Calling all owners of 7-seater estate cars...

[frogs]

I fear the time has come when we need to acquire a car, and am thinking of one of those big estate cars with the extra seats in the boot.

If you own one of those (particularly the Volvo V70 or the older 850) what do you think of it? I'm particularly interested in how reliable they are likely to be after about 80K on the clock.

Also (nosey question alert) how do people finance cars? I'd like to keep the cost to a level where we can pay for it out of cash, but that's going to restrict us to an older model with higher mileage. Not sure if this is going to be a wise decision in the long run.

All experiences gratefully received!

4 CD Changer/RDS Radio

4 x 50W Amplifier ABS + Elec Brake Distribution

Anti-theft Alarm Autodimming Rear View Mirror

Comfort Chassis Cruise Control

Dolby Surround SoundTM ECC (Electronic Climate Ctrl)

Elec Driver's Seat with Memory Electric Front Seats

Electric Heated Door Mirrors Extra Seats in Cargo Area

Front Fog Lights Headlamp Cleaning System

Headlamp Jet Wash Heated front seats

IC (Inflatable Curtain) Information Centre

Integrated Booster Cushions Luxury Pack

Mass Movement Sensor Navigation System

Passenger Airbag Rear Power Outlet

Remote Central Locking Road and Traffic Info Sys + TV

Roof Rails SIPS (Side Impact Protection)

Cylinders: 5

Engine capacity: 2435 cc

Max. output ECE: 200 @ 6000 bhp/rpm

Max. torque ECE: 285 @ 1800-5000 Nm

Acceleration 0-62 mph 8.6 secs

Top speed: 130 mph

Urban: 20.0 mpg

Extra Urban: 33.6 mpg

Combined: 26.9 mpg

CO2 Emissions: 251 g/km

VED Band: D

Overall length: 4733 mm

Overall width: 1860 mm

Unladen height: 1562 mm

Luggage capacity: 485-1641 litres

Max. towing (braked): 1800 kg

Max. towing (unbraked): 750 kg

Min. kerb weight: 1630 kg

Harratts Wakefield
267 Barnsley Road
Wakefield
WF2 6AH
t: 0870 121 1112
f: 01924 242432 Please note
Whilst every effort has been made by Volvo Car UK, its agencies and dealers to ensure the accuracy of the above information, some errors may occur. It is important that you do not rely solely on this information, but check with your supplying dealer about any items you feel will affect your decision to purchase this car. No liability is accepted for loss or damage resulting from incorrect information.

• These figures relate to a typical example of this model when new. They will vary according to the age, fitted equipment and mileage of this vehicle.

oops sorry

4 X 4s discussed on BBC1 Watchdog now.

but I love mine

but mine isnt as high as XC90

RTKangaM - thanks for all your messages! Sorry, had to go and do some work after I posted my messages!

Hadn't thought about the trade in aspect although thinking about it, we'd probably get rid of dh's fiesta and keep my Mondeo (which is much newer, bigger nicer etc etc!) and the fiesta isn't worth much so I'd say £15K total.

Lets hope dh's car allowance kicks in soon so we can get one!

RTKangaM - do you have much boot space with the 7 seats in? Do the seats face forward or can you have them rearward as well (not that it really matters though!)?

we are changing our zafira to t he new model this summer as at the moment we have only a lap belt in the middle asn ds3 will have outgrown his car seat by then

Gobbledigook

They are rear facing and you do not have much boot space with them up

but they fold into the boot floor so you have full sized boot

the first one I found was £15,000

and had lots of toys

How were you going to use the extra seats all the time or for friends children?

one was 14,995 and other 15,995

look on website and put in V70

this is the older version but still brill cars and select XC or cross country

they have RTI + TV

If you select advanced search they you can specify rear facing seats

Thanks for that. The extra seats would only be occasional so I suppose boot space is not an issue - say if we visited parents in The Lakes we could all go out somewhere the 7 of us in one car and we'd only need the boot space for the luggage at which point there'd only be 5 of us in the car. Would also use to help out with school runs and to carry friends kids around! So would work well I think.

Will look at the website,thanks!

Sorry been busy trying to get a bid proposal out for today - was not able to check the thread.

XC70 - you will be able to get one of the facelifted ones for about £15k although it would be a struggle to get a D5 Diesel. They will probably cost a couple of thousand more. You can expect to get about 20mpg in regular driving from a petrol and 30mpg from the diesel. The diesel is 6p per mile cheaper to run for fuel and depreciates slower, so lets say 10per mile lower ownership costs. Do the sums to see which is better for you.

Land Rover Defender - Sideways facing seats are not very good at all for kids in accidents. Think about the forces being applied, and the lack of support for the child seats... If they will only be used occasionally I would not worry too much about them if you like the car, but would leave them for larger kids, that no longer require booster seats (I have no evidence of this - just what I've read and my knowledge of Physics). Personally, one of the cars on my wish list is the Mercedes G-Wagen, and they have similar seats. The 5 door has 5 normal seats and 4 seats facing inward in the rear (making it a nine seater - which should be Congestion charge exempt - I'm looking in to this - not confimed). Another car is the Daihatsu Fourtrak, which also has inward facing seats (another car I am considering).

I must stop buying cars, I must stop buying cars

would work then

I wasnt sure if you had 4 or 5 children so would want them all the time

You could also get roof box for extra room

If I can pick your brains again, Jazzybee and other Volvo-lovers, it would be a great help to know what the merits of the various different models/options are for the Volvo.

I wanted an estate because I prefer them to people-carriers, and assumed they would be more fuel-efficient. Also people I know who have V70s love them. But looking at websites I'm flummoxed by all the slightly different models, facelifts and upgrades that seem to be available. I've worked out that XC means cross-country (there's one parked in our road!). It's stylish, but I wouldn't want to pay extra for the off-road look. I just want something that will do the job with the minimum fuss, mainly for longer journeys, so probably a diesel, manual rather than automatic. Apparently the extra seats in the boot can be fitted if the car doesn't have them already, so that doesn't have to be a consideration.

I was aiming for the £11,000 price bracket, really.

Just going into a meeting, so a quick reply. XC70 is 4WD, which means extra grip, but also extra fuel used and more things to go wrong. I would stick with the V70, post 2000 facelift D5 diesel. I like the SE model - has the best options as std. I don't thing the rear facing seats can be retrofitted. Better to check with a volvo dealer on that one

I absolutly love My XC70

It has RTI + TV and as you all know by now I am an addict!!!!!

I love the integrated phone system with two phones cos am addict of mobiles too!!!!!!!!

Geartronic gears love too

It is just brill to drive and to sit on M25 traffic jams without missing TV progs

Never get lost again either

Would deffo get climate control

Integrated seats are brill if you have kids of car seat size as they are the most secure you could want

We also have loads of other toys so if you want to ask about specific then will say if we have it.

frogs is 11,000 + your old car?

rwetforfuittwedasweastas1000

Are your kids messing about on the PC Anteater?!

RETrofittedsewetasx1000h20keys

I quite agree anteater

dont you Gobbledigook????

Sadly not, Kangamummy. I'm trying to steer a course between borrowing lots of money (bad) and ending up with an old banger (also bad). Looking at the used car websites, I hope I'm not being completely unrealistic.

frogs where about in country are you

please give me a postcode that is sort of near you like same county

ob not yours

I will find you some cars just looked and in sussex loads for 10995

or some as much as 5,995