Can't decide on car

B

Becbec

Guest
I currently have a 2005 Hyundai Coupe which i absolutely love but due to a growing toddler it's just not suitable anymore!!! Problem is i can't decide what to get instead, i use my car for work, have toddler and hopefully another one on the way sometime and have 2 dogs. I want the next car to last me at least 5 years and be suitable. Don't really want to spend much more money than what the coupe is worth so at the mo i'm looking at a 03/04 Rav 4, 06 Ford Focus ( had a 01 Focus as my last car and loved it) or maybe a Golf. Just cannot decide as i love my Coupe so much!!!! Any thoughts very welcome.
 
I drive an 05 RAV & have to say the kids love it. I "like" it but don't "love" it myself if you get me. Have to say it's got a good sized boot - I've had 2 buggies & all my shopping in there with no problem. There is a third full seat belt in the middle, not just a lap belt so that's good for the kids but width-wise you would only fit 3 booster seats not 3 child seats across. The kids love the height & the visibility (as do I - I've always driven jeeps/SUV's). One problem I had with the RAV is the battery is tiny & runs down at the slightest thing (I've had to call Toyota to come & jumpstart it about 4 times) - for eg. my daughter left an inside light on for about 2 hours & the battery was flat. Other than that I've had no problems with it, just never fell in love with it!
 
Hi,

with all the gear you need to carry around for 1 or 2 children I would avoid cars with a small boot e.g. Golf/Focus.

I'd go for a large estate such as an Audi A6 or Passat which have huge boots and good interior space for kids toys/books/nappy bags etc.
 
Thanks for your replies, think i'm leaning towards the Rav 4 but still not fully decided, anymore imput greatly accepted!
 
I have just bought a Rav 4 which I am waiting delivery of (ordered since mid aug 06) for the same reason, I was driving a primera saloon and once the buggy was in the (even the small mc clarren) boot everything else was a squash and shoping ended up on the back seat.

If my mum wanted to town as well I would drive their ML Jeep and what a difference boot space wise and the child loves being able to see more. Its also great being able to have a good look around in a carpark for free spaces as you are higher than in a standard car.

Take the Rav 4 for a good test drive.
 
I drive a Nissan X Trail.... lovely to drive and loads of room..... they are good value secondhand.... we looked at the Rav 4 but didn't like the fact that the boot door opens out (like a door)...... would definitely recommend you have a look at X Trail..... also the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tuscan would b worth a look ......

Hope this is of some help.....
 
The boot of the focus is much too small for anyone with more than one child. We have one child in a booster and another in a forward facing car seat. We have a large estate but are caught for a few cm across the back seat when another child, requiring a booster, joins us. It is such a pain, wriggling seat belts. Had we been forward thinking we should have bought a car with an option of a 3rd row of seats (much as I hate them...)
 
You are getting advice about Rav 4s and x trails etc, Although I have a rav I wouldn't consider their boots large, you must remember that thies type of cars are very expensive, You could buy a Saab 93 or passat or a comfort line scoda superb for less money than a rav 4 and thies cars don't have boots they have a room in the back. Go look at one you will be shocked.My daughter has a Golf and her buggy completly fills the boot and the child seat looks massive in the back, She is changing her car for something bigger too.
 
Passat has a huge boot and lots of room in the back it will fit three car seats and a dog!
 
Had a Skoda Octavia once and it was teh best car I ever had! The Superb is even bigger! For performance and economy, their (VW) diesel engines are hard to beat, and Skodas give you a lot of VW car for your money. If its a 5 door and the back seats fold down - it's ginormous!
 
2 kids and 2 dogs and you want the car to do you for the next 5 years. If it were me it would have to be an MPV I'm afraid - the trade in for the Coupe (€19-20k) and a bit extra should get you an '05 Zafira. Big boot, very flexible seating, EuroNCAP 5 star - a real family car that should suit all your needs.
 
lissard said:
'05 Zafira. Big boot, very flexible seating, EuroNCAP 5 star - a real family car that should suit all your needs.
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... and one of the most boring cars you will ever drive. If you want interesting then don't buy an Opel.
 
I'm not going to let on that an MPV is as interesting to drive as a sports coupe - very few large cars are. Mind you if you wanted an interesting MPV the Ford S-MAX is a pretty engaging drive (particularly the 2.5T) but it's outside the price range the OP mentioned at the top of the thread.
 
lissard said:
I'm not going to let on that an MPV is as interesting to drive as a sports coupe - very few large cars are. Mind you if you wanted an interesting MPV the Ford S-MAX is a pretty engaging drive (particularly the 2.5T) but it's outside the price range the OP mentioned at the top of the thread.
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agreed but I find that Opel in general are in a class of their own when it comes to boring.
 
I thought MPV's tended to fall down on zero boot space when the 7 seats were in use.

Perhaps a big Estate car would be better.

Lower center of gravity plenty of room for 2 kids and 2 dogs.

Mondeo passat Octavia etc. estate car might be more flexible than MPV.
 
Would agree with Frank that an estate should give you more regularly useable room, but if there are likely to be REGULAR times when 6 or 7 seats are needed, MPV could be more suitable, eg, 4 kids, or if granny travels with you a lot. Some MPVs are more flexible with their seating changes than others, ie, the Zafira and some others(?) allow the unused seats to be folded into the floor. Others require them to be physically taken out and stored in the garage! How useless is that?
 
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