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Original poster

Know this has sort of been done before, but need advice about what car to buy.....

61 replies

SecretRegularPoster · 21/09/2007 11:23

Hi,

Am a regular poster, but have namechanged for secrecy reasons (although I will probably come back on this thread later under my "real" name and out myself but hey ho!)

We have three children and are sort of ttc-ing for number four.

We need a new car as a fiesta isn't big enough for the five of us, never mind the six or seven that we might have in a couple of years.

MOT and tax are due on the fiesta and we are thinking of changing the car now.

So.... do we get a car that is big enough for the five of us because at the moment I am not pg, or do we get a people carrier that can carry 6 of us just in case we get a bfp in the next month or so?

Tis a dilemma
thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
SecretRegularPoster · 21/09/2007 11:44

please somebody, tell me what to do......

OP posts:
Dropdeadfred · 21/09/2007 12:52

Hmmm..get a zafira. We have one and for the most part it is a 5 seater car with a really useful boot space. If ( you naughty naughty zappata regular poster) you were blessed with no.4 then you can put either one or two seats up in the back.

your eldest may not always wish to go out with you at weekends etc in a year or so therefore you may get away with using it as a 5 seater mostly.

fryalot · 21/09/2007 12:53

would the secret regular poster still be able to put pushchairs and stuff in the car if she had it as a six or seven seater?

just curious

Tottie32 · 21/09/2007 12:54

have you looked at the grand scenic?

Wisteria · 21/09/2007 12:54

If you can bear a people carrier then go for that, realistically a 6-7 seater car is going to be more practical even if you don't go for number 4 - being able to take friends of dcs places etc.

Egg · 21/09/2007 12:58

LOL .

Well secretregularposter... all I can say is I am currently having a car dilemma myself. There does not seem to be a single car out there that can take three car seats (not boosters) in a row and I have one DS of 19 months and twins due in 4 months. I am thinking of buying one of the old London buses that are no longer in operation, as then we will always be able to fit everyone in. I think they seat about 90 people.

Seriously though, many people carrier type cars, as Fred said, can be mainly used as a 5-seater and then you can stick the older DCs in the back if you do end up with more (if you get triplets, you would need one that has two proper rows of seats so you can seat 8...).

Does this help at all?

Gosh I wish I knew who you were .

NDPIsProbablyGoingToHell · 21/09/2007 12:59

I have a grand scenic (7 seats)

a million times nicer than the older shape zafira. The interior is nicer too. As for reliability, the jury is still out I'm afraid. I've had mine (04 reg) for a month now and it is making a grinding noise on start up and rarely starts first time. It needs to go into the garage I think, but I'm a bit afraid of the potential cost. Although I suppose it is still under warranty (1yr warranty from place we bought it from) and therefore if anything big comes up, we are not liable.

Dropdeadfred · 21/09/2007 12:59

I must admit the boot space is limited when you have all 7 seats down, but I can still fit a zapp and changing bag etc in there of course...

Plus DP got an 8ft christmas tree in it ( without us in of course)!!!

Budcat · 21/09/2007 13:00

I have a Maxda 5 which can carry 7 people in great comfort or with back row of seats down 5 people plus huge boot. Best bit with kids is the amazing sliding back doors which make lifting kids in and out, or from them to scramble in, so much easier. Literature for the care said it was designed with small kids and parents' backs in mind. Diesel 2 litre quite quick and very economical. I don't work for Maxda I promise! Good luck!

mummydoit · 21/09/2007 13:01

Don't buy a French car. We have a Renault Megane (probably not big enough for you to consider but I'd advise against any in the Renault range). They're nice cars, lots of good add-ons but the built quality is atrocious. Our Megane is only four years old and has low mileage but has already had to have tyres and brake pads replaced, it's been recalled four times for safety repairs and the indicator has failed. Bits of the trim, especially around the boot, are coming away. The latest thing is the wonderful hands-free key system which we paid extra for is packing up. It's going to cost me £39 on Monday to get the car's computer checked. If the computer is okay, the fault will be with the keys which will then need to be replaced at a cost of £80 EACH. Since buying the wretched thing, I've heard lots of people say that the build quality of French cars is very poor. It comes up as a comment on Top Gear quite often and French cars were all at the bottom of their customer satisfaction survey last time. Apparently, Japanese and German cars are the best.

Dropdeadfred · 21/09/2007 13:01

Our zafira is very good-looking, like it's owner.

BTW it's DP's not mine.

Egg, I too am wracking my brains...[hmm}

NDPIsProbablyGoingToHell · 21/09/2007 13:01

There is DEF enough room across the back 3 seats of the grand scenic (middle row) for 3 car seats.

The grand scenic is a 5 star safety rated car. The older shape zafira is only a 3 star car. An important consideration. Obviously if you are going for a brand new zafira then I suspect that their star rating for the new model is much improved.

NDPIsProbablyGoingToHell · 21/09/2007 13:04

I did notice that the middle 3 seats in the zafira were narrower than in the grand scenic, in the gs they are individual seats which can move forward and backwards independently, the zafira is just a rear bench type seat. The zafira is slightly narrower than the g scenic overall anyway so not hugely surprising that the interior feels more cramped.

Egg · 21/09/2007 13:04

My sis has a Toyota thing (bus shape). It's not a land cruiser, can't remember what it is. Anyway, it basically has two rows of proper seats if you want them, so can seat 8, but as she has 3 kids she normally has the back seats folded. We went on hols recently for a week and she managed to get all three kids, three bikes, luggage for everyone plus extra stuff as it was self catering. I was on my own with DS and struggled to get everything we needed into our golf (we had no bike / trike etc either).

DH wants a Volvo XC90, which is lovely, but it is a beast of a thing. Also too expensive for us.

Egg · 21/09/2007 13:06

Oooh ooh NDP, can you seriously fit three proper car seats, ie Maxi Cosi Priorifix big thing for DS and two Maxi Cosi cabrio things?

NDPIsProbablyGoingToHell · 21/09/2007 13:07

the boot in the grand secnic is ENORMOUS with the 3rd row of seats folded. Bigger than that in the Zafira.

You could also try the Toyota Corolla Verso, which is similar to the Zafira and G Scenic, but a little more expensive.

3andnomore · 21/09/2007 13:08

2 words for you:
Fiat Multipla

Brilliant 6 seater car, and even if you have all 6 seats in use, you never loose any boot space

FioFio · 21/09/2007 13:08

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NDPIsProbablyGoingToHell · 21/09/2007 13:08

easy peasy, I'd say.

I've never tried as 2 of my 3 kids are teenagers, but there is tons of room. The seats are 3 proper sized seat, not 2 normal ones and a titchy one in the middle

FioFio · 21/09/2007 13:09

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FioFio · 21/09/2007 13:09

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NDPIsProbablyGoingToHell · 21/09/2007 13:10

have you found yours to be reliable fio ?

TBH, that is my only slight panic about this car. My 9 yo Focus never missed a beat..

3andnomore · 21/09/2007 13:10

Egg...the Fiat Mulitpla has 6 full seats, and 5 of the 6 can easily take any big old carseat

We have 3 children, and fell in love with teh Multipla, before we even planned to have a 3rd child

lilibet · 21/09/2007 13:10

If Enid were here I could rely on her in backing me up in praise of the sensational Fiat Multipla

We have three and are ttc no 4, we can sit six easily without loosing any boot room, which is to me the problem with the Zafira and other types that have the extra seats in the boot

Tis a truly marvellous car

chocolatemummy · 21/09/2007 13:10

The Kia Sedona (people carrier) has good reviews and is suposed to be really comfortable and lovely to drive, and Cheap!

But if money is not a problem then go for a Toyota or S Max-trade fiesta into ford

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