The 'Family' Car

[Welly]

We all know how popular People Carrier's and 4x4's have become for ferrying the family about but are they really that useful? one argument is that when they grow in popularity then others feel like they 'need' one because that's what everyone else drives

I drive my smallish saloon almost entirely on my own all week until the weekend where I might ferry the family (2+2) around locally or something. Sure there's not much room in the back and we all sit quite low in terms of visibility but is driving around in a greenhouse-on-stilts worth it for those rare times it get's used as it was intended?

I can see the point if you've got a car full and a huge journey to do that the extra space will be comfortable but surely you could hire something for a weekend if you really had too.

Are these MPV's etc. more about 'ease of access' to/from the car?

[lozz]

its all in the word Mpv. as it says on the tin, Multi purpose vehicle,


depending on what it is, some are as much use a ashtray on a motorbike, Zafira etc, waste of space,

iwas into fordgalaxys years back, excellent bus it was, when not used for lugging kids around just unclip the seats and use it as a van,
it cost me a small fortune to keep it on the road,

but as for Mpvs you need to do some research before buying one, ipersonaly wouidnt have another one, alltho imiss them for camping and holidays,

[sirwiggum]

MPVs were used by families especially with 2+ kids and the new laws that you have to have kid seats / booster seats until they are a certain age.

SUVs now are like Mutually Assured Destruction. One day, someone turns up at the primary school dropping off Tarquin and Partario in a Toyota LandCruiser. Suddenly everyone else panics as their offspring wont be as safe in a Fiesta or Clio, so everyone ends up buying SUVs and now everyone makes the bloody things (including the 3008, 4007, Qashcow etc).

If I ever reproduce I intend to use a biggish saloon/fastback/estate.

[lozz]

Mpvs where desighned for disabled people,

ihad the first of many mpvs, it was jap and had no door pillars,
things like the Renault Spaz then took over,

as of 7 seat version cars theyve allways been out there, them big old long peugeot estates had 7seats,

[Brons]

Hi Welly,i've only had my 406 estate for a few weeks and before this car i had a Vauxhall Sintra,similar shape to a Zafira but bigger,absolutly loved it,same as lozz,unclip the seats or just take out the back two and fold the middle three forward and you have a big area.
Nice driving position,great visibility,roomy,passengers also liked the rear sliding doors,great for getting in and out of as well.Downside is the running cost,mine was a 2.2 petrol and i was getting 80 miles to £20 around town.It was on its last legs so i scrapped it.To be honest i like the 406 but i'm having trouble adjusting to how small it is,i know it's not a small car but compared to the Sintra it is.
A mate of a mate is selling a diesel Galaxy in a month and i might have to go for it.

[Doggy]

Can't see any sense in MPV's unless you genuinely need more than 5 seats, fairly regularly.

I believe my 406 is cheaper, quicker, handles better and just plain more sensibler. If I need to move something big, I use a trailer, or if necessary would hire a van, but have never needed to.

[lozz]

some mpvs are alot cheaper to insure than a 406.

Eg. The nissan serena is as cheap to insure as a ford fiesta, not that id recomend owning or even driving one,

ithink it all depends on what you use a vehicle for, as of its purpose,

one of the Reasons ididnt get another 7 or 8 seater is because, people use you as a taxi service, can you to take us all out with you ,youve got plenty of room in there, feck that,

ijust stick to a average size car now, theres alot less money to pay out on parts etc, ithink one of the things people overlook on people carriers is tyres, they have to have, reinforced tyres, and theyre expensive,
my ford galaxy cost me £450 ayear in tyres , as for mpg, 18mpg if iwas lucky,

[steve_earwig]

My bro has a Zafira, I've driven it and it's blind spot city - with the out there somewhere windscreen and the huge pillars it could easily hide a biker or someone pushing a pushchair. My mate Goran's Pickarsehole is the same, so I guess they all must be similar. I like the idea of being able to remove the seats to turn them into vans but wouldn't it be easier and more cost-efficient to just put a tow hook on a proper car and buy a trailer?

And don't start me on 4x4s Currently the second most pointless car I ever owned is STILL off the road awaiting parts and a right old fecking saga that is

[lozz]

The blind spots on the pickhassles, are not as bad as most, mpvs,

iwouidnt own another one tho, the interiors in them and the dash is abit Ghay
big comfy motah tho, they make a good skip.

ijust filled mines with rubbish and weighed it in

[Welly]

I had a C4 pickarsehole in Spain the other year and quite liked the drive, it was a bit fat though and you could sense it's proportions got in the way in the City sometimes.

Interesting stuff this, I didn't know about the tyre issue and as for blind spots I suppose they're strengthened in all four corners making for thick Pillars? with big holes in the sides for doors I suppose the structure is a bit wobbly.

Something a friend of mine said (who's got young kids) was that it was very easy to lift the kids in and out of their seats because they're higher up - just in front of you so no bending into the car to lift

I reckon it's a fashion and 'perceived safety' thing.

[OdinEidolon]

the 406 saloon is huge inside, I drive weekly 400km (200km every way) with 5 peoples in the car (one of them is a 1yo so she has her own huge seat) and every time people gets surprised by how comfortable and spacious it is. Every. single. time.
before I got the 406 I used to do the same drive in my friend's X3. Yes it's a bigger and more expensive car but it is much more uncomfortable, small inside, difficult access, smaller boot, harsh riding. Noone ever showed surprise at the inside dimensions, despite the beautiful glass roof lightng everything. The 406 is just a better cruiser than a standard big SUV or a MVP, period.

[scotty73]

Lozz, you have a good point about the people taking the piss expecting you to be taxi, when i first bought my 406 estate the main reasons were towing capacity, the fact that my dog can go in the boot and not between my two kids on the back seat, and comfort for my family.

Yes my family, not friends families that dont drive or even inlaws cadging a lift... my family ... first thing i done when i realised i would be buying a 7 seater is say the boot is for the dog and have you seen how much he moults? i wouldn't sit in that boot so dont you ask....job done.

3 months later those seats have only been lifted to get at my wheelbrace and unless i have use for them when on holiday maybe thats where they'll stay.

[lozz]

Lozz, you have a good point about the people taking the piss expecting you to be taxi, when i first bought my 406 estate the main reasons were towing capacity, the fact that my dog can go in the boot and not between my two kids on the back seat, and comfort for my family.

Yes my family, not friends families that dont drive or even inlaws cadging a lift... my family ... first thing i done when i realised i would be buying a 7 seater is say the boot is for the dog and have you seen how much he moults? i wouldn't sit in that boot so dont you ask....job done.

3 months later those seats have only been lifted to get at my wheelbrace and unless i have use for them when on holiday maybe thats where they'll stay.

it wasnt just alift they wanted mate,

ihad people knocking on my door, erm can you pick a wardrobe up for us, il give you a fiver for petrol
it wouid of took that just to start it,

its hard to find the right words to say what other ways can you say f*ck off to these people that take advantage of the situation

[Doggy]

its hard to find the right words to say what other ways can you say f*ck off to these people that take advantage of the situation

It may be difficult, but I think you should try.

[lozz]

its hard to find the right words to say what other ways can you say f*ck off to these people that take advantage of the situation

It may be difficult, but I think you should try.

icarnt afford erm how do you spell it . Alo Que tion lessons feck knows how thats spelt,