Aaquil

Hello all...

I will be needing to get rid of the wifes Punto soon and get a 7 seater. The wife will be driving it and wants a MPV that is small as possible. When we are together I will be driving so i would like to get one that will handle okay and has the potential to be remapped?

The wife does not want a Zafira and that is final... she does not like the look.

My brother has got a VW Touran TDI and tested three mainly...the Toyota Verso, Vauxhall Zafira and VW Touran.

He and the wife took all 3 for a couple of hours of test driving and came to the conclusion that:

Touran was the best and handled like a car... as close to that anyway.
Zafira handled very poorly and on the motorway did non inspire confidence.
Verso was cheap and felt like it was going to fall apart.

He has had the Touran a number of year (Bought it new) and is very happy with it.

He did admit that the actual MPV he tested could have just been poor ones as he know someone who has a Zafira and has no problems with it.

The wife wants the Renault Scenic but the 7 seater is quite long and she wants a small MPV (Easier to manoevure).

So...
Any advice? Comments? Should I go for private or stealership?
By the way £5,000 max to spend and ideally a lot less!

Regards

Aaquil

Aaquil

Anyone please?

HankScorpio

Just to counter your zafira thing - mate of mine bought an ex demo zafira, faultless for nearly three years but since it passed 3yo about 5 months ago, he's had massive problems (something engine, suspension, wheel bearings and brakes) and has spent about 2k sorting it.

FlightMan

Driven a Verso quite a bit, frind has one, and how it can be described as
" feeling cheap " is beyond me!

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

We've had the old renaults for about 8 years now (on our second one). They are quite good, and we like to new ones. We will probably get a Focus C-max next though although I'm not sure they do a 7 seat one, but that doesn't bother us.

My parents have the verso and it's quite a good solid car though.

moneys

iTrader: (5)

do you definalty need the 7 seats?

jonc

Zafira GSI looks alot different to the boggo version. Plus tunable to 240bhp+, lowered, 17" wheels, etc

http://photos.autoexpress.co.uk/imag...to_23314_7.jpg

SimonD

I still reckon that the best car in this class if you actually want to use the rearmost seats is the Mazda 5........ with two provisos:
1. The middle seat of the middle row is tiny; too small for a child seat and would only take older children or very small adults for short journeys. i.e. a 6+1 seater rather than a seven seater.
2. Too much road noise - tiring at high speeds on long journeys. Apparantly the facelifted ones are better but probably out of your price bracket anyway.

Against that, the rear seats are easily accessible through the sliding doors or between the two full size seats in the middle row. Don't touch anything with a one piece middle bench. They are a pain and you'll never use the back seats as everything/everyone has to get out just to get access to the back row.
If you don't really need the rear seats, buy a regular 5-door hatch..... they are miles better than mini mpvs!!

SimonD

Also if you like the '5 then go for the cheaper models. The big wheels make the ride worse and can wear very quickly on the back - presumably becuase of the camber changes allowed by the Focus based suspension. The tinted windows make the already dark interior pretty gloomy. The TS2 is nice but the base model with a lighter interior is actually very nice inside and would probably be very cheap.
Avoid the Sport and the hideously tacky Furano. What is it with Mazda? To get a top spec car they have to drive thing thing through a cheesy accessory shop first!!

Andy M3

I have just bought a midi-MPV. I did lots of research and ended up with a 3 year old 40k mile Grand Scenic Dynamique 1.6 with fresh MOT, new pads all round, x2 tyres, valet and a warranty for under £4000 from a Renault dealer. x2 months on and touch wood no issues. 33mpg on the school run and 40mpg on our usual weekend run to Scarborough. Insurance is less than £200 and servicing every 2years/18k miles.

There is nothing I could find that offered better VFM.

The only crap pic I have at work
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...s/IMG_0804.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...s/IMG_0806.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...s/IMG_0809.jpg

SimonD

That's a lot of car for the money. Congrats.

RobEvo5

iTrader: (9)

Another thumbs up for the GSI zafira. Much better looking outside than a standard ones, interior has the user friendly leather than can take punishment from kids, food, drinks etc. Ride is a little firm , but handles within reason as a result. And the engine has plenty of grunt for overtaking or smiles. All the plastics are hard wearing which is more than could be said for the newer generation ones.

I often spunge the interior down with bathroom cleaner and comes up as good as new.

I much prefer then in black or silver which look a little more understated.

The old Zafira is smaller than the new shape ones or any equivelant 7 seater rivals as well yet still has plenty of cabin space for a 5/7 seater MPV.

j4ckos mate

get a picasso

Andy M3

only 5 seat's

stilover

Sell 2 Kids. Sorted.

SJ_Skyline

Better late than never, We bought an ex-demo Zafira VXR with £5k off the list price and only 500 miles on the clock. 2 kids and plenty of luggage space, 240bhp is quite exciting for fwd in the wet but it is surprisingly economical if you are not so heavy with your right foot. Recarros as standard in the front are comfortable and the driving position gives you good forward and read visibility although the front of the car is often hard to judge. On the downside, the gear changes are a little clunky and we've had the odd electrical niggle with the car which sadly can only be fixed by plugging it in back at the dealer.

Overall, every bit as fun and comfortable to drive as a scooby but far more practical in terms of space.