Hello
I am trying to decide on a people carrier for personal use.
Below are my/our requirements and constraints:
1. It must seat 7 adults in acceptable comfort plus luggage. So I'm thinking big here.
2. No diesels.
3. No French cars - all banned.
4. £20K to spend. £25K absolute max. Nothing to trade in.
5. Reliability is king. Absolute top priority.
Can anyone help?
Regards
TMS
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A Tranny van with 2 sofas bolted in the back?
Oh wait, they are diesel. Erm a minibus? oh er diesel. Are you sure about the diesel thing?
7 adults in comfort and luggage is a BIG ask for anything with a petrol engine.
Edited by Whisky on 22/07/2008 at 22:47
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Mercedes V (for van) class. You'll wish you had opted for the diesel though.
How often do you need 7 seats and luggage space ? Alternatively, any 7 seater and a trailer for the luggage.
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Try looking for a hen's tooth - will be easier.
You need to be more realistic.
Edited by hxj on 22/07/2008 at 23:09
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Only one fits your requirements will be toyota previa
hope you have a deep wallet for the fuel bills
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SMax 2.5 petrol? MPG won't be very good and there's still a turbo to fail.
I think you're in the prestige 4x4 sphere at £20-25k. How about a Volvo XC90 petrol turbo (or whatever their 4x4 is called).
VW Tourag 3.2 petrol? Are 6 cylinder Cayennes down to that money yet?
BMW X5 3.0i or 4.4i (or are they only 5 seats?).
But this begins to make less and less sense because these posh cars are probably reaching 3yrs old and out of manufacturers warranty.
Out of interest, can you expand on why no diesels please as you've eliminated about 90% of the market! Just wondering if you've tried any of the latest crop?
I think for your money you could get a brand new top spec S-Max 2.2 twin turbo diesel with 3 yrs of manufacters warranty for example?
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Methinks a petrol with 7 adults on board - you'll need something like a 4 litre engine to get up any hills in the Lake District! (And probably not get much more than 18mpg).
Much better with a diesel - more power, better fuel economy.
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Hyundi i800?
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Transit Tourneo(8 or 9 seater-three rows of seats) and still plenty of space behind is available with a petrol engine.
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Diesels were built for this kind of application, and do it far better than a petrol engine unless you're prepared to accept mpg figures in the teens.
Cheers
DP
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2.0 Petrol galaxy fits your requirements.
Hyundai Trajet
KIA sedona
Chrysler Grand Voyager
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Hyundi i800?
Is that those huge new people carriers? Me and misses saw a huge mpv in teh Hyundai dealer today - the floor was as high as my misses waist, she couldnt believe the size of it.
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2. No diesels.
Why?
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Many thanks for the suggestions. I quite like the idea of the S-Max 2.5. I am also hugely impressed with a 2007 Focus petrol so am happy to have another Ford in the household.
Some have asked why no diesels. I have yet to drive a diesel that I really like. I dislike the cold start noise, the narrow power range, the smell and the potentially ruinous repair costs if a modern common rail diesel goes wrong out of warranty. Also as we intend putting no more than 5000 miles a year on the vehicle, then the economics of having a diesel are rather thin. The local garage to us has petrol at 116p and diesel 130p !!
I like a nice free-revving, twin-cam, variable valve petrol engine with refinement and a nice slick gearchange.
No low down torque? Just use the gears.
Regards
TMS
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This one's going to depend on how literally "7 adults in acceptable comfort plus luggage" is to be taken. If you need space for 7 adults plus their luggage, then it'll have to be one of the van-based suggestions above. The Previa is no longer officially imported but I think you can get an unofficial import (but what about the warranty?).
But you could have a look in a Ford dealer at the S-Max and Galaxy and see if either will meet your needs. They'll be much better to drive, especially the S-Max 2.5.
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Hello The Melting Snowman.
As a favour to me, who originally suggested the S-Max 2.5T, and the backroom as a whole as it would make excellent reading, could you go and road test an S-Max 2.5T and also a 2.2TDCi and report back! It's got to be worth 30mins of your time surely. I am sure you'd be won over by the latest 2.2 if you gave it a test drive.
The resale value of the 2.2TDCi will be much much higher than the 2.5T and you could invest some of the projected difference in a 4th year warranty from Warranty Direct or such like to insure against mega bills.
Good luck test driving!
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How about something American, like a Chevy Suburban 2wd? If the fuel gets too much, they're a doddle to gas-convert. You need big and the Yanks do big well.
If not, I'd have a diesel even though, like you, I'm not keen on them. Free-revving engines and slick gear changes are going to be a pain in something as big as you want. I'd want grunt and probably an auto, you're unlikely to be throwing it around, unless you like vomit down your neck :-). So euro or asian diesel, or yank petrol V8.
Edited by nick on 24/07/2008 at 12:21
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Here you go, a bit drug dealer but the steering wheel's on the right side.
tinyurl.com/5os7y9
The kids would love it.
Edited by nick on 24/07/2008 at 12:31
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Agreed--Chevy Suburban is your standout choice here, unless you're willing to go with something three or four years old, in which case I'd suggest the Ford Excursion (no longer in production, but a fantastic vehicle). If you want it brand new, then by all means get a Suburban.
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You occassionally see pre-reg Merc Vianos being sold off cheaply, but only ever with petrol engines (for a reason - no-one wants them with petrol engine). However your insistence on petrol means they should be worthy of consideration. I saw a loaded 08 Viano lwb 350 being sold off just the other day for £29k, and a few months back there was a big batch too going for less IIRC.
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I will see what I can do although it won't be for a few weeks as we're about to go on holiday. If the 2.2 TDCI is the same as in the Mondeo then I have driven it. It's a nice diesel engine but diesels don't sound right to me. A car needs a smooth petrol, preferably a straight six...
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A car needs a smooth petrol preferably a straight six...
No offence but your not buying a car...
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Mercedes R-Class. An R280 or R350 should do it. Massively unpopular but very comfortable. Used ones (in Germany) less than one year old start around 27,000 Euros.
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I cant think of a vehicle than this to cart your family around in
tinyurl.com/6yf9cv
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It's going to be the S-Max 2.5-litre Duratec five-cylinder turbo with six-speed 'box. Nice.
Just got to find a good deal now.
Many thanks for the suggestions.
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Sub £17k, brand new, for an S-Max 2.5 Titanium on drivethedeal.com
How's that for a starting point?
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Sorry to come in late... try Mitsubishi Grandis...
see
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=48948&...e
Had mine 18 months now, and once I sorted out tracking/tyres with help from this forum, I have been very pleased.... all my original observations still stand
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Toyota Verso SR 1.8 petrol - get it on 0% finance currently. Use Carfile as they can get good deals.
Or go for a 12 month old T3 one for about 11k to 12K.
Edited by tawse on 23/08/2008 at 00:02
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So your don't care about the fuel bills because you will not be driving it that much, but you are bothered about how it drives and the noise. It is basically a van after all. If you not using it that much, why worry?
I think you need to get used to how diesels drive, the power delivery is different to petrol, but not inferior. When I rarely drive petrol these days I find it strange that I need to change gear a lot and take the engine right up the rev range to make any progress.
Edited by krs one on 23/08/2008 at 07:24
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I took the same view - our MPV was a functional tool bought out of necessity rather than desire.
We drove every engine option in the Grand Scenic (which admittedly doesn't have a really powerful petrol option), and the diesel was by far the best to drive. Gutsy and effortless, and from inside the car, virtually inaudible. I'd have bought it even if it had been the thirstiest.
Cheers
DP
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The S-Max is no van. Came best in category in Auto Express. There is no way a diesel will be bought - I hate the complexity of the things. I came within a fag paper of getting my fingers burned with a common rail diesel. Traded in quickly so someone else could have the fun and expense.
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