Family Car Recommendations, 2 kids and low annual mileage

thebackbar

apologies for the long post, I'm looking to get a bigger car, we have kids (6 months, 5 years) and have been following the bangernomics approach for the last few years, however at this stage we need/want a bigger car. We want the bigger car for putting a pram in it, a bike etc into the boot without worrying about space.  

I think an estate car would be much more suited to us than a SUV as we need something practical for carrying what we need. 

We only hit motorways for a weekend away or summer holidays, so Diesel isn't an option, our main driving will be short trips around the village, literally a couple of km every day. 

I'm willing to spend up to 33k on the basis that we should have the car for a long time. Given the amount of money I'll be spending I really need to buy a used approved car which comes with a decent warranty. 

Originally I had been looking at a 2019 Skoda Superb 1.5 Petrol, however I'm concerned about what happens when the two-year warranty expires, also the 1.5 TSI engine seems to have had lots of teething problems at the start which makes me a bit worried about buying any petrol VAG car given that most of them have this engine, also you see people commenting that the petrol 1.5 engine is too small for the Superb. 

Once you take away all the vw TSI petrol engines you're not left with many options, I've come to the conclusion now that our best option might be to order a new Corolla Touring Hybrid, I hadn't really expected to go looking at buying a brand new car, but there aren't many of them available second hand. The Toyota ten year warranty is very appealing. It feels like it guarantees the big outlay for ten years which no other company can offer  ?

Is my logic sound ? Is there any other car/SUV I should look at that meets my criteria ? 

User1998

Theres nothing wrong with the 1.4 TSI/1.5 TSI engine. No need to take it off your shortlist. Although a Toyota will probably be more reliable.

redlough

Why do you need an estate for short trips etc? We have a Golf and a pram fits into boot no problem, we also have a decent bike rack to go on back, in reality we have a better setup in bigger car with a towbar and a connector onto it

Even a smaller car with a roof box/tow bar box might give you a better option.

Then you could look at maybe electric which would certainly reduce costs of fuel and set you up longer term.

I have 4 kids, to be honest we throw a buggy into the boot and nothing else, yes shopping etc but 99% of the time it has nothing else in it....if we go long distance it is planned and we will throw up the roof box and looking at a tow bar box as would be easier to put on/off

Remember the bigger the car, the less efficient it is, so you are paying to drive around carry lots of nothing :-)

Now don't get me wrong, this is just my own personal finding and you could have differnet requirements

Murph85

At that budget get a new electric... if u are spending big budget, get that. No nct four years... minuscule motor tax, effectively no servicing. Reduced tolls if applicable...

Be wary of spending 33k with what might be around the corner....

Bogwoppit

Mitsubishi Outlander would fit your bill, you’d get a nice one for that money.

An SUV yes but very practical and comfortable.

fits

Yep. MG5 estate would be one to check out.

Murph85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119710704#Comment_119710704

Do mg offer 7 year warranty? Either way, I'd go electric at that budget...

thebackbar

I like the idea of being able to put the kids bikes in the boot without having to mess with bike racks, hence going for an estate.

I don’t think I would get any full electric car for 33k, besides the MG, I’d really prefer to go with a more established company in the Irish market.

fits

Give it a test drive anyway and see what you think. There are heaps of them being sold here.

Peugeot will release an ev estate next year and I’ll be having a good look at those two when considering our next car. https://www.topgear.com/car-news/electric/hurrah-peugeot-launching-all-electric-308-estate

jonnybravo

Should look at the Skoda Octavia. Boot is huge. We have the 1 litre petrol and it's lovely to drive, even on the motorway. You'd get a new one for less than €33k but I'd probably get a 2 / 3 year old car and keep the savings.

thebackbar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119711792#Comment_119711792

yeah i might test drive Skoda Octavia, I guess i have two concerns

• if i buy a used approved skoda after two years i have no guarantee to fall back on
• what will the market sentiment be regarding petrol cars in a couple of years time, i feel the octavia will depreciate faster than the toyota corolla hybrid

redlough

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712289#Comment_119712289

Market sentiment based on current will be similar for both, you will probably end up with a few more euro in pocket with a hybrid as it should use less fuel.

If it was my choice, I would go with the hybrid as the system will suit better to your requirements than a straight petrol.

I'd look at the renault megane petrol estate

GT Line has all the bells and whistles, very comfortable as well I moved from an Audi into one of these and have been pleasantly surprised at the quality for the money.

27k gets you a 2020 with low mileage from a main dealer.

25k gets you the same but from an independent

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/renault-megane-sport-tourer-gt-line-140-tce/31663449

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119710702#Comment_119710702

+1

Similar situation to the OP, & like them, would prefer an estate but the outlander offered so much more for a better price. At 33k you're looking at a very sweet outlander with lots of bells & whistles, loads of room, 4wd (sort of), a cracking record of durability and a marginal move from ICE.

(I've three clients heavily involved in the motor industry and they all pointed me towards the Mitsubishi Outlander when I was getting rid of my diesel landrover)

I visit the petrol station every four months now & charge the car with a granny plug.

redlough

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716066#Comment_119716066

Outlander is a great vehicle, we had one for years and great for little spins, plus not too bad on petrol on longer trips

Only issue, the interior build quality not as good as VW/AUdi/BMW which I was used to, with kids jumping in and out I was liable to find little bits of plastic and no idea what part of the car they had broken off this time. Mechanically we had no issues at all

Still we kept and only got rid because we wanted 7 seats which the PHEV doesn't have. Of course we did swap when fuel prices didn't go so high....would love it now to spin around in electric mode

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716297#Comment_119716297

Build quality on ours is ok... not amazing, but not fragile. Interior is badly designed though. Buttons hidden behind paddles, extra buttons (like the petrol release which is on the floor!!) yet there's blanks on the dash, other buttons that you have to look down to find when driving. Japanese cars never have the interiors European hi-end cars do!

Stallingrad

No reason to avoid the TSI VAG engine, we have two Superbs, both 1.4TSi 150bhp, they are a fantastic engine and have 200,000 km between them trouble free. Frugal, quick and refined.

The early 1.5tsi with DSG had a Kangarooing issue but at this stage it is well resolved.

As a family car the Superb is hard to beat, and estate form it will swallow everything your family throws at it. We had a Golf, Passat, Scenic prior and the Superb is a far more rounded package.

The only problem is they are rare cars, and don't hang around long when available.