Best cheap 7 seater?

[lechatnoir]

I need a 7 seater but only have about £3k to spend - what do you suggest?

Would love an S-Max or better still a Discovery but they're out of my budget and we have a small family car (Golf but really hoping to get a mini when DS2 can get himself in & out of the car on his own) so this is very much just for work. needs to accommodate large numbers of kids on school runs & outings, Sliding doors would be fab but ability to fit 7 + double buggy is more important .
Anyone?
LCN

7 seater belingo? Ugly but cheap to buy and run. The diesel version is surprisingly nice to drive. The rear seats all come out to give loads of room to move bulky items. The rear seats are not great for tall teens but ok for kids. It's got great visibility.

Ok I'll admit it: I'm shallow so looks are important (and that'll be a thanks for the suggestion but no to a berlingo sat outside my house )

galaxy/sharran/alhambra (they are all the same) manual diesel.

we've just bought a berlingo

A Mazda bongo best car ever for a CM I've now had two. 8 seats and can get a double and single buggy in the boot and all the kids wellies and wet weather gear under the seats.

Kia Carens.

Cheap as chips, but very reliable.

I'm looking for a sharan or alhambra, I don't know of any older cars with sliding doors that look good! We're looking at 6-7yr old cars and possibly a caravelle but vw is more expensive.

I was looking at a Renault Grand scenic but DH is very reluctant to get a french car and I need a massive boot. They are very cheap 2nd hand - is that a good thing or not?!

Have you seen the Mitsubishi Spacewagon?

I was always very happy with my VW Sharan, got a Citreon C8 now as needed an 8 seater and I must say the sliding doors are a godsend! In the Sharan I was able to fit a triple side by side and a single on top of it whilst using all 7 seats, depends on which type of double you have (as I found it a little harder to get the nipper to sit nicely in there, it would, was just a pain - that's with the Sharan)

I love my belingo. I am not that embarrassed to admit it. I like the van style driving position.

Whoever thought of the name 'Belingo' needs to be sacked though

p.s. SHOSHE , just sent you a private message :)

3K will get you a very nice Volvo V70 7 seater with the added bonus of all the extra boot space when you fold the 2 rear seats down under the boot floor.

naturalbaby, do not touch a renault scenic unless someone is giving to you for nothing, total pile of junk.

I've had the Renault grand scenic and it was very practical but built cheaply so things went wrong all the time, like the back windor motors - £490 each, the heating, the electric wing mirrors, etc, etc. Don't buy one

Nephew bought a Scenic, he had it for 3 weeks and the dashboard electronics failed. The replacement dash was around 3k fitted so it was taken to a scrapyard and sold for £200, the car cost him £2300.

Our worst 7 seater was the Ford Galaxy.

We liked Mitsubishi Spacewagon, Renault Espace and KIA Sedona. I think that was all we had but if I remember another I'll post again.

Bongo bongo bongo

I had a yucky green one first time. But this one is silver with vanity windows electric blinds and tow hook. Tis lovely. Kids love it too and call it the fun bus

Toyota Lucida/Estima, uber reliable and loads of space. Proper 7 seats and a good sized boot, not a 5 seater with a couple of afterthought seats in the boot.

am having a look online at Bongo's.....the newer ones aren't bad. Do any of them come without the funky grey velour patterned seats?!

I love our galaxy, it's a newer one though. Adults can sit in the back seats and I can still get a double and single pushchair in the boot.

Mazda MPV if there any still around, Kia Sedona, both have sliding doors if not Seat Alhambra etc.

Nope natural, they all have the god awful interior, but all the floor mats come out and go in the machine. Brilliant for car sick

machine washable floor mats?!?! I need a massive flat boot though - big enough for one of those black tuff trays/drip tray things nurserys/preschools/childrens centres use.

Only if you didn't use the back seats (they lay flat) in fact both lot of seat go flat so that it turns into a double bed. Now I don't CM we have the back ones flat for the dogs.