OK, found a lovely new nanny now need to buy her a car. What should I get?

[PrincessPeaHead]

My list of absolutes -
needs to fit four children (one in baby seat, two in boosters) so ideally roomy in the back with an air bag switch off for the front passenger seat. or 7 seats but would prefer not to go so big.
five doors
needs to be really safe because she has to drive on the motorway
needs to be really reliable
needs to have not terrible depreciation
not more than 2 years old

budget flexible but if I can do it for £10k that would be marvellous.

have found a Renault Scenic that meets the bill - anyone have one? What do you think?

Another vote for the VW Touran. Although it looks reasonably large, it only has the same wheel base as a Golf, making it easy to manoeuvre and park for those of us who still find parallel parking a challenge! Fuel consumption is good and although it is set up primarily as a 5-seater, there are two fixed seats in the boot, normally completely flat, which can be used if you want the extra seats.

Another vote for the Nissan Tino. We got 2.2 Diesel reg 05 in June last year for £10K.
Its boot is huge (its quite a bit bigger than the Note). We didn't like the Picasso, found it very uncomfy and didn't like the little windows at the side/front. But we must be odd as everyone else must like them as they are everywhere.
I reckon you would get 2 boosters and a baby seat in the back. I think the dealer can turn the airbag off but then it'd be off for ever.

Honda FR-Vs are absolutely tardis-like. Same size as an Audi A3 but is a 6 seater (arranged in 2 rows of 3). The air bag doesn't switch off, but the front middle seat slides back out of reach of it (and the back middle seat slides back correspondingly to make room). It's a fab car - we have 2 teenagers, a toddler and a baby and can fit them all in plus a buggy AND a pram. Really is a miraculous car. Not sure about finding one at under 10k though, but not looked so don't know...

I'm sorry not read everything, but in response to OP, i am a nanny who drives a scenic, not many problems beyond normal wear and tear, quite spacy, my only problem is visability when reversing, and i mean TERRIBLE. Touch wood, i am quite good at special awareness, god help me if i wasnt!!!

If you defo only need 5 seats the Honda Jazz is supposed to be the bees knees, pph

Could you stretch to £13k (or are you good at beating dealers down?)

The new C4 Picasso is supposed to be brill, and they're doing 0% finance blah-blah atm.

Just noticed this appears to be the 7-seater in which case that's a fantastic price (although I know you said you don't need 7 seats, but the 2 extra fold into the floor)

i have ordered the C4 7 seater as a mobility car and the book price was 19k so 13k is a brill price.
this car has no clutch pedal you can switch from changing gears or fully auto.

I've just read the small print and it's from £13K, so your £19K one has probably got more bells and whistles, oj!

I haven't read a bad review of it yet though and I'd love one - Citroen have me on their mailing list for some reason and keep sending me tempting brochures - but I have to keep telling myself I don't need one!

ooooh brilliant ideas!
OK I've been to every car dealership in swindon today (seemingly)
Honda - none of their cars have airbag switch offs so that is the jazz out the window. the FRV looks good but I think above my budget. Which is a bummer because I quite like the idea of Honda, being made in Swindon and all,support the local economy etc etc but no.

Just been to VW - Golf Plus has no more room in it than the Golf (just a bit more headroom but the same width) and a slightly smaller boot than the Golf (wtf) and depreciates faster than the Golf, so that is out. Golf still a possibility but my dh has one and it is a tight squeeze for the poor child who has to wedge themselves between two car seats. He tried to sell me a touran - space good widthways, not sure she needs a 7 seater all the time and it is the worlds boxiest ugliest car, not that that really matters. It is probably a sensible choice - safe, good depreciator etc so it is on my shortlist.

Went to Nissan - Note too small, nothing else there quite worked for me

Renault - Scenic looks good but I don't think I can ignore all those hideous reviews on What Car - they all say "don't buy it" "worst car I've ever had" "only good thing about it is that it is being sold tomorrow and I'm buying Japanese". Also agree about the rear visibility - I kept thinkng the mirror was too small!

Toyota - Only option there is the Verso which is really nice. Clever seats, doesn't look as big and van like as the Touran (probably is though). Going to struggle to find one at a dealer in my budget though.

Seat - couldn't find the bloody dealer. Humph.

Citroen - They depreciate SO FAST you might as well burn money. WHich means you can get v cheap ones around but not fro ma dealer (because it makes them look bad in front of their new cars), and I want to trade in at a dealer.

So at the moment I'm on Touran, Golf, Corolla Verso. Still want to look at the Altea but I think I'd need the XL which is brand new, so out of my budget.

ANything else? Please nobody say Zafira - I just don't think I can buy a Vauxhall. So shoot me!

Oh didn't see a Tino at Nissan (will look that up)

Ford S-Max then if you are still looking at a 5+2. But they are scarce and dear I think.

Oh, Ford C-Max is a 5-seater and I think that's bigger inside than a Focus?

Before the Verso Toyota did the Corolla Verso - lots of those in your price range, this one is 7 seats, £9999, 9000 miles (it's in Bradford though so no use to you!).

Put your post code in here

what about the Honda FRV? Not sure about price though, maybe more than £10k

sorry, just seen your last post. Still worth a look though

We have a Volvo V40, it's a 1999 and quite high mileage, but it is very reliable and it's fairly good on petrol.

I don;t know what you'd pick a newer one up for (the new model is a V50)
I can get 3 car sets in the back of mine, and the boot is a good sixe. Plus, it's built like a tank

frv for £11k

You can only get 2nd hand Tinos. They replaced it with the Note (which is odd as it's much smaller)

Multipla - sounds perfect for you .

but multiplas are sooooo ugly!

They are the crocs of the car world .

I had a Hyundai Amica in London which I loved. It's a teensy car and way too small for your purposes, but very good value for money. Maybe one of their larger cars (Santa Fe) comes in a 7 seater. They don't have too many dealerships, but worth going further to find one.

pph, I just found this Q&A in Honest John's column in the Telegraph:

Message withdrawn

I was going to suggest the Honda FRV ... although only Civics and CRVs are made in Swindon.

I would say that a Jazz is a bit small for 4 kids.

Have you spoken to the Nanny and found out what she's driven before & what kind of thing she likes the idea of?