Need expert advice

[gullshark]

Do you actually need to carry more than 4 people on a regular basis?

 

[Garage_Doors]

How much leg room do the two at the back get?

To Be fair, for the back/back as my kids call it, its for kids only unless a short Journey.
My 15 year can just fit, so if wanting 7 adults for more that 15 miles, the Zafira would not be suitable.

The normal back seat, those directly behind the driver, is excellent for any height persons.

When we first got it it was for the normal school runs shopping duites, but kids are now at "big" school and take themselves.

 

[Stat Brother]

To Be fair, for the back/back as my kids call it, its for kids only unless a short Journey.
My 15 year can just fit, so if wanting 7 adults for more that 15 miles, the Zafira would not be suitable.

That's what made us laugh when looking for more car space, back in the spring.
We looked at a fair few newer models and they were all bigger looking than the Stream, that we settled for. But it's as if they were TARDIS' in reverse, as to a car, they were all seriously smaller inside.
The only comparable car were the massive Grand Voyager, et al.

Our Stream will comfortably fit 7 adults, with head and leg room, all for 3k.

 

[throbinson]

Do you actually need to carry more than 4 people on a regular basis?

Yeah got 5 kids and we like to get out alot when we can

 

[seagullwedgee]

i've had a renault grand espace 2.0 petrol turbo for 6 years, absolutely brilliant.

Masses of space really good design features, Privilege spec (top level) and got all the goodies on it. Best feature is a 2.2 square metre sunroof, vurtually the whole roof is glass, and plenty of leg room in the 3rd row and still room for small bags.

My kids have grown and flown the nest now, so I'm looking to trade down size slightly to a merc E class estate.

68k miles. Interested? Home counties.

 

[Stevie Boy]

ive got a 2000 Zafira DTi, had it nealry 3 years and its great, being a mechanic i know what to get and what not to get

 

[Garage_Doors]

That's what made us laugh when looking for more car space, back in the spring.
We looked at a fair few newer models and they were all bigger looking than the Stream, that we settled for. But it's as if they were TARDIS' in reverse, as to a car, they were all seriously smaller inside.
The only comparable car were the massive Grand Voyager, et al.

Our Stream will comfortably fit 7 adults, with head and leg room, all for 3k.

What is a stream ?
Whats fuel ecomomy like, the Zafira gives us 40-45 mpg.
The Grand Voyager i know at best return just 18 !

 

[Seagullible]

got a Ford Galaxy (same as VW Sharan and Seat Alhambra) and would recommend it

 

[throbinson]

i've had a renault grand espace 2.0 petrol turbo for 6 years, absolutely brilliant.

Masses of space really good design features, Privilege spec (top level) and got all the goodies on it. Best feature is a 2.2 square metre sunroof, vurtually the whole roof is glass, and plenty of leg room in the 3rd row and still room for small bags.

My kids have grown and flown the nest now, so I'm looking to trade down size slightly to a merc E class estate.

68k miles. Interested? Home counties.

Like the look of the Espace but the diesal

 

[Willow]

We've got a 7 seater Toyota Previa which we are very happy with. I don't think you can look past Toyota for reliability.

 

[Stat Brother]

What is a stream ?
Whats fuel ecomomy like, the Zafira gives us 40-45 mpg.
The Grand Voyager i know at best return just 18 !

A V-tec engined Honda, and you won't be surprised to know we are very impressed, with it.
Having now just returned from my 1st ever walk to school, I am now an expert on people carriers.

The nearest new car to it is the Mazda 5, but the Stream is lower and longer.
It's very much like a 'pumped up' Accord estate.

But the boot is massive as a 5 seater but with the seats up, 6 foot me can comfortably get in the back, and there's still boot space for a retreiver.

 

[ropey9]

Hi all, first post.

If I can help I will.

I had a Citroen C8 2.0HDi (essentially the same as the Peugeot 807 and Fiat Ulysses).

Advantages

• Plenty of space for 7 adults (with nice amount of boot left), nice adjustable seats, slide up and down on rails, can be taken out to convert to a van (need to store the seats somewhere though and they are quite heavy), the release mechanism to remove the seats is similar to a bicycle brake cable, these break quite often (at least for me they did).

• Sliding rear passenger doors on both sides, fantastic for kids (I have 4 all under 9) as they can’t bash them into the car parked next to you. Also means if some inconsiderate driver parks too close to the side of your car, you can climb in the back and get to the driver seat as the gear stick is on the dash rather than between the driver and passenger seat.

• My children were also able to access the rear seats through the boot so I didn’t have to mess about taking out the booster seats in the middle row to allow them access.

Disadvantages

• Interior very plastic and bits falling off, coming loose.

• Maintenance, tbh it’s a pig, no one likes working on it. Access to the engine through the bonnet is so limited you need a funnel into a hose to put oil in. Simple tasks like replacing the headlight bulb require taking the front of the car apart so you can get access. For example, we had a VOSA safety recall and took it to Tates, at the same time both headlamp bulbs had gone. So I got my wife to get Tates to replace the headlamp bulbs when they were doing the VOSA work, the bill for replacing the bulbs was £139.82. The proverbial straw - we kept getting intermittent problems with the car starting, after spending near on £300 on various parts being replaced we were told that the problem was due to one or more of the injectors not working correctly. This isn’t too bad (replacement injectors are £150 a pop, max. 4). However the garage was unable to remove the injectors as they had welded themselves to the engine, Tate’s recommended solution is to replace the engine at £4000. Needless to say I got the car back from Tates, I couldn’t get any independent or specialist injection garages to touch the car once they find out that it’s a C8. For anyone picking holes who have a C8 Diesel, the car had 73000 miles on it when the engine was recommended to be replaced, hardly what I’d expect from a Diesel which was only 4 1/2 years old and had been faithfully serviced.

• Depreciation. I know that all cars suffer from this, but Citroen are the worse that I know of (previously had a Xsara). We ended up trading the C8 in against a Zafira and got £3000 (they weren’t aware of the engine issue, it was Caffyns so I don’t feel particularly guilty)!

Common Rail Diesels
While trawling round the garages trying to get someone to fix the injector issue with the C8, a lot of garages mentioned that there is a general design problem with CRD (HDi), in that the injectors (steel) weld themselves to the engine at the point where the injector lives. On some makes of car the contact point is made of Aluminium. Apparently Mercedes are known to have this problem, so if buying a Diesel I would ensure that the injectors are inserted into steel.

Previous to the C8, we had the Citroen Synergie TDi. Obviously a far older car, but more easily maintained as the engine access was better. Same advantages as the C8, with fewer disadvantages.
The Zafira is fine for the moment, however when the children are older we will probably move to a larger MPV. I will keep an open mind on Diesels, and will only ever get another as long as it is in Warranty.

I quite like the Mazda 5, you get the sliding rear passenger doors in a more car like MPV....

Hope this helps.

 

[Seecider]

Agree with Willow. Hard to beat Toyota on reliability. Have had an old style Previa for 12 years. Bit quirky, thirsty (hard to get more than 20mpg), but v reliable. Unusual amount of luggage space even with 8 up. Now have VW Caravelle 7 seater. Bit like a minibus, but a nice drive. 2.5 VW tdi engine is responsive and relatively frugal. Put your surf board on the roof and away you go.

 

[throbinson]

Ok, going to go for the Espace or the Sharan, proberly the Sharan, any thoughts on this

 

[Two Professors]

Ok, going to go for the Espace or the Sharan, proberly the Sharan, any thoughts on this

In Shropshire,Sharan is usually a 4-legged woolly creature,or so I've heard!Locals round there usually seen attempting to start them with the aid of wellingtonsSorry

 

[throbinson]

Thanks for the replies, brought a 05 Espace today 1.9TD superb motor