£3k to spend on a car/car derived van
Must be big enough to fit a pram in the boot! Be frugal yet fun to drive, not spazzy looking, easy to mount a roof rack for a bike.

Open to you!

Depending on miles, either petrol or diesel Seat Ibiza.

Suprisingly large boot for the size of the car, bike goes in with no problems or on top (depending on what else I'm taking), plenty of engine options (and degrees of poke).
My 1.9 TDi 130 is plenty quick enough and in the warmer weather is returning great mpg; driving into work today it was up to 60.5 mpg. Even the 100bhp version is quick enough

Should be able to get a decent one for £3k.

My sister has two kids and drives a Polo which is based on the same chassis – easily gets both kids in and associated paraphanelia.

VW Golf. It's the SI unit of car.

Boot is too small for a pram and stuff 🙁 had one before!

skoda octavia diesel? I just sold a 2004 one for about 3.5 k, massive boot and 60mpg on the motorway. Only thing is that they are a little small in the rear passenger seats, price to be paid for having a massive boot I suppose. We managed to get a massive double buggy in ours.

A Golf boot is? Colour me surprised!

Ideally want to get away from the "Mondeo" sized car i have now as it seems daft to lug it around when its just em in it!!

GeeWavetree – Member

Boot is too small for a pram and stuff had one before!

The estate version are ceap to pick up.

ibiza estate??

octavia is much shorter than a mondeo.

I only want you to buy one so I can sell you my old roofbars

I think he may have meant Golf estate.

Anyone own/drive a renault Scenic?

Saab 95 Aero Hot Estate ?

i've got a Golf TDI PD 115. Bought it with full service history at 80k miles. Now at 105k miles the head gasket has blown! Not at all uncommon either from reading on forums (not that reliable i know). its basically not worth repairing given labour costs down south.

anyway, if you getting one for 3k – check the coolant levels before and after a hard test drive. mine leaks from the overflow pipe due to exhaust gas getting into the system.

For that budget, a Focus every time – if the Golf boot isn't big enough, get an estate and try and get a TDCi (NOT TDI) engine.

A Golf for that money will be too shabby.

Mazda 6 are roomy and ultra reliable + have quite a sorted chassis.

ditch the kid and get an alpha 😉