Car recommendations please? 2 kids

OREGATO

Hi all,

Long time lurker, looking for some recommendations on an occasional 2nd car.

We've number 2 on the way and I've been looking at Passats and Octavias but wanted to see if anyone could recommend something else that would suit for longer journeys etc. Wife has a smaller car which suits her due to limited parking at work so it won't be replaced. We're really just looking for something for the longer journeys and for road trips etc.

Max budget is €6k but would rather spend less than €5 as it's not going to be the primary car

Main Requirements:

• Reliability - don't want to be stranded with 2 kids on the side of the road
• Don't mind if it's petrol or diesel - the wife does highish mileage and we do regular trips down the country so it will be driven
• I think something Octavia or Passat sized at a minimum for a double buggy and everything else
• Wouldn't mind an estate
• Do not want a Quashqui or similar
• Max tax I'd pay is €750

I've shortlisted the following:

• Passat
• Octavia
• Superb
• Volvo V50/V70 estate
• C Class Mercedes

Any thing else worth looking at or that you'd recommend?

sleepyholland

A few years ago when I was in a similar situation as yourself I got rid of a nice top spec 2003 Passat and replaced it with a 2008 Kia Ceed Estate.

The Passat had started giving a lot of costly electrical trouble. It's boot, while large had a tiny opening so wasn't brilliant for bulky buggies

The Kia is definitely a step down in terms of interior, refinement and 'badge', but it has been 100% reliable, problem free, is fairly economical and it's big boot and fold down seats means it ideal for beach trips, camping, Christmas trees etc

You'd get a 2010 or 2011 one with under 100,000 miles for less than 5k.

MontgomeryClift

Why so many German cars? Why not a Mk 4 Mondeo 2.0 Titanium or a Honda Accord 2.2 iDTEC in EX or ES GT spec from around 2009-2011? Both can be had for < 5,000 now, with somewhere between 100,000 - 150,000 miles. The Mondeo is a hatchback as standard, and should only cost Ford money to fix.

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2010-ford-mondeo-2-0-t-d-c-i-titanium-model/21954026

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-mondeo-2012-titanium-x-leather-etc/22040525

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2010-ford-mondeo-2-0-tdci-titanium/22071355

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/honda-accord-esgt/22034903 - Estate, with rear tinted windows for the kids!

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/09-accord-gt-2-2-dtec/22025574

mr_edge_to_you

As parents our main family car has been 2005 Octavia, 2010 Mondeo and new Octavia (my wife currently drives this). I drive an older i40 myself.

The big plus with the likes of Octavia/Mondeo(certain models) is the lift back boot. It's no fun lugging a double buggy in/put of a standard saloon boot.

Lantus

Volvo and merc will be savage for maintenance and repair.

I'd go octavia, superb, mondeo and hyundai i40 or similar for a good all round family car at that budget. All big boots.

OREGATO

MontgomeryClift wrote: »

Why so many German cars? Why not a Mk 4 Mondeo 2.0 Titanium or a Honda Accord 2.2 iDTEC in EX or ES GT spec from around 2009-2011? Both can be had for < 5,000 now, with somewhere between 100,000 - 150,000 miles. The Mondeo is a hatchback as standard, and should only cost Ford money to fix.

German cars I guess because I've a little bit of knowledge about them having owned a few in the past.

Good shout on the Mondeo, wouldn't be my first choice as I'm not a huge fan of Fords to begin with.

I've had an Accord Euro R in the past, nice cars but again, I'm not sure of their reliability.

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

As parents our main family car has been 2005 Octavia, 2010 Mondeo and new Octavia (my wife currently drives this). I drive an older i40 myself.

The big plus with the likes of Octavia/Mondeo(certain models) is the lift back boot. It's no fun lugging a double buggy in/put of a standard saloon boot.

Great call on the i40's, I went to see what was available on Donedeal but it looks like for my budget, I wouldn't have much choice of them.

Lantus wrote: »

Volvo and merc will be savage for maintenance and repair.

I'd go octavia, superb, mondeo and hyundai i40 or similar for a good all round family car at that budget. All big boots.

I read somewhere that the Merc's aren't that crazy expensive, again, I don't mind routine maintenance as long as the car is reliable. Some add's I've seen for Volvo's, particularly the diesels appear to be problematic or have had engine/turbos replace.

Keep the advice coming! Thanks again guys

budgemook

Honda Accord is very reliable imo

James Bond Junior

i40 isn't the most reliable thing. Clutches tend to wear quickly and are hugely expensive, think a 4 figure bill. Batteries seem to give a lot of hassle too and they drink diesel compared to the competition. Hard to see past a Mondeo especially if you can find a 2.0 version. My pal and his wife have one each and he sought out 2 litre versions each time as his has been perfectly reliable.

mr_edge_to_you

James Bond Junior wrote: »

i40 isn't the most reliable thing. Clutches tend to wear quickly and are hugely expensive, think a 4 figure bill. Batteries seem to give a lot of hassle too and they drink diesel compared to the competition. Hard to see past a Mondeo especially if you can find a 2.0 version. My pal and his wife have one each and he sought out 2 litre versions each time as his has been perfectly reliable.

Ye. We had the 2.0l Mondeo before the i40. Much preferred the Mondeo.

I can't emphasize enought the value of a hatchback or lift back boot. Boot in the i40 saloon is a bit of a pain.

Dravokivich

mr_edge_to_you wrote: »

Ye. We had the 2.0l Mondeo before the i40. Much preferred the Mondeo.

I can't emphasize enought the value of a hatchback or lift back boot. Boot in the i40 saloon is a bit of a pain.

I'd push this suggestion too. Its not something most people would think of with a saloon, but the boot space is worthless, if you can't put what you want into it.