Another "What car?" thread

Snags

I really need to get a new wagon before the current one gives up, but I don't really care about cars, and don't have a huge amount of time to put into it, so looking for suggestions.

Key criteria/factors:

• estate/MPV style body shell preferred because:
• - need to get lots of computer/IT stuff in to transport to clients
• - need to get Bernese Mountain Dog in
• - need to get guitars, amps, boards etc. in (not all of the above at the same time)
• integrated roof rails for attaching roof bars preferred
• I'm a tightwad when it comes to cars, so £10-15k max
• preferably 3 years old or newer and moderately low mileage (I tend to keep them for 7+ years and rack them up to around £100k, so when I change it needs to look the part for work)
• economical
• reliable
• comfortable for long-ish journeys (150 - 200 mile round trips including 10-12 hour working day)
• I need to fit in it: 6'4" with 34" inside leg and big feet

This is very much a tool rather than a status symbol.

Historically we've stuck with Fords - old Escort estates, then a sequence of Mondeos, currently a C-Max because I was too tight to pay for a Mondeo or a Galaxy last time we changed.

I'm thinking of a Kia of some sort - maybe an Optima estate, or a cee'd 'sports wagon' ?

munckee

In terms of a massively practical vehicle which does everything the best I have had was a VW touran.  Boring to look at but have 7 seats, massive boots and with seats down I have had a settee in it with the boot closed.  Even compared to other estates and mid sized mpvs the space inside is massive.

They generally are reasonably nice inside and nice to drive.  I had a 1.6 diesel automatic which did 50 to the gallon averaged across all types of driving.

Only two downsides are adults will find not loads of rear legroom but okay and the fan which clears the windscreen is slow when they are steamed up.  Hold their value so will be a year older than an equivalent CMax but great tools.

Snags

Should have said I hate the C-max, and only need 5 seats.  5 seats and a huge boot would be ace

stickyfiddle

I had an Optima estate as a rental a year or so ago. It was a nice car but had a strange non-linear character to the steering above about 50mph. A bit weird and put me off an otherwise excellent car.

munckee

Well I now have a kia sportage which is a 2 litre 4wd auto and if I'm lucky I get 32mpg!  Great car though loads more leg room in the rear but smaller boot.

I think you can get the touran in 5 seat but you'd never know you had the extra seats and are a bonus when you need them.  Adults you don't like can fit in the rear seats too.

I think GSP Basses went through this search and bought a renault little mpv I can't remember the name of.

dbphoto

Dacia Duster?  A couple of friends have them and for the money I’m impressed.

For example:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-cars/dacia/duster/1-6-sce-115-air-5dr/2018/ref/arnco-u-18227

gubble

is the answer Mazda MX-5 ?

Snags

gubble said:

is the answer Mazda MX-5 ?

Yes.  Plus a transit for the wife and dog.

stickyfiddle

gubble said:

is the answer Mazda MX-5 ?

No. The scenario of "I genuinely need an estate car and/or van" is the single acceptable exception where an MX-5 is not the right and proper answer.

EricTheWeary

dbphoto said:

Dacia Duster?  A couple of friends have them and for the money I’m impressed.

For example:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-cars/dacia/duster/1-6-sce-115-air-5dr/2018/ref/arnco-u-18227

In the last two or three years going to France, Belgium and the Netherlands they must be one of the commonest cars you see now. 
If the OP feels he has similar motoring needs to a French plumber in the Dordogne look no further. 

Stevepage

Newer model Mazda 6 would be a good choice. Nicer interiors than the new Mondeo.

boogieman

A Volvo v40 or v60 would fit the bill and is in your budget range. They’re a got a bit of an image problem as a caravan-towing snooze-mobile but I don’t think that’s deserved with the newer models. No idea on reliability but they’re well specc’d and have decent engines. My wife hired one once and said it was the most comfortable car she’d ever driven, which is frankly a bit of a kick in the bollocks when we own a Jaguar XF 

randella

EricTheWeary said:

dbphoto said:

Dacia Duster?  A couple of friends have them and for the money I’m impressed.

For example:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-cars/dacia/duster/1-6-sce-115-air-5dr/2018/ref/arnco-u-18227

In the last two or three years going to France, Belgium and the Netherlands they must be one of the commonest cars you see now. 
If the OP feels he has similar motoring needs to a French plumber in the Dordogne look no further. 

I had one as a hire car a couple of years back in Corsica.  I genuinely had no idea what one was, all I knew was that the key said 'Dacia' on it so I grumbled like hell all the way to the pick up point.

It was a revelation - lovely pliant suspension for pockmarked roads, but not roly-poly.  Helped massively by the reasonably-sized wheels with proper rubber on, not the 18" jobs wrapped in elastic bands on my own car which do nowt for the ride.

The seat was comfortable, the aircon blew cold, there was a decent stereo, and a sat nav.

It drove well - the old Renault diesel pulled nicely, the gearchange was unremarkable but not horrible, the steering neither too quick nor too lazy.

I'd drive one quite happily.

sweepy

Nissan Qashqai but if you need to fit the dog in plus 4 passengers it’ll be snug

stickyfiddle

randella said:

EricTheWeary said:

dbphoto said:

Dacia Duster?  A couple of friends have them and for the money I’m impressed.

For example:

https://www.arnoldclark.com/nearly-new-cars/dacia/duster/1-6-sce-115-air-5dr/2018/ref/arnco-u-18227

In the last two or three years going to France, Belgium and the Netherlands they must be one of the commonest cars you see now. 
If the OP feels he has similar motoring needs to a French plumber in the Dordogne look no further. 

I had one as a hire car a couple of years back in Corsica.  I genuinely had no idea what one was, all I knew was that the key said 'Dacia' on it so I grumbled like hell all the way to the pick up point.

It was a revelation - lovely pliant suspension for pockmarked roads, but not roly-poly.  Helped massively by the reasonably-sized wheels with proper rubber on, not the 18" jobs wrapped in elastic bands on my own car which do nowt for the ride.

The seat was comfortable, the aircon blew cold, there was a decent stereo, and a sat nav.

It drove well - the old Renault diesel pulled nicely, the gearchange was unremarkable but not horrible, the steering neither too quick nor too lazy.

I'd drive one quite happily.

They sell them as Renaults in the Middle East. Perfectly decent cars, if slightly basic. 

Roland

520D ticks all of these:

• estate/MPV style body shell because need to get guitars, amps, boards etc. in
• integrated roof rails for attaching roof bars preferred
• £10-15k max
• preferably 3 years old or newer and moderately low mileage
• economical
• reliable
• comfortable for long-ish journeys (150 - 200 mile trips including 10-12 hour working day)
• I need to fit in it: 6'4" with 34" inside leg and big feet

Elwood

Skoda Octavia or Superb estate
or
VW Passat Estate 

munckee

Roland said:

520D ticks all of these:

• estate/MPV style body shell because need to get guitars, amps, boards etc. in
• integrated roof rails for attaching roof bars preferred
• £10-15k max
• preferably 3 years old or newer and moderately low mileage
• economical
• reliable
• comfortable for long-ish journeys (150 - 200 mile trips including 10-12 hour working day)
• I need to fit in it: 6'4" with 34" inside leg and big feet

Would you get a 3 year old 520 for that price, if so worth a punt has everything except high seating position.

strtdv

Skoda Octavia estate. Biggest boot in its class (and close to the biggest in the next size class up), practical, reliable, lots of independents to work on it once out of warranty.

I've a Golf GTD estate which is great but the Octavia is even bigger and cheaper.

You can get a pretty well equipped one (sat nav, adaptive cruise control, dual zone climate control) 2 years old with low miles and your choice of engine well within budget.

At the upper end of your budget you can get a Skoda superb which is even bigger. There's a reason most of the taxis you see are Superbs.

Having had a BMW I wouldn't own one out of warranty, particularly a X drive version of anything.

jrc2806

I have always liked the Mazda CX-5. Not sure on prices for a 3 year old model but the petrol engines are pretty economical (for an SUV) and I found the boot space really good when I tested a couple. 

Funkfingers

Škoda Yeti. Five seats when you carry people and dog. Rear seat is entirely removable in three sections when you need van-like luggage capacity. Roof rails as standard. You might even find a pre-owned example with a tow bar or ball already fitted.

For distance and load lugging, the only serious engine choice is the two litre Turbo Diesel. This is available in various states of tune, trading off between economy and outright power.