What large estate car?

[PomBstard]

With the pitter-patter of tiny feet soon to enter the PB household for the third time, the Forester is about to be overwhelmed. I need a car that can take three child seats, and all the crap that needs to be brought along for the ride. It will be used for the occasional long (2000+ km) trip, but will be mostly used in urban areas. Annual mileage will be about 10,000km and fuel efficiency is not a factor. I'm more interested in reliability and usability. How dull is that???

Shortlist for my budget currently look like this...
2007/8 Subaru Liberty 2.5 or 2005/6 3.0 - had a few of these, and top of the list as they are the only estate cars on this list that can be bought here with a manual box
2007/8 Mazda 6 2.3 auto
2008/9 Mondeo 2.3 auto
2000/1 E39 528/530i auto - with about 200,000kms - any good at this age?
2003/4 Volvo V70 20V auto - with about 150,000kms
Merc W124 220/300TE - best I can find, but prob around 200,000kms
Volvo 850R auto - best I can find, but prob around 200,000kms

I'd prefer an estate to an MPV, and Japanese to European cos parts/servicing/insurance is a shedload cheaper, but what else is there? And before anyone suggests it, I can't, just can't get a Commodore, even if it does come with a 5.7 V8...

[kambites]

Skoda Superb maybe?

[Jem0911]

kambites said:

Skoda Superb maybe?

Not in Australia I don't think.

[SWoll]

From your list would definately go Ford/Jap as I imagine fixing a 10 yr old 200,000KM BMW/MB/Volvo in AUS would be potentially ruinous.

I'd probably go Mondeo as they are cheap as chips to run, have bags of space and are a nice drive.

[944fan]

Honda Accord? I've bought one of these recently. The boot is huge, it is roughly the same size as the Audi A6 I had previously. Good range of engines, very reliable.

[ClaphamGT3]

W124 300TE/ E320 estate every day of the week and twice on Sundays

[Volvo360]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 3 child seats = MPV.

You need a KIA Sedona (or whatever it gets called in Australia).

[PomBstard]

Thanks for that lot. Can't get the Accord or Superb estate over here and I will fight the need for MPV if I can! Most MPVs over here are faux 4WD thingys and I just think a big estate will be as spacious but more fun to drive.

Are Volvos and BMWs no good after 120,000 miles or so, or do they some serious fettling at that age?

[yardman]

I'm in Aus too and looking for a wagon.

The Mitsubishi Legnum and Nissan Stagea estates seem pretty good value. They're mostly available as direct imports from Japan, both have sporty turbo 4wd variants and can be found with reasonable kms for around the $10,000 mark.

[Pints]

Volvo360 said:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 3 child seats = MPV.

You need a KIA Sedona (or whatever it gets called in Australia).

Sadly, this is the truth. Car seats these days are huge.

[ClaphamGT3]

Pints said:

Volvo360 said:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 3 child seats = MPV.

You need a KIA Sedona (or whatever it gets called in Australia).

Sadly, this is the truth. Car seats these days are huge.

Not so - we can get 3 Maxi-cosi seats in the back of our E63 Mercedes