Good value used seven seater with low running costs

[lotus116tornado]

I am looking at buying a used seven seater MPV, not SUV. I have a budget of £12-13k and six of us in the family. We will use it regularly around our area and once a year to go to France with six of us on board, six bikes and luggage.

We don't care about handling prowess but do care about used warranty, running costs and reliability.

I keep coming back to a used Kia Carens. Tell me I'm wrong?

A

Edited by lotus116tornado on Thursday 31st August 17:54

[MDUBZ]

You are going to need mighty big wagon for all that.. I have an SMAX and for long trips it would be pretty uncomfortable in the back row of seats and then you need to fit the luggage in; The larger MPV e.g. ford galaxy gives a bit more head room but doesn't give you that much more leg room.. what about one of these

recently had a convoy of a VW transporter (hold their value really well - let the man maths go wild) and a transit packed with bikes and kit over the the french alps for some mountain biking and it was perfect. If it's just the odd trip why not hire rather than buy? trying to persuade the missus to go down the VW route but she's having none of it..

[Drive Blind]

a couple of friends with similar requirements have chosen the VW t4/t5 route.
They aint cheap but they hold their value very well.

[lee_fr200]

vw transporter or ford transit torneo custom (lovely in deep impact blue with all the kit on)

failing that we have 2 spare cars at work which are brilliant which are ford galaxy and citroen c4 grand picasso, for us as work they're brilliant comfy and we can fit a fruit machine in with the seats out

[Plate spinner]

Got a 54 plate VW Sharan still knocking around with 125k+ hard family miles on it. Still puts in a 3,000 mile euro shift when required and seems to want for very little at the annual MOT / service.

Got bless that VAG 1.9tdi <respectfully removes cap from head>

[Barchettaman]

You might get away with a 4-bike towbar transporter, 2 on the roof and a roofbox for your France trips.

That opens up all sorts of possibilities amongst the smaller MPVs, heck, even a Zafira B if one of your 6 is small. A very practical vehicle if not particularly PH.

I got 8 bikes on ours for our last trip to Sweden.



The current Zafira Tourer has a FlexFix option for an integrated 2-bike carrier which slides out from the rear bumper. There is an extension to bring it up to 4 bikes, looks pretty clever.

Edited by Barchettaman on Thursday 31st August 23:23

[cheeky_chops]

check out page 218ish of the lease thread - there is a 8 seater peugeot traveller for approx £200pm. V good for a £39k list price!

[lotus116tornado]

I am thinking it might be more sensible to buy an MPV for 351 days of the year and hire bikes when abroad. Problem solved.

[VEX]

Our family car is a Grand Scenic and the 3rd Scenic we have had, in shopping around we got it from a dealer at £12k, a year old and 13K on the clock.

Look for Mobility Scheme Cars, which ours where, as the costs can be far better than one that started life at full retail.

Then we also have a new Vito for my work, I spec'ed it as a 5 seat, but 6 are available and as an extra long, crew with bulkhead, I could easily get 4 bikes in the back with luggage if it wasnt racked out. We took it for holidays this year and was so good, 4 bikes on the towbar, luggage in the back. Then when we got there, luggage out and bikes in for the rest of the 2 weeks.

HTH

V.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say take a look at the Mazda5 in Sport Venture trim they come loaded with kit & you can get one that'll be within Warranty or ready to have the warranty extended.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Petrol with no turbo it'll be lower maintenance costs but a bit more on fuel

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/pl/track/click?condit...

If that's too small then I'd say it's an S Max but you were looking at a Carens which is smaller than the Mazda5 so I think it should tick your boxes.