Recommend a MPV

cjmcork

A friend HAS to buy one - budget of about €6k TOPS, based in Dublin - needs to fit 2 x baby seats and one double buggy

recommendations please!!!

cjmcork

mods, sorry to bump this thread - just wanted to see if any mammies or daddies could recommend a yoke for carrying kids - gents, let me just stress it's NOT for me!!!

unkel

cjmcork wrote: »

A friend HAS to buy one

Because SWMBO demands it?

I've 3 small kids and large saloons work just fine for me. If I needed more space, I'd buy a large estate

If I needed to transport 6 people occasionally and HAD to buy an MPV, it would probably be a FIAT Multipla

MugMugs

cjmcork wrote: »

mods, sorry to bump this thread - just wanted to see if any mammies or daddies could recommend a yoke for carrying kids - gents, let me just stress it's NOT for me!!!

Well an estate could do it too? Looked for the norm and born? Scienics? Versos, S Max etc etc or have you got something specific in mind like a good diesel etc etc?

cjmcork

it's not for me!!! genuinely, it's for a buddy - cos I aspire to a DB9, I'm happy to say that I've no idea what folks should look for in a people train........it'd mostly only be used for w/e driving, so the additional spend for a diesel would be wasted

BostonB

At that budget you're going to have to choose based on whats available at that budget, and the condition of each one. Rather than looking for a specific model.

While you don't need MPV, you could certainly manage with an estate. A MPV is usually more spacious and more flexible with what you can do with the seats. They are often a shorter than a saloon or estate. A touran is shorter than a passat saloon, never mind the estate, for example. Also some MPV's are really not much bigger than a saloon. Some estates aren't that roomy at all, an older A4 estate, avant is tight for rear space and boot space, but then you have some volvo's and mercs which are huge estates and longer than a cruise ship too.

LFC Murphy

unkel wrote: »

Because SWMBO demands it?

I've 3 small kids and large saloons work just fine for me. If I needed more space, I'd buy a large estate

If I needed to transport 6 people occasionally and HAD to buy an MPV, it would probably be a FIAT Multipla

3 small kids means three car seats? if so what large saloons or estates would you recomend?

Thanks

BostonB

You can also buy narrower car seats.

saltcoats

Peugeot 807 great seat configuration and all individual. some good prices out there as well electric sliding doors on rear handy in tight car parks.
I have 3 young kids and drive a bmw 5 20i which is very tight for child seats and shopping in the boot. want an 807 but for some strange reason with a good wage and permanent work the bank wont grant me a loan. so thats my recommendation even if I did get a small moan in about the bank

stimpson

Having done this recently, the best bit of advice I could give your friend is bring the buggy and child seats and see how well it they fit. It's a pain in the arse, but we did test drives with children and all, just to see what it is like in real life.

I looked at an A4 Avant (estate) recently. The boot looked huge, but Mrs stimpson insisted on doing the buggy test. The buggy wouldn't fit lengthways or widthways, but had to lie diagonally across the boot. Lovely car, and the boot looked massive, but in reality it would have been a disaster.

We opted for the Verso in the end as it's not the longest in the world, so easy to park. The rear 2 seats are easy to fold up or down with one hand and with the seats down the boot is a good size. Buggy fits widthways over the wheel arches which leaves plenty of boot to spare, with easy access. It's a little bit of a squeeze with 6 or 7 adults, but fine with kids and we will only use them occasionally, so that's no big deal.

unkel

LFC Murphy wrote: »

3 small kids means three car seats? if so what large saloons or estates would you recomend?

The largest cars out there (BMW 7-series, Mercedes S-class, etc.) typically are really only 4 seaters, some with a high bit in the middle of the back seat and / or just a lapbelt in the middle.

But in my experience cars just one size smaller (BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-class, etc.) fit 3 seats quite well. And the estate versions have massive space. But by all means the buggy / carseat test as described by stimpson is essential

BostonB

Some cars have very deep curves over the rear passengers which can make shoulder room (for child seats) a bit tight. Like the Octavia. But it also depends on the child seat you get, some are twice as wide as others.

cjmcork

bumping my own thread - same friend from 2011 thread now has a requirement for a larger 7 seater - looking for recommendations for same, equally what to stay away from, availability of spares for recommended wagon, service costs, timing belt V chain, what to look for when test driving.........etc...........

has to be big enough to house 4 children, and a double buggy - mileage is low, so a petrol is sufficient - she's trading in a mid-noughties Zafira, budget of around €10k all in - I know she's seen the Chrysler but it's €1.8k a year to tax

based in Dublin btw

just to be clear - this is not for me.............me and my Mondy are very happy together!!!

Thanks all!

NIMAN

Honda FRV

visual

Buy a coach as 4 will turn in 5 and so on.

Seriously a min coach like transportor

stimpson

NIMAN wrote: »

Honda FRV

With one child in the front?

Seat Alhambra is a good bet. A particularly fertile friend has 5 kids and rocks an Alhambra. Seems to get the job done. Ford Galaxy would be a similar size and probably realizable enough.

cjmcork

how are these in terms of reliability?

really she's looking for a full 7 seater - I know the Zafira technically is, but there's vvv little boot room if the 7 seats are in use

NIMAN

There's very little boot space in most of the 7 seaters if all 7 are in use, thats why I went for a FRV.

Plus, when using seats 6 & 7, the seats are only a few inches from a rear collision.

As for reliability - well they're a Honda, won't get much better.

Jamey_29

We have a VW Sharan. Similar to Galaxy / Alhambra. We have 5 kids and managed to get our double buggy in the boot still.

cjmcork

is there an alternative beyond a 7 seater?

stimpson

Beyond that you're looking at a Renault Traffic or VW Transporter or similar minibus.

I'm bookmarking this thread for the future to show my kids the importance of contraception

SuperGrover

I've been driving a Mazda 5 the last couple of years. Not a bother on it.

Reliable, zero issues so far.

7 seater, sliding doors, easy access.

Both rows of rear seats fold down flat to the floor.

1.8 petrol not for everyone though.

pricklefingers

What about a Corolla Verso ?? They are 7 seater and come in 1.6 petrol..
The sis had one in 2006 and had no complaints..

stimpson

pricklefingers wrote: »

What about a Corolla Verso ?? They are 7 seater and come in 1.6 petrol..
The sis had one in 2006 and had no complaints..

They're not a full 7 seater. You basically lose your boot if you use the rearmost 2 seats.

CiboC

Fiat Multipla, while being minging on the outside, are amazingly practical on the inside.

You will fit 6 full size people while still having useful room in the boot, and you can't see the outside when you're in it.

MadYaker

No, but everybody else can

For Forks Sake

cjmcork wrote: »

is there an alternative beyond a 7 seater?

Less children.

visual

cjmcork wrote: »

is there an alternative beyond a 7 seater?

Mini bus is the next step or as the yanks say a minivan

might seem extreme but they are practical in diesel and have lost of room

WV Transporter

LilMrsDahamsta

Merc Viano. I'm (hopefully) getting one soon after a /lot/ of research and test drives with the car seats, double buggy, etc. There's an extra long model if they need to get more than one buggy, or buggy plus pram, in the boot, most have picnic tables for older kids to play on, and with rear parking sensors you can manage the length if you choose sensible parking spots. Downside is that you may have to look to the UK to buy as they're relatively rare here, but you'd get a decent one in for about £5-6k plus €2.3-3k VRT.

Zubeneschamali

Ford Galaxy. Full 7 seater, and the seats fold flat individually, so you can have 6 seats and a big boot. Not as cool-looking as an S-Max, but rear seats are more useful. Drives better than it looks, too.

MAJJ

Maybe a citreon C8 ?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=88603244