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Original poster

CARS: People movers versus estates...

36 replies

bundle · 20/02/2002 13:24

Are people movers really that much better than 'normal' estate cars? I know there's more headroom, the boot looks big on the one I have had a test drive in (Renault Scenic) - but as I don't want one with loads of seats (ie a Galaxy or anything with 7 seats) just something comfy & roomy. any suggestions welcomed.

OP posts:
janh · 20/02/2002 13:48

Jeremy Clarkson wrote a piece about people movers recently in which he pointed out that cars have "crumple zones" front and back these days, to protect the occupants in a crash, and that in cars like the Galaxy children are strapped into the rear crumple zone!
The headroom in cars like the Scenic really makes a difference to the car's comfort, IMO. We have an ordinary large estate and, partly because it has a sunroof, which makes the roof lower inside, our heads practically touch it all the time and it does feel cramped, although the boot space is huge.
If you only need 5 seats I should think any of the mini-MPVs would do you, and there are a lot of them now, though the most practical must be those where the rear seats fold out of the way rather than having to be removed when you want extra carrying space.
(The Citroen Picasso comes in some lovely colours, if that matters at all!)

IDismyname · 20/02/2002 16:22

I'm a great fan of Audis. We moved up from an A4 to an A6 last summer. Boot space is MASSIVE - enough for a trip to France with ds and dh and 14 cases of wine.
Can't fault them, really!
Anyway, EVERYONE around here drives people movers - all in navy blue, and i can never recognise anyone!!

Grizzler · 20/02/2002 16:48

We've got a Scenic (switched to a sensible family car after our Golf was nicked) and have no complaints so far. There's a lot of room inside and the extra headroom is extra welcome when you're heaving kids in and out of car seats. (It's not quite so easy to smack their heads on the side of the car as you put them in). It's also nice to be so high up (it feels a bit like driving a minibus) and it's good to be able to glare down on aggressive BMW drivers from a superior position. Plus, the kids like being high up, because they can see more out the window. That said, although there really does seem to be a lot of room inside (and boot space too), it doesn't feel like a big car to drive, and is very manoeuvrable. It gets my vote, anyway.

SueDonim · 20/02/2002 17:09

Well, I love my BMW, Grizzler and I'm all sweetness'n'light, not at all aggressive.

callie · 20/02/2002 17:37

I've just got a Bmw too. Its a silver 7 series and bigger than Iam used too .
I had a ford focus previously and loved it but now iam driving an automatic, i don't think i could ever go back to manual.

Know what you mean about the Picassos, Janh ,
Love the sky blue ones!!

janh · 20/02/2002 20:14

fms, we were going to get an A6 estate but it's a company car and was due on Sept 1st, when the tarted-up version wasn't yet available and the old ones had all gone, apparently.
So we got a Peugeot 406 estate instead. It is actually bigger, but less sexy of course...sigh.
Callie, I was thinking of the skyblue one! The emerald one is lovely too, and I think there's a sort of lustre one but it's not so striking.

MalmoMum · 20/02/2002 23:42

As regular drivers of children, what are the things that are make or brake on the car you currently drive?

Does anyone think much of the latest report linking asthma to car pollution?

lou33 · 21/02/2002 00:00

We have a Honda Shuttle, which is one of the lesser known people carriers. Six seats, though they did a seven seater too. The six seater has an aisle through the middle so you can walk straight through to get to a child in the back without getting wet in the rain! The boot is like it has been tipped up on end, so it's pretty deep, enough to get a pushchair and a few bags of shopping in anyway. It's a very comfortable car to be in, and a lot lot better than the Citroen Xantia we had before, so I guess I am an MPV convert! Oh and ours is silver.

SueDonim · 21/02/2002 01:13

We've only had our car six days, so I'll let you know later, Malmomum!

callie · 21/02/2002 08:20

Isn't it funny how we all mention the colour!!
If this was "dadsnet" you can bet they wouldn't.

Marina · 21/02/2002 11:21

MalmoMum, living in a part of London where the public transport is quite good and the air quality amongst the worst in the South-East, we try to limit the amount we use our car. Basically, if we have time and the weather is not awful, we take the bus or walk. Our son can now identify all our local buses and tell us where we go on them. But we chose our car, a Nissan Primera hatchback, because it was inexpensive, economical, safe and reliable. And it has a huge boot, as big as any estate car we have seen.
My other thought is this - no matter how big your boot, your family will rise to the occasion and fill it with child-related crud.

jGB · 22/02/2002 20:15

We've recently got a volvo v70 estate ( the big one) and I have to say it is WONDERFUL ( this is a significant move from a man who was always more interested in performance and road handiling than boot size!)Enormous, extremely comfortable, smooth, all mod cons - from satellite navigation to bum warming seats - I'm a fan!!

Reager · 22/02/2002 21:34

We too have the Volvo V70. It is like driving around in the lounge room it is soooo comfortable!

janh · 22/02/2002 21:42

Oh, the bum-warming seats...we had a 240 estate many (8) years ago and the bum-warming seats were very hard to give up!

Crunchie · 22/02/2002 21:59

I am a huge scenic fan. We had a megane last time, an when it was time to swap I chose the same again, but with a bigger boot eg the scenic!

I love it, we have two kids and a dog and it fits all of us, the pram (not just a buggy) and a weeks shopping no proble. Being higher up makes getting in and out easier (no braining the kids) the drive is smooth, the leg room/headroom is great and you can have great fun with all the various seat permutations!! It is just the same length as a megane, so parking is a doddle too. I would go for a MPV anytime.

IDismyname · 25/02/2002 10:31

When we test drove the Volvo, dh had the first go while I had to sit in the back. 5 miles later, feeling VERY queasy, I swopped to the front seat to drive. I could not shake off the queasyness, and refused to even go inside the garage once we got back to look at colours and spec.
When the garage rang subesquently to ask if we were considering a Volvo, my retort was an unequivical "No". Oh why not? I was asked. Cos they make me sick! Oh, well that's the best excuse I've heard, was the reply!!

Pupuce · 25/02/2002 12:06

My mum has a Volvo and I keep asking DH if we can get one (I always sit in the back and I haven't been sick).... DH use to work for Volvo and isn't too keen !!!!!!!! But then I see him on the web looking at them... so not sure !
We are also debating estate or MPV....

Ems · 25/02/2002 13:51

Funnily enough dh asked at the weekend what family car I would choose if money was no object. I said a big red Volvo estate! Pupuce, is your husband not keen on one because he didnt like the company or didnt like the car?

lizbell · 25/02/2002 13:54

I love our Vauxhall Zafira. It has 39 seating combinations, and it takes only seconds to change them round. It is fun to drive and it is great to sit up higher in this mini-MPV than in a normal car. I would highly reccommend it. The children seem to like it too.

Pupuce · 25/02/2002 15:04

He didn't think their marketing strategy was very robust ! He also doesn't think that the fact that FORD bought them was a plus in term of quality. He thought that would bring them down to cheaper quality cars.
But what does he know

Debby · 26/02/2002 12:47

We've had a Galaxy for almost a year now - only one kid at the mo but another on the way! We love the car!! ds loves the view - being high up he doesn't get as bored as when he's in a 'normal' car as he can see out into the fields etc. I agree with the comment that no matter how big the boot you will always fill it, but it does mean that you don't have to think whether there'll be room for x or y - you can just chuck it all in!!
The leg room is good - even comfy on long driving holidays to France. I certainly couldn't go back to a smaller car.

DMK · 13/03/2002 22:18

After much debating we've decided to go for the vauxhall zafira. We don't need a 7 seater for day to day use, but having the option of more seats or a massive boot is great.No having to humf seats in and out the car,they just lift out the floor of the boot!

Joe1 · 14/03/2002 10:51

Pupuce Im surprised that your dh doesnt want a Volvo because he worked for them. I worked at a Volvo garage a few years ago and thought they were great, brilliant warranty backup. If they did a four wheel drive that could tow two horses we would have looked at them. We have a Suzuki Grand Vitara which we love.

Pupuce · 14/03/2002 16:33

Joe1 I think if money was not an issue, I wouldn't be surprised if he went for a Volvo or at least considered it to a degree... you know men... big on opinion, etc

Joe1 · 15/03/2002 06:59

Know what you Pupuce and I sometimes think being a 'Volvo driver' will ruin their image