Opinions or suggestions on second car

aaakev

Upgrading the wifes car in January as her megan wont do with kid number 3 due soon after. As its the second car and only used for school runs and the shopping with the odd trip locally with her friends im going to budget up to 5k. Petrol preferred up to 1.6l max. Saloon or maybe estate, she says we dont need an estate as the main car is a Mercedes Vito crew cab but i think it would be handier for her. Id like a decent spec for her too.

As this will be the car my kids will be in alot i want something safe and sturdy. Been looking at volvo s40 and v50, audi a4 saloon and estate, bmw 316 saloon as i couldn't find any estates that fit the bill

Any opinions on the cars mentioned above, things to look out for or other car suggestions fire away!

bazz26

I cannot see a Volvo S40, Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series saloon being any better than a Megane for 3 kids. They are not much bigger on the inside so you will struggle if you need to fit more than one baby seat in the rear. The estate versions will have a bigger more practical boot but you will still encounter the same rear passenger restrictions as the saloon versions.

Maybe look at something like a Ford C-Max or Renault Scenic:

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-c-max/10874255

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/renault-scenic-1-6-16v-dynamique-cs-ph2/8269949

colm_mcm

One thing to note s that premium brand doesn't get you much in the way of extra safety these days.

I'd be looking at a small mpv with individual rear seats

aaakev

Its only one baby seat, the other 2 are 8 and 11 so the 8 year old is just on a small booster and the 11 yr old usually sits in the front. That thought did cross my mimd though but i tried out a mates a4 today and it seemed fine for size

Redser87

Would you go for a volvo s 60 rather than s40?

aaakev

colm_mcm wrote: »

One thing to note s that premium brand doesn't get you much in the way of extra safety these days.

I'd be looking at a small mpv with individual rear seats

I thought the volvo would have high safety standards? It was top of my list tbh

aaakev

Redser87 wrote: »

Would you go for a volvo s 60 rather than s40?

If it was available in 1.6l i would

bazz26

Smallest engine in the S60 is 2.0 litre though.

The S40/V50 share the same drive train as the Ford Focus. I'd have a look at the Ford Mondeo, they were available in 1.6 litre petrol upto about 2008/9. Huge on the inside, big boot and just as safe as the others mentioned here.

AMKC

How about this Ford S-Max. Great car lovely to drive and lots of room plus it also looks good not sure what it would be like on fuel do. It is a little more than what you said you want to spend do but should be lovely do drive.

http://www.cbg.ie/ford-s-max-2.5-2007-dublin

bazz26

8k for a 9 year old 2.5 litre petrol S-Max! That should be in the dreamer of the year thread.

aaakev

bazz26 wrote: »

8k for a 9 year old 2.5 litre petrol S-Max! That should be in the dreamer of the year thread.

Thought the same when i saw it! Hadn't considered the mondeo, will ad it to the list definitely a nice car

colm_mcm

aaakev wrote: »

I thought the volvo would have high safety standards? It was top of my list tbh

Back in the day safety was Volvos USP. nowadays though every manufacturer has to go to great lengths to make a car that performs well in crash tests.

The euro ncap site will give you an idea, but the point remains, you don't need to have a Volvo to have a really safe car. For example, the Megane was probably best in class when it was new.

pablo128

Corolla Verso perhaps? https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-verso/11090445

colm_mcm

aaakev wrote: »

Its only one baby seat, the other 2 are 8 and 11 so the 8 year old is just on a small booster and the 11 yr old usually sits in the front. That thought did cross my mimd though but i tried out a mates a4 today and it seemed fine for size

Where is the Megane falling down size wise?

aaakev

colm_mcm wrote: »

Back in the day safety was Volvos USP. nowadays though every manufacturer has to go to great lengths to make a car that performs well in crash tests.

The euro ncap site will give you an idea, but the point remains, you don't need to have a Volvo to have a really safe car. For example, the Megane was probably best in class when it was new.

Yeah the megane had a good rating alright.

colm_mcm wrote: »

Where is the Megane falling down size wise?

We have had 2 booster seats in the back and 3 kids, its very tight, if im driving there is little or no leg room behind me, the boot is very small being a 5 door hatch so if she was going somewhere with the kids she would be tight for space with the buggy ect.

colm_mcm

I would rule out the s40 in that case. it's smaller than your megane in the cabin.

aside from the boot, I don't think the a4 is much bigger than your megane either. it's also an older design being 16 years old if safety is your thing. it would be been tested on the much easier old ncap test

aaakev

I tried out an a4 yesterday and thought it would be big enough, the boot was huge too in comparison. I hear what your saying about thw safety though. Must check thw safety rating for the 07 audi

colm_mcm

07 is the facelift 00 model.

bazz26

2000 to 2008 A4 are the same model bar a facelift from 2005.

If your willing to consider 1.8 litre then the 2007 onwards Mazda 6 is worth looking at, it's a newer design so the safety rating will be higher and bigger than both a Megane or A4.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/mazda-6-1-8-litre-petrol/10714671

colm_mcm

No prestige, but an Avensis would do the space and safety thing very well.

AMKC

aaakev wrote: »

Yeah the megane had a good rating alright.



We have had 2 booster seats in the back and 3 kids, its very tight, if im driving there is little or no leg room behind me, the boot is very small being a 5 door hatch so if she was going somewhere with the kids she would be tight for space with the buggy ect.

What about a Skoda Octavia or a Superb. The Octavia comes in both 1.4 and 1.6 not sure about the Superb plenty with diesel 1.6 and above finding a petrol one might be harder.

NIMAN

Going to throw the Honda Fr-v into the mix.

Great car. Loads of room, reliable, comfortable.

ifElseThen

pablo128 wrote: »

Corolla Verso perhaps? https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/toyota-corolla-verso/11090445

Stay away from the auto box on these. Nothing but trouble. Had to scrap our 07 Verso last week after getting the clutch & starter motor replaced last Aug.
Actuator on clutch went. Toyota wanted 1700 to supply and fit it.

We'll be getting a Honda Stream in the next few weeks in it's place.

colm_mcm

I'd have thought retrofitting a clutch pedal might have been an option on the mmt verso? Or at least a used actuator from the uk? Bringing a 9 year old car to a main dealer rarely ends well as everything needs to be done by the book. Surely a gearbox specialist would have been able to do something.
Agreed that the auto ones are muck.