Hi, just considering trading in my older 5 door Astra family car that seems to be falling to bits on me for something a bit more reliable. Its depreciated like a lead brick so on a bit of a budget seeing as its lost a third of its value in 7 months!
I'm faced with the dilemma - do I get myself another traditional 5 door mid sized car like people traditionally do when they have a baby to transport about and get another Astra, Focus etc. I would have to go for something a bit older, with quite possibly problems of its own.
Or do I go for a brand new small car - like a Fiesta or similar, obviously superminis are out - and sacrifice boot space and 5 doors for a nice shiny brand spanker with 3 years warranty?
Does anyone use a small car on a regular basis for a family car? I can fit my pram in my Astra boot and still arrange shopping around it - but most of the time I just bung it on my back seat anyway.
Whats the verdict - practicality or reliability?
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If you are on a budget a brand new Kia Picanto for about £5,000 is great value,good warranty and will be reliable,all with 5 doors and power steering etc.
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Well, given that you say you can afford a Fiesta, I'm presuming your budget is around £6000-7000...
For that money you could buy a small family car still covered by warranty (btw a Fiesta is classed as a supermini, so a bit confused...). The last of the Focus' which are reliable and wear their age and mileage well (54) shouldn't be more than £7000 for a mid-spec (LX/Zetec) 1.6 and will be surrounded by another 18 months warranty. Also Toyota Corolla's and old-shape Civics (though older) should be available at this range - and both are considered highly reliable, an Almera could be obtained in any guise at a year old easily.
But superminis are getting bigger. Given HJ's favourable review and the fact the Grande Punto is the same size as the 306 was, I would perhaps consider one of these new. A very safe option, but time will tell on its reliability.
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Go and have a look at a Mazda 2. We have one as a second car and it is very spacious inside. Boot is reasonable for a supermini. Got it new for £7500 and I believe you can get very close to this now. Recommended and nothing has gone wrong.
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I dont have kids so no personal experience, but was talking to our neighbour yesterday who has a 1 year old daughter and drives a Peugeot 206. She was saying that the Peugeot was too small both in boot space and the small rear side door opening compromised the ease of getting the child into the car seat.
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Have a look at the Skoda Fabia: a few inches bigger than a Fiesta, so you may find it has enough space to avoid having to go into the Focus/Astra class.
I know times and expectations have changed, but mine has a lot more space than many of the cars I remember my father having when I was a lad.
You don't say how many children you have, or what ages, but you should be fine with a smallish car unless you have three teenagers.
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Mitsubishi are selling their Red Colt @ £5,999 - bargain and a good size car, worth looking at.
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Having had 3 children all growing up together and pushchairs etc.
You NEED a small estate car. Not a 5 door hatch back. But an estate. You can put wheelchairs/buggies etc in the rear and not worry about kids.
It's also easier to load/unload and far better on your back. We used to have a Mini estate.. and it was cramped when the kids were teenagers but surprisingly practical.
So look for a small estate car and try loading/unloading over the rear..
I'm not up to date on what's available so can't help.
Reject saloons as impractical.. your back will thank you:-)
madf
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Erm... I keep saying this I hope I am not boring anyone.
Get a SEAT Toledo MK II £1,500 will buy you a low mileage immaculate 1997 model, either petrol or diesel.
Basically a MK II Golf bullet proof reliability and cheap to fix if it goes wrong. 4 good sized seats and a HUGE boot.
Basically produced as a taxi for the Spanish market.
Leaves you £3,500 to send on shoes...
(getting hit by girlfriend for making sexist comments)
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Erm... I keep saying this I hope I am not boring anyone. Get a SEAT Toledo MK II £1,500 will buy you a low mileage immaculate 1997 model, either petrol or diesel. Basically a MK II Golf
So, in design terms, over 20 years old.
Not really going to cut it for somebody who thinks the 2 year old Focus they could get for £6k might 'give them trouble', is it?
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Yup. Agricultural really but can be fixed by a 12 year old with two rusty spoons.
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Reliability problems usually follow a bathtub curve anyway - high at first (but obviously fixed for free), flat and low for a long time and then getting more frequent as the scrapyard approaches.
Where you may find that you have more expenditure with a newish used car is on semi-consumables - things like brake discs and pads, timing belt and so on which have a life of 60k miles or thereabouts.
If you do enough mileage you'll get them in the first three years regardless and then you'll be fine for as long as you would with a new car but you seem to be looking at doing a lowish annual mileage.
£7,699 will get you a 55 plate Focus 1.4 Studio (basic and slow, admittedly, but better than a Fiesta 1.2) from www.trade-sales.co.uk Another £1k would get you a C-Max mini-MPV with air con. Both will come with 2 1/2 years' manufacturer's warranty.
If you go down the brand new route have a look at a Honda Jazz 1.2 (~£8k), a Renault Modus from a broker (sub ~£8k again) or the Mazda2 as suggested.
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"You NEED a small estate car. Not a 5 door hatch back. But an estate. You can put wheelchairs/buggies etc in the rear and not worry about kids."
There aren't many on the market but one that is is the Skoda Fabia estate (sometimes called the Combi). Practical and reliable, but go for the 1.4 100 bhp petrol or the 1.9 TDI diesel as lower-powered ones can be sluggish.
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Just be careful when considering estate cars though - when I first had kids I went all daft about cars and thought - I know I need a Volvo estate !!- So I test drove the V40 only to find I could not fit the pram in the back - went to the VW dealer and the pram fitted into the back of a Golf hatch no problem - so bought it and then had loads of problems with car and dealer - which is another story.
The point I am trying to make is try a few cars with all the bits that go with kids.
For instance I now drive a Honda Accord saloon and I can get more in the boot (kids stuff included) than I could with my Passat estate (up to luggage cover height) - Blimey I have wasted some dosh on cars - If a small(ish) car has a good load space shape (as well as size) then this will matter for you.
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Get a newer Astra estate.
1.6 Club, gives sensible fuel economy, air con & a squarish loadspace, with a well built, reliable, but easy to fix vehicle.
£5000 ish plenty to choose from.
VB
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If a small hatchback can meet most of your family transport / shopping needs etc. then its usefulness can be extended by buying a small trailer (i.e. up to 750 kg. gross weight) for holidays or other occasions when you need more cargo space.
One does have to bear in mind the lower speed limits while towing but that would only be for a fraction of one's total mileage!
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