is that it could do with a bit more power as I think it only has about 110bhp and its the 5speed. Some of the later ones came in I think 125bhp and 6sp. Diesel C Versos are rare enough to get down here as we found out, so search and search.

I think it'll be another year before she is thinking of selling otherwise I'd let you try it out

bbam

Stekelly wrote: »

I hated the Zafira when I had one for a few days. The seats were'nt particularly comfortable

We're just back from France for the fourth time in ours, we did about 6 hour drive from the ferry and I have a bad back, comfort is different for everybody, I find the Zaferia very comfortable. And would buy another in the morning if we were changing.

metalgear2k2

eoin wrote: »

Why would you worry about the plate if you want to get as much bang for your buck as possible?

Its for a friends wife and she worries about the plate

metalgear2k2

Bonito wrote: »

Do you need an adult 7 seater or a young family 7 seater?

young family

Guy:Incognito

bbam wrote: »

We're just back from France for the fourth time in ours, we did about 6 hour drive from the ferry and I have a bad back, comfort is different for everybody, I find the Zaferia very comfortable. And would buy another in the morning if we were changing.

I may well be just used to French comfort. I find getting in to many other cars uncomfortable.

I had a Focus as a hire car at the weekend in the UK. I was driving and the missus was a passenger. She hadnt a good word to say about it and I didnt like it either. Over 2 days she complained about being int he car a good few times. Shes always the passenger in her Scenic as she wont drive with me as a passenger and has no problem in any of the passenger seats, even in the rearmost seats (its a grand scenic) with the middle row removed when we were cleanign the seats. I sat in those seats too for a journey and with no middle seats I was grand. Huge legroom

Bonito

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

young family

I'd probably lean toward the Toyota. No need for a Trajet or Galaxy if it's a young family. Then again, if you plan on using it for country trips the extra room in them would be helpful.

metalgear2k2

anyone know anything about a mazda 5?

E39MSport

Keep it in the bank and get this: -
http://www.donedeal.ie/find/all/for-sale/Ireland/previa

Lite sleepeR

the mazda 5 is good to drive very comfortable but is a 6+1 seater which means its 3 rows of 2 with an occassional seat in the middle of the middle row. we couldnt fit three car seats accross the middle so we traded in for smax which we love but my wife still misses the mazda says it is her favourite car that she has owned. hope this helps

Guy:Incognito

E39MSport wrote: »

Keep it in the bank and get this: -
http://www.donedeal.ie/find/all/for-sale/Ireland/previa

A fleet of Previa's?

€900 odd motor tax could probably be spent on somethign more exciting.

Lex Luthor

mazda 5 and diesel do not go well together from what i've read

metalgear2k2

Lex Luthor wrote: »

mazda 5 and diesel do not go well together from what i've read

Oh right, thanks!

mikehn

My brother has an Espace, 2006, has had it for three years, lovely car to drive, very comfortable and economical (diesel).
From his ownership he is adamant that he would not buy a Renault again.
He has had ongoing electrical problems, the latest being a total failure of the digital dash which will cost about €800. If you look up the Renault forum you will see that my brother is not alone in having these problems.
I would suggest that you sit down for an afternoon and do a trawl on the net on each of the models you are considering, also try a site like Preloved as they have a forum section on individual makers. You will quickly get a feel if a particular model has inherent problems, you are then in a position to actually view, test drive.

BoardsMember

Without wanting to add an extra options to an already difficult decision, here I go - did you think about the Citroen C4 Picasso or the Peugeot 5008? The Citroen got great review on top gear (I think they are wallies, but some regard their opinions highly, and so might your friend). Peugeot is also getting good reviews.

I have the same sort of criteria, my shortlist is, though not too bothered about the brand name: Mazda 6 touring or Citroen C4 Picasso are top of the list, then Peugeot 5008 or S Max or Toyota Verso. I see pros and cons for each of them. Hence I'll probably stick with my rattly S40!!

kildare.17hmr

alias no.9 wrote: »

Renault as a brand comes in for a lot of abuse but we recently got a Grand Scenic which is the 7 seater version. It's a 1.5 DCI 106bhp and performance is impressive given the small engine size.

very practical car but they do give trouble and when they do its $$$$$! window regs for 1 and even worse on the pocket is the dash display, they give terible trouble and last time i ordered one it was about €650 +vat!

metalgear2k2 wrote: »

young family

If it was my money i would buy a corolla verso, I sell cars for a living(not for toyota before any1 asks:D) and hands down the corolla verso is the one to go for. you dont even need to go diesel as the 1.6 petrol does over 50mpg(did this to belfast and back) and around 32+mpg on the school run ect. It'll hold its value better than most and stand up to almost any child!!
Zafiras dont age well, seats rip and the can get tatty very quick!

just my 2cents worth!