Family car - impossible

[Girlswithflowers]

So we are four people- tall teen dds. We like to camp.

I'm fed up of diesels which seems to dominate the large spacious family car market - i think their value is going to crash and our driving style with (normally) daily short runs and the odd weekend isn't great for these engines ( i have dpf issues in the past).

Looking for used max 5 years old and no more than £14k and reliable. Why is this so very hard!

We have a Skoda karoq, 1.5 petrol and can fit our camping gear in the back quite easily , I find it fairly economical on petrol as well.

I have had a Rav4 and a Sportage. The Rav4 was a lot roomier.

Which ever you go for I would strongly recommend leasing. Manufacturers are going to be desperate to offload stuff at the moment and there will be some cracking deals about. Leasing is often a good bet anyway, especially since it doesn’t sound like OP does huge miles

Hmmm, I lease and work for a lease co. They will want to offload the stock anyway, as will any used car dealer. You may get a better deal if you have cash waiting. Only lease if you are prepared to pay damage costs at the end and excess mileage, depending on what kind of lease you get. If you want to own it at the end, a bank loan or interest free credit card which you then balance transfer is far cheaper and less likely to catch you out. Don't tell my bosses that tho 😂

I've got the cash - I've only ever bought cars that i can afford. It's going to be a buyers market in a month or so I reckon.

Agreed. There's a market update this week and the last one said as few cars should come back for sale as possible. They'll drop a bit more before demand starts to go up again. People will be going for small petrol cars - on the idea that this pandemic and possible redundancies will bring out the budgeter in everyone. Luxury large vehicles, particularly diesel will be a bargain. I'm thinking of ending my lease earlier to grab a bargain.

We need a big car soon (DH is pushing 6'5" and we need decent leg room behind him if we have another baby) and are looking at a Skoda Superb or a Seat Ateca.

@Girlswithflowers we also found the CRV a bit boring.

Our Tucson is a Premium SE so top spec and comes with everything you can imagine. I don't like Kia and hated the look and feel of the Sportage.

Look at the Tucson, you could probably get hold of a top spec one around 5 years old for £14k. If you go down a spec to the premium, which has lots of kit - it's even cheaper.

Plus they look nice and are good to drive.

Yup that's what I've been working on re the Tuscon they seem high spec - they seem also to be motability cars and there is an ex motability dealer near me which means low mileage and often no one has sat in the back seat! Rav 4 seem in the same market but more expensive. Wondering if the bottom falls out the market I might be able to afford at 14/15 plate bmw x3 though!!

I raise you - my th is 6'6" and Drs are going to be tall too. I need a car that fits 4 adults easily.

DH and DDs!

Mitsubishi Shogun? Not many about but acres of space.

I would post a link but it puts your postcode on the end. This is the Hyundai interior. The outside looks great and the spec is great. With these manufacturers you get so much more as standard. But it looks so basic on the dash!

The Kia is still quite basic but looks much more modern than the Hyundai which reminds me of a Ford Focus from the early 2000s.

The Tucson and Sportage share the same platform so are very similar under the skin.

@Girlswithflowers

Interesting- kias are cheaper and have a longer warranty

This is what I came here to say.

I have a petrol 67-plate Sportage and I love it. My only criticism is we can't find a rear-mounted bike carrier that fits.

Have you looked at the Kia Ceed Sportswagon estate?

They are the same but they are also individual. every time I get into a Tucson I think urgh, I wouldn't want this. And I loved my sportage. I know I did try to hand it back at first but I had come out of a golf and it felt cheap in comparison. It truly won me over by the end.

@Girlswithflowers

I've been looking at 2016/17 budget up to £15k ideally less. I like being high up so suv of mpv better.

Petrol-
kuga - boot too small
Tuscon- mixed reviews pricey
Mazda cx5 - petrol engine sluggish (no turboboost) boot okay but not massive
Qashqui boot too small
Xtrail - 5 seater a maybe
Touran

Diesel
Mazdax cx5
Ford Galaxy
Seat Alhambra - pricey

What have missed?

Take a look at Toyota Alphard. Unbeatable for comfort and a work horse. Best car I've ever had.

Wondering if the bottom falls out the market I might be able to afford at 14/15 plate bmw x3 though

Right, you'd avoid a frumpy looking reliable CRV (which you cant see the outside of when you are sat inside), but would rather piss away your money on an older BMW X3 that is a guaranteed unreliable piece of shit money-pit?

Makes perfect sense. Sheesh.

@FartingInTheFence why do you have such a problem with the Germans?

If it was guaranteed to be a money pit they wouldn't be selling any vehicles. BMWs have a great reputation. Granted they aren't as premium or well manufactured as they once were but they have the quite the following and they have that for a reason.

My husband have had BMWs and Audi's for years, my parents too. They've all been brilliant

If it was guaranteed to be a money pit they wouldn't be selling any vehicles. BMWs have a great reputation.

Big BMW fan here but I wouldn’t want one out of warranty! For a 3/4 year old car I’d be looking to the Far East.

@SamanthaStripyPants people are different - you prefer the Kia and didn't like the Tucson but we were the other way, really didn't like the Kia at all!!

You really need to sit in cars to get a feel of it and decide which one is for you and if you like how they drive. Not easy to do at the moment but it's important as just because one person likes a car, doesn't mean you will.

@Neverendingweeds it's funny isn't it! I completely agree, ideally quite a long test drive too. Someone that had the Kia delivered the same day as me handed it back and went into an a class I think.

I think tastes change over time too. I used to drool over BMWs. Now I have a brand new one (well was at first now 1year) which is top of the range but only a 1series, I realise that the volume brands give far more as standard. I may well go for a used BMW but only if it already has all the options I require. My current dream is an arteon but I can't afford it.

@Elai1978 is that from personal experience? We've always had really old ones, 1998-2005 and never had any problems. This is my first new one.

@SamanthaStripyPants - I have no problem with Germans.

German cars though, are entirely different.

In and out of warranty, they are the worst when it comes to reliability. Check any international ranking for details.

As for the selling, what has that gotta do with anything? Any car maker can provide innovative finance and sales deals to sell cars. Thats how they sell them.

Some people like German cars, and thats completely fine. Doesnt detract from the undisputed fact that they are unreliable heaps of junk that are money pits.

But hey, if the BMW X3 is not "frumpy", then I guess that somehow trumps reliability, even if it is unreliable and ends up as a money pit 🤷‍♀️