Need a 7 seater short term

positron

Hi,

Elderly parents are visiting from overseas and I would like to have a large car to fit everyone comfortably while they are here (four adults and two kids under four in total). Our normal car can take three adults and kids but not four + two.

I was thinking of buying a used Grand Picasso or something similar for around 4-5k and hopefully sell it on after three months.. or am I better off renting?

Just trying to tap into the collective wisdom of great boardsie minds..!

bazz26

How long are they staying for? That will determine whether it is worth renting or buying. I don't think I'd be spending that much on a 7 seater though. I'd look for an older Ford Galaxy for about half that price or less, with the hope of recouping a chunk of it back when selling on.

Something like this one:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2003-ford-galaxy-1-9tdi-7seater/9859375?offset=30

1.9 TDi is a reliable VW unit and a decent stretch of NCT too means it should be easy enough to sell on when your done with it.

positron

Two months. Thanks for that pointer, looks alright actually. I have noticed a few Zafira's under 4k as well.

Our main car is a Honda Accord, which is also due an upgrade. Ideal next car would be something that is practical (capable of taking largish items to skip / from shops etc), and I would love a nice petrol (town driving) estate / tourer type than a giant SUV, but that long term ideal car doesn't fit in with this short term requirement.. Hence the thought of buying and selling a 7 seater really short term.

colm_mcm

I'd be picking up an old 7 seater like a Toyota picnic for €1000-1500 and minimise my losses, you won't be impressing anybody with it, but no point tying up money in something you don't really need.

Atlantic Dawn

Toyota Previa another option.

bazz26

There is no way I'd be sinking €4k-5k into a car I only needed for 2 months. The Zafira is a compact 7 seater and if you need luggage space as well as 7 seats then you will struggle with a Zafira. They also don't mature well with age and can become money pits.

I'd also price renting for the two months as if you buy a MPV you will have to insure and possibly tax it. Need to take that into account when doing the sums, at least with a rental that's all inclusive and you just hand it back when your done.

James Delaney

@BAZZ26.

I don't know where u got d idea, Zafiras are money Pitts. Perhaps u had a bad experience.

I've owned 4 Zafiras, admittantly all from new,& low mileage. I would consider them a good car.

If u buy a 7 seater, buy a diesel - easier to sell on.

positron

Thanks, hadn't even heard of PREVIA to date. Looks alright actually, but only handful for sale by the looks of it.

What other 7 seaters would be worth looking into in this "banger-erconomics" territory? I guess tax and mpg is not an issue at it's only for couple of months. Large engine "sale proof" type cars would be hard to sell on, but at least they could be fairly cheap to buy, so I don't mind if I had to sell it at a loss.

bazz26

Toyota Avensis Verso, only ever sold here in 2.0 litre petrol but there are some Jap imported ones available in diesel. It's more modern than the Picnic it replaced and cheaper to tax than the 2.4 litre Previa.

Honda Odyssey/Shuttle is another one, very rare though and most are automatic petrol Jap imports. Not sure if they have the same space as a Galaxy either.

positron

Couple of ads that caught my eye so far:

Landrover Freelander ES (7 seater surely?): http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/land-rover/freelander/used-2002-land-rover-freelander-e-dublin-fpa-201525234449315

Toyota Estima (8 seater, Japanese import?): http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/toyota/estima/used-2005-toyota-estima-price-dro-dublin-fpa-201526234605755

bazz26

The Freelander is a 5 seater and tight enough at that.

The Estima is a JDM Previa.

colm_mcm

I'd be a bit apprehensive about an estima hybrid. Too risky.

AMKC

I would stay away from the Toyota Previa and the Estima. Not nice at all and certainly not a car that you want to have your elderly parents in. They were designed for Japan with very little thought to safety should the unexpected happen they crumple like a slice of bread. What about a Renault Espace just make sure it has been well looked after and serviced. They should be cheap enough and look good too plus much safer than them other two.

bazz26

A Renault Espace is hardly a smarter buy than a Previa. The last generation Espace was a nightmare regarding reliability especially with electrics, I cannot imagine they have gotten better with age or mileage.

positron

Thanks guys, very useful comments. bazz, I mistook Freelander for Discovery. Looking at Discovery prices, even old models with 3.7/3.5 litre engines are still asking 5k+. Amazing. But not for me. Avensis Verso seems to be around 3k+ more for diesel.

Half thinking a Qashqai+2 is the answer for everything (to keep long term, and sell Accord).

positron

Is Honda Stream any good? Considering my positive experience with current Honda, I would assume they are at least pretty reliable?

And on a side note (not going to buy it) why won't Honda sell something like this here. Looks better and more practical than the Accord tourer.

http://www.adverts.ie/car/honda/stream/honda-stream-2008/7859013

colm_mcm

I think it's the cost of homolgation for Europe vs the numbers they'd actually sell

positron

Just as an update, other half ended up test driving an 07 S-Max (dodgy seller and paperword, rusty underside, decide not to buy straight away), 06 Stream (nice car with auto gearbox, but previously modded and very cosmetically challenged for the money asking), an 5008 (lovely big car, but high mileage), Qashqai, Mazda 5 (nice car, bar some reliability issues reported elsewhere).

In the end, we picked up a cosmetically challenged high mileage 2005 petrol FR-V. Drives well, simple enough as it's a Honda petrol engine. Plan is to upgrade to a nearly new 5008/Grand Picasso/other in a year or two (hopefully when Euro Vs Sterling rate improves)