RE: The best fast estates to buy in 2020

[Bryans69]

Welshbeef said:

Noslek said:

Yep, and then they find they need two roof boxes when taking the tribe on holiday because there is next to no boot space, unlike a decent estate. Btw, two roof boxes = 1 for the luggage, 1 for the step ladder to load/unload the luggage.

Rubbish I have over 900 ltrs with the middle row all in isofix.

Which estate gives 3 isofix in the middle row? I’d love to know as a 5 series doesn’t come close to offering 3 isofix.

Don't you drive an S-Max? Which is not an SUV. We were point out that SUVs weren't any better than estates, and I actually said MPVs were better if you had three kids.
Not aware of any SUV's with 3 ISO fix in the middle, although of course I maybe wrong.

[riskyj]

Sorry I should have been more specific. I won’t need 3 in ISOFIX as at least one can be in a belted high back booster. I don’t believe anything other than SMax / Picasso type MPV offers 3 ISOFIX across the middle row?

I was looking at the Legacy for example and the middle ‘seat’ is really narrow and ‘ridged’ higher vs the outside seats. For 3 child seats across the back I feel you really need the back bench to be as flat as possible.

I’ve currently got a 7-seater disco sport but the boot is useless, even before you put up the 6/7 seats and the drive is crap. I’m also concerned it’s about to stay true to its brand reliability and bork in a big way. (It’s had 3 sets of rear discs in just 27k since new which I find bizarre.) Having said that, the 6/7 seats have come in useful a few times, as they did in the XC90 I had before the disco.

I lust after an estate but I just don’t think it’s practical with 3 small kids. Time to try and find a high spec, (preferably non diesel) SMax I suppose.

[Welshbeef]

Bryans69 said:

Don't you drive an S-Max? Which is not an SUV. We were point out that SUVs weren't any better than estates, and I actually said MPVs were better if you had three kids.
Not aware of any SUV's with 3 ISO fix in the middle, although of course I maybe wrong.

Mrs has the S Max - I think the Merc GL does have 3 middle row

[iacabu]

Its Just Adz said:

"The earliest vRS Skoda Octavias can be had for less than £5k"

Quite a bit less, I bought mine for £800 early this year.

I commented on your readers car thread admiring this. I've kept an eye on the classifieds but haven't seen another estate vrs for sale since.

The mrs doesn't have the same enthusiasm for an old Skoda to make its way into the garage, but then she didn't like the e46 touring I was looking at either, so what does she know!

[white_goodman]

Bryans69 said:

Don't you drive an S-Max? Which is not an SUV. We were point out that SUVs weren't any better than estates, and I actually said MPVs were better if you had three kids.
Not aware of any SUV's with 3 ISO fix in the middle, although of course I maybe wrong.

Would a LR Discovery/Volvo XC90 have 3 isofix on the middle row? I don't know but I would be surprised if they didn't. I vaguely recall some kind of device where you could convert the rear seat of most cars to accommodate 3 child seats? Ours (Grand Voyager) has 3 Isofix points but the middle row is captain's chairs, so one would have to go right in the back. Mind you, luggage space behind the 3rd row is still fairly decent. Have done a holiday with luggage 6-up with my parents before and didn't need a trailer/roof box.

[white_goodman]

Back to the article, you can't really argue with a C7 RS6 for 50k but they were a bit disparaging about the C8. Not sure why, as I happen to think it's the best-looking RS6 yet. Has it been pegged back by WLTP or something?

Best-looking RS4 IMHO is either the B5 for Q-car subtlety or B8 for those arches!

[Orangecurry]

riskyj said:

I was looking at the Legacy for example and the middle ‘seat’ is really narrow and ‘ridged’ higher vs the outside seats. For 3 child seats across the back I feel you really need the back bench to be as flat as possible.

I have the Legacy - there is no 'ridge'. The middle seat is 'narrow' but a booster would fit depending on the width of your other two seats.

Do you want some photos? Measurements? I regularly have three teenagers in the back. (don't do an Elon Musk on me )

[NorthernSky]

Orangecurry said:

riskyj said:

I was looking at the Legacy for example and the middle ‘seat’ is really narrow and ‘ridged’ higher vs the outside seats. For 3 child seats across the back I feel you really need the back bench to be as flat as possible.

I have the Legacy - there is no 'ridge'. The middle seat is 'narrow' but a booster would fit depending on the width of your other two seats.

Do you want some photos? Measurements? I regularly have three teenagers in the back. (don't do an Elon Musk on me )

One of these would be next on my list if my Aero ever dies, which to be honest, it won't.

I'd love the seats down completely flat load space, make good use of that camping out in Wales stargazing, a 6cyl boxer engine would sound luscious, I'm sure. The 3.0R.

[Orangecurry]

I just took it to get the MOT - passed again with the same two advisories

To get to the MOT station, put the rear seats down, flat, loaded 2 mountain bikes, when there whizzed them out, MrsOC and I did a 14 mile ride, went back to the car, loaded the bikes back in..... easier than pie.

Here's a photo I forgot about - a friend with an 850R (the best of the 850s) and I used to joke about creating a two-fridge-racing series.....

I could fit in three of these small fridges

warning - any claims on numbers of fridges carried by the mk4 Legacy may or may not be true

Edited by Orangecurry on Wednesday 14th October 14:50

[BricktopST205]

I love my Saab 9-5. Remapped to 275BHP 420NM. Comfy, loads of room and everything you need. Have recently refreshed all the suspension and brakes so is basically a new car underneath. Really need to spend 5 times its worth for something that I would deem an upgrade. Did 1800 miles to Lithuania in 2016 and didn't break a sweat.

[riskyj]

Orangecurry said:

riskyj said:

I was looking at the Legacy for example and the middle ‘seat’ is really narrow and ‘ridged’ higher vs the outside seats. For 3 child seats across the back I feel you really need the back bench to be as flat as possible.

I have the Legacy - there is no 'ridge'. The middle seat is 'narrow' but a booster would fit depending on the width of your other two seats.

Do you want some photos? Measurements? I regularly have three teenagers in the back. (don't do an Elon Musk on me )

Apologies, it’s a trick of the light on a particular autotrader listing I was perusing, exacerbated by the cloth interior. Just checked another with leather and it’s as you said.

[Its Just Adz]

iacabu said:

I commented on your readers car thread admiring this. I've kept an eye on the classifieds but haven't seen another estate vrs for sale since.

The mrs doesn't have the same enthusiasm for an old Skoda to make its way into the garage, but then she didn't like the e46 touring I was looking at either, so what does she know!

Great car, if I come to sell it I'll give you first refusal.

[Noslek]

Welshbeef said:

Rubbish I have over 900 ltrs with the middle row all in isofix.

Which estate gives 3 isofix in the middle row? I’d love to know as a 5 series doesn’t come close to offering 3 isofix.

It’s fortunate then that I don’t have a 5 series and don’t need to use the number of iso fix points as the criteria for a fast estate

[Noslek]

Welshbeef said:

Noslek said:

Yep, and then they find they need two roof boxes when taking the tribe on holiday because there is next to no boot space, unlike a decent estate. Btw, two roof boxes = 1 for the luggage, 1 for the step ladder to load/unload the luggage.

Rubbish I have over 900 ltrs with the middle row all in isofix.

Which estate gives 3 isofix in the middle row? I’d love to know as a 5 series doesn’t come close to offering 3 isofix.

Having done a little research (probably far too little) I’d be interested in what has 900 boot space with seats up, best I could find was 700 (and I’m guessing that’s to window line not roof

[Welshbeef]

Noslek said:

Having done a little research (probably far too little) I’d be interested in what has 900 boot space with seats up, best I could find was 700 (and I’m guessing that’s to window line not roof

Oh I mean to the ceiling.

We always drive with 5 seats as were a family of 5.
If we go on holiday we don’t take 2 extra in the boot seats they are for days out / trips and plenty of space in footwell and the remaining boot.

7 seats up 300ltrs
5 seats up 900 ltrs
2 seats up 2000ltrs

The Galaxy is more (from memory)
7 seats up 600ltrs
5 seats up 1200ltrs
2 seats up 2500 ltrs

As an aside we have a 620ltr roof box too - it’s been used twice in a year and only when we go camping the car is rammed to the rafters then - roofbox is a must

[Leins]

Its Just Adz said:

"The earliest vRS Skoda Octavias can be had for less than £5k"

Quite a bit less, I bought mine for £800 early this year.

Some great bargains at Tom Hartley these days

[Noslek]

Welshbeef said:

Oh I mean to the ceiling.

We always drive with 5 seats as were a family of 5.
If we go on holiday we don’t take 2 extra in the boot seats they are for days out / trips and plenty of space in footwell and the remaining boot.

7 seats up 300ltrs
5 seats up 900 ltrs
2 seats up 2000ltrs

The Galaxy is more (from memory)
7 seats up 600ltrs
5 seats up 1200ltrs
2 seats up 2500 ltrs

As an aside we have a 620ltr roof box too - it’s been used twice in a year and only when we go camping the car is rammed to the rafters then - roofbox is a must

I just remember my brother in law and a friend, both using Renault Espace and both needing roof boxes (4 boys each of them). My friend being vertically challenged bringing on them ladder comment

[PZR]

Leins said:

Its Just Adz said:

"The earliest vRS Skoda Octavias can be had for less than £5k"

Quite a bit less, I bought mine for £800 early this year.

Some great bargains at Tom Hartley these days

[Welshbeef]

Noslek said:

I just remember my brother in law and a friend, both using Renault Espace and both needing roof boxes (4 boys each of them). My friend being vertically challenged bringing on them ladder comment

Yep if we had seat 6 up and going on holiday that would always need roof box possibly trailer too.

[Its Just Adz]

Leins said:

Some great bargains at Tom Hartley these days

I did that pic way before him.