Spec meh: MPV Needed, Zafira etc. what's best?

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Soldato
Joined
6 Mar 2008
Posts
8,801
Location
Leicestershire
Hi,

We have a Baby on the way due in August so we're looking to get another car - or MPV if you will as we'll need space for 4 kids in the back.

Any recommendations on Zafira type cars for us? Is that the best vehicle to go for or are there better alternatives for the same price bracket?

Cheers.
 
Are you buying new?

Toyota Verso or Vw Touran are nice.

If used the Honda FRV are very nice, but its a 3+3 arrangement.
 
sorry, no - should have stated that. Buying used and on a budget of around 3-5k.
 
The people next door have a Zafira and they seem to like it. He told me it's not especially wide though, so they have to always put one in the very back even though they only have 3. I suppose your kids don't even use booster seats now though because they're quite old?

The Ford Galaxy has always struck me as a nice looking car even though it's quite large.
 
I have a 5008 and apart from a lack of decent interal storage, e.g. cup holders, it's a great car. We chose it mainly because it has three full size seats, with ISOfix points across the middle row. We have 3 kids, all in child seats and many of the other cars in this class have 2.5 seats, with only 2 ISOfix points.

Also, the rear-most two seats can be put away/taken out without having to touch the middle three, unlike in the Vauxhall.

I would have loved the Alhambra/Sharan for the sliding door, but it was too expensive.

I discounted the Citroen C5 as I don't like the dashboard. (The 5008 has a more conventional layout.)

We frequently travel as a family of five, with mother in law, and my wife goes in the boot. She has no complaints, but it can be amusing watching her get in and out through the boot. Once the kids are out of their car seats (they're permanently attached), I imagine she'll be able to enter/exit through the door.
 
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Got a Zafira 'A' here and we manage to squeeze in 2 adults, 4 kids, buggy, and all the other junk babies require quite easily.

Usually have two car seats in the middle row, older kid sat between car seats, one in the 'boot' and the other boot seat flat to fit the buggy in.
 
It's old, but I drove the 03 Zafira (1.8 petrol) quite a bit. Decent enough power, very very easy to drive. To be honest, I actually quite liked it (very basic model however, at least the one I had).
 
We've had a Verso and a Previa in the family, and you just cannot beat a proper bus for lugging crap around. Verso wasnt great, quite a small cabin, not bad to drive, but the rear seats were pretty uncomfortable for adults.
 
We've had a Zafira A and B, the B was a shoddy pile of plastic tat that constantly required attention and swallowed a pile of cash for stupid irritating poor quality defects, the Zafia A was much better built however I'd expect you couldn't convince the wife to buy one over a B with higher numbers on the number plate.

Buy a Galaxy
 
Another vote for the Zafira A here, cracking car, nice drive, plenty of space and cheap to fix.

Really miss ours. A lesser man would wish the wife was less fertile and I wasn't stuck driving this damned C8!
 
SB118 said:
Another vote for the Zafira A here, ... and cheap to fix.
Click to expand...

Good point this. The Zafira A is very easy to find parts for (yay ebay!), lots of stuff you can do yourself nice and easily.

I'd take an A over a B any day.

The new C's are nice though, but out of budget. :D
 
Got a 2005 1.6 Zafira B, had to change 1 sensor and 2 coil packs over the last 4 years (not sure why it eats coil packs!). Other than the fact it is slow, has a plastic interior and is a boring drive it's actually ok.

The middle row will not fit 3 car seats (with 2 stage 2 seats we can "just" about squeeze an adult in the middle. With the rear seats up there is hardley any boot space, but it is a genuine option within your budget.
 
I have a Zafira B 1.6 on a late 2009 plate.
Car is fine for an MPV, but its not quick and I average 35mpg.
100% reliable over the last 12 months I have owned it.

The B is much better than the A as the C is better still.
 
807 facelift? lovely and smooth, lots of toys, mpg is great on the motorway 45+ not so great round town 25-30 (due to it weighing over 2tonnes)

Lots of room in them, all seats are adjustable+removeable forward/back etc etc.

Make sure it's a facelift (6spd) and a 2.2 though, the 2.0 engine is unreliable pantage :)

i've run 2 of these, put over 300k on each and the only fault i've had is a couple of tyre sensors (20quid each)
 
breadturbo said:
807 facelift? lovely and smooth, lots of toys, mpg is great on the motorway 45+ not so great round town 25-30 (due to it weighing over 2tonnes)

Lots of room in them, all seats are adjustable+removeable forward/back etc etc.

Make sure it's a facelift (6spd) and a 2.2 though, the 2.0 engine is unreliable pantage :)

i've run 2 of these, put over 300k on each and the only fault i've had is a couple of tyre sensors (20quid each)
Click to expand...


Great cars for the space but what ever you do don't get the 2.0 hdi. Cracking engine in a 306, not so much when it's pulling a small country around.
 
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