Have I hit my mid life crisis? Want 7 seater with some cred.
Discussion
If you have four or five children, and a significant other, you need a seven seater.
If you have three or less children, you need a five seater.
If you have three or less children and buy a seven seater, you'll be pestered for lifts by parents who want you to ferry their offspring to tedious events whilst they go to the pub.
Don't do it, unless you really need to.....
If you have three or less children, you need a five seater.
If you have three or less children and buy a seven seater, you'll be pestered for lifts by parents who want you to ferry their offspring to tedious events whilst they go to the pub.
Don't do it, unless you really need to.....
for £5000
Has to be a V8 Discovery..
Look here's one
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Or how about a smart Mercedes E Class Estate with a decent sized engine..this one's diesel but look out for a big petrol engine
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Or when I'm in the USA I see lots of these about... looks like a Range Rover/ Mini Love Child... its called the Flex and is massive and kind of cool... import and be different
Has to be a V8 Discovery..
Look here's one
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Or how about a smart Mercedes E Class Estate with a decent sized engine..this one's diesel but look out for a big petrol engine
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Or when I'm in the USA I see lots of these about... looks like a Range Rover/ Mini Love Child... its called the Flex and is massive and kind of cool... import and be different
mickyveloce said:
If you have four or five children, and a significant other, you need a seven seater.
If you have three or less children, you need a five seater.
If you have three or less children and buy a seven seater, you'll be pestered for lifts by parents who want you to ferry their offspring to tedious events whilst they go to the pub.
Don't do it, unless you really need to.....
This was my thinking when the third came along. Very rarely are all five of us going to the same place at the same time. Number of times I've needed more than 5 seats = 0. Even when family members come to stay, it all works fine - usually shuttling kids around anyway. If you have three or less children, you need a five seater.
If you have three or less children and buy a seven seater, you'll be pestered for lifts by parents who want you to ferry their offspring to tedious events whilst they go to the pub.
Don't do it, unless you really need to.....
We've plenty of friends with 2 or 3 kids and a 7-seater and the rear seats are not often used. BTW, their choices are XC90, Maxda CX9, Subaru Tribeca, Toyota Kluger. Not a sporty drive amongst them. My choice, should it ever get to this, would be an XC90 V8 - b
ks to handling finesse, might just as well have a V8 and be done with.Our Citroen is the C4 Grand Picasso 1.6 8 valve Diesel.2013 Model.I like this one better than the latest Citroen matter of taste.
Enough room for my wifes wheelchair and the Granddaughter is our regular passenger.It is a motability car but I might buy it outright after the three year lease.I carry a spare tyre had the cradle fitted.I'm old fashioned but when I travel abroad you never know.Is is a space saver but there is enough room for a full size tyre underneath the car.
Very comfortable seats easy to drive the car has the six speed manual gearbox.A bit bouncy in town sometimes but the state of some of our roads don't help..On the M/Way the car is fine plenty of power to keep up with any traffic.About 50mpg which isn't bad.Not given up on live yet.>
Enough room for my wifes wheelchair and the Granddaughter is our regular passenger.It is a motability car but I might buy it outright after the three year lease.I carry a spare tyre had the cradle fitted.I'm old fashioned but when I travel abroad you never know.Is is a space saver but there is enough room for a full size tyre underneath the car.
Very comfortable seats easy to drive the car has the six speed manual gearbox.A bit bouncy in town sometimes but the state of some of our roads don't help..On the M/Way the car is fine plenty of power to keep up with any traffic.About 50mpg which isn't bad.Not given up on live yet.>
The OP's budget is only £5k, won't he struggle to get a decent S-Max at that price?
Mark 2 Zafira is an utterly fantastic family car, particularly if its lack of handling prowess doesn't bother you.
Mine has been completely reliable apart from all the things that have gone wrong with it....
Mark 2 Zafira is an utterly fantastic family car, particularly if its lack of handling prowess doesn't bother you.
Mine has been completely reliable apart from all the things that have gone wrong with it....
If it were me I wouldn't worry too much about getting something that is fun to drive etc. Just get something that does its job well and doesn't let you down. Save the fun for your other car.
I would look at something like this . Under 5k ( 54k miles ) , Solidly reliable , looks comfy and ok for what it is.
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/WgN0pCAH.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/GMiKb17E" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/GMiKb17E.jpg)
#
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MITSUBISHI-GRANDIS-2-4-A...
I would look at something like this . Under 5k ( 54k miles ) , Solidly reliable , looks comfy and ok for what it is.
#http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MITSUBISHI-GRANDIS-2-4-A...
mickyveloce said:
If you have four or five children, and a significant other, you need a seven seater.
If you have three or less children, you need a five seater.
If you have three or less children and buy a seven seater, you'll be pestered for lifts by parents who want you to ferry their offspring to tedious events whilst they go to the pub.
Don't do it, unless you really need to.....
The OP has already explained what he wants. If you have three or less children, you need a five seater.
If you have three or less children and buy a seven seater, you'll be pestered for lifts by parents who want you to ferry their offspring to tedious events whilst they go to the pub.
Don't do it, unless you really need to.....
The only issue is to get something reasonable for £5k or less.
Suggestions of personal imports of recent US models and gas guzzling V8 4x4s are a bit pointless given that the OP clearly does not have deep pockets for the initial purchase or fuel bills.
FWIW, I have 3 kids and a 7 seater - it's rare that all 7 seats are occupied, but 6 seats often are, and as the kids get older and bigger they appreciate the room to spread out. The OP has already explained that he needs the space for kids, dog + bikes.
In which case, I think the options are:
Galaxy/Shalambra Mk2
Honda FRV
Mazda 5
Fiat Multipla
Mitsubishi Grandis
AFAIK the VW Touran, Citroen Grand Picasso and Renault Scenic have significant build quality/reliability problems that would put me off considering one of the sort of vintage that £5k could buy.
AndrewCrown said:
http://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/ford_flex...
k-ink said:
It's not at all. It's about trying to be American. Supersize meals. Supersize family. Supersize fat bus transport.
Dumbest post of the week.Check out the footprint of most MPVs versus an equivalent hatchback/estate. I think you wil find there is hardly any difference between, say, a Galaxy and a Mondeo, or a Renault Scenic versus a Renault Megane.
We picked up an 2007 2.5t S-Max Titanium bus for 5.5k with 64k miles 6 months back. 3rd child meant we couldn't successfully fit 3 car seats in the back of the 5 series.
It is what it is to drive; a bus with slightly better handling than other people carriers but enough grunt to be mildly entertaining. The 5 pot Volvo lump is a gem of an engine, if you need the extra seats / space on a 5k budget nothing else really comes close.
It is what it is to drive; a bus with slightly better handling than other people carriers but enough grunt to be mildly entertaining. The 5 pot Volvo lump is a gem of an engine, if you need the extra seats / space on a 5k budget nothing else really comes close.
k-ink said:
oversize Americana
1.Same size (width/length) as other cars on the road - just slighly taller, and more vertical flanks from the window-line up.2. Not American - the MPV trend was started in Europe by Renault in the early 80's and followed on from other big family cars - Peugeot 504 Familiale, Citroen CX Safari etc, which were actually longer - American MPVs have never sold well over here, compared with the Euro offerings.
3. Mini - nice car, but modern safety standards mean you can no longer build a family car that size, plus they were never capable of taking kids, dog and bikes as the OP requires, unless you mean a Mini Clubman, a Jack Russell, a Brompton and kids under 9.
Thanks to all who have inputted. I agree that the seven seats will not be used often, but the available capacity would be useful.
I'm kind of agreeing with the comments made about the French cars may be a bit suspect at that price range. Not sure about a Discovery somewhat. Chap at work had one and was moaning that the floor was full of holes and the roof was leaking, still it was about an "R" reg.
Mid life crisis, maybe not, but would rather have something that looks like a large car rather than a van in disguise.
I was thinking S Max, but now there are a few more suggestions, I can look round a bit more. I tend to not really observe cars on the road and then once you identify one you want, then I see more about, does that sound strange?
One further question though...what does "Pussy Whipped" mean? Is it like a man under the thumb per se?
I'm kind of agreeing with the comments made about the French cars may be a bit suspect at that price range. Not sure about a Discovery somewhat. Chap at work had one and was moaning that the floor was full of holes and the roof was leaking, still it was about an "R" reg.
Mid life crisis, maybe not, but would rather have something that looks like a large car rather than a van in disguise.
I was thinking S Max, but now there are a few more suggestions, I can look round a bit more. I tend to not really observe cars on the road and then once you identify one you want, then I see more about, does that sound strange?
One further question though...what does "Pussy Whipped" mean? Is it like a man under the thumb per se?
Snollygoster said:
As others have said, there is no real sporty 7 seater.
So get the next best thing to restore those man points, and get a van. A Transporter Kombi Van if it's just the 5 of you. If you need 7, get a Caravelle.
VW Fanboy by any chance? So get the next best thing to restore those man points, and get a van. A Transporter Kombi Van if it's just the 5 of you. If you need 7, get a Caravelle.
The budget was 5k... so maybe not a great Caravelle eh?
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