Hi,
My wife and I are expecting our first child in April. We have about £3.5k to spend on a decent car that we will be happy to put the baby in, and that will potentially do us through to the next baby too (hopefully). We're aiming to get a dog soon too so an estate would be good.
A 4x4 would not go a miss as we will be living out in the Scottish countryside, but not that bothered. The in laws have retired to the south of France - we're in Aberdeen, so a car that could handle THAT journey would be great - but to be honest it might be just way too far to drive.
So far I have been looking at Volvo V40's (with high mileage), Citroen Picasso (seem pricey), Renault Scenic (not seen any in our price bracket), Skoda Fabia Estate (top end of budget).
I'm open to any and all ideas really ... what car, what age, what to look out for?
Your thoughts appreciated.
Cheers.
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petrol mondeo estate. should get a nice clean one for 3k
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Ok - so this reads a LOT like lucyand neil's posting ... lol ... but I'm not looking for a *small* car ;o)
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A mid-sized estate has to provide a good combination of ride, size and value. The Mondeo ought to be the benchmark, so I'd suggest testing one out, and working on from there. The alternative is the Picasso and its copies.
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Focus/Astra/Vectra Estate?
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Mondeo estate every time for my vote. Mine goes back and forth to France, Spain, Italy and Germany several times a year. Very comfy, very practical, very reliable ( despite being a diesel ! ). We also had another one albeit the older model for my wife when she was a new mum. She loved it.
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A Mazda Premacy is worth a look. Roomy with 5 individual seats plus luggage space. Your budget might not stretch to a mark 2 version, but they are good value for money. Avaiable in 1.8 and 2.0 petrol or 2.0 diesel. More reliable than Picasso.
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Another vote for the Mondeo estate - had 2.0 petrol- did lots of long journeys in mine very comfortably with children and largish dog (in cage) . It actually had more boot space than the X-trail I have now - which you will need for dog cage, shopping and buggy for child/ren.
One thing you will really love where you are is the heated windscreen - I was never brave enough to explain about it to the kind souls who had cleared my windscreen on a freezing morning atop a mountain in Wales or in Scotland (see, there are still gentlemen about! ;~) ).
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As I've often written, 3.5k is possibly too much to spend. Major component failure could land you with a bill worth the best part of what the car cost you.
Spend 1k and you'll not get an appreciably worse car than if you spend 3.5k. (cars nowadays have a perfectly happy 200k 15 year life; £1k will get you a car that is half way there). You certainly won't be buying extra reliability for your extra money. Personally I'd spend under 1k or over 10k.
Mondeo estate seems pretty popular. But don't think of driving all that way to the in laws - Hull Zeebrugge will help, but it will still be awful.
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This may apply to certain cases, but I would have thought there would be a work of difference between a 1k car and a 3- 3.5k (particularly if looked after). Granted - there will be plenty of cars that are overpriced, but I think a decent car for the money could be found.
A friendwas looking at a 1.6 Zafira - had a budget of £3k, lokked at many from £1800 onwards, and found one at £3.5k which he bought for £3300. A little up on miles, but newer (52), very nice condition, with history. The cheaper cars were dogs in comparison.
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Honda Shuttle, will fulfil your needs for quite some time, should be able to get a decent one for that sort of money - but they only come in automatic/petrol, but would be very comfy on your long drive - ours is up your neck of the woods as we speak, being borrowed by the outlaws!! Will be using it to go to the other set of outlaws in mid France in march. You can get about 30mpg on a run if your careful.
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I too have nothing but praise for the Mondeo. Tough, good to drive, reliable, cheap to service and repair, cheap to buy second hand, gazillions to choose from, and almost anyone can work on them (the petrols anyway). Putting image to one side, and looking purely at the practical and measurable aspects of a car, they're very hard to fault.
Cheers
DP
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Skoda Octavia estate. Cheap to buy, good value in terms of running costs. Should get you a nice diesel TDI (not the nasty SDI) within your budget (just about) thats less than 5years old..
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For that sort of money do what i did years ago in the same situation and look at the big Volvo estates. Tough as old boots and go forever and there are usually a few around
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Peugeot 306 Estate or Xsara Estate?
Not too popular so may get a newer one for your money?
Edited by BobbyG on 31/01/2008 at 10:25
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Definately a Mondeo, either 1.8 or 2.0. Very safe with loads of airbags, drive well and well specced if you get Zetec or above.
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