Going to be heading to the Netherlands in Feb 2020..but will need a car that can take 6 plus luggage/food (no bikes)…

I’ve looked at Eurocar etc, and loosely entering criteria on their website suggests I could get a 9 seater van thing, but that no dealer near me has any. Or, a 7 seater minivan will be near to £400, plus prob a bit more to go abroad…but then you lose bootspace for the 6th seat…

What are my options..?

Buy a decent van (Which I want to do…but don’t have the ££ at the moment)
Buy a shite van..and it’ll prob blow up in France somewhere…
Rent a decent van (any suggestions?)
Borrow a van off a friend..risky i guess if it breaks/crashes…

Thoughts…?

Ta!!

DrP

Just take 2 cars

Original proposal, which we may have to resort to…
But it’ll be nicer to all be together (if i can work it out), means only I have to drive, and saves on a leshuttle/fuel cost…

DrP

Can you rent a 7 seater with roof bars and a box?

Price up renting a nice van, then decide to take two cars instead.

See if you can source six seat crew-van rather than a 7 seat people carrier

Ive had them from Arnold Clark (if you’ve a branch near you ) in the past at a much more reasonable price than something like a 7 seat Vito and you get more luggage / bike space (and your stuff is out of view)

3 adults seated in the front can be a bit snug for a long journey though – not so bad if the middle front passenger can be a kid……. until they start pressing all the bloody buttons.

buy a 7 seater plus hire roof box
sell on return to GB
Cost should be minimal if you buy well
V70 or Eclass spring to mind but there will be many others

Or, a 7 seater minivan

watch out with this size of vehicle – the make/model displayed by hire cos is only a for-instance  – some hire co’s don’t really distinguish between a 7 seat Vito sized vehicle which will comfortably carry seven adults and a zafira that will carry 5 adults and luggage or two adults and 5 small kids. (Deploying the third row of seats means moving the second row forward).

Assurances as to what you’ve booked aren’t very meaningful as you’ll get the car thats there on the day you arrive so unless they only keep on model in stock you don’t really know what you’ll get

2 cars. Gives you so much more flexibility when you are there. Failing that, borrow a local school transit for a small donation

It’s 2 adults and 4 kids…. Only need it for the “there and back”.
Going to a theme park, so don’t need the cars when there.

Will see what we can get!

DrP

Are you off to duinrell DrP? Be interested in a little review if so, it’s on my list of potential holiday spots next year 🙂

Duinrell is awesome, took my kids there when they were young, they in turn have taken their kids there as they grow up. A fantastic place.

watch out with this size of vehicle – the make/model displayed by hire cos is only a for-instance – some hire co’s don’t really distinguish between a 7 seat Vito sized vehicle which will comfortably carry seven adults and a zafira that will carry 5 adults and luggage or two adults and 5 small kids. (Deploying the third row of seats means moving the second row forward).

This – we always hire a 9 seater to be sure of a full size van – when we went for a Galaxy type people carrier we have been given a quashquai +2, which had zero boot space with the two (really small) rear seats up.

There’s a temptation to suggest a Zafira or Citroen Grand Picasso, both are officially 7-seaters.
But only if two of them are under the age of 8…

Have you tried VW as they rent Caravelles and things….

If not needing a car there is train/euro star not an option

@rickmeister Combis?

Cheers for the suggestions…
We’re off to Eftelling, which is self catering, so want to take food and booze…
Will look into renting a 9 seater!

Ta

DrP

I would think so RBIT. … I was wanting to rent a T5 and VW could do this, no problem… just make sure you don’t have anything too serious on your licence…

Need to ask at the van or commercial centre not the car one.

Buy a Toyota previa for £400, drive to holiday and back, sell on return. My friends did this for national 3 peaks and made money.

Or a 6 seat Doblo.

Get European recovery.

Will look into renting a 9 seater!

make sure you take into account the extra length of a 9 seater may have on shuttle / ferry costs – they’re usually more than 5m long which can put you up a price bracket with many carriers – not always by a lot usually but that and the fact a 9 seater costs more double what a regular car or van would cost to hire could add up

Given that you wouldn’t have to pay anything driving in your own vehicles you’re probably paying quite a premium  all in to all travel in the same vehicle.

Pocket the saving on this trip towards the van you want to buy in the long term

Efteling is lush and fantastically quiet in feb. Get the app now and make sense of it.

I’d go with rickmeister’s suggestion. A velle (not a shuttle) would be the perfect way to make that journey. Blinds to keep the sun out, proper ac in the back and a great view. Just be prepared for it to do 25mpg.

Top tip: don’t be tempted to set the back up in conference mode, as it makes for very little leg room, so everyone faces forward instead. Also, put the back row forward 5-10cm and you get a much more useable boot. Take the parcel shelf out as well for that matter.

We did San Sebastian-Girona (5 or 6 hours e/w) in a 7 seater Fiat, 4 adults and 3 kids. It was grim. I was alright as the only driver, but I don’t remember the trip so much as the moaning on the drive. Bought a Caravelle not long after and it’s night and day.

I drive automatics, and work uses Enterprise for our hire cars. I was offered a 9-seater VW T5 Shuttle last year, was too big for what I needed (already have a Transporter as our car), and I don’t think we pay through the nose for them either, so worth asking. Automatics certainly seems to narrow the choices down in each category.

Cheers for the advice.. I’ll inquire with teh local VW van place (Pompey is nearest to me) and speak f2f with enterprise too…

I don’t mind a few extra hundred quid, TBH..it’ll be nice for us all to be together!

DrP

Could the other adult just fly out, then pick them up from the airport at the far end? Can always do a food run at the same time if your normal car is low on boot space. Total cost of approx £100 is bound to be cheaper than any other option by far

oof… me and 4 kids (ranging from 5 to 13) in the car..then chunnel…then car…

You couldn’t pay me enough to be ‘that guy’ 😀

DrP

You couldn’t pay me enough to be ‘that guy’

Plane ticket for Dr P it is then!

Great plan

hmm… 4 kids rattling on in the back of an octavia…or the wrath of an angry lover….
decisions decisions…

unless… I get a plane ticket ELSEWHERE!!!

DrP

Just chatted with VW rental…
oddly a caravelle is the same price as a car on ‘le shuttle’..£150 return..
I reckon fuel would be about £100 per car… give or take…
Maybe a caravelle might be similar?? maybe a bit cheaper than 2 cars…

The rental chap could do a ‘velle for £440 for the week..

So maybe the premium for taking a bigger car will be £250ish…not TOO killer, to save taking 2 cars etc etc..

Will have a think!!

DrP