Family + dog car

[ryry3]

philmots said:

My E61 5 series easily swallowed pushchair and Labrador. With plenty of room left over.

Thanks for the info, quick look online and the boot is 560L any ideas if thats right for your model?

I have choped and changed my mind, but looking more into things today, I would say I'm going to look at an estate. SUV is going to be more costly to buy and run and my budget can only really look at an ix35 to tick the boxes. MPV I feel is maybe going just that too big, we dont holiday in the UK, or go over 10k a year milage so I think this may be too big.

Estate seems to tick the boxes more, I would prob opt for the passat but my budget prob wont allow, so Im going to prob keep an eye out for a good deal on a passat or honda if one comes along, if not my choice will be between the i30, i40, auris and astra based on cost, petrol engines available more

VW Passat - 650 L

Honda civic - 624 L

Hyundai i40 - 553 L

Vauxhall Astra NEW - 540 L

Toyota Auris - 530 L

Hyundai i30 - 528 L

[ryry3]

Chester draws said:

Have you been looking for this car since June last year??

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Apologies if it's not you.. No probs with the new thread if it is!

If not, another 4 pages of suggestions for a chap in a very similar situation to you.

Yeah I looked into thsi last year then decided to run the car another year to pay if off fully, and see how we managed with the new bab, so never looked into it further, now its time to buy

[ryry3]

phib said:

Certainly not an A6 Avant ... my money would be on a discovery


Phib

Edited by phib on Wednesday 27th July 11:50

Im suprised at that as the boot on the A6 is 565 L, photo just really shows you better. Although I think it would manage, and pushchair will be gone in 18 months

[ryry3]

MYOB said:

You can't beat estate cars in terms of boot space. We have 2 kids and 2 dogs and we never found a SUV with suitable boot space. We have found Volvos are unbeatable... Not so much as having the biggest boot space, but certainly the most possible practical.

Before the kids, we had a v50. When we had the pushchairs and everything, we had a V70. Now we have the v60 which when looking at the figures, has a small boot. But it's bigger than the figures allude to. Can't beat Volvos!

The V70 is a good size at 575 L, its not a car maker I've ever had any dealings with, I dont even think I've been inside a Volvo. This is why I suppose I've not looked into it, just never had any expereinces or no anyone that has

[ryry3]

phib said:

I think its the sloping design / rear window that causes the issue, its not that useable.

Fortunately we only need the space for the Dog, trying to find a cage that fitted was a nightmare and its actually not that big cage

Phib

Yeah the slop is an issue, we dont have a cage, we were just going to use a divider 50/50 or maybe 60/40 in favour of the dog, depending on what works

[ryry3]

MYOB said:

A lot of people are missing out on Volvos! Granted, they are not "dynamic" in terms of driving. But they are very nice and family friendly. But their biggest USP, is their comfort. Utterly unbeatable for long distance driving and lugging load.

Quick look and looks to be over budget for me... the joys of running 2 cars

[ryry3]

MYOB said:

Even the v50s any 60s?

The 60 is smaller boot at 460 L, not got a review of the 50s

[ryry3]

MYOB said:

Don't get hang up on the capacity figure for the cars. You need to look at them and see how practical the boot is.

We came close to buying a passat on a few occasions as their boots are huge! However, each time, something held me back from buying.

Yeah I am going this weekend to have a look at the shortlist on the boot practicality to see what is best

[ryry3]

I went to have a look today and came up with a something that wasn't on the list Toyota Verso and Avensis estate

From the list the i40 estate was nice ans smax

Only car is didnt manage to see was the Honda Civic estate

I think it might be between the verso and i40

[ryry3]

Went back today for a 2nd look at i30, i40 and verso and a test drive of the i30. Both the i30 and verso would do the job, verso is prob more practical all round for us, but a bit pricey for what they are, a slightly bigger boot and I'd be sold, but the boot is big enough the way it is shaped.

The other issue now, is justifying a diesel. I looked at my millage in my current hackback over the last 4 years and its about 8k a year. In saying that if we had a bigger car and get get what we need in with the dog then we would definitely go further a field that what we do but 2-3k more I'm not too sure.

Really needing about min 10k a year to run a diesel well enough, my work journey is 4 days a week 25 mile round trip on an A road, hardly ever really on the motorway, the odd journey here and there.

The problem is with the i30 and verso the petrol's doing get great reviews, bigger cars 1.6 engine is going to eat petrol.

[ryry3]

jock mcsporran said:

Did you drive the i40?

We tried an ix35 and a c-max when we were looking for the wife. Ended up going for the c-max as the seats in the ix had me in agony after 30 miles. Just couldn't get them comfy. With the Ford I'm happy doing 800 mile days when we go to italy.

I never drove the i40, although I prefer it over the i30 just for looks, the i40 only comes in a 1.7 diesel, and also my wife found it a lot bigger. On paper there isnt much different but sit in it and there is a big difference, feels a lot bigger.

We also hated the ix35, just horrible inside. Looked at the c-max grand but I did prefer the verso, might be just because I drive a Toyota just now. I also wasnt a fan of the slide doors on the cmax grand, is it the grand you have how do you find the doors?

[ryry3]

KTF said:

Have you looked at the Ceed estate? Twin to the i30.

I have but just prefer the i30, never managed to compare them in the same place side by side

[ryry3]

MYOB said:

We had a mad moment and bought a new verso thinking it was practical with the kids, pushchairs and dogs. Well, that it was, but my, what a bore it was to drive and we missed the sense of having a "luxury" car. We got rid of it quite sharpish.

If you don't enjoy the experience of driving, yes it's a good practical car!

Yeah I am expecting no thrills but for the next 3 years it will do the practical job for what I need it. Once buggies are out the way and childcare is not costing the same as a second mortgage, then I can look for a more enjoyable drive and better style

[ryry3]

Anyone got any advice on my diesel/petrol issue? I need and estate or MPV, currently do 7.5k a year, likely to increase with a bigger car but still under 10k

E.g verso 1.6 in both diesel and petrol, diesel about £1.5-2k more to buy, but is a verso going to run well on a 1.6 pertol, I doubt it, but is my milage going to cause problems with the Diesel engine

Edited by ryry3 on Monday 1st August 15:40

[ryry3]

LasseV said:

We have a samekind of problem and we are going to change our BMW to either Auris or Avensis Tourer. They both have a huge booth. 2 Golden retrievers and quite a lot of luggage will fit to the booth if you have room divider. You have to have a leather interior tho. Those hairs doesn't get off from clothes...

No we have to decide which is better car to us. Hybrid or 1.8 automatic.

Avensis is a lot bigger when you see them side by side, I would choose that if budget allows and especially with 2 dogs. I prefered the i30 over the auris, the i40 is also nice and same size as avensis.

If its just between those 2 I would choose avensis over auris

[ryry3]

LasseV said:

Can you get a Verso with 1.8 automatic? It does go well with good mpg in Avensis. 1.6 in a big'ish car is quite small, being diesel doesn't help at all.

I am after a manual, just dont like automatics

[ryry3]

ryry3 said:

Anyone got any advice on my diesel/petrol issue? I need and estate or MPV, currently do 7.5k a year, likely to increase with a bigger car but still under 10k

E.g verso 1.6 in both diesel and petrol, diesel about £1.5-2k more to buy, but is a verso going to run well on a 1.6 pertol, I doubt it, but is my milage going to cause problems with the Diesel engine

Edited by ryry3 on Monday 1st August 15:40

[ryry3]

LasseV said:

Auris booth is not that much more smaller than Avensis, only 20 litres or so in basic form. It is smaller of course when you flip rear seats. You should go to test drive that facelifted Auris, it was genuinely good car and on par i30 or 308 and so on. IMO of course.

New Avensis is a great car for sure. It is better on long journeys than our BMW and it can tow quite a lot. 1.8 multidrive Tourer with leather interior is quite expensive tho...

I do like the look of the Auris over the i30, but overall liked the i30 more that said I wouldn't rul out an Auris. The choice in diesel is only 1.4 so i30 would be better but if petrol I would prob go with the 1.6 petrol over the i30.

Need to look more into hybrid

[ryry3]

Anyone got any advice on my diesel/petrol issue? I need and estate or MPV, currently do 7.5k a year, likely to increase with a bigger car but still under 10k

E.g verso 1.6 in both diesel and petrol, diesel about £1.5-2k more to buy, but is a verso going to run well on a 1.6 pertol, I doubt it, but is my milage going to cause problems with the Diesel engine

[ryry3]

I've always ruled out a french car, as I have never heard a good thing about them always just stay clear, but I have came across the Citroen C4 Picasso, which get great reviews, boot is alot bigger than the verso, looks ideal, But petrol are basically scarce, so would need to be a diesel.

Estates/MPV/SUV are mainly targeted to families, and most on the market for sale are diesel, I cant believe every family who has these cover the mileage to justify.