Touran v Sharan

FrontDoor

Looking to get a diesel MPV, 2-3 years old.

I can import an 08/09 Touran for 12-15k.

Ford S-Max/Galaxys are considerably dearer, so that leaves the old model Sharan/Alhambras.

How do Tourans and Sharans compare? I'm leaning more to the Touran as it is a newer model and it seems spacious enough for kids.

Any thoughts on which is a better bet? Would a Touran sell easily again? What are they like to live with?

Leonard Hofstadter

Touran is newer, safer, much more desirable secondhand, cheaper to run, and there are more of them around. The Sharan's design dates back to 1995, and only last year did they replace it with an all new model.

Unless you absolutely need the extra space, get the Touran.

creedp

FrontDoor wrote: »

Looking to get a diesel MPV, 2-3 years old.

I can import an 08/09 Touran for 12-15k.

Ford S-Max/Galaxys are considerably dearer, so that leaves the old model Sharan/Alhambras.

How do Tourans and Sharans compare? I'm leaning more to the Touran as it is a newer model and it seems spacious enough for kids.

Any thoughts on which is a better bet? Would a Touran sell easily again? What are they like to live with?

Be careful you include the VRT cost in the price as this can really screw up the cost of imports. 3 years ago when the going was better I bought a year old S-Max in the UK for £15stg only to have to pay €7k VRT on it. Made what was a good price not so good!!

FrontDoor

Thanks for the replies.

The price includes VRT, although it is in the 24% bracket unfortunately.

An S-Max would be ideal, but are considerably dearer.

What are Tourans like to live with?

-Corkie-

I would prefer the Ford myself but the Tourans are fairly OK other than the normal VW diesel problems.

I seen one of those Seat Alhabama yokes only yesterday it was a 2010 reg and it looked really dated.

FrontDoor

-Corkie- wrote: »

I would prefer the Ford myself but the Tourans are fairly OK other than the normal VW diesel problems.

I seen one of those Seat Alhabama yokes only yesterday it was a 2010 reg and it looked really dated.

Its a 105bhp diesel (1.9) so should be far more reliable than the 2.0 disaster.

Apparently the facelift model 2007 on, has resolved most issues with the earlier version.

The S-Max is a great car, but dearer.

Lex Luthor

Touran is an occasional 7 seater, Sharan is a full 7 seater

Like comparing S-Max with Galaxy

Neffa2

FrontDoor wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

The price includes VRT, although it is in the 24% bracket unfortunately.

An S-Max would be ideal, but are considerably dearer.

What are Tourans like to live with?

We had a Touran (140HP DSG box) imported from UK with leather/xenons etc - fantastic car. 50mpg, <10sec 0-60, very comfortable and practical.

It's great if there are 5 of you with occasional 6/7 passengers. If you need 6/7 seats all the time, it's not so great. I've also driven an S-Max and it's also excellent.

If you need the seats, I'm afraid the old style Sharan/Galaxy is very dated. But another option is the new Galaxy (post 2006) - same mechanics as S-Max, quite a few around now - check the UK sites. Excellent car (see rave review at honest john)

-Chris-

How many kids do you have, or how many people do you regularly carry? What age/size are they?

Ano other info with regards to hobbies or other requirements?

FrontDoor

-Chris- wrote: »

How many kids do you have, or how many people do you regularly carry? What age/size are they?

Ano other info with regards to hobbies or other requirements?

I have two young children, y.o.

We do 17k miles a year and have found family hatchbacks very restrictive.

I feel the Galaxy type car is huge and not required in my situation, but the practicality of something like a Touran appeals.

We have also considered Mondeos and Passats, but feel that they are restrictive once you have 2 child seats on board and you want to carry another adult. If a third child comes along, then these cars don't seem to be suitable for 3 child seats.

-Corkie-

The boot in the Touran is only handy enough if you are using all the seats.

useless

FrontDoor wrote: »

I have two young children, y.o. .....

We have also considered Mondeos and Passats, but feel that they are restrictive once you have 2 child seats on board and you want to carry another adult.

This is exactly why I swapped an S40 for an S-Max.

Dilbert75

Think the Touran only has 2 1/2 seats in the back - meaning if you have 2x child/booster seats left and right, there's little room left in the middle. That's what the Sharan/Alhambra gets you. What they don't have is foldy-down back seats, so the boot is not as generous when the seats are there - may be a problem if you have shopping / buggies.

Are you only considering VW's? What about a Citroen C4 Picasso? Even the 5-seat version has 3 full seats in the back and it has a decent boot. The 7-seat version has foldy-down seats, so you can pull them up when you need them and have a decent boot when you don't. Other than that, what about the Honda FRV? Bit odd looking but has 6 full seats (front middle is a wee bit narrow but fits an adult - as long as they don't mind taking a few driver's elbows from time to time!). Drives well too and, being a Honda, should be bullet proof. Diesel is 2.2 litre but post-08 should be ok on tax I'd have thought. Boot is reasonable too.

skyhighflyer

FrontDoor wrote: »

Looking to get a diesel MPV, 2-3 years old.

I can import an 08/09 Touran for 12-15k.

Ford S-Max/Galaxys are considerably dearer, so that leaves the old model Sharan/Alhambras.

How do Tourans and Sharans compare? I'm leaning more to the Touran as it is a newer model and it seems spacious enough for kids.

Any thoughts on which is a better bet? Would a Touran sell easily again? What are they like to live with?

Touran vs Sharan?

That's kind of like asking whether you'd like to be fingered by Edward Scissorhands or fucked by Jack the Ripper.

Alanstrainor

skyhighflyer wrote: »

Touran vs Sharan?

That's kind of like asking whether you'd like to be fingered by Edward Scissorhands or fucked by Jack the Ripper.

Think long and hard before posting on this forum again.

FrontDoor

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Think the Touran only has 2 1/2 seats in the back - meaning if you have 2x child/booster seats left and right, there's little room left in the middle. That's what the Sharan/Alhambra gets you. What they don't have is foldy-down back seats, so the boot is not as generous when the seats are there - may be a problem if you have shopping / buggies.

Can you fit 3 child seats in a Touran? I was under the impression you could.

Considering other cars also, particularly the S-Max.

What is off putting is that a 2010 model Touran has the same VRT due to lower emissions than a car 2-3 years older.

useless

FrontDoor wrote: »

Can you fit 3 child seats in a Touran? I was under the impression you could.

You can. My mate brought 3 seats along to the showroom & fitted them before he committed to buying his 09 model In the Touran, you can move each of the seats back and forward independently, so even if the child seats are a bit big, you can slide the middle seat forward a small bit to help you access the seat belts. I think it only has two isofix mountings though, but i could be wrong.
Touran has 3 same size rear seats, but the seats themselves are a bit narrow. Fine for kids, a tad uncomfortable for a, er, proportionally challenged/amply dimensioned gentleman like myself:D

FrontDoor

Thanks every body for all the replies, even skyhigh!

I've tracked down a couple of 08s. One ex-motability with 25k and another with 35k. Both on long life service.

The 35k is a few hundred cheaper and easier to get to. Had a good chat with the garage who serviced it and they say it is spot on.

Is this long-life servicing thing something to worry about?

LFC Murphy

Hi front, any harm asking where you are planning on buying.

FrontDoor

LFC Murphy wrote: »

Hi front, any harm asking where you are planning on buying.

PM sent

Gophur

FrontDoor wrote: »

...........

Is this long-life servicing thing something to worry about?

IN theory, no, but, in practise one should really service the car at a shorter interval.

Long-life servicing seems to be a thing invented for Fleet managers where someone keeping a car for 100,000 miles will only have to factor in costs for every 20,000 miles, instead of every 10,000 miles.

With any turbo car I've had, the turbo has got noticeably noisier as one edged towards service time (all on long-life services). I'd be happier servicing the car before it got noisier, rather than after. (Most of the trouble will happen after the fleet people dispose of the cars)

Both the cars you reference are young and very unlikely to have suffered from long-life service.