What car - 2 adults, 1 child, 1 Labrador, no money!

What car - 2 adults, 1 child, 1 Labrador, no money!

Author
Discussion

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
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First of all, a couple of weeks back we got ourselves a rescue dog. He's a solid Lab cross (not sure what he is crossed with, suspicions tend towards Alsation) who LOVES going in the car. So much so that he's already jumped uninvited into our neighbours 4x4 and tried to climb into a school bus! He's awesome.

We'd like to head out to a cottage or such like in the summer which would mean taking clothes and paraphernalia for three plus his doggy highness. Requirements are:
1. Able to transport 3 humans, dog and clothing
2. Not a big estate due to parking issues in daily life
3. Budget at 1k mark! (see point 1)

So far had considered a Forester (as had Imprezas in past and love Scoobies) or Jazz due to clever seat folding set up. Not sure it would be big enough though. Any thoughts? Should i be considering a "small" estate - e.g. 206 SW. And am I doomed to be thoroughly bored driving from now on? frown


Tyre Tread

10,534 posts

216 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
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The Jazz will swallow far more than you think.

Uncle John

4,283 posts

191 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
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I'd be looking at an older Audi A4 Avant petrol. A well looked after one should have plenty of life left.

In a similar situation to you a few years back I bought an Audi 80 Avant and it was a great car.

aizvara

2,051 posts

167 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
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Depending on age/size of child or dog (whoever you'd prefer in the middle front seat), think about a Honda FRV. Three seats across the front, three seats across the back, and a usable boot too if you don't want to fold everything down in the back. And it is the length of a normal hatchback; easy to park and drive around town.

gifdy

2,069 posts

241 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
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Might not fit the bill in terms of size but I'll be offloading my shed (Subaru Outback 2001) for well below your budget. I mean well below ! It ain't pretty but it's a brilliant workhorse and we love it. In hants. Drop me PM if interested.

gifdy

2,069 posts

241 months

Wednesday 22nd April 2015
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Extra discount if you bring the dog round for my daughter to see. She loves doggies !

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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aizvara said:
Honda FRV
Love the idea but would have to more than double my budget! The Multipla has same trick I believe?

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
quotequote all
Tyre Tread said:
The Jazz will swallow far more than you think.
That's what I thought - know the rear seats can fold in unusual ways which means dog could stay in "footwell" with boot crammed with our paraphenalia.

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
quotequote all
gifdy said:
Extra discount if you bring the dog round for my daughter to see. She loves doggies !
Tempting - need to check size as have to park on VERY busy streets near work. Scoobies rock!

Gratuitous dog pic from Blue Cross site here:


mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
quotequote all
In which case might get an ambulance and just ring 999 when I need a lift!

Seek

1,169 posts

200 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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mikeyr said:
1. Able to transport 3 humans, dog and clothing
Check

mikeyr said:
2. Not a big estate due to parking issues in daily life
Check

mikeyr said:
3. Budget at 1k mark! (see point 1)
Check. Tickets available from a handful of change upwards

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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Typical bus post - none for ages then two arrive at same time...

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
quotequote all
Should add that my last post was much funnier when there were two duplicate posts about buses. tumbleweed

aizvara

2,051 posts

167 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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mikeyr said:
Love the idea but would have to more than double my budget! The Multipla has same trick I believe?
Yes, sorry missed the point about the budget! I expect the Multipla has a lot more "character"; both the positive and negative kind.


gifdy

2,069 posts

241 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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mikeyr said:
gifdy said:
Extra discount if you bring the dog round for my daughter to see. She loves doggies !
Tempting - need to check size as have to park on VERY busy streets near work. Scoobies rock!

Gratuitous dog pic from Blue Cross site here:

Sure - let me know. On the plus side, you're not going to care if someone bumps into it if it's tightly parked ! Awesome thing - it was my bangernomics experiment which was meant to be for a year but we've had it three and has taken us to the Alps skiing and back and forward to North Scotland.

Mind you, I'm having second thoughts. If you turn up with that gorgeous hound, I'm not going to hear the last of it. She's already bugging me to get a dog...this will just increase the pressure smile

TwistingMyMelon

6,385 posts

205 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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I had an 04 Civic for a bit as a stop gap, it got the four of us and two dogs down to Cornwall easily enough and was a great city car, you will probably get a better civic that a Jazz of the money

Was a bloody tardis inside, you can put the dog in the boot, child in back and all your stuff in back/and/or roofbox if needed

Plus with parking sensors it was a piece of wee to park, as you could easily see each corner

Nothing ever went wrong with the car!

Patch1875

4,894 posts

132 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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Citroen Picasso.

Tyre Tread

10,534 posts

216 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
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Just on the Jazz thing. I have owned two.

I bought one brand new when they came out in 2002. Sold it to my sis in law 2 years later with 66K miles on it - absolutely faultless. She kept it until 2 years ago and at 100K miles (and a gatepost rear quarter interface later) gave it to my other brother who still has it at 120K miles - only used consumables and a gearbox issue which is well documented plus the ABS block died but both issues are one offs and once sorted they are fine.

Sis in law replaced Jazz with.... a newer Jazz.

I owned a later Jazz as well, post 2008 face lift. Nowhere near as good as they are too heavy and filled with extra "stuff"

The earlier ones are definitely better and will swallow enourmous loads. I had two full size filing cabinets in mine on one occasion and took four adults to airports with luggage on several occasions.

The insides are hard wearing too and the flip up "magic seats" really do make for a versatile load space.

They aren't the fastest things on earth but there is fun to be had and they are frugal - used to regularly achieve 50 mpg on my commute on the earlier car - definitely choose a 1.4 (1339cc) as the 1.2 is yuck


mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
quotequote all
TwistingMyMelon said:
04 Civic
Good shout - about the max size am after really. Do they do the clever rear seat trick too?

mikeyr

Original Poster:

3,118 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd April 2015
quotequote all
Tyre Tread said:
Jazzy stuff!
I do have a soft spot for them - I'm resigned that none of the cars I'm looking at will give any driving pleasure - and if can get on one budget and they are reliable then that's a bonus.

Keep the suggestions coming guys!