Family car choices: budget €8000

T runner

hi folks,

Looking for advice on reliable, economical family suitable cars. Appearance not an issue. For driving in dublin city and once a month round trips west. Hoping for cheaper tax model but open to any suggestion. Petrol or diesal, and luggace space important, budget €8000. Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks a million

dukedalton

You can't go wrong with a Ford Mondeo. Reliable, economical and plenty of luggage space.

One of the most popular family cars on the market, so you should have little trouble getting a fairly decent one second hand with that budget.

bazz26

If the majority of your driving is short city journeys then you are better off sticking with a petrol car. There are great deals to be had on petrol cars at the moment as all the sheep are buying diesel cars which do not like short city driving. Also don't be too hung up on the cheap tax thing either, cars that generally are cheap to tax cost more to buy in the first place.

A Nissan Qashqai might be worth looking at:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3951272

colm_mcm

If I was doing it I'd probably get something like this.

1.4 tax.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3708378

Boot good size but no foldy rear seat.

Sobanek

colm_mcm wrote: »

If I was doing it I'd probably get something like this.

1.4 tax.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3708378

Boot good size but no foldy rear seat.

Luggage space important and you're suggesting a Civic, which has an even smaller boot since it's got the batteries? :pac:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3957308

These are uber comfortable, meaning they're great for family trips. Luggage space will be very decent as well, folding rear seats as standard, and of course VERY safe! One of the best family cars in the market at the moment I'd say. If you hold out till next year, these should get even cheaper, so for €8k, you'd be able to buy a 2008 2.0 diesel model, which is €330 to tax as far as I know.

colm_mcm

Sobanek wrote: »

Luggage space important and you're suggesting a Civic, which has an even smaller boot since it's got the batteries? :pac:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3957308

These are uber comfortable, meaning they're great for family trips. Luggage space will be very decent as well, folding rear seats as standard, and of course VERY safe! One of the best family cars in the market at the moment I'd say. If you hold out till next year, these should get even cheaper, so for €8k, you'd be able to buy a 2008 2.0 diesel model, which is €330 to tax as far as I know.

Standard saloon is 389 litres, ima is 350. Not a lot smaller.


Maybe I'm comparing it to smaller cars, maybe the OP needs a mini Mpv or estate

T runner

colm_mcm wrote: »

Standard saloon is 389 litres, ima is 350. Not a lot smaller.


Maybe I'm comparing it to smaller cars, maybe the OP needs a mini Mpv or estate

Family is a toddler at the mo but may have another addition in time. Would need to be spacious enough at a max to take toddler, baby and associated circus on monthly family visits. Thanks for all the advice plenty of food for thought.

In response to the poster re. Volvo. That looks a fine car and i actually should have mentioned were likely to buy in the new year.

Thanks again.

T runner

T runner wrote: »

Family is a toddler at the mo but may have another addition in time. Would need to be spacious enough at a max to take toddler, baby and associated circus on monthly family visits. Thanks for all the advice plenty of food for thought.

In response to the poster re. Volvo. That looks a fine car and i actually should have mentioned were likely to buy in the new year.

Thanks again.

Skoda Octavia. The Octavia design sacrifices some rear leg room for extra boot space - the ideal balance for someone carrying young kids and the paraphenalia that goes with them (I'm assuming you're a good parent and put the toddler in the back seat and all the stuff in the boot, rather than the other way around.:p)

At €8,000 you'll easily pick up a good recent year second-hand one. Petrol rather than diesel is not bad advice seeing as how you're low-mileage and mostly urban. Also, used diesel Octavias with decent price tags tend to come with huuuuuuuggee mileage on the clock, especially if the sellers are outside Dublin.

If you are looking at second-hand petrol Octavias, I'd still say go for 1.6 rather than 1.4, but that's entirely a personal view and others might disagree. Also, you'll see cars offered at your kind of budget from 2008 and 2009. Just remember that if you're buying a 2008 car, the motor tax regime changed in mid-year, and this could affect your motor tax bills into the future - so check the motor tax category before you buy.

Hope this helps, and the best of luck.