Tiggs

in a redistrobution of Tiggs family car wealth the 540 is being sold as is the cheap scenic and we are getting a seven seat family car and a hatch for when we dont have all the kids/gear with us....the plan is we can chop between cars better than now (my wife doesnt like to drive a big fat beemer and i hate her pokey little renault!)

hatch will be a CTR or a leon cupra R at 10-14k

the seven seater will be 15-17k

any probs with 2.3 ghia galaxy?

we have seen a 19,000mile car with leather, TV, DVD, toys aplenty at that money and it seems better value/more toys than the sharron/806.

the zafira is to small and the big 4X4 have been ruled out as to little for too much and too slow and wallowy.

any comments on galaxys?

T

Dapster

The 2.3's are very thirsty - why not try a Tdi with the steptronic auto? Had one as a hire car recently and despite it being as far from my ideal form of a car (I have 2 seats and a soft top) it was a revalation in terms of ride, handling, refinement and flexibility. Well put together too.

Tiggs

hard to find a tdi with a sexy spec....it seems ppl who buy diesels dont then chuck ££££ at leather and dvd players! (tight!)

T

ps- whats thirsty? anything over 23ish mpg i can live with...miles will be low as during the wek i'll use the CTR unless i have to go miles- the galaxy will do shopping and weekends only.

Dapster

I remember taking a 2.3 Ghia X (toys-r-us spec) down to Chamonix with a few chaps on a snowboarding holiday a couple of years ago. The trip down involved loading it to the roof with kit and five big chaps, and standing on the throttle until it ran out of fuel, filling it up and repeating the process until we arrived at our destnation. The car drank more than we did! It was astonishing - about 15mpg but the way we were driving it, it couldn't have been any worse. The tdi hire car I had was also driven pretty hard (though not as hard as the hapless 2.3) and I got 45+ out of it.

The 2.3 wasn't very torquey though - lots of gearchanging to keep it going whereas the tdi could have done with a 1 speed box. That said the 2.3 did have about a ton of kit on board!

Tiggs

test drove the gsi today....not as good as i hoped, not that quick (not to justify the extra money), not many toys (no cruise or split area climate for example) and to small- no way you can use the rear seat and get a buggy in the boot.
also found the drivers seat to small- felt like i was on a kids seat- in contrast the galaxy seat was not far of being as comfy as my 540

T

Boro

iTrader: (1)

Merc V230?

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

The Zafira doesnt have proper 3 point belts so you have to decide whose spine is wrenched from their pelvis !

We have a Sharan without many toys, its alright, does the trick, its a Tdi and they do drive better than the petrols, the Diesel suits the car, loads of torque to drag the bulk and you can get them chipped.

Teach your kids about boredom, why should they get DVD's when he had I spy ?

Tiggs

"why should they get DVD's when he had I spy ? "

they get DVDs because they can!

they also go without the plauge and we dont wash in the river anymore.....move with the times (follow your kids!)

T

Midmotorsteve

Had a toyota previa 2.4 auto today on hire, that was ok, not used too quiet auto ride sailed through a camra on the A34 out of the m4 roundabout north got flashed twice ..

workshy_fopp

Get a transit and put some garden furniture in the back for the kids, oh and a big telly.
Sure that'd be fookin grand, so it would.

wheelwright

Seat Alhambra 1.9TDi SE, 33mpg round the town, plus its got plenty of standard kit inside.

The Zohan

Re the Galaxy
Had one at work, a 98 model 1.9TDI Ghia X, ex demo model - all the toys, It was a great bus but had its faults, electric heated seats and cigarette lighter socket from day 1, power steering and a/c, the a/c cost £ 650.00 to fix!!, brake wear sensors/abs lights not working or always on. Ford dealerships appeared uninterested and needed kicking up the but to get anything done!

In fairness the car hasd a hard life, 45-55K per year and the driver had 5 kids but this is what they are designed for.
This may be a one-off. it racked up 130+k before being sold, pity the poor sod who bought it.

I would have one but not keep it out of warranty as i recon they are a liability

Oh yes and one thing to remember. The Galaxy type 7 seaters (may just have been the GhiaX) they had 16" alloys have to (or at least had to) run on heavy duty tyres, the only people who made them where Dunlop, they cost £ 140.00+ each. They run out from time to time and none are avalibale, we used to let the tyre place know 3 weeks in advance if we needed them. This may not now be the case but it was 3 years ago and was a PITA.

[Edited by Paul Habgood - 11/15/2003 11:47:17 AM]

mwp

if you don't need 7 seats all the time ... E class estate with boot rear facing seats. monster load carrying and not a bus.

i reckon you could pick up a reasonable E320cdi or E300d for 17k as the new model is now out.

just a thought

GTI

The Sharan has just come last in Top Gear survey and thats what the Galaxy/Alambra are based on!
I'd have well infact I don't know what I'd have, probably the Seat as its cheapest and they came out best in the Survey

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Tiggs see your point but given the ammount of stuff my kids have its quite nice to go somewhere without a DVD or video playing, you know actually look out of the windows, I know if I put a DVD in the car all they would do it watch Shrek, Toy storey , Nemo etc etc
Next would come a PS2 or similar to plumb into it. They spend enough time in from of the Telly, PS2, Xbox, GBA, PC etc, I have considered the DVD in the car thing but I know that once its in it wont get switched off.

carl

How many kids do you have, Tiggs?

Tiggs

3, the dvd will keep them quiet.....thats good enough for me!

the reason for a 7 seater is that they can sit side by side in a 3 seat back seat...the baby seat, booster seat, etc dont all fit.

Mick

iTrader: (1)

7 seater - LR Discovery 4.0 V8 ES7 spec fully loaded. 'Cubby box' between the 'front armchairs' is big enough for a portable DVD player for the kids. Also can plug into rear stereo jacks to listen to something other than what is playing on the 11 speaker HK system in the cabin. Active Cornering enhancement and air suspension keep the thing behaving pretty well on the road. Actual money spent on fuel over the year is not too horrendous if it is reasonably low mileage.

What big boy hasn't always wanted a V8 off roader? & the missus loves it for shopping & the school run! - Can't believe I 'got away with it'

Mick

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Does the new Disco have proper seats or side on occasional ones ?

My brother in law had the older version (V8 ES) which had dodgy rear seats in the boot, it would make kids puke after a mile such was the wallowing, MPG ranged around the mid teens and sometimes was even worse and it didnt even have the decency to be fast, the TD5 later model I would say felt as quick in most situations. It had all the toys but I couldnt have coped with it.

Unless you need 4 wheel drive or really like the chunky tonka car thang, get a people carrier (or quit breeding)

We had a Volvo 850 T5 Estate with the 7 seat option, good car that but again you need seven proper seats if you have three kids and ever need to take anybody else with them at the same time, I just dont think the occasional seats are safe.

Money no option for me, assuming it had to be a people carrier, would be the new Espace in Grand form with all the gizmos and the 3.0 Diesel.

Mick

iTrader: (1)

Disco Series II (late 98 onward) has 2 forward facing 3rd row seats with 3 point seat belts that stow away in the side of the loading bay when not in use. Kids love to travel in the back - short journeys only though (can't see DVD from there )

Suspension must be much improved, I haven't driven the previous model, but although we still have the scoob I really enjoy blatting (yes blatting!) the Disco to work down the country lanes when I get the opportunity

Mick

Danny B

Get the Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 GSi, should pick up a decent spec model for about £17k second hand.


[Edited by Danny B - 11/12/2003 8:17:44 PM]