3rd baby on the way mpv/jeep or van?

ross191

Hi folks,

As the title says we're expecting our 3rd baby and will have 3 kids under 5, so booster, toddler seat and newborn baby seat in the back seats,

I'm currently driving a Mondeo and she's driving a c3, I have been looking at Volvo xc 90's, Ford c-Max and vw transporter 's, looking for a vehicle for around the 5-7K euro mark,

I would need a diesel auto as missus just had hip operation too.


anyone any advice on getting an mpv/ jeep/ van?

The thoughts of driving a mammy wagon is killing me....lol

R.O.R

Realistically, your going to struggle to get 3 kids in seats across the back of anything but an MPV with individual sliding seats. Good news if you go for a 5+2 is that you'll have a boot big enough for all the cr@p you'll have to carry when you go anywhere.

Carzone has a couple of Zafira 1.9CDTi's and a load of C4 Picasso's in your budget. C4 will have the awful Automated Manual gearbox, so probably look at the best of the Zafira Auto's.

Pkiernan

Ford Smax

colm_mcm

Which car are you replacing?

ross191

colm_mcm wrote: »

Which car are you replacing?

Still debating which one to get rid of, probably the C3.

newbie2

MPV is really your only choice. We tried out loads of different cars. Even the quishgqui seemed small in comparison. Any 7 seater (5+2) will change your life considerably with 3 kids and all teh sh1te that comes with them.

Eventually settled on a Toyota Verso ( don't now why :rolleyes: - wife liked it and she would be driving it ). I drive a focus and am consistantly surprised how much cr4p and kids you can load into the 7 seater.

boardsuser1

We just had our 3rd child(my 4th). Have a focus harchback and it is a nightmare. 3 seats/buggy/shopping. Impossible to be honest. We are looking at the Galaxy. The Zafira is sh1te to be fair for a variety of reasons. Cheaper yes but cheap as they are controversial of late with fire issues etc

colm_mcm

newbie2 wrote: »

MPV is really your only choice. We tried out loads of different cars. Even the quishgqui seemed small in comparison. Any 7 seater (5+2) will change your life considerably with 3 kids and all teh sh1te that comes with them.

Eventually settled on a Toyota Verso ( don't now why :rolleyes: - wife liked it and she would be driving it ). I drive a focus and am consistantly surprised how much cr4p and kids you can load into the 7 seater.

Auto gearbox in the Verso is terrible though.

Honda fr-v might be a good option.

ross191

colm_mcm wrote: »

Auto gearbox in the Verso is terrible though.

Honda fr-v might be a good option.

Thanks for all your reply's, we still have a few months left to go. I think I will trade the girlfriends c3 up. She likes the c4 Picasso or a vw touran.
I've heard the Honda and Mitsubishi's are quite expensive on insurance still, ...
I'll probably keep the Mondeo or trade up to the St220 tdci.. has anyone heard any pros or cons to the touran or Picasso?

colm_mcm

The autobox on the C4 Picaso is pretty bad too. You'll be looking at diesel ones, which in your price bracket is a bit of a gamble too.

walus

I've been there myself facing the same dilemma. Honda FR-V is the best answer. 6-seater, 3 isofix points ( one in the middle seat in front so you can have the baby next to the driver) and 450l of booth space for all the kiddies gadgets.

Insurance wise I pay 350 annually fully comp.

A car so brilliant that I'm tempted writing to Honda and thanking the guy who designed it.

colm_mcm

Honda just robbed the idea from Fiat and made it less dreadful looking.

walus

colm_mcm wrote: »

Honda just robbed the idea from Fiat and made it less dreadful looking.

Is it really all that they did?

colm_mcm

They made it more reliable too

Tommyboy40

How about a Volvo estate? Acres of room and not awful to drive. Great auto boxes and safe as hell. I had them when my kids were small and they ferried all kinds of crap around. The centre arm rest converts into a booster seat. I'm not sure whether the newer ones have a foldable 3rd row of seats in the luggage area

Toots

colm_mcm wrote: »

The autobox on the C4 Picaso is pretty bad too. You'll be looking at diesel ones, which in your price bracket is a bit of a gamble too.

+1 to this. I drove the brother in law's one recently - had my son and my two nieces in the back, plus buggies etc in the boot. Great for space, but we were heading up a steep hill and honestly at one point I thought we wouldn't make it to the top. Just really dreadful.

I'm not sure if it's of any use or what sort of quality you'd get in the 5-7k range, but I drive a Renault Grand Scenic and I've found it to be a great family car. Plenty of room in the back, lots of storage, and pretty economical on fuel too. It's also quite nice to drive, for a mammy-wagon . Mine's a diesel, however it's a manual, so not sure whether the auto would feel the same.

bridster007

I managed that combination in a 2012 Mondeo just fine. You won't be able to use Isofix though.
Doesn't work in the new version as seat split is slightly different.
Key is to get narrow seats that fit, Jane Montecarlo for the 2 eldest will do the trick.

Just to let you know it does work, albeit with a bit of work putting in and out. Depends on how often you will be moving the 3 kids.
I couldn't face the mammy wagon and held out.

grogi

colm_mcm wrote: »

Auto gearbox in the Verso is terrible though.

Honda fr-v might be a good option.

It is better auto, but still pretty bad...

Getting a picasso 2.0HDI with a proper automatic from the UK would be much better idea. The CO2 might be horrible on them though...

colm_mcm

If don't think the FRV has the I-shift box that the civic hatch got.

grogi

colm_mcm wrote: »

If don't think the FRV has the I-shift box that the civic hatch got.

No, it does not. i-shift is a disaster.

Nevertheless Honda did not want to pay patent fees for some things in traditional planetary gear-set and decided to reinvent the wheel themselves. With mixed results to say the least...

Fastforward to today: Honda patents 3-clutch 11-speed gearbox ROTFL...

walus

My FR-V has a traditional 5 speed auto. Very smooth and responsive. Suits the car in my opinion.

Jaden

You'll take my FRV off me when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Transports like an MPV, drives and parks like a car. Good boot too.

Just so you know, get leather seats. You have kids, this is not optional, unless the smell of wee/stale food/barf/who knows appeals to you.

slave1

We were in the exact same scenario a few years back, we had a C-Max when we had two and it was excellent however with the number of seats/boosters it was simply too narrow for three. Tested a good few and went with the S-Max in the end and was best decision ever, the rear seats are full individual seats and move forward and back independently and a breeze to get the kids into and safely belted up in seconds without bending down too much.
We rarely used the two seats at the back of the car which meant the boot space was just massive, and was actually decent with them up for modest shopping with a stroller. The two rear seats are not fit for an adult, think of them as somewhere to put a 7-12 y/o when giving Granny and Granddad a lift or other kids to a party.
Our S-Max was bulletproof and I'll put the obvious disclaimer I'm currently selling ours but that aside I'd stand by all the points above.

ross191

Hi all thanks again for the advice, the Honda is a pritty good option, however I'm beginning to see a trend that suggests the s-Max could be my safest option. Just wondering if we went for its predecessor the Galaxy? From what I've read on reviews and seen on YouTube clips, it has ample room and a Mondeo engine....
Honestly I've heard to many horror stories with the scenics , I previously owned an 05 Megane and it caused me nothing but grief..
The c4 Picasso would worry me with its dodgy gearbox, a sluggish engine Wouldnt really bother me too much as the missus will be the main driver, I've been informed. Lol.

I introduced my other half to ncap a few years ago and she has been on it everytime I suggest buying a car, i mentioned two seats in the boot of a estate, like a Volvo or Merc............let's just say I won't bring it up again.

It's a shame the c- Max can't take the 3 car seats, also I've been told we will have obviously a new born a stage 2 and stage 3 car seats?

Any more advice is always appreciated, thanks

colm_mcm

An frv would perform better than a 7 seater in a bad rear impact.
NCAP is not comprehensive. It's a good yardstick but is as flawed and easily manipulated as the emissions cycle test.

walus

FR-V is a very practical car that still somehow fits in the Golf footprint in terms of outside space that it takes up. It also has rather firm suspension and so it drives very well (for an MPV). It has 6 independent seats so you never have to compromise on the booth space.
Mine has 160k kilometres and in that time it needed...hm...hm... 3 light bulbs. Other than that oils, filters, brakes...

Rushy Fields

In the Same boat here.
We have a 2010 2.0l dsl TR Avensis (high miles) and a 151 1.6l dsl VW Golf R Edition (Average miles).
Number 3 on the way. Two little people under 5 at the moment.
Was thinking of managing until after Christmas but i'm thinking one car will have to go. Probably the golf. My good wife does big mileage each year and i do small mileage. I sometimes have to bring granny with us in the car so its a squeeze whenever shes with us. Was thinking of looking at the Mitsubishi Outlander, anyone have any comments or recommendations, and my wife likes the VW Touran..... any advice is welcome.:eek:

positron

Another vote for FRV, but it's a shame they stopped producing it years ago. Also my 1.7 petrol version is thirsty enough - 8l/100km. But the seat arrangement and boot space etc are superb. Struggling to find a car decent enough to upgrade to.

ubs69

Thanks for heads up , picked up a nice 08 FRV with all the bells and whistles today , so glad I didn't buy the Galaxy , (watch out for the black FRV in Lucan on dd it has crash damage to rear passerger side corner )

implausible

Aaaargh, in the same boat here and have had to face facts that it's a people carrier or jeep, cannot find a saloon that will fit 2 highbacked booster seats and a baby carrier.

I might go for a PCP, so new is an option, but I need something that is more jeep-like than bus-like. Does anyone know if that car seat combination is possible in the Santa Fe or the Outlander?

I know both of them have only 2 isofix points in the front row (that info isn't too easy to find), but I don't mind fixing one of the seats with the belt if I have to.

Any help appreciated!

mullinr2

Apparently the Dacia Duster can hold three car seats. My wife's friend has one and she can get her 3 kids into it, oldest is four. Good price too.

Marcmc

Had 3 kids in back of skoda octavia tight squeeze but it worked and a good reliable car not sure about auto box but I hear bad things about ds gearbox

Belini

We have a sante fe and three kids aged 6,4 and 2. Fits three across without issue and two spare seats in the back or huge boot. I love it. I only use isofix for the baby and two high back boosters. Only disadvantage is it is too tricky for them to belt themselves in which they can do when there is only two in the back. It's a bit of effort strapping them all in every time. My friend has the Peugeot people carrier and has the same problem though.

implausible

Belini wrote:

We have a sante fe and three kids aged 6,4 and 2. Fits three across without issue and two spare seats in the back or huge boot. I love it. I only use isofix for the baby and two high back boosters. Only disadvantage is it is too tricky for them to belt themselves in which they can do when there is only two in the back. It's a bit of effort strapping them all in every time. My friend has the Peugeot people carrier and has the same problem though.

That's v reassuring, thanks! What year is your Santa Fe?

As long as I can isofix the baby (due in Jan), the 4yo and 6yo will be alright belted in. Are your high backed boosters really slim ones?

Shopping might not be as depressing as I feared...

Belini

implausible wrote: »

That's v reassuring, thanks! What year is your Santa Fe?

As long as I can isofix the baby (due in Jan), the 4yo and 6yo will be alright belted in. Are your high backed boosters really slim ones?

Shopping might not be as depressing as I feared...

😀
Ours is 141. We have a maxi cosi Toby seat which isn't particularly slim and a graco in the middle which is a slimmer one.

BnB

Another vote for the S-Max - With 5 kids, we have litterally kicked the sh1t out of our 07, up and down the country, for the last 8 years. Couldn't fault it. My wife wants to upgrade it now and if we do it will only be to get another newer one. (Although, personally I can't see the point in changing it). If you don't use the two back seats and lay them flat, the boot is utterly massive. But even if you do use the two back seats (and this is a big advantage over the Verso) you still have a decent enough bit of space for a buggy and a bit of shopping.

I have driven a few Renault & Citreon people carriers and the build quality of them isn't a patch on the Ford.

NIMAN

Another vote for the Honda Fr-v here, from an frv owner!

ross191

Thanks for all the advice on this thread, at the time I decided to follow my inner child and bought a new shape 2007 mondeo in the hope I could squeeze 3 car seats in and not have a daddy wagon,

6months after ownership I realised i made a complete ****up as the engine blew and the new arrival didn't fit in the rear also

Fast forward to the present day and I bit the bullet and are currently driving an older shape VW sharan, ample space and kids all happy, drives like a bud but I've embraced the daddy wagon lifestyle for now.


Once again thanks for all the advice , couldn't bear the Honda 6 seater too ugly....