Buying a car for a growing family

finzaz

We're about to have our second child in a couple of weeks, and were planning on getting a bigger car early next year but our current car is starting to fail.

We'd like to get a car big enough for 3 car seats in the back, but if possible would like to avoid a MPV for now. From what I've read there's two models that might suit: Ford C-Max and the Citroen C4 Picasso (5 seater). Are there any others to look at? Renault seems to come up a lot when I've searched, but with every mention of them someone seems to say how unreliable they are. Ideally I'm looking for a car that could take a rear-facing baby seat, a toddler's high back chair and a booster.

Also, most of the cars on carzone I can find with the above models are diesels. I've not owned a diesel before, and this car is only for short 5-10 min journeys 90% of the time. I've been told that a diesel would need a good run on the motorway fairly regularly. Is this the case?

colm_mcm

Congratulations!

How much can you spend?
How much mileage would you see yourself doing per year?
Would you regularly do longer journies (20 mins+ motorway)
What do you drive at the moment?

NIMAN

Avoid diesel, doesn't suit your driving style.

You'll find it hard to get a non MPV that will take 3 car seats. Something big like the skoda superb maybe?

Have you considered a Honda FRV? 6 seater. Own one myself, great car

finzaz

colm_mcm wrote: »

Congratulations!

How much can you spend?
How much mileage would you see yourself doing per year?
Would you regularly do longer journies (20 mins+ motorway)
What do you drive at the moment?

Thanks!

We're looking to spend between 10 and 15k (lower end of that if possible). Not sure about mileage per year: it would be very little as I take the train to work (my wife might use it to get to work: a 30m drive working 3 days/week) so it's mainly for short trips on the weekend, so not much need for motorway use. At the moment we have a 2002 Polo, which is too small and old for what we need.

NIMAN

Think scenic has 3 separate seats in the rear too.

Don't some of the Peugeot cars like 307sw have 3 individual seats too?

colm_mcm

finzaz wrote: »

Thanks!

We're looking to spend between 10 and 15k (lower end of that if possible). Not sure about mileage per year: it would be very little as I take the train to work (my wife might use it to get to work: a 30m drive working 3 days/week) so it's mainly for short trips on the weekend, so not much need for motorway use. At the moment we have a 2002 Polo, which is too small and old for what we need.

Honda frv would be definitely worth a look in that case. 1.8 petrol.
3 seats in the front and 3 individual seats in the back
You can take 6 people AND luggage, and they're as reliable as the day is long. They're the same length as a normal car too.

bazz26

The last time I looked the C Max and C4 Picasso were MPVs, just 5 seater versions.

Leydo10

We got a multimac and brilliant- we have four kids and all fit in perfectly- and fits most cars

finzaz

Looks like the Honda FR-V would be great, but seems they stopped making them in 2009? If we end up owning this one for 10 years, are parts going to be difficult to come by?

Good advice about diesel. I think we definitely need to go petrol

colm_mcm

A lot of frv parts are shared with the civic. You shouldn't really need many parts outside of servicing.

bazz26

Seat Altea XL has 3 rear seats:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Altea-XL/1.2TSI-5DR/201314393952757490/

porsche boy

Corolla Verso has three fulls seats in the back, engine is bulletproof and they have good resale value. They are a 7 seater with two seats under the boot floor but with them in 7se there is no boot. Most engine & drive train parts are interchangeable with corolla's & Avensis.