Another New Car Thread - Family Car!!!!

[stevieb]

Well, as i will be a father of 4 later this year and there is no way that the impreza can accomodate all of us.

I am looking for a Rapid ish 7 seater..

So far i am looking at keeping the impreza and modifying it a bit, my original plan which i talk through with a tuner was to have around 450Bhp and similar torque but that was going to cost a bit more than i wanted..

So i am going to trade the impreza for a 4 seater Either 911, 968, or Cerbera and limited to 2500 miles per year..

Now the problem is that i need a reasonbly nice 7 seater..

Options are Volvo XC90, Subaru Tribeca, Landrover Discovery 2, or Merc ML possible an AMG variant

I have around 20k to fund this and the remaining going into the budget for my weekend toy..

What would you suggest!

[stevieb]

I have been looking at

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/356991.htm

and this for the weekends

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/212419.htm

Or this
But i need to get a payrise quickly!! and seeing Swernies one driving around has made me rethink what i want from a car!
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/359925.htm

[Dizeee]

What about an older X5 4.4 V8?

Otherwise an ML AMG should be esily achievable. I thought you were after a people carrier like a Zafira earlier, in which case the Zaf VXR would be ideal. Otherwise there is the new Renault and S Max but latter might be over budget as they are still quite new

[Rich VRS]

XC90 alwasy seems to get good reports however ive not driven one. i personally dont like the merc ml, and know one person who had a freelander as a company car lease and had major problems all through its life so would put me off the land rover (probably bit extreme of me but meh)

[stevieb]

Dizeee said:

What about an older X5 4.4 V8?

Otherwise an ML AMG should be esily achievable. I thought you were after a people carrier like a Zafira earlier, in which case the Zaf VXR would be ideal. Otherwise there is the new Renault and S Max but latter might be over budget as they are still quite new

X5 is only 5 seats, i am not going for the traditional people carrier the wife hates them and will not bee seen dead in one! But the wife likes the look of the mustang as well so drop kiddies off at school and then it will be off into the country with the mustang!

[stevieb]

Rich, likewise over the landrover reliability copncerns me! and the ML and Disco have no boot when the 6/7 seats are up!

There is a 4.4 v8 Volvo which is 7 seconds to 60 but costs a small furtune!

[Dizeee]

I would just make the kiddie walk and buy 2 cerb's

[stevieb]

Dizeee said:

I would just make the kiddie walk and buy 2 cerb's

Just in acse one breaks down!

Edited by stevieb on Monday 10th March 16:06

[Rich VRS]

the Volvo D5 engine is pretty good ive only driven with it in a S60 but its a good engine so would probably suit the XC90.

[Dave B S3]

I looked at n XC90 at the Boat Caravan and Dogging Show, and was very impressed, the S60 Rich VRS reffer's to is our Dad's D5 and I have to say I thrapped the Arse off of it to Le Man 07 (136mph fully loaded) never overtaken once and was very impressed with the over all performance.

The XC90 I saw was a Low mileage SE D5 55? plate from Vovlo Used £22K!!!

Lots of options I was mildly impressed for a 7 seater, then spend £500 on a remap and an Ex Volvo parts manager has told me they go like stink!!

My 2p

Dave

[stevieb]

Dave B S3 said:

I looked at n XC90 at the Boat Caravan and Dogging Show, and was very impressed, the S60 Rich VRS reffer's to is our Dad's D5 and I have to say I thrapped the Arse off of it to Le Man 07 (136mph fully loaded) never overtaken once and was very impressed with the over all performance.

The XC90 I saw was a Low mileage SE D5 55? plate from Vovlo Used £22K!!!

Lots of options I was mildly impressed for a 7 seater, then spend £500 on a remap and an Ex Volvo parts manager has told me they go like stink!!

My 2p

Dave

Remap, where can that be done???

[Rich VRS]

APS in brackley do it and if you have a look around there must be quite a few companies who can offer it like super chips and RICA seems to ring a bell.

[968CSReading]

My wife wants an XC90 but for the price of a 3-5yr old car with lots of miles you can have a nearly new Chevrolet Captiva LTX with all the kit and 7 seats.

They look really nice, just depends if you can live with the badge and depreciation. The Santda Fae is good value but the interior isnt the best.

[stevieb]

968CSReading said:

My wife wants an XC90 but for the price of a 3-5yr old car with lots of miles you can have a nearly new Chevrolet Captiva LTX with all the kit and 7 seats.

They look really nice, just depends if you can live with the badge and depreciation. The Santda Fae is good value but the interior isnt the best.

I have looked at the santafe, and the new deisgn is not that bad but the depreciation worries me as in 5 years time they are worth nothing... I ahve not look at the Chevrolet Captiva, but the wife prefers the badge!!!

[VerySideways]

Does it really need to be something so big?
Would an XC70 not do the trick?

Alternatively go for something completely different and get a VW Caravelle. Big enough to get 7 adults and a week's worth of luggage and surprisingly fun to drive, hold their value and are incredibly reliable.

[morebeanz]

VerySideways said:

Does it really need to be something so big?
Would an XC70 not do the trick?

Alternatively go for something completely different and get a VW Caravelle. Big enough to get 7 adults and a week's worth of luggage and surprisingly fun to drive, hold their value and are incredibly reliable.

A lot of the newer model estates no longer do seven seats because they expect to sell the 4x4 version instead. Audi no longer do an extra row in the A6, none in the V70 any more. Merc stopped offering them in the new M class because they had the R class.

I'm not sure any of the 4x4's have too much space with the third row up, other than an Amazon - you'd have to go Espace for that.

I'd go for an R class myself if you can live with the looks...

[Robatr0n]

Am I the only person who would buy an old 7 seater Audi S6?

[VerySideways]

Robatr0n said:

Am I the only person who would buy an old 7 seater Audi S6?

Yes.

[Robatr0n]

[VerySideways]

Nissan Pathfinder, Mitsubishi Outlander, both available for just under 20k as "nearly new" with nominal mileage and 7 seats and all the usual kit (elec windows, air con, etc.)