What Car?

[Moley]

I drive a Seat Alhambra 1.9TD people carrier which I've had for the last 9 years, it's now 15 years old and has 170k miles on the clock, MOT is due in a fortnight's time and I don't think it's going to be economically viable to get another year's use out of it. There was a long list of advisory items last year and now there are quite a lot of little niggles with the car, like my brake lights don't work if other lights are on, my ABS light is on most of the time, especially if the weather's damp, and it rains in. Used and abused, it has been a family car and a workhorse, it even knows its own way to the council tip. It has been a bloody good motor, but I think its days are limited.

So I want a big car which can carry furniture etc. (son's at Uni, daughter probably will be next year), I would like a few more to the gallon and possibly a bit less road tax, ideally not more than 5 years old or £5k. If I can sleep in it at the Spring Thing, that would be a bonus, there was room for a double air bed in the SEAT with all the back seats removed.

Suggestions please. Does anyone own a Citroen C4, I'm going to look at one of those later?

 

[RobWalker]

My mate has a C4 54 plate, got an absolute steal on it and it's a real good quality car to drive for the age, I hear the repairs can be a little pricey though.

 

[TRXnMe]

Ford S-Max?

Cheap parts and easy service costs due to it being a Mondeo, not too bad to drive, reasonably economical, take the seats out and fit the mattress for the spring thing :)

Mondeo estate might fit the bill as well, if you can get one of the current models they are huge inside.

Volkswagen Sharan, tough as a VW andreasonably nice to drive.

A lot vanish, but Transit Torneo, 7 seats, trani van space with the seats out and loads of room to use as a 'day van' for the spring thing.

Old, but can be found with reasonable mileage, Mazda Bongo, with the addded advantage is doubles as camper by design and has 4 wheel drive for when it snows next, a mate hadd one and could get mid 30s by driving reasonably carefully.

 

[Moley]

Thanks Rob, this was the Grand C4 I went to have a look at.

Sounded like a lot of car for the money with all sorts of gadgets and toys I've never had in a car before, but nasty, nasty, nasty!

Flimsy, plastic, tatty, insubstantial, comfortable enough in the front but not in the back, not a patch on the Alhambra/Galaxy/Sharan (which are all the same vehicle).

I might see if I can find anyone who can do a diagnostic plug-in and then put it through an MOT just to find out.

Or I might start looking at 4x4s.


Edit: And thanks TRX, I haven't really looked at the Fords yet, don't know if I could cope with an estate car (I like the high driving position) but don't want a bus. Haven't seen an S-Max.

 

[TRXnMe]

Edit: And thanks TRX, I haven't really looked at the Fords yet, don't know if I could cope with an estate car (I like the high driving position) but don't want a bus. Haven't seen an S-Max.

The S-Max is a nice half way house between the Galaxy and the Mondeo, it's got the seats and high driving position of an MPV with the economy (most of it anyway) of the standard mondeo.

One of my colleagues has one and it does quite nicely as an all rounder.

 

[Duxuk]

We have a Mini Cooper, which we bought new 2 and a half years ago. We'll have lost around 8 grand in depreciation in that time. So I've persuaded Mrs Duxuk that we should buy a Jaguar S-Type, they're dirt cheap because of the naff styling. If we have to pay £2500 quid for a minter I'll be suprised. If we keep it a few years then depreciation becomes negligiable. The running costs are higher but are more than paid for by the deprecition we would have lost on another little car like a Mini.
So I get to drive a big, fast luxury car and save money. We did it before with a Jaguar XJS. It drove like a dream and all in all was not an expensive option.
BTW the dealer wanted over £700 to do the Mini brakes after 30,000 miles when the light came on. That's the standard rate at any Mini dealer. I did it myself for around £70. It stops, like it always did :thumb: They won't tell you how to turn the service lights out, but I found out anyway!

 

[Ceejay]

My Dad has driven Diesel Estate Mondeo's for about 15 years or so now, ever since my brother decided he wanted to play the Tuba! They're massive inside, the engines and handling are great and pretty cheap to fix as well due to the abundance of parts. They're cheap to buy too. I bought my first Focus this year, and I love it. The 1.8 TDCi Duratorq engine is fantastic.

 

[31bb3]

saab estate nice style basically vectra easy enough for spares loads of room I helped brother in law move house with it. 1.9 tdi you will get around 45 to the gallon round town

 

[Maffa]

If you're up for a high seated people carrier, maybe consider a Toyota Lucida (emina). A big 8 seater where the middle seats can swivel to face front or rear. All seats fold down to create a huge double bed. I had a very old 1994 one and ended up ruining the suspension with large trips to the tip

But as a workhorse it was fanastic for 10 years, very easy to service yourself - a full kit from ebay (less oil) for £15.
Drawbacks:
its an import and some insurance companies won't insure it
MPG wasn't great, but I'm sure if you get a much newer one it should be much better

 

[stevie1556]

My dad has a Galaxy, lovely to drive and he gets good MPG with it. Cheap parts to service it as well!

 

[Moley]

Blimey, I thought this topic had vanished into obscurity but I log on and find loads of replies, thanks.

To Stevie: The Galaxy, Alhambra and Sharan are all pretty much the same cars and all come from the same factory, just different badges and levels of trim.

Anyway, I went to a garage yesterday afternoon, had a look at Mondeo and Pug 407 estates, quite liked the S-Max, and then another Alhambra.

Looked it over (and under), sat in it, took it round the block, bought it.

I'm not sure if that's brand loyalty, customer satisfaction or a lack of imagination.

 

[RokDok]

After TST thought you might have been up for a Vossymobile RD

 

[Chippy_Tea]

A mate at work has one of these and he said you can pick them up really cheap, i have driven it and as it says below you get a lot of car for your cash.

Renault Laguna Estate (07 - 12)

For The Laguna has low running costs, is well equipped and comes with a good safety record. You get a lot of car for your cash

Against An overly firm ride makes the Renault's ride too uncomfortable on poor surfaces, while road noise can also intrude. The boor isn't the biggest, either.

Verdict Verdict Capable and likeable – the Laguna isn't the best family estate, but it's worth the money.

Go for… 2.0 dCi 130 Dynamique

 

[joe1002]

Go for… 2.0 dCi 130 Dynamique

Erm, Moley bought the Alhambra, per his post above :thumb:

 

[Goat Boy]

Ha ha
Chop that family wagon in for an old vw Corrado. By far and away the least reliable of any VAG car ever made but I'd have ten of the rusty funky *******s over a real car any day.

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

I know you have already bought a car, but I thought I would put my 2 penneth in...

A Landrover 110 everyday of the week

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I know you have already bought a car, but I thought I would put my 2 penneth in...

A Landrover 110 everyday of the week

And a 101 Forward Control for the weekend.

I could easily get a double airbed in mine for camping.

 

[Moley]

I know you have already bought a car, but I thought I would put my 2 penneth in...

A Landrover 110 everyday of the week

The word is pennorth, a contraction of pennyworth

I really like the 110, but do they class as cars or commercials, what are the road tax brackets and isn't the fuel consumption rubbish?

Switching insurance between cars and commercials can be a pain.

As I said above, I like a high driving position. That probably comes from owning a Hi-Lux, a Hi-Ace and a Transit, which got stolen and written off. I heard it start up, looked out the window and saw it drive off, chased it in the wife's car (barefoot and in a bath robe) and gave the police a running commentary until they joined and took over the pursuit. The b4$tard carried on driving it on 3 wheels after they used a stinger and completely trashed it. Got a slap on the wrists and 100 hrs community service. :twisted:

 

[dennisking]

Got a slap on the wrists and 100 hrs community service. :twisted:

And you probably got a rise in your insurance premium. :evil:

 

[joe1002]

That probably comes from owning a Hi-Lux, a Hi-Ace and a Transit, which got stolen and written off. I heard it start up, looked out the window and saw it drive off, chased it in the wife's car (barefoot and in a bath robe) and gave the police a running commentary until they joined and took over the pursuit. The b4$tard carried on driving it on 3 wheels after they used a stinger and completely trashed it. Got a slap on the wrists and 100 hrs community service. :twisted:

Little b******s :evil: