Best family car for £4k
Best family car for £4k
Author
Discussion

jchallis

Original Poster:

127 posts

204 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
I'm sure this has been discussed several times (so apologies for missing any obvious threads), but what do you think the best family car is for a budget of between £3-5k? I have just sold my previous car as my wife needs an automatic car due to back problems. So, I need:

1. An automatic gear box
2. Space for three kids (not in car seats) across the back
3. Perhaps something a bit different and hopefully entertaining to drive!

Would welcome your thoughts. I went to see a 2000 Mercedes C240 today (£3800) and loved it. SWMBO wasn't so sure. We also saw a 2006 Toyota Prius 1.5 T4 for £6995 in a local garage. What would you do?

Chrisw666

22,655 posts

222 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
I'd buy neither, one will rot and fall apart, the other will break and cost a fortune.

Volvo V70, Volvo V40, Passat, Mondeo, Ford Cmax, etc etc will all be better choices than the two you listed.

Caruso

7,505 posts

279 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
I've just found myself in the same position, and found a BMW 540i Touring the perfect solution. biggrin

ThunderSpook

3,886 posts

234 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
E46 saloon, probably the 320d, fantastic engine and actually quite fun to drive.

Dave Hedgehog

15,758 posts

227 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
mx5

V8Wagon

1,707 posts

183 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
You could buy my Accord....hehe

It's a beauty tbh, fantastic spec, low miles, FSH and it's an auto!


Jw Vw

4,906 posts

186 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
Volvo V70, Volvo S60, VW Passat, Honda Accord, Ford Mondeo.

jchallis

Original Poster:

127 posts

204 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
Dave Hedgehog said:
mx5
Thanks Dave! SWMBO has got one of those already! A beautiful yellow Arizona

V8Wagon

1,707 posts

183 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
V8Wagon said:
You could buy my Accord....hehe

It's a beauty tbh, fantastic spec, low miles, FSH and it's an auto!
I guess that's a no then!

jchallis

Original Poster:

127 posts

204 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
V8Wagon said:
You could buy my Accord....hehe

It's a beauty tbh, fantastic spec, low miles, FSH and it's an auto!
If you're serious, send me some further details. I'm in Sandbach, south Cheshire.

anonymous-user

77 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
Mondeo. Job done!

Dave Hedgehog

15,758 posts

227 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
jchallis said:
Thanks Dave! SWMBO has got one of those already! A beautiful yellow Arizona
my favorite colour, post some pics smile

V8Wagon

1,707 posts

183 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
jchallis said:
If you're serious, send me some further details. I'm in Sandbach, south Cheshire.
Linky to my ad.....

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/2004...

Bit too far to travel though I dare say! Try an Accord though, I was very surprised by the quality of 'em. So was my dad, who went and bought one too!

jchallis

Original Poster:

127 posts

204 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
V8Wagon said:
Linky to my ad.....

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/2004...

Bit too far to travel though I dare say! Try an Accord though, I was very surprised by the quality of 'em. So was my dad, who went and bought one too!
Looks great but too far I'm afraid. Good luck with the sale though and I'll definitely check the Accord option out. I loved the two Honda Civics that I had.

jchallis

Original Poster:

127 posts

204 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
Dave Hedgehog said:
my favorite colour, post some pics smile
Here you go Dave:




Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

269 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
Loads of BMWs if you're comfortable with the running costs.

I'd take a look at Mazda 6 too. Good estate available.

Matt UK

18,080 posts

223 months

Friday 13th January 2012
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OP, I vote for an e39 530iA - I had one and it has been my favourite car to own.

£5k would get you a reasonable miles Champers edition as well (which is nice if you can find one without the orange wood)

Dave Hedgehog

15,758 posts

227 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
jchallis said:
Dave Hedgehog said:
my favorite colour, post some pics smile
Here you go Dave:



best colour

Tyre Smoke

23,018 posts

284 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
Volvo V70 or a Volvo V70. Perhaps a Volvo V70?

Okay, off the wall? Chrysler Grand Voyager.

Saabthinking

64 posts

189 months

Friday 13th January 2012
quotequote all
Saab 9-3 Sportcombi (estate) in "Vector Sport" or "Aero" trim. Saloon is ok as well I suppose.

1.9 TID 150bhp Diesel engine or the 2.0t Full pressure Turbo 225bhp or treat yourself to the V6 Turbo 250 / 280 bhp... or just the 1.8t light pressure turbo 175bhp is ok for tooling about in, truth be told. Avoid the 120 8v bhp diesel engine, it could peel a skin off a bowl of rice pudding.

Stylish, cheap to service (all GM parts) and built in Sweden, so better fit and finish than your general GM tosh.

Don't worry about Saab being bankrupt, as any garage can fix and service the Saab 9-3, as it not a specialist vehicle, just a normal GM car really.

As most people are worried about buying a car from a bankrupt car company, you'll be in your element right now with the cheap prices available... Go out there and surprise yourself what you can pick up.

Generally Saabs are bought by people who like Saabs and look after their car like their child.

Saab loyalty has been likened to Apple computers.