First family car suggestion - new baby

Bluezar

Hi,

My partner and I currently have a 2011 Renault Clio which has served us well the last few years but we are now expecting our first child in a few months time and looking at getting a bigger family car.
To give a rough idea we are looking online at Nissan Qashqai, Renault Kadjur, VW Tiguan types that would have plenty of boot space for all the baby stuff and are good solid cars.

Can anyone recommend a decent car or any feedback on these types? We are looking around the €15k mark in Dublin. Also is it best to trade our Clio in against a purchase or try sell it privately. When I looked on Donedeal similar Clio's with our mileage seem to go for around €3.5k - €4k?

Any advice would be great

bazz26

You will always get a better deal selling your old car privately, however selling privately can be a challenge or take time so depends really on how much value you put on the quick easy process of just trading it in at the dealers versus dealing with what's your lowest price merchants and no show time wasters.

Hurrache

Bluezar wrote: »

To give a rough idea we are looking online at Nissan Qashqai, Renault Kadjur, VW Tiguan types that would have plenty of boot space for all the baby stuff and are good solid cars.

Not sure about the Tiguan but for the other 2, and that segment in general, boot space is not great, so don't limit yourself to looking at them. Many hatchbacks, and obviously estates, are better suited

jellybear

Don't feel you have to change car just because baby is on the way.I only say this as I was also considering changing my car when I was pregnant but I'm glad I didn't now. I have a near 1 year old and drive a Mazda2 and fit everything needed in no bother!:)

If you are set on changing, a Skoda Octavia would be my recommendation. Boot is huge and will very comfortably fit buggy etc

Uncle Pierre

Yeah, boot space in a Qashqai is surprisingly small. My wife used to have one of them.

Biggest boot space I've ever had myself was a Kia Ce'ed Sportswagon, that I had until quite recently. They're pretty bulletproof cars too, in terms of reliability (a seven-year manufacturer warranty is testament to that). And the one I had used to do up to 55 mpg (diesel), so economical too. But the vast majority of my driving would be open roads in Co. Wexford, so Dublin streets would be a lot different.

Not too many of them around, though. The only one listed in Dublin on Carzone right now is this one:
https://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/kia/ceed/fpa/202003098194766?journey=Search

On the other thing, I once decided to sell a car privately myself, rather than taking a trade-in at the dealer. Never again.

If cars like yours are listed around €3,500 to €4,000 then the difference between a trade-in and what you might get privately is probably not much more than €500 to €1,000. My advice would be that unless that money really would make a massive difference to you, just trade it in.

raxy

I had a seat Leon estate & was great for fitting everything in. It was a very reliable car as well. Trade in value wasn't great but if your buying 2nd hand that would work out well for you as they'll be cheaper than the other cars your looking at.

OfflerCrocGod

We have two kids in a Mazda 2 FWIW.

donnaille

Agree with the other posters on boot space in the cross-overs you mentioned being quite poor - but their huge advantage is height, getting a baby in and out of car seats in a hatchback isn't easy if you are tall.