Family car for £5-6k, recommendations please
- Thread starter broona
- Start date
Not really
Go get some test drives is my advice. Then when you've found one you like bring the dog along.
Only issue with the civic might be the load space height. Estates do generally have a lower load entrance.
There's one round the corner from where I live, the opening looks decently low, will go and ask him if I can stick the dog in his boot.
What about a Volvo V50 estate, like mine ? ...it's about the same size as a Focus estate more or less, so quite a bit smaller than a Mondeo. However bear in mind that ultimately it will do the same job as the Focus and cost you more to buy ...but if you are after something a little less common perhaps with a nicer interior and smarter image ...just a slightly more upmarket car really, then it fits the bill pretty well. Mine is the fist car I have had in ...well a few years now that I actually can't really fault in anyway and doesn't have any issues (it's also by far the least interesting car I have had in that time though), it's also very easy to park, it's quite short really and being an estate you know there is very little sticking out beyond the rear window.
I recommend them for what you want anyway.
I recommend them for what you want anyway.
Soldato
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- West Yorkshire / Market Bosworth
will go and ask him if I can stick the dog in his boot.
That sounds so very, very wrong.
Associate
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- 7 Feb 2009
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The reason I suggested civic is because they're deceptively huge inside. The rear seats have the legroom of a 7 series or a Mercedes S class.
I was actually referring to the old ones when I suggested one but the new one's might be available in your budget too.
I was actually referring to the old ones when I suggested one but the new one's might be available in your budget too.
Really like the V50, but they obviously hold their value well, as anything with a decent spec and mileage is over budget, I'll keep a lookout though.
I much prefer the newer shape, had a look at a workmate's Type-R this morning, and the dog should get in and fit comfortably in the boot, so at least I've got another option.
Associate
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are you looking at petrols' or diesel's
Either or, I don't do diesel mileage, but if the right car at the right price happens to be a diesel, I'd happily buy it.
Small update, looked at some cars today :-
Black 2006 2.2 CDTi Sport, 78k, £5500 - SOLD!
Grey 2006 2.2 CDTi SE, 80k, £6000 - looked nice, but couldn't take it for a test drive unfortunately.
Red 2007 2.2 CDTi SE, 116k, £5900 - Took it for a test drive, very nice to drive, needs some paintwork on the edges of the doors, looks like it's been hit off a wall every day, lol!
Read about the clutch problem before going for a spin, put it into 3rd at about 2000rpm, floored it, and when the turbo kicked in, the revs rose but the speed didn't increase for a few seconds, then the revs dropped and the car took off!
Is this common to all Civics, (petrol and diesel) or is it indicative that the clutch is in need of replacing?
Black 2006 2.2 CDTi Sport, 78k, £5500 - SOLD!
Grey 2006 2.2 CDTi SE, 80k, £6000 - looked nice, but couldn't take it for a test drive unfortunately.
Red 2007 2.2 CDTi SE, 116k, £5900 - Took it for a test drive, very nice to drive, needs some paintwork on the edges of the doors, looks like it's been hit off a wall every day, lol!
Read about the clutch problem before going for a spin, put it into 3rd at about 2000rpm, floored it, and when the turbo kicked in, the revs rose but the speed didn't increase for a few seconds, then the revs dropped and the car took off!
Is this common to all Civics, (petrol and diesel) or is it indicative that the clutch is in need of replacing?
My Mondeo Mk4 Estate has mounting points for the OEM dog cage etc.
I really rate it, I think it'd be an excellent family+dog wagon. Titanium X spec so lots of toys and I got around 47-48mpg from it, most of my drive was motorway @ 70mph.
I've considered selling mine as I don't have kids or a dog and am no longer doing 1200 miles per week (the reason I bought it and it's been perfect for motorway cruising)...
I really rate it, I think it'd be an excellent family+dog wagon. Titanium X spec so lots of toys and I got around 47-48mpg from it, most of my drive was motorway @ 70mph.
I've considered selling mine as I don't have kids or a dog and am no longer doing 1200 miles per week (the reason I bought it and it's been perfect for motorway cruising)...
The Mondeo's just too big to park safely at home unfortunately, it would stick out a reasonable distance into the road, and I'd constantly be worried about it getting clipped!
Yes, it felt huge at first but I have got used to it now. I reckon it's about 50cm longer than my friend's Mk2 Focus.
Passengers I've had have always complemented on rear leg room so I guess that's where some of the space goes.
Passengers I've had have always complemented on rear leg room so I guess that's where some of the space goes.
Octavia VRS it is then, lol :-
Rarer, quicker and faster than the saloon version due to its lower weight and better aerodynamics, this car has been my project car but I'm not really doing the mileage to justify keeping it.
It's one of the last 1.8Ts sold here (until recently Skoda were still making them, badged as the Tour), being registered in Feb 2006 on a 55 plate, now with 66,900 miles. The first owner put 60,200m on her in 3 1/2 yrs so my ex (2nd owner) and I have put another 6,700m on, mostly in the first year (V5C now has 2 previous owners). Over the past 6 months and a 1,000 miles or so I've had over £3,000 of sensible improvements:
Interior:
Recovered full leather Golf GTi seats including centre rear fold-down console.
Wood effect dash (Skoda genuine)
Nokia Bluetooth hands-free phone system
Pioneer AVH-P6500DVD DVD player
Focal front speakers
Wheels & Tyres:
Rare (& expensive!)BBS 17” forged alloys & tyres (225/45/17 Bridgestone 050A)
Wheel arch extensions/trims (Skoda genuine)
Suspension:
Front wishbones
Front ball joints
Vmaxx Coilovers (height adjustable)
Front turret mounts
Bump stops
Powermax rear bushes
ARB bushes
4 x driveshaft boots
4-wheel alignment
Brakes:
Brake discs (Mintex)
Brake pads (Skoda)
Engine:
Powermax dogbone
Cambelt, idlers, adjuster, water pump (upgraded)
Lights:
Phillips ultra bright bulbs (no illegal Xenons!)
She also has VRS car mats and a (rare) genuine Skoda boot floor cover.
Mechanically IMO she's just about perfect. She's been fully serviced in my time, has a complete service book and will be serviced by Skoda before sale. I had a compression test done and the pressures were right at the top of the range allowed by Bentleys (the US maintenance bible) and I can borrow a tester to prove this. On the down side, she's got her share of scratches and dings and I've not had time to get these sorted.
Balancing the effective renewal of half the car and the mileage & cost of sorting the scratches and dings, I think she's worth much more than the £4,000 or so in Glass, Parkers etc, hence £4,475......
Rarer, quicker and faster than the saloon version due to its lower weight and better aerodynamics, this car has been my project car but I'm not really doing the mileage to justify keeping it.
It's one of the last 1.8Ts sold here (until recently Skoda were still making them, badged as the Tour), being registered in Feb 2006 on a 55 plate, now with 66,900 miles. The first owner put 60,200m on her in 3 1/2 yrs so my ex (2nd owner) and I have put another 6,700m on, mostly in the first year (V5C now has 2 previous owners). Over the past 6 months and a 1,000 miles or so I've had over £3,000 of sensible improvements:
Interior:
Recovered full leather Golf GTi seats including centre rear fold-down console.
Wood effect dash (Skoda genuine)
Nokia Bluetooth hands-free phone system
Pioneer AVH-P6500DVD DVD player
Focal front speakers
Wheels & Tyres:
Rare (& expensive!)BBS 17” forged alloys & tyres (225/45/17 Bridgestone 050A)
Wheel arch extensions/trims (Skoda genuine)
Suspension:
Front wishbones
Front ball joints
Vmaxx Coilovers (height adjustable)
Front turret mounts
Bump stops
Powermax rear bushes
ARB bushes
4 x driveshaft boots
4-wheel alignment
Brakes:
Brake discs (Mintex)
Brake pads (Skoda)
Engine:
Powermax dogbone
Cambelt, idlers, adjuster, water pump (upgraded)
Lights:
Phillips ultra bright bulbs (no illegal Xenons!)
She also has VRS car mats and a (rare) genuine Skoda boot floor cover.
Mechanically IMO she's just about perfect. She's been fully serviced in my time, has a complete service book and will be serviced by Skoda before sale. I had a compression test done and the pressures were right at the top of the range allowed by Bentleys (the US maintenance bible) and I can borrow a tester to prove this. On the down side, she's got her share of scratches and dings and I've not had time to get these sorted.
Balancing the effective renewal of half the car and the mileage & cost of sorting the scratches and dings, I think she's worth much more than the £4,000 or so in Glass, Parkers etc, hence £4,475......
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Caporegime
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- Warwickshire
Has anyone suggested RS4 Avant?
Maybe next time...
Associate
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Love the car but hate the fake wood dash