Second-hand 7 seater recommendations

26-04-2019 09:05AM #1

Hi. We’re expecting our fourth child so we’ll need to get a bigger car. Mostly just the school run and errands with occasional longer trips. Would like to be able to fit the whole family with space for buggy and some luggage. We’re a one-car family so we want something reliable but we’re not too bothered about fancy extras. We’d like to buy second hand for under 15k, if possible. Any recommendations? Thanks!

bazz26 · 26-04-2019 10:24AM

If you want to use 3 rows of seats and good boot space then your going to have to look at the likes of the Ford Galaxy, VW Sharan or Seat Alhambra.

You might get better value and choice importing one from the UK though:

https://www.usedcarsni.com/2015-Seat-Alhambra-2-0-TDI-CR-Ecomotive-I-TECH-5dr-242818231?keywords=&make=27&model=1210&fuel_type=0&trans_type=0&age_from=2013&age_to=2015&price_from=0&price_to=0&user_type=0&mileage_to=0&location%5B%5D=0&homepage_search_attr=1&tab_id=0&search_type=1&car_class=

https://www.usedcarsni.com/2014-Volkswagen-Sharan-2-0-TDI-CR-BlueMotion-Tech-140-SE-5dr-7-SEATER-240325652?search_type=1&make=32&fuel_type=0&age_from=2013&price_from=0&user_type=0&model=3296&trans_type=0&age_to=2015&price_to=0&mileage_to=0&keywords=&location%5B%5D=0&car_class=

https://www.usedcarsni.com/2013-Ford-Galaxy-TITANIUM-7-Seat-2-0TDCI-138BHP-Spacious-High-Spec-FSH-Well-cared-for-spacious-and-practical-7-Seater-in-the-desirable-Titanium-specification-243478333?search_type=1&make=7&fuel_type=0&age_from=2013&price_from=0&user_type=0&model=4033&trans_type=0&age_to=2015&price_to=0&mileage_to=0&keywords=&location%5B%5D=0&car_class=

Shefwedfan · 28-04-2019 07:27AM

Ford Smax: nice to drive, a bit bigger to the 5008(old model), touran etc...hard to get a good one so uk import might be option...3rd row are for kids
Ford Galaxy: huge, we have one, huge space everywhere, our has roof compartments running along to store, I put 7 full adults in it, large boot, again hard to get, I’m selling mine ....haha...
Alhambra/sharan: same car but with different badge. Normally the seat is easier to pick up. Sliding door and potentially a integrated booster are advantage, like hens teeth and will struggle to get in budget

All super reliable above

Next is your Peugeot/Citroen/Opel etc....all smaller to above. Back seats for small kids and boot gone then. You could get roof rack of course

Pkiernan · 28-04-2019 07:31AM

On the Ford's, the 4 point clutch with DMF is horribly expensive to replace.

Ours went at 65k miles and cost €1275 from our independent mechanic.

It's a great MPV otherwise. Just get an automatic.

Shefwedfan · 28-04-2019 07:35AM

Pkiernan wrote: »

On the Ford's, the 4 point clutch with DMF is horribly expensive to replace.

Ours went at 65k miles and cost €1275 from our independent mechanic.

It's a great MPV otherwise. Just get an automatic.

Should have mentioned I drive only auto, had both smax and galaxy and no issues with both but it does come down to luck in some situations

28-04-2019 07:48AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi. We’re expecting our fourth child so we’ll need to get a bigger car. Mostly just the school run and errands with occasional longer trips. Would like to be able to fit the whole family with space for buggy and some luggage. We’re a one-car family so we want something reliable but we’re not too bothered about fancy extras. We’d like to buy second hand for under 15k, if possible. Any recommendations? Thanks!

Hi OP
Also look at Citeron C4 Grand Picasso or Puegeot 5008.
We got our second C4 this week.

We would have preferred a Ford Galaxy but they were way over budget compared to the two above.

The C4 is very functional as in it's got plenty of space width wise, the seats are easy to adjust etc but it has a tendency to give electrical problems.

With all the seats up you have very little boot space, we got a roof box for long journeys.

As another poster said the Seat and VWs are like hens teeth.

Shefwedfan · 28-04-2019 08:32AM

With 15k you will get Galaxy, I am selling mine just a little over that but it is auto and high spec, also has warranty left on it

We are actually going the other way and down sizing as we don’t need anymore

28-04-2019 10:31AM

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! I'm going to look into all these models. At first glance it looks like the Galaxy might fit the bill. We have a good few months to go yet so we'll have time to search for a good deal or import from the UK.

Remouad · 28-04-2019 10:38AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! I'm going to look into all these models. At first glance it looks like the Galaxy might fit the bill. We have a good few months to go yet so we'll have time to search for a good deal or import from the UK.

I'd highly recommend the Sharan/Alhambra. The sliding doors make it much easier to get kids in and out.

Shefwedfan · 28-04-2019 12:02PM

Remouad wrote: »

I'd highly recommend the Sharan/Alhambra. The sliding doors make it much easier to get kids in and out.

With that budget you will struggle to find a good one....add 10k to it and you might get one

tretorn · 28-04-2019 12:30PM

The Sharan is absolutely massive, it will be a pain to park.

The seven seater Nissan Quasquai would be a good option.

I drove a Toyota seven seater verso and it was a great car, Toyota seemed to stop producing these though, I had this car nine years and it never gave any trouble.

bazz26 · 28-04-2019 12:33PM

Here you go OP, you will get a Sharan or Alhambra within budget from the UK:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201902134900888?maximum-mileage=90000&model=ALHAMBRA&radius=1500&make=SEAT&year-from=2013&sort=price-asc&exclude-writeoff-categories=on&seller-type=trade&year-to=2014&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&postcode=m53ag&advertising-location=at_cars&fuel-type=Diesel&page=1

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201902014517895?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&seller-type=trade&year-from=2013&make=VOLKSWAGEN&sort=price-asc&exclude-writeoff-categories=on&postcode=m53ag&maximum-mileage=90000&advertising-location=at_cars&model=SHARAN&fuel-type=Diesel&radius=1500&year-to=2014&page=2

Shefwedfan · 28-04-2019 01:40PM

tretorn wrote: »

The Sharan is absolutely massive, it will be a pain to park.

The seven seater Nissan Quasquai would be a good option.

I drove a Toyota seven seater verso and it was a great car, Toyota seemed to stop producing these though, I had this car nine years and it never gave any trouble.

The 7 seater is the Qashqai+2 or the new X-Trail(outside budget)

Both are smaller than anything mentioned above. The second row of seats are small so you will struggle to get 3 car seats into it.

Sharan/Galaxy/Alhambra are all the same size, plenty driven around Ireland on a daily basis and people don't seem to have any issue parking.

bazz26 · 28-04-2019 02:24PM

tretorn wrote: »

The Sharan is absolutely massive, it will be a pain to park.

The seven seater Nissan Quasquai would be a good option.

I drove a Toyota seven seater verso and it was a great car, Toyota seemed to stop producing these though, I had this car nine years and it never gave any trouble.

The 3rd row of seats being used in a Qashqai+2 means you lose boot space so the OP won't be able to carry 4 small people, their buggy and luggage together in one. A full size 7 seater is the only one that will accomodate all this.

Amberjack · 28-04-2019 02:40PM

Peugeot 5008 has 3 full seats and then 2 in the back, it’s very spacious. You’d defo get the old model in your budget but not the new one which is just over a year old.
I had the old model and upgraded to the new one last year, they are chalk and cheese but great space in them.
Qashqai+2 is tiny and the 2nd row seats only fit 2.5and would be very tight meaning that more than likely you’d have to use the full 2 boot seats leaving you with feck all space for buggies or anything.

Shefwedfan · 28-04-2019 02:47PM

Amberjack wrote: »

Peugeot 5008 has 3 full seats and then 2 in the back, it’s very spacious. You’d defo get the old model in your budget but not the new one which is just over a year old.
I had the old model and upgraded to the new one last year, they are chalk and cheese but great space in them

My brother has the old model. He has 4 kids, (3,5,7,10). He just left my house. He has 2, 2, 2 setup with the older 2 in the back, then has to use one of the seats in second row as storage. Had a buggy pushed in.

It was cramped to say the least. Now they have invested in a roof box and use that if going away but the Galaxy would be far more comfortable. They plan on upgrade to Galaxy/Alhambra.

Now I will say they have really put up huge mileage on it. At this stage it is worthless to try and sell as the mileage is huge. A few repair jobs done on it but the main components are still working. They are probably close to 300k miles on it at this stage, well over 200k miles anyway so it has done the job it was bought for.

Oafley Jones · 28-04-2019 07:49PM

tretorn wrote: »

The Sharan is absolutely massive, it will be a pain to park.

The seven seater Nissan Quasquai would be a good option.

I drove a Toyota seven seater verso and it was a great car, Toyota seemed to stop producing these though, I had this car nine years and it never gave any trouble.

The Sharan is actually grand, very little to worry about in terms of parking. Had an X-trail for a few days and couldn't get over how little space it had inside. Liked it overall, but in terms of practicality, it was very poor for a 7 seat SUV.

Second-hand 7 seater recommendations

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