Family car conundrum HELP PLEASE!

[Dollyb15]

Another what car buying post but so confused. Please can anyone help.

I’m looking to upgrade to a bigger family car. I’m looking to buy second hand and have a budget of 15k approx with some slight wiggle room.

Car needs to have enough room to accommodate a child seat and x2 dogs, so looking for a roomy boot and good rear passenger spaces.

The catch is I do cover a lot of heavy miles and drive both local and motorway driving. So ideally looking for a car that is going to be able to handle a lot of mileage and last a while. It also has to be automatic and ideally not a fuel guzzler. So cheapish to run.

I narrowed it down to possibly a Skoda octavia estate, Honda CRV, or maybe a Subaru. I have no idea about diesel or petrol and it it’s better to buy a car with lower mileage or a newer car. What’s more important the age or the miles ?

Can anyone help or suggest a car that fits the bill?
Thank you in anticipation!

[ZX10R NIN]

Dollyb15 said:

Another what car buying post but so confused. Please can anyone help.

I’m looking to upgrade to a bigger family car. I’m looking to buy second hand and have a budget of 15k approx with some slight wiggle room.

Car needs to have enough room to accommodate a child seat and x2 dogs, so looking for a roomy boot and good rear passenger spaces.

The catch is I do cover a lot of heavy miles and drive both local and motorway driving. So ideally looking for a car that is going to be able to handle a lot of mileage and last a while. It also has to be automatic and ideally not a fuel guzzler. So cheapish to run.

I narrowed it down to possibly a Skoda octavia estate, Honda CRV, or maybe a Subaru. I have no idea about diesel or petrol and it it’s better to buy a car with lower mileage or a newer car. What’s more important the age or the miles ?

Can anyone help or suggest a car that fits the bill?
Thank you in anticipation!

From what you describe a diesel will be the pick & also from what you describe you may find the (the children won't be getting any smaller) Octavia a bit tight space wise.

I'd normally say a Mondeo but at this price point there are two better newer options that for me are better buys right now.

New shape 2.0d Insignia 170 Elite Nav nice place to do heavy miles in as well as being reliable & sensible to run, it's also a conventional auto box:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111189...

SRI VX Line Nav 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111019...

Mazda6 these are great value right now & fit all of your criteria they also have a conventional auto so a lot less chance of borkage.

SE-L Nav 150

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112060...

Sport Nav 175

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112290...

[nd0000]

Might be worth looking at Skoda Superb if you need more space.

[DodgyGeezer]

nd0000 said:

Might be worth looking at Skoda Superb if you need more space.

This ^^^ we have the 2ltr petrol version and it's a great place to be

[Dollyb15]

Thank you. Both the Honda and Skoda look like contenders.
Does anyone have experience of Kia ? I used to own an Old Kia Sportage and it lasted until over 170k tempted again.

[Pistonheader101]

something like this?


https://www.21stcenturymotors.co.uk/car-leasing/sk...

[ZX10R NIN]

Dollyb15 said:

Thank you. Both the Honda and Skoda look like contenders.
Does anyone have experience of Kia ? I used to own an Old Kia Sportage and it lasted until over 170k tempted again.

I can't understand why you'd overlook the Mazda & Vauxhall they're both good options that would be imo in front of a Superb/Octavia,

[DodgyGeezer]

ZX10R NIN said:

I can't understand why you'd overlook the Mazda & Vauxhall they're both good options that would be imo in front of a Superb/Octavia,

I'll agree that the Insignia is worth considering - I tried one out before plumping for the Superb. A very nice (and under-rated) place to be, ignore the Vauxhall sneerers on here give it a try. That being said the Superb just felt like a nicer place to be (obviously that's a personal choice) and the boot is just cavernous

[ChocolateFrog]

With a bit of wiggle room you could stretch to a new Duster, think the auto only comes with the higher trim levels.

[ZX10R NIN]

DodgyGeezer said:

ZX10R NIN said:

I can't understand why you'd overlook the Mazda & Vauxhall they're both good options that would be imo in front of a Superb/Octavia,

I'll agree that the Insignia is worth considering - I tried one out before plumping for the Superb. A very nice (and under-rated) place to be, ignore the Vauxhall sneerers on here give it a try. That being said the Superb just felt like a nicer place to be (obviously that's a personal choice) and the boot is just cavernous

You're right it does come down to personal preference but when you're talking about a 30k+ mileage difference & imo no better build quality slightly lower spec for the Superb, also the new Insignia's boot is hardly small, you can understand with the OP's budget why I'd say both the Insignia/Mazda6 make more sense imo.

Superb:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111290...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111300...

Even the smaller Octavia doesn't make a strong case for itself:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112030...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112160...

Considering all of the VAG options will have a dual clutch auto that have more bork (especially with the higher mileage) potential than a conventional box.

[defblade]

Dollyb15 said:

and if it’s better to buy a car with lower mileage or a newer car. What’s more important the age or the miles ?

In general, to me - neither - it's condition, which at the price point you're talking about includes good service history. A well looked after slightly older car with high miles that's been serviced on time every time and things like wipers, tyres etc replaced regularly may very well be a much better buy than a younger/lower miles car that has been run on a near-zero budget and is missing a service or two already.


However, as you say you will be doing heavy miles, if you've an eye to future re-sale value (not keeping for life and running the car to moon miles), then there is a dodge here which would be to buy an older car with low miles - then when you come to sell it after doing lots of miles, hopefully it will be back to "average" miles for the age, and therefore keep "average" value. The catch is, of course, not exceeding the somehow-magic 100,000 mile mark, at which point interest and value fall off a cliff for no good reason.