Mentalmac Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Hi Guys, I'm new here (Said hi in the welcome section). I am after some advice if you would be so kind. I am soon (as in 4 weeks) to be a father again, and thus will have 3 children. 1 is 9 (Step kid) and a two year old and our newborn. The dilema is that we have two children needing car seats which take up a HIDEOUS amount of room considering their sizes and I am now in a terrible pickle. I currently have a 3 series which is my company car which I have to keep and just use when only have a couple of kids or own or company business and my personal car is a Mazda 6 series which is a lovely car but I can't fit all 3 in the back. I also have a good permission of 90 odd acres with a track to get to it (Where I have got the cars stuck once or twice) and am thinking with my wotsit and not my brain and thinking potentially a 7 seater 4X4? I really don't want a family carrier car, not sure why but just don't fancy one. I know MPG won't be great, but I can use a 4X4 for lamping and stuff and carting all the family around. Do you firstly think this is a silly idea? and secondly, if I have a budget of £4k what would be best reliability/running cost wise with best MPG? Sorry to be a pain with so many questions just stuck in a rut and don't know what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 WIthout budget limitations the Skoda Yeti could be ideal http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/skoda/yeti There are plenty of crossovers on the market these days 4x4 or AWD with 7 seats (ideal if you need to take the grandparents and the kids!) Some older/cheaper options too HOnda FR-V might be worth a look http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304106187729/make/HONDA/model/FR-V/postcode/sa148qg/radius/1500/price-from/500/quicksearch/true/price-to/6000/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/advert-type/hl-nthcar/dealer/3280/usedcars?logcode=hlp but not 4x4. MPG and 4x4 do not go well together...... depends on driving style and annual mileage. There is the Scenic 4x4......... LR disco was for a long time the do all option..... Subaru Forester or Tribeca Awesome on and off road, not cheap to run http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201303075659995/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/3000/price-to/5000/transmission/manual/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/model/forester/make/subaru/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/postcode/sa148qg/page/1?logcode=p Some food for thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted April 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 WIthout budget limitations the Skoda Yeti could be ideal http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/skoda/yeti There are plenty of crossovers on the market these days 4x4 or AWD with 7 seats (ideal if you need to take the grandparents and the kids!) Some older/cheaper options too HOnda FR-V might be worth a look http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304106187729/make/HONDA/model/FR-V/postcode/sa148qg/radius/1500/price-from/500/quicksearch/true/price-to/6000/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/advert-type/hl-nthcar/dealer/3280/usedcars?logcode=hlp but not 4x4. MPG and 4x4 do not go well together...... depends on driving style and annual mileage. There is the Scenic 4x4......... LR disco was for a long time the do all option..... Subaru Forester or Tribeca Awesome on and off road, not cheap to run http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201303075659995/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/3000/price-to/5000/transmission/manual/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/model/forester/make/subaru/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/postcode/sa148qg/page/1?logcode=p Some food for thought Hi, Thanks for your advice - much appreciated. Sorry, I havn't been able to get onto the forum until today, apart from quick looks from a mobile. Like the look of the Disco, but heard they can be a lot of trouble. Argh, too many decisions :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Low mileage Frontera - 38mpg and cheap to run. Owned one and also a Discovery - different league to Disco - on road - and not far behind off road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owain Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Have you looked at isuzu trooper or shogun LWB? There's plenty about and come with 5 or 7 seats. I've got a 3.1 LWB trooper and there's plenty of room for kids, dogs, guns, shopping whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 7 seater 4x4 are great family cars in my opinion just dont be fooled into thinking they are all big inside. I had a Terrano which was tall and long but quite narrow and you couldnt get 3 kids seats in the middle row I now have a discovery 1 and its actually quite short length wise inside and does not have massive amounts of leg room in the back. I think the biggest are either a Shogun or Trooper or if budget stretches the toyota landcrusiers are big lumps. 4k should buy you a decent truck, something like a Mitsubishi shogun would be ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted April 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2013 Cheers for the advice guys. Found a 3.2 di-d 2002 Shogun for sale. with 90,000 on clock but apparnetly in good nick. (For £4000) Anything to worry about with that you guys reckon? Managed to blag a ride in an older Pajero and thought, crikey, I can not only go lamping (Without getting my 3 series stuck in the field again) and also take all the kids with me! :-) Just a bit nervous about the car size difference and trying to learn not to have a 2 tonne right foot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted April 19, 2013 Report Share Posted April 19, 2013 (edited) One of my close friends has the 3.2 shogun and he just bought a newer second one for his mrs. His trucks get a hard life with towing a big IFOR williams trailer and caravans. His older workhouse one is on 54plate and has done well over 100,000 miles and the fact he has bought another one should speak for something. After 2 or 3 days you will be over that nervousness they are big but you soon get used to them and because of there size you seem to not drive everywhere at full throttle mainly because you see the fuel gauge moving down just as fast as the speedo moves up Edited April 19, 2013 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted April 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2013 One of my close friends has the 3.2 shogun and he just bought a newer second one for his mrs. His trucks get a hard life with towing a big IFOR williams trailer and caravans. His older workhouse one is on 54plate and has done well over 100,000 miles and the fact he has bought another one should speak for something. After 2 or 3 days you will be over that nervousness they are big but you soon get used to them and because of there size you seem to not drive everywhere at full throttle mainly because you see the fuel gauge moving down just as fast as the speedo moves up Thanks :-) - bit more relaxed about it. It's strange, because I have got rid of a 2006 mazda 6 saloon with 35,000 miles for 4K and now buying a 2002 with 90k for same money. Seems odd, but guess it's a lot more metal and longer lasting (Hopefully). Can't wait to view and hopefully buy now. Just have to remember that I don't need to literally go straight into a field and wreck it straight away... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPARKIE Posted April 21, 2013 Report Share Posted April 21, 2013 l200 warrior 5 big seats 30mpg if runningat 50mph mine goes upto 38mpg.....£130 year tax on a 06 model and one hell of a boot for putting bikes/buggies etc. ideal for lamping from and 4x4 I do not know how I have coped for so long without one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 look out for a Suzuki Vitara XL-7. It is basically a grand vitara that has been stretched 12" and (most) a third row added. I was looking at a 5 seater model a few months back (though most are 7 seaters). I took it for a test drive and it was good. The body was a little scraped up but otherwise it was a 52 plate with 60k for £3k. I would have bought it if I didn't come across my jeep shortly after. thanks rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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