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Evening all,
Going round in circles looking for a new car/van so thought I'd throw this to the hive...
12k budget MAX there is no room for stretching it. I'd be happier at 9k tbh.
Needs to have 5 seats. Isofix points, be reliable. Preferably 8years young or closer to 5 would be nice.
Needs to SWOLLOW kit. We've got a CRV mk2 (600l boot) with a huge roof box and we only just fit with our camping kit... I want something a lot bigger.
What are people thoughts? I need this car/van to have 6 years life in it minimum (we do about 10k per year).
Any thoughts/suggestions?
Mondeo Estate?
A [i]lot[/i] bigger than a CRV? With 5 seats?
Transit crew cab?
Don't think the boots any bigger than 600l is it. Certainly smaller than my boot and roof box combined
CRV is all high up but not that voluminous is it?
Massice espace thing. With captain seats in the front.
"Transit crew cab"
I've been considering Vito crew cabs. Hard to get one for the right money though that'll get another 6 years reliably. The transit is possibly a bit too industrial.
S-Max or Galaxy
Berlingo/Partner
Galaxy not a bad shout. Just been looking at the espace... can't do it, screams French unreliable nightmare to me.
Tourneo Connect or Grand Tourneo Connect? Size below a full size Transit. Grand comes with 7 seats and we can get our tandem inside without removing a wheel.
I've owned two smaxs and they are superb. Tick all of your boxes and plenty around in your price. 700lt boot . I rarely used the 6 and 7 seats so removed then for camping trips to give more space. They are massive, drive well, cheap to run and get consistently good reviews.
Clarkson once described the smax as the only people carrier you would want to own rather than have to own.
I had an S-Max, thought it was shit sold it after a year. But I do appear to be in the minority.
Second some sort of van derived crew cab. I was looking at the Vauxhall/Renault/Nissan job but work insisted I had a car.
Sometimes , this game is too easy..
All 2011-2013 and can be had for for under £9k FSH..
I'm currently in the alps with my SMax 125k on the clock and drove down here like a dream.
Great car. I'd get a Galaxy next though as the sloping roof can be annoying when trying to get bikes in the boot.
We stuff it full of bikes and camping gear in the summer with massive roof box, and there's always room for wine on the way back!!
11 plate, under £9k
other makes & models are available
We've a 2006 Galaxy. Best big family car we have had. Properly massive, reliable so far, just works. Get the bigger engine - hoofing heavy cars, and fully loaded it needs it IMO. Apart from a van, you won't get bigger.
We had a Touran - no-way as big, uber practical and comfy, unreliable and costly to run due to this.
We both bought Galaxy nearly 4 years ago for £7.5k at 70k. Now 155k and creaking a little, but owes me nothing having done 25k a year...
Great car. I’d get a Galaxy next though as the sloping roof can be annoying when trying to get bikes in the boot.
Might be worth looking at the Grand S-Max, it’s got the higher rear roofline of the B-Max, with the same sliding rear doors, which gives a nice big open space at the side with the front doors open and the rear hatch up.
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Caddy Max obviously!
Got to agree with john_drummer. Recently got a Mitsu L200 and it's superb. 5 seats, about as comfy as pickups go, great to drive (although I'm all B-roads, farm tracks and hills round here, may well be different if you live in a city), and with the hard top canopy I'd be surprised if it isn't close to 3x the boot size of your CRV. Massive tow capacity if that's your thing too. Only downside is the fuel economy. You'll struggle to get into the 40mpg+ bracket.
My X3 swallows my drum kit but at the expense of rear seat passengers. So probably not suitable
X3 has a smaller boot than my mk2 crv.
Those of you who run a twin cab van... how do you get on?
This will be our only car/van and I'm worried about parking etc if I need to pop into the city.
I've found a really nice lwb Vito dualiners for the right money but I'm worried about running costs on a big van and finding place to park it when we are on holiday etc.
have you considered a towbar for the crv and using a trailer for the times when you are camping ?
best of both worlds ...
could even like get a box trailer - put some windows and a bed in it , then you wouldnt need a tent ?
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seriously though. the loss of 10mph really isnt a big deal and it means your not battling round city center carparks in 80% more vehicle than you need 90% of the time.
as much of a fan of the van as i am as you know - vans + city center carparks lead to destroyed panels from other folks doors as you tend to fill the space that they need to get their fat ass out their door.
5-8 years old now, and planning to keep it for 6 years? For the love of god don't buy anything French.
