A friends Mk2 Laguna diesel has decided to eat its own turbo. He is now looking to replace it with an mpv type car.
He wants something Zafira sized with up to 7 seats. Unsure if he wants a diesel again and he's looking to spend betwen £5000-£6,500.
Any ideas what he could get for the money?
|
That sort of money would get a reasonable diesel or a very good petrol.
The Zafira is the best of the smaller MPVs, otherwise choose the Galaxysharonalambra which is bigger but has more space if you're regularly traveling with people and luggage.
|
Renault Grand Scenic - comfy, like the Laguna
Vauxhall Zafira - very firm seats, my son has a 1.8 petrol and it goes well
Citroen C8 - big, good diesels, adequate but thirsty petrols
Chrysler Voyager - big, brash, don't know much about them but bet they're thirsty
Toyota Corolla Verso - good diesels and good petrols
Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra - fits between Scenic/Zafira and C8/Espace/Voyager in size
Lots on Car Giant to compare prices, age, mileage etc.
|
|
The top end of your budget should get an early diesel VW Touran 1.9.
|
We have a Laguna 2 and a Grand Scenic. The Laguna is better to drive, the Scenic better to be a passenger in. (The better in which to be a passenger??)
3 year old petrol engined Grand Scenics should be available for that budget off a dealer forecourt, ours was £3.5k from an auction, ex motability 22k miles fsh & MOT. Diesels are easily a thousand pounds more for comparable age, mileage and spec.
The petrol scenic has no low end torque, even compared to my 1.8 16v Laguna. It will be a culture shock to anyone coming from a diesel.
Accommodation and practicality are first rate. Can't comment yot on reliability as we've only had it 8 weeks but so far so good.
Edited by stackman on 09/10/2008 at 12:39
|
The petrol scenic has no low end torque even compared to my 1.8 16v Laguna.
A 2.0 would be fine, it can be had with the 165 bhp 2.0 turbo as well IIRC.
|
|
Our family wagon is a Honda Stream 2.0 vtec (Stream is to Civic as Zafira is to Astra). It's not quite as big or flexible as the Zafira, but it drives well, it's reliable and a bit different. We like it a lot.
|
Another vote for the Grand Scenic. It is a mark of the comfort of this car that last month we drove it 1000 miles from Hampshire to Northern Italy, driving in shifts, and stopping only for fuel / rest breaks. Not a numb body part or ache to report. Lovely, supple ride, low noise levels, and great seats. Classic Renault stuff.
Ours is the 1.9dCi which is refined, gutsy and frugal. Not a "lugger" like an old school diesel - gets stroppy if asked to pull from low revs in a high gear, but has excellent accelerator response, and is very smooth and quiet. Suits the car really well. Third seat row is for occasional / kids use only, but the flipside is a gigantic boot with the seats folded down. Loads of toys (all of which still work on our 3.5 yr old, 55,000 miler), and generally a top family car.
Later (2004-on) dCi's are much more reliable than the early ones, having had a couple of major design flaws addressed relating to the EGR valve and turbocharger oil feed.
As has been said above, not a drivers car, but thoroughly painless and pleasant all the same, and great comfy transport. A good car - would recommend to anyone.
Cheers
DP
|
|
|
