People carriers

[Kathleen]

Our family car no longer big enough for us and thinking of moving up to a people carrier. Seat Alhambra and Toyota Picnic under consideration. Any comments appreciated.

I am vicariously excited too, monkey! (Did I ever mention that I am a bit strange about cars? ) Glad you have reached a decision and are getting it now!

Re the bench/2 seats - does the bench fold away in 2 parts, like the Previa's, without having to be physically removed from the car? If so I would get that because it makes your luggage space much more flexible and easy to use.

If it only folds forward, so you then don't have any third row seats and can only seat 5, then get the 2 separate seats, even though they do have to be removed and your maximum is only 7 and not 8 - at least with one seat out and some extra luggage space you could still seat 6. (How many members of the FBI do you normally carry?)

Hope that makes sense!

I don't think it splits, but only seen picture. I guess I'm more inclined to go for 7 seater. We will be 5 (sooooooo excited!) in November. Often have visitors (well, actually, not often enough) but usually 2 at a time, so 7 should be fine. Ta janh. Any other ideas? (I'm tempted to get the 6 cd changer on the sly!)

DH has a big CD changer in his car - not sure how many. He has a Peugeot (406) so it could be the same piece of kit - he is v happy with it. There is an illuminated display in the middle of the dash that shows what's going on and it has controls on a stalk.

He also has satnav, played with a lot when new, hardly ever use it now. It's good fun though, especially if you decide to go a different way from hers, she has a very soothing voice normally but seems to sound increasingly irritated as she tells you to do a U turn/go right round a roundabout to get you back on her route.

Any other options you could have?

monkey, I just came across this on the Times website - it was actually talking about the C8 but applies to the Peugeot too - thought it might amuse you!

judetheobscure - sorry, haven't been online for ages - end of term manic-ness!! Yes, they do make Sedonas with manual gearboxes, mine is. And it's a diesel which does fab mileage. I can get from Portsmouth to Cardigan in Wales on half a tank. The petrol version also comes with a manuual gearbox.

Anyone got a Peugeot 307SW either with or without the third row of seats? Good, bad, bl*y awful?

We test drove a Peugeot 307SW, but it was really a bit small to take 7 seats. Also the most expensive of the three we looked at (others were Honda Stream and Vauxhall Zafira), though dh said it had the nicest engine. Also, the extra seats weren't included in the price - I think they were about £500 each and didn't fold away like the Zafira and the Stream. So we went for the Stream - less like a bus than the Zafira, more spacious than the Peugeot. Hope this helps

Finally got our Chrysler Grand Voyager at the weekend. It is lovely, very spacious and comfortable. Dh has got the hang of driving it very quickly, but I have only driven it once and found it quite scary, much bigger than anything I have ever driven before. Still, I'm enjoying looking at it on the drive!

Hi, monkey! Noticed on your Nov/Dec babies thread that you had hoovered your car - was just wondering if you'd got the new one yet???

(My own last-minute domestic thingy was painting skirting boards. Weird or what? )

Not seen this thread before but love the bit about sliding doors JanH.

Hope everything's going ok Monkey !

If dh had caught me cleaning/hoovering my car at the last minute he'd have phoned the paramedics - I did the oven cleaning thing (NO ITS NOT MY HORMONES BUT IT NEEDS DOING, less than 24 hours later dd was here..)

Hi Janh, yes, we got it last week - I was wondering about posting to let you know, but didn't want to come across as too me me me!

I really love the car in every way except the fact that it's manual and not automatic. I'm now learning to drive with gears again & with the wrong hand. But apart from feeling like a learner all over again, it's great - and yes, especially the elctronic slidey doors. The boys love pressing the button for their particular door then running over & jumping in. Oh, and the memory seats is good too, esp for dh who always moaned about the seat never being quite right.

And I never thought I would be into it, but the sat nav is v. good.

Even dh hasn't moaned too much about being a middle aged man with kids & 'family car' in the face of the groovy electrics.

Now, just remind me - what does the clutch do and why do I keep stalling?? (not that bad really, honest)