Car for 3 toddlers - opinions needed

[bramston21]

Morning all..

need to look at upgrading the car from the current one, to one that will fit 3 toddlers / babies, and also the capacity to carry an extra adult (MinL).. was looking for some ideas, opinions from your good selves...

Currently we have a Skoda Octavia VRS - which is awesome - but it won't fit 3 'seats' in it, and there's no room for another adult (as well as 2 in the front)...

So, we have:

- 10k budget.
- mainly used for short trips around town, but will be used for longer trips down to the West Country (family & holidays)
- we have a roof box, and this will be used on the 'new' car.
- My wife has only recently passed her test (18 months ago), so there's an issue re 'expensive' insurance (we're in London), but i think that's going to be a case regardless.
- looking for 3 rows of seats or 2 rows, with the option of a 3rd when required.
- as much as i'd like to get a 'van' that's not an option currently..
- open to look at 4x4s / MPVs / big estate cars.

EDIT - approx 6-8k miles per year.

So, what suggestions do y'all have..?

thanks guys!

A.

Edited by bramston21 on Tuesday 14th February 10:57

[ZX10R NIN]

Take a look at the Multimac system, this way you can save some money & you keep the car you're happy with.

Here's the link:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...

If that doesn't work for you then a petrol MPV will hit the mark:

2014 Mazda5 Sport Venture 37k 150bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2010 S Max 2.0T Titanium 43k 200bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Tuesday 14th February 18:25

[Plug Life]

What about a McLaren F1 and you follow them in another car?

[bramston21]

ZX10R NIN said:

Take a look at the Multimac system, this way you can save some money & you keep the car you're happy with.

Here's the link:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...

If that doesn't work for you then a petrol MPV will hit the mark:

2014 Mazda5 Sport Venture 37k 150bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2010 S Max 2.0T Titanium 43k 200bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Tuesday 14th February 18:25

Thanks, that's great - and have looked at it - but it won't solve this problem of having extra seats for Grandparents etc...

[bramston21]

DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.

HA!

I am fighting a losing battle - but i cant accept that i'll need to buy one of those MPVs.... that's like the final admission that i am middle aged person......?!!!??!!?

I really dont want to get one. (but saying that when i lived in France i used to have a massive Espace - perfect for hauling kit up and down from the mountains....

[bramston21]

So had a gander online, and have made a shortlist.

XC90.
Disco.
S-Max.

1st 2 are probably not the most economical option - however they solve the issue of the extra seats (when required), and are safe a bricks for the kids etc. From what i read the XC90 would seem to be better, and open to less potential 'tech' issues - 10k should buy a decent one that been well looked after.

S-Max - would prob be sensible, but... it's an MPV

Anything else i've missed from this list?

thanks for all your comments / suggestions.

A

[BoRED S2upid]

So 3 adults AND 3 toddlers with seats? Black cab? You can't have a 7 seat estate as the kids or MIL would be in the boot not ideal your going to need something huge or with 3 seats up front.

[bramston21]

BoRED S2upid said:

So 3 adults AND 3 toddlers with seats? Black cab? You can't have a 7 seat estate as the kids or MIL would be in the boot not ideal your going to need something huge or with 3 seats up front.

so effectively there will always be 5 - my wife and i up front, and then 3 little ones - in seats. There will be instances when there will be another adult kicking around (MiL, brother, sister etc) so i need to find a solution for this.

Reason i was looking at the Disco and the XC90 is that they both can take 3 kids in the middle row - and then have (what seem to be) very decent seats in the boot that can be utilized as / when required. Can either move the eldest (4 yo) to one of those, and stick the 'other adult' in the middle, or the adult in the back.

That's my thought process. Is that correct / do-able? From what' i have seen - it is, but please tell me if anyone has this issue?

Of course - the VW van might we be ideal (i would love that) but not sure my wife would feel comfortable driving around in a big FO van!

2nd car not really an option as don't want all the hassles / extra expenses that go with it.

[BoRED S2upid]

bramston21 said:

BoRED S2upid said:

So 3 adults AND 3 toddlers with seats? Black cab? You can't have a 7 seat estate as the kids or MIL would be in the boot not ideal your going to need something huge or with 3 seats up front.

so effectively there will always be 5 - my wife and i up front, and then 3 little ones - in seats. There will be instances when there will be another adult kicking around (MiL, brother, sister etc) so i need to find a solution for this.

Reason i was looking at the Disco and the XC90 is that they both can take 3 kids in the middle row - and then have (what seem to be) very decent seats in the boot that can be utilized as / when required. Can either move the eldest (4 yo) to one of those, and stick the 'other adult' in the middle, or the adult in the back.

That's my thought process. Is that correct / do-able? From what' i have seen - it is, but please tell me if anyone has this issue?

Of course - the VW van might we be ideal (i would love that) but not sure my wife would feel comfortable driving around in a big FO van!

2nd car not really an option as don't want all the hassles / extra expenses that go with it.

4 yo in the boot might be ok they would love it but what about the new car seat regs they have to be in a booster seat until they can drive it themselves do they work in the temporary seats in the boot? MIL or other adult in the boot seats I'm not so sure of.

[MorganP104]

How about a Honda FR-V?

Nice and wide (three across the front seat, three across the back), and as they are now out of production, cheap enough, too.

Being a Honda, it'll likely never break, either.

My brother in law ran one for a few years, and it never gave him any trouble, despite his wife having absolutely no mechanical sympathy, and a penchant for scraping the corners on anything she could find.

[DKL]

LWB Merc R class. 6 seats.
Everything from a 250d to a 6.3 fire breathing petrol. Late model R500 with 400bhp seems the best compromise

[bramston21]

thanks for the suggestions - had a look at them either in person or online; Merc looks good, but hard to find, and i can't see my wife being able to handle / park a car that long.

however given that i want 'proper' seats in the back, i think we're going to have to go down the route of either the Disco or the XC90, as they seem to be the cars with the best write ups / reviews for this particular scenario.

So - anyone got any pro's / con's on each of those, will 10k (and a dose of common sense) be enough to buy a decent one of them?

thanks guys - appreciate the input from y'all..

A.

[ZX10R NIN]

Just be careful with the XC90's they seem to have small niggly faults that cost a bit to sort but common sense should see you finding a decent one, but I will say drive both the Disco/XC90 then go & drive the S Max (2.5T) you might be surprised at which one you want to be sat at the wheel of.

[Worzel]

We recently went through a similar loop when our twin boys were born and already had a 4 year old. We test drove the Q7, X5, Disco 4, XC90, VW Caravelle and the S-Max. The Caravelle was awesome and we nearly bought it as our 4 year old and my other half absolutely loved it, captains seats that swivelled, drop down screens and doors that slid open via key fob! In the end we went with a new Disco 4. I would say, however, that we were amazed at how high the S-Max came in our decision process. More room for 3 child seats across the back than the SUV options to be honest and I thought it drove really well. The S-Max may yet appear on the drive as a second car!

Personally, I'd be wary of a £10k disco based on the experience of friends.

HTH

Jon

[Burrito]

Been through exactly this process with exactly these cars (plus Caravellle) and ended up with the S-Max.

It's wasn't my first choice, but it was the wife's. Whilst it's a large car, it does drive okay, and doesn't feel huge like the SUVs and the VW feels like a van still. And to be honest, I've grown to like the convenience of all the space.

Excepting the faulty boot switch (£35 quid to replace) ours has been faultless for 2 years.