Show me your MPV please

Sweetloaf

Sweetloaf

Sweetloaf

Soldato
Joined
5 Mar 2004
Posts
6,399
Location
Southport
Due to my ever expanding family, I'm looking into getting an MPV of some description, rather frustratingly Auto Trader and in fact most photos I can find are of the outside or the front seats. I really need to know if I can fit three kids seats in the back or if they have those clever integral booster seat thingies.

So anything realy Scenic to Multipla to Espace and all in between, If you can be bothered I'd love to know what the REAR seats are like.

Thank you all in advance.
 
Should have mentioned my price limit is £4000ish so It would be handy if you know approx values a Galaxy would probably just squeeze into this bracket if it was pre 2000.
 
Diesel said:
Regardless of how practical it is, the inside is just as ugly as the outside! How anyone could sit in that space daily is beyond me.
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Ugly I can cope with. Price, reliability, safety and practicality have to come before looks. It does look like the sort of car you should have a wheelchair lift on though :)
 
teaboy5 said:
How many in the family now? Its only 2 i cant see the point in an MPV just get a nice big car.
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3 kids two adults, I've got a Honda Accord which I'm keeping, it's the 3 kids in the back that are the problem due to the new laws on child seats. Trust me, I don't want an MPV but I can't see any way around it :(

jesta said:
How about a Mazda MPV? My mum's got a 2001 version for £6200 at the auction,should be able to get an older one for about £4000. The rear seat leg room ain't bad,its a little cramp for me(but I'm 5ft 11) I think its a top car, on par with a Galaxy on comfyness(sp). :)
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Had a look at the Mazda Premacy if that's the one you mean but the centre rear seatbelt is unsuitable for a child seat apparently.

Scenics and Picassos are also out of the question. Not enough room for the seats. Bizarrely I can't actually fit behind the wheel of a Picasso, I'm 6ft 4in but I can drive a Daewoo Matiz more comfortably....no great shame really :D

I like the Lucida I think they still look quite respectable for the age of an affordable one and they would undoubtedly do the job, My wife only has one years no claims so the cheaper the insurance the better.

I'm leaning towards the Multipla I think, even though it looks like a bad Concept Amphibious monstrosity :D

Anyone else got 3 kids that has solved the problem? (auctioning a child isn't an option.......yet)
 
lordrobs said:
Obviously the nippers safety is paramount but if they are of an age where one can travel safely without, possibly with one of those seatbelt adjusters to make sure the belt goes over the shoulder rather than across the neck, then it is perfectly legal to do so.
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I think they can travel without if they are 140cm or taller. My eldest is 5 and won't be out of a seat for a while yet.
 
tblocksom said:
Bit late to the party
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Not at all mate, I only posted last night, I do buy things on impulse but that would really be going some :)

Espace is an option, unfortunately that American Beast isn't :D It's for my wife not me so I'm not that bothered, besides which If she gets this It may be justifiable for me to get something with only two seats in the front ;)

Anyone heard of a Honda Shuttle?
 
Quick update, just had a test drive in a 51 plate Petrol Multipla. Wheras I certainly wouldn't buy the petrol version, it was handy to have a go at getting all the car seats in an I have to say, the interior layout is nothing short of stunning as far as space goes. As has been mentioned unless you want a bus sized vehicle, 7 seaters lack boot space when all seats are utilised, the Multipla still had room for two buggies and some shopping in the boot because all 3 child seats fit comfortably on one row of seats. Yes it is seriously ugly but from the inside looking out it is quite impressive.

All I need to do is find one for 4k with a diesel engine and air con and I think I'm sold.

Anyone know anything about the diesel engines? Are they actually Fiat engines?
 
weeble said:
I know it's not an MPV, but what about a Shogun? 7 seats etc

I can see a lot more 4x4's on the road now and in future, purely for larger families to take the everyone around with the seats all strapped in.

Another stealth tax by labour to keep the economy plodding along...
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For the price you're gonna get a much older/ higher mileage vehicle. I have looked into things like the Shogun in the past, every one I tried smelled like wet dog and was tatty inside. I know it is bound to be the case with this type of vehicle but it's a lot of money to spend on an old mobile kennel ;)

I also looked at a Terrano II today with 45,000 on the clock for £3700(trade) which seemed reasonable, it was old and just didn't have what we were looking for, same problem with boot space as the 7 seaters. I was very tidy for its age though. The car with the kids in is going to need Air Con, the Terrano didn't have it.

I'm hoping to get a Multipla that has been owned by an old dear or used by a posh family who bought it for the school run. Southport is a pretty decent place for that kind of thing.
 
Someone help me out here, Previa, Estima, Lucida...what's the difference?

Is there anything I should be wary of before looking them up?

apart from high running/insurance/repair costs.
 
Just stuck a deposit down on a 1.9 JTD 110 ELX Multipla

64000 miles 2001 reg for £4.000 (trade)

Does anyone know if service manuals are available online? or a list of parts with codes? I need to replace a bit of trim in the boot.

cheers!
 
Having had a good look around the Multiplas fitted the bill, looks are unimportant to us and the rear seats in most 7 seaters are a bit more awkward to reach with a car seat than in the Multipla (3 in the back).

I just need a service manual now :)

The_Dark_Side said:
i have to say that the Multipla is fantastic at doing it's job.
personally i think it looks.....different, but as a car it does it's job well.
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You can say it, they look ridiculous :D
 
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