£15k for fast family car

[blearyeyedboy]

Dear PHers,

I need some inspiration. I have a budget of £15,000 to purchase a used vehicle.

It needs to carry two adults, up to 2 children and their paraphernalia, and have a boot that's big enough for a small to medium sized dog. (Dog doesn't exist yet but we'd like it to in the next year or so; thinking cocker spaniel sized.)

I'd still like it to be passable fun. Because I do about 10,000-12,000 miles per annum and a fair bit of stop-start, petrol makes more sense than diesel.

I'd like something up to 4-5 years old and the obvious choices would be a Mk3 Skoda Octavia vRS estate or a Focus ST estate.

Are there options I've not considered? Saloons won't work with the dog but by the time I've filled a boot with dog and luggage, might a hatch work?

Any dog owners able to share ways they make non-estates work?

Many thanks,

Blearyeyedboy

[blearyeyedboy]

DSLiverpool said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=519...

Just bought a 3.0 older one and I love it

No, I'm good thanks.

[blearyeyedboy]

ZX10R NIN said:

I'd say the Mondeo Titanium X Sport is more than worth a look with 240bhp as well as being a better steer than the VRS plus being loaded with just as much equipment.

Interesting thought, thank you.

[blearyeyedboy]

Bump thread.

Still looking. Saw a nice Renault Megane estate today- the detuned 220bhp ones that have been vaguely parked near the Renaultsport department at some point... Mind you, the suspension's been fiddled with so I thought I'd have a look.

It's not as quick as other cars I've looked at but it had a long warranty left so I thought I'd have a look.

... And was surprised that the child seat was a significant squeeze. It just about fits with an ISOFIX mount but it's such a squeeze that I know it'd annoy me. I didn't even take it for a drive. I didn't want to waste the salesman's time joy riding something I knew I wasn't going to buy.

So the search continues.

[blearyeyedboy]

ZX10R NIN said:

I have to say it looks smart low miles & a chunk of warranty left.


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

Also take a look at these I drove one the other day & it was a decent drive:

2015 200bhp Peugeot 508 GT 2 years Warranty left

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

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Friday 14th October 23:49

That's the one. A bit over what Glass' would suggest but with light haggling could be a good buy for someone.

If anyone's reading this though, the outside edges of the front tyres are worn out of proportion, making me think it's been driven hard for its brief life so far. Wouldn't totally put me off but I'd look closely...

The Pug looks nice but I do a lot of stop start driving and I'd clog up a DPF in a short while. Petrol for me, thanks.

Edited by blearyeyedboy on Sunday 16th October 11:52

[blearyeyedboy]

jimreed said:

Try this: http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...

I fit two dogs in mine.

Sorry, link doesn't work.

[blearyeyedboy]

^ Interesting, thanks.

Man flu stopped play this weekend so I'll have another look when able. I'm thinking that the Focus will be what I want. The Focus was nice to drive when I tried one, but the one I tried wasn't the right money and there were question marks about a possible crash history, so I walked from it. I could easily see myself in a Focus.

I've found myself looking at Octavias more and more. The main reason I'd not gone for an Octavia previously is because I'd driven a Mk2 hatch for 7 years and fancy a change. However, when I looked at the mix of value, pace, modernity and space it remains a decent option, and trying something worse for the sake of being different would be a bit silly. I haven't driven the Mk3 Octavia yet though, so it'd be interesting to try one before committing myself to a Focus.

Certainly blearyeyedgirl prefers the Octavia estate to the Focus... but she has a lower tolerance for the Focus' "Essex-style charms" than I do.

As a left-field option... I know that a Volvo V60 will be as much fun as completing a tax return, but my god, it's such a comfy place to sit! I'm left with an existential crisis: I'd always thought of myself as a petrol-head who wants a fun car to drive but I'm now left wondering about my priorities. With a child on the way and most of my driving being A14/M11 commutes, I do wonder how much I'll appreciate comfy seats and 47 million airbags more than a fun steer... Perhaps I could temper that by finding a T5 for a bit of Ecoboost charm (the T6 being too expensive to run for me) but they're rare as hen's teeth.

If I get a V60, I'll hand in my PH card on the way out...

[blearyeyedboy]

IanCress said:

I had a V60, and as long as you class them as a small estate they're fine. Plenty of space for my medium sized dog.

I wanted a T5 but as you say they are very rare (I've seen 2 manual T5's advertised on Autotrader in the past 2 years), so I ended up getting the T4. Should have held out for a T5, as the T4 hides its 180bhp very well.

They drive better than you think though, I was reasonably impressed with the handling for the size of car. The downside is the ride quality isn't what you would expect of a Volvo family car, being a little too stiff.

Thanks, That's helpful to know. I'm surprised about the ride. Which version did you have (R Design or other?).

[blearyeyedboy]

PomBstard said:

I thought the same about 18 months ago and bought a V70 T6 - AWD, near 300bhp and apparently comfy seats. Couldn't wait to shift it 8 months later- just so dull. A V60 might be less dull but, jeez, I couldn't do it.

Left field - how about a Forester XT - 2013-on are plenty big enough, though I've no idea about UK prices.

Thanks, but 2013+ Foresters are jut out of reach. (Nearer £17-18k, I think except for ones with high mileages. I can't stretch to that budget.) Interesting thought though.

Hmm... I wonder what Outbacks go for...

[blearyeyedboy]

Vroom101 said:

Have you driven the Focus or Mondeo?

Driven a Focus (nice, but deal want right so I'm still looking). Not driven a Mondeo since a diesel Mk2 owned by my mum. I would seriously consider that, thank you.

I grew up with Fords and would be quite happy with one on my drive, like a lot of my street in fact. Chav comments purely tongue in cheek- I grew up in inner city Cardiff, which makes most of Basildon look posh!

[blearyeyedboy]

Done the deed!

After years of driving a Skoda... I've bought another!

Octavia VRS petrol estate, black pack and navigation and a few other toys.

In case anyone else is considering the same: It's not quite as much fun as the Focus but there really isn't that much in it- in spite of these hype that surrounds these cars, let's face it, they're both heavy FWD estates with electric powered steering, and they're not going to drive like Caterhams. But the Octavia gives you a nice environment to be in, seats aside (which are only OK rather than instantly fab like some rivals). But what surprises me is that it's the Focus that feels like a last century interior. The Octavia was a good place to spend a few hours coming home, even on the M25. It's a good car to do a long trip in. I know that a lot of people don't like driver aids and Lane Assist but I haven't found it that intrusive when I tried it. (Perhaps my lane discipline's good anyway!)

Heated seats, lots of space in the back and powered tailgate all meet with blearyeyedgirl's approval. This is a Very Good Thing. :-)

I spent a lot of time not seriously considering the Skoda because I didn't want something too much like my old car... but I was genuinely chuffed at what I could get. Sometimes there's a reason why the obvious choice is the obvious choice!

(Edits for fat finger typing moments last night!)

Edited by blearyeyedboy on Saturday 22 October 10:32

[blearyeyedboy]

^ I have no image problem with either.

[blearyeyedboy]

^ Thanks!

I'm pretty brand agnostic. This particular car has a similar vibe to a Volvo 850 T5 (if not its lovely engine sound, sadly). That's a good thing- it's sensible enough, and silly enough.

[blearyeyedboy]

Thanks ZX10R NIN