Family car

AFK123

Hi Guys, this thread has been done before but cant fine an answer that really helps me.

I have a 3 yr old and another baby on the way. Im doing 18k miles a year and am in the process of upgrading to a diesel.

Mother in law is moving close to us now too and doesnt drive so the car im buying needs to be a car that will fit a stage 1 baby seat and a stage 2 baby seat and allow enough space for an adult to sit comfortably in the back with them.

I was thinkin of an opal astra estate or focus estate because a big boot is always handy but will the back seats be big enough or should i be considering a vectra/mondeo/octavie instead.

My budget would be 7.5k max and would like to have it have it as new as possible.

Thanks

Victor Meldrew

AFK123 wrote: »

Mother in law is moving close to us now too and doesnt drive so the car im buying needs to be a car that will fit a stage 1 baby seat and a stage 2 baby seat and allow enough space for an adult to sit comfortably in the back with them. Thanks

Go up a size from the Astra. Unless you or your wife is very skinny. in any event, you'll need to be agile.

My Mazda6 is a tight squeeze in this respect. Putting the mother-in-law in the middle seat will not be an option due to gynmastics involved. If she can't drive, she's not going to be that sprightly.

Try a Passatt. 05 - onwards. bit of a pig to drive but safe and huge and good on Diesel.

Car seats take up a lot of space. Passatt also has isofix.

you def need to go up a size though.

AFK123

Thanks for that Victor.

Not a big fan of passatts but looks like il be going for a passatt/mondeo size car so.

i had been considering a mazda6 too but after what you said, it mightened be a great choice

colm_mcm

What about a small Mpv like a cmax?

THall04

As above , I think you'd have to go for an mpv.

Your mother in law will most likely have to sit in the middle seat....if the car has a floor tunnel ,even short journeys will be uncomfortable.

Have a look at the back of this Xsara Picasso......note the flat rear floor and 3 individual seats.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Citroen/Xsara/1.6-HDI-/6013354392482200/advert?channel=CARS

Dilbert75

THall04 wrote: »

As above , I think you'd have to go for an mpv.

Your mother in law will most likely have to sit in the middle seat....if the car has a floor tunnel ,even short journeys will be uncomfortable.

Have a look at the back of this Xsara Picasso......note the flat rear floor and 3 individual seats.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Citroen/Xsara/1.6-HDI-/6013354392482200/advert?channel=CARS

+1 - we have a 16 year old and 2 smaller kids on booster seats and we've travelled the length of Ireland & Britain with pretty good comfort.

Foxhole Norman

I reckon a Mk. 1 Skoda Superb would be your best bet. Huge car inside and economical with the 1.9TDi lump. Should be able to pick up a good one with your budget. Elegance spec is recommended as it has leather, cruise, heated seats and most of the time, sat nav.

colm_mcm

The bolstering in a saloon car usually means the child seats will sit more towards the middle, I had heard the superb isn't bad in this respect, but it's basically an old model passat width wise

bbam

There are a limited number of cars that would take 3 baby seats across the back, you should check these out.. Megane I think is one..
You could have a child seat in the middle and one at a door allowing the back seat passenger to be at a door..

Also they're obviously wider in the back..

I know a Passat will not take two child seats and be comfortable for a back seat passenger for any distance..

AFK123

im afraid to go for a french car because any repair bill will be alot more than most other makes. I like the look of some of the renault but think the picasso is the ugliest car on the road.

are there many cars out there that have 3 proper seatbelts so that a child seat can go into the middle and the adult can sit at the door?

useless

AFK123 wrote: »

are there many cars out there that have 3 proper seatbelts so that a child seat can go into the middle and the adult can sit at the door?

The last car I was in that didn't have 3 'proper' seatbelts (i.e. it had a 'lap belt' in the middle of the back seat instead of a full 3 point belt) was a 1983 Ford Escort...

One option *might* be to get two new child seats- the smallest, narrowest ones possible. Cheaper than changing the car...

ThisRegard

AFK123 wrote: »

im afraid to go for a french car because any repair bill will be alot more than most other makes.

You're leaving a lot of options out based on inaccurate info so.

DavidWills

Honestly if you are looking along the lines of a Passat I'd go for an Audi. Huge comfort good performance and decent sell on value.

http://www.buyandsell.ie/search/gen_purpose_search?page=2&search%5Bsearch_term%5D=audi+a4&search_term=audi+a4

You'll thank me later

bbam

DavidWills wrote: »

Honestly if you are looking along the lines of a Passat I'd go for an Audi. Huge comfort good performance and decent sell on value.

http://www.buyandsell.ie/search/gen_purpose_search?page=2&search%5Bsearch_term%5D=audi+a4&search_term=audi+a4

You'll thank me later

There is a common misconception that the A4 is the same in size as a Passat. Is the A4 not the equivalent size to the Bora?
I've been in a few A4's and owned two Passats and the Passats are a bigger roomier car without a doubt. Also getting a low milage A4 or Passat for OP budget would be tough.

AFK123

resale value wouldnt be an issue. current car is a 13 year old petrol with 200k miles. i generally drive them until there is no value left before i change up so this should last 7/8 years for me hopefully.

what is the room like in the back of a vectra of new mondeo?