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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask which family car you own?

160 replies

DriveAway · 16/06/2019 21:49

Posting here for traffic.....

My other thread gained 0 posts so I thought I would rephrase on here.

Money is tight so I need to make sure that I am making the right decision. I am wanting to buy a 3 year old Nissan Qashqai. It is a small engine 1.2 but I am told it has plenty of power for motorway driving.

Can I ask which car you would recommend for a family car which is reliable, spacious and cheap to run.

OP posts:
Purpletigers · 17/06/2019 11:28

Volvo are great but not budget friendly .

PurpleCrazyHorse · 17/06/2019 11:30

We had a Citroen C3 Picasso, 1.6l diesel. Prob a bit small for 3x kids in the back if they have car seats as it's only a small middle seat. However, it's tall, so plenty of headroom for lanky teenagers! Boot isn't huge but it's tall and square so you can get a surprising amount it (it also has an under boot to squeeze out some extra space). Turned on a sixpence and went when you needed it too. Only 5 gears so was a bit revvy on the motorway.

I'd look at Citroens and Kias too. We weren't so sure on the Kia Carens we test drove but we had more budget to play with so went for a different option, however, they were very well priced and seemed good value for money.

Definitely test drive on a 70mph road with a slip road though.

Seeline · 17/06/2019 11:49

1.2 Turbo will be fine in a Qashqai - ignore all the people with zero actual knowledge.

No technical knowledge - BUT this is what I drive. The engine is not big enough. It is slow to pull away at lights, junctions and onto roundabouts to the point of being dangerous. If you drop speed to turn a corner whilst going up hill you have to go back down into first to get any power. It takes a long time to get up to speed on the motorway, and if you need to overtake, have a full quota of passengers and/or a full load, it has no power at all - you have to drop several gears.

Lifecraft · 17/06/2019 12:17

1.2 Turbo will be fine in a Qashqai - ignore all the people with zero actual knowledge.

No technical knowledge - BUT this is what I drive. The engine is not big enough. It is slow to pull away at lights, junctions and onto roundabouts to the point of being dangerous. If you drop speed to turn a corner whilst going up hill you have to go back down into first to get any power. It takes a long time to get up to speed on the motorway, and if you need to overtake, have a full quota of passengers and/or a full load, it has no power at all - you have to drop several gears

We have several of these on our work fleet and all the drivers are very happy. Fully loaded, they can be a bit sluggish, but as for your other criticisms, you either have a faulty car or you are a faulty driver.

The 1.2 engine puts out 113bhp. That's fine for everyday use. 30 years ago that would have been a hot hatch. The 1.5 diesel is 108bhp. So bigger engine but less power.

People get hung up on engine size, but it's not that important these days. Bhp is what you need to look at.

Our parents would have been driving around in 2.0 Corinas with 80bhp and nobody would have said that was underpowered.

Lifeover · 17/06/2019 12:41

Rottnessferry - thanks for being happy bearing no responsibility for the destruction of the planet.

What about a self charging hybrid -one of the toyotas? We’ve got a Toyota Corolla 1.8 design estate hybrid its really good on motorway, pulls up hills well. We have the one child so the Prius might be a better choice for you. Obviously fab fuel economy, very smooth ride, comfy interior, nice driving position, big boot. Cheap to run

Seeline · 17/06/2019 12:44

We have several of these on our work fleet and all the drivers are very happy. Fully loaded, they can be a bit sluggish, but as for your other criticisms, you either have a faulty car or you are a faulty driver.

Car is not faulty - has been checked.
I am not a faulty driver! I have driven many cars and have never had this problem before or since!

100Birds · 17/06/2019 12:51

We have a Citroen c4 grand Picasso. As a pp said, not the sexiest car but super practical to run, costs £60 a month in diesel and fits our family of 5 with 3 car seats in very nicely

Sexnotgender · 17/06/2019 12:53

Skoda fabia estate.

jb1305uk · 17/06/2019 13:02

Kia Sportage or Kia Optima estate. Both very spacious, large boots, good to drive

RottnestFerry · 17/06/2019 13:09

Rottnessferry - thanks for being happy bearing no responsibility for the destruction of the planet

You're welcome.

By-the-way, how is your own contribution going? Still racking up those air miles?

DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou · 17/06/2019 13:13

@Sexnotgender how many kids do you have? I love the fabia estates especially the Monte Carlo design.

But putting three people in the back (two being car seats) looks absolutely impossible.
I don't think I could even fit three kids in the back let alone adults and car seats

SmallPinkBear · 17/06/2019 13:39

We have the 1.2 Qashqai and it is fine on motorways. If it is loaded and we are going uphill on the motorway I change down gears but apart from that it is fine. Newer engines are much more economic and powerful (I previously had small cars with 1.4 engines so was worried myself when I bought it).
I do live in London but drive to my parents once a month or so so it has done a fair bit of motorway driving and I haven’t had a problem.

familycourtq · 17/06/2019 13:41

@Seeline is yours a 1.2 turbo or a the normally aspirated 1.2?

joystir59 · 17/06/2019 13:42

2003 Fiat Punto that cost £700 2 years ago when it had 20,000 miles on the clock. Bought from elderly neighbour who cannot drive any more.

Sexnotgender · 17/06/2019 13:43

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou I have the Monte Carlo version. Only 1 baby car seat. With the car seat it’s a struggle to get 2 other people in the back. We did get my mum and I in and we’re both a 10/12 so not massive and I wouldn’t have liked to have traveled far!

afrikat · 17/06/2019 13:55

Family car is a Ford S Max and its great. So much space

I drive a VW Tiguan which I love but not as much space in it

Linguaphile · 17/06/2019 14:20

As you have 3 kids, personally I’d go for something with 3 proper seats across the middle. We rules out the quashqai because of that issue—nobody wants the tiny middle seat on a road trip. Aside from the Ford Smax (again, really great car), you could maybe look at something like a Prius plus? Toyota Verso also meant to be very good.

Linguaphile · 17/06/2019 14:20

ruled, not rules!

TantricTwist · 17/06/2019 14:22

I love my Citroen C4 Picasso.

GPatz · 17/06/2019 14:28

I've just ditched our Qasuqui for the XTrail. Couldn't get a double buggy in the boot.

lpchill · 17/06/2019 14:28

Always put in your choice of car into honest John it will give you good information and it also lists manufacturing faults/ recalls and issues that the car has. The quashqi is meant to have a lot of issues with it and massively put us off owning one

I would suggest for a family car that are cheap to buy and own.
Ford Focus estate (if you find one and have a little more money mondeo estate)
Skoda Fabia estate (if you have a bit more money the Octavia estate it's massive)

If your doing at least 1 long motorway driving a month then you could get a diesel as they tend to last longer than petrol (and cheaper to buy) but if your constantly doing small hopes then petrol as it would kill a diesel.

I hate looking for cars drives me made trying to balance all the wants with it being sensible and economical.

species5618 · 17/06/2019 14:45

Pre 2017 Quaqai's were ..... Ok but did suffer a little from poor pick-up at roundabouts etc. Post 2017 facelifted models are a better bet if you can stretch to one.
Have a look for a Toyota Verso. Decent size, good to drive and reasonably economical. Avoid the auto.

Mumberjack · 17/06/2019 14:50

I have a Hyundai ix35 (loads of them about n quite cheap because newer model is the Tucson). I love it and it has a bigger boot than the qashqai. However it’s 1.6 and can be slow - although I used to have a 2.2 civic that went like the clappers so that’s colouring my view a bit.
The ix35 also available in 1.7 and above though.

Backwoodsgirl · 17/06/2019 15:01

Of course Nissan told you that. 1.2 really. Really? Just no. More power in a moped

The newer engines have a lot of power. However the smaller engines work harder, and therefore have a shorter life than a larger engine.

The Ford 3.2L ecoboost, gets good MPG, however I can get better MPG out of the 5L if I am careful

Original poster
DriveAway · 17/06/2019 15:28

Thanks for all the replies, please keep them coming as I am considering all the different recommendations.

PlausibleSuit, to answer your questions:

How many miles a year do you do?

About 10k

  • What kind of driving? (i.e. motorways, country lanes, city)

All 3

motorways for visiting family

Country lanes for short getaways with children

City driving for school run and work.

  • Do you need to factor in the ULEZ?

Yes, this is a big factor.

  • What's your budget? (roughly)

Very small. Upto 12K. Will push to 13k if something good.

  • How do you treat your cars? (i.e. serviced on the button and polished every Sunday or battered into submission by kids and circumstance)

Cars are regularly serviced but the interior (and exterior) gets battered into submission by DC.

I tend to keep my cars until they are 10-15 years old so, I need something that will keep going until my children have grown up.

Speaking of kids, I need to feed them now so will come back later.

OP posts: