Soo…I’m 19 years old with a keen interest in MTBing and 1 child as of yet. An estate sounds sensible to me…please bear in mind I am only 19 so cannot afford 45K RS4 estate with S-Line, thought it would be nice.

I currently have a Ford focus 1.6, have a budget of ‘about’ £3K, what should I be looking at?

Check insurance first.

But tbh just put a tow bar on the Focus, and buy a tow bar rack.

Mondeo.

Skoda Octavia 1.9Tdi – get the lowest power one – it will still be quicker than a 1.6 Focus…

Done 160000 miles in mine and it is still doing just shy of 60mpg.

Rachel

Focus
Mondeo
Skoda Octavia
Pug 306 or 406/7

Etc… I’d buy off condition, and unless you are doing a lot of miles a yer, don’t worry too much about petrol or diesel…

b r – insurance isn’t much of an issue really, I’m confident I can afford to insure whatever crops up.

I haven’t looked at Skodas but it seems a fair shout, how about Mazdas too? Speed also isn’t an issue lol, I don’t drive fast FWIW

Not many miles per year, about 7000 as I have use of my dads car aswell which I will try and use for any long distance journeys, seeing as it is brand new…

Mondeo

Love mine cheap to buy and run 2.5TDCI diesel

I’m slowly coming round to an estate, seems like the practicality is just going to be too hard to beat.

I’ll follow this thread with interest.

Going to see a 330d M Sport Touring on Thursday.

+1 for the pug 406 estate.
Volvo 850/v70? Had one of these too – bags of room

Again, check insurance first!!!

peterfile – it just makes sense to me lol. my current car is a ford focus 1.6 3 door, i’m sure I could swap it out for exactly the same spec estate and have x2 as much room…

can get a nice 2005/06 plate Octavia for around 3K which isn’t too shabby…

off out now so will check back on thread shortly to follow up all suggestions :p

I’ve got a 2001 Volvo V70 2.4S for sale if you’re looking 😉

Tow bat fitted already and loads of room for bikes in the back.

Not yet I’m afraid scaled, it’s going to be next year some time as we’ve already booked an expensive family holiday over Christmas this year.

Whichever out of Mondeo/Golf/Passat/Focus/Octy presents itself in good nick at the right price, I’d say. Doesn’t really matter.

If it gets to that kind of age and isn’t knackered, then it’s probably a good un.

Vauxhall Astra gives a good big boot / cheap running ratio. I get 60mpg from the one of the diesels

^ What Molgrips said.

Something that get used as a fleet car will also see loads of spares/pattern parts available.

And check insurance / tax.

+1 for Astra estate, with back seats down you get bikes in without wheels off, cheaper than focus too, mines a 1.6 so no rocket, but cheap to run and nice enough if a little uninspiring. Work horse would be a good description.

I have a 406 hdi 10 years old now, 210k km & refuses to die. It gets 50mpg & so far only routine servicing over 8 years of ownership. The clutch is v worn but I am prepared for that.

They still run them as taxis & have done 500k miles easy.

The interior is worn, like the cloth trim is getting eaten by the sun but there’s no rust & the engine is strong.

I reckon I’ll get another 2 years out of it.

Watch out for problems with the DPF in the Focus, Its £800 to fix.

Very happy with Mondeo Estate here.

Comfy, fast, wafts along wihout any fuss (with the occasional rattle at 1750).

Very usefully large:

4 bikes and 4 people and a weekend’s worth of bags and food all inside the car.

2 people, 2 surfboards, camping gear, 6 dining chars, flat pack double bed.

Took it to Norway: mrs and me, 2 bikes and helmets, tools, gear, 2 weeks’ worth of food, booze, books and comfy camping gear. That was a great holiday!

Double air mattress blows up in the back (fold flat rear seats) if you turn up late and you don’t want to put a tent up in the pissing rain.

Had a mate offer me his SMax, and it while I’m sure the extra space would come in handy, and it would be nice to have something newer, the Mondeo does what we want it to so well that I don’t see the point spending a good slice chopping it for something else.

I have a 406 hdi 10 years old now, 210k km & refuses to die. It gets 50mpg & so far only routine servicing over 8 years of ownership. The clutch is v worn but I am prepared for that.

Another 406 recommendation here. Mine is 10 years old but only at 180,000 (assuming km, had thought was miles!). The lesser distance (if it is) may explain why my clutch is still solid! My seats Are holding up too, fwiw – but I do have some rust on one rear window vertical bar.

Mondeo estate boot is cavernous, you could get a small European country in the back of it. It’s a big heavy barge though, a fair bit longer than the hatchback, and a small engine is going to be frustrating.

I’d reckon you’d be better off with a Focus / Astra class estate for one bike, or a hatchback and a roof rack (which is what I do).

Mondeo or Vectra if you want BIG, Astra or Focus estate if you want medium. Skoda estates are very good, the problem is that everyone else has started to realise this and they’re not the value they once were.

Best thing about them is that there are loads out there so easy parts availability and it’s easy(ish) to find a good model if you’re prepared to look around.

One other thing – look for estates that have a flat boot, some have a big lip at the back where the boot lid closes and it’s a right pain for sliding stuff in and out.

2.0 HDi Berlingo. Group 4 insurance, 50 mpg, loads of space. I’m keeping my Berlingo and selling my Clio 182…

Citreon c5 estate….shed loads of room

I’ve got a 407 estate, it’s gloriously French, insofar as it’s mechanically bombproof, but all the ancillary stuff is slowly stopping working with age. It does, however cost me almost a grand to insure, and I’m 29, ablit only with 1 years NCD and living in shottingham.

Had a Focus Estate, it was ace- inexplicably massive in the back, there’s an awful lot of bigger cars that can hold much less. Foci seem to have a wee bit of a price premium though.

Got a Mondeo estate to replace it., it’s also ace. Enormous, but doesn’t really feel it on the road, drives well. The estates are pretty much the definition of workhorse tbh. But, if you’re stuck with the smaller engines for insurance purposes, they’re not so hot (same for Focus- the 1.6 petrol is orrible IMO)

I obsess about this but I think it does make a difference- boot entrance. Specifically, flat boot entrances. With a flat boot, you can load and unload stuff easily without having to lift it over the lip, but also, you can sit on the back under the bootlid out of the rain. Win! Estates with raised boot lids just aren’t trying very hard IMO, there’s only one right way to do it.

Berlingo or similar. We’ve had a Doblo for 5 years and they really are about as practical a type of vehicle as you’ll ever get. Cheap to buy cheap to run and cheap to insure.

The type of car no one wants and everybody needs.

Er-Passat estate or golf estate?
Ones to steer clear of-any with clutch issues/release bearing noises as they are very expensive to repair.
If your mileage is less than 10000 a year then diesel will not pay for itself for the premium you will pay for it so dont discount petrol engines.
Renaults-can be flaky
Fiats-can be a nightmare if you get a bad one
Subarus-nice drive, very expensive on parts
One last suggestion as they are dull as ditchwater but get used as taxis, Toyota Avensis Estate.
So basically get the lowest mileage you can for your money in the best condition and one that hasnt been used as a taxi…

Actually yeah, re Toyota – whatever is least desirable or has been panned as ‘boring’ to drive by the boy racer press – they are the best deals and are often excellent cruisers.

My Passat was cheaper than a similar Golf, cos people think they are dull rep’s cars. I love it.

I would also not get hung up on mileage. High numbers put people off, but the nature of miles is far more important than the number; the age is more important too I reckon.

Forester (turbo if you want some fun)

Mileage on these isnt too much of a problem (mines done 165k) You can get them at 100k for your sort of money with FSH and most of the time they have been run by old bimblers.

Fair bit of room inside. God Specs. Insurance may be a little higher. Ace 4wd system. Pretty comfy. Sound ace with a little tweak to the exhaust. Look like an old mans car so rarely stopped or nicked (stolen that is.

How about something like a prev model Nissan Primeria Hatchback (P11)?

Ok – not very desirable and not an estate but with its seats down can easily fit 3 bikes without removal of wheels and for £400 you have a spare £2600 for repairs.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201227477503817/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-age/over_10_years_old/body-type/hatchback/model/primera/make/nissan/page/1/radius/1501/postcode/bs34ly?logcode=p

Ooh. Just seen up there expensive parts.

Yep if you go for subaru own parts which you would do if it was brand spankers but on a car this age, pattern parts are cheap and readilly available because of the scooby modding thing.

Over and out.

Get the Foz.

I’m very happy with my octavia. I’d highly recommend one. I use the focus at work, which handles better, bu it’s slightly smaller(still big enough for bikes) and IMO not as comfortable. After the money pit that was my 307 sw I’ll avoid French cars. Berlingo is a good shout for practicality and economy if a bit boring, slow and uncool

Small pug estates 206 306 2.0hdi are the ones to get as they just keep going as per the 406 taxis.