i need a new car

[darrenwall]

i just found out today that my missus is pregnant so in the next few months i will be looking for a new car ( this will be our first child together but with 3 from a previous relationship my Mi16 will be a bit too small ) . with my bike up for sale i should have about £4500 to spend on a 7 seater 4x4 . i have thought about getting a 406 7 seat estate but i have ruled that out for 2 reasons , firstly the roads around here are so bad that a 4x4 would be a sensible choice and secondly if i have to put children in a crumple zone id rather them be 4ft of the ground in a 2.5 ton off roader . i have narrowed it down to 2 choices but i dont really know anything about either so if anyone can give me tips on what to watch for id be gratefull .
first choice id have a landrover discovery , i just love the look on them but the reliability or lack of is slightly putting me off but my second choice would be a mitsubishi shogun/pajero , i suppose they'd be more reliable but what puts me off them is that they are everywhere and dont look as " exclusive " as a landrover and i find jap cars soulless and boring if you know what i mean ?
if it was your money what would you pick ? thanks guys

[STALLED]

Toyota Tarago (Previa I think its called over your way?)

[steve_earwig]

You sure you want a 4x4? That 2.5 tons of uneconomical truck isn't really going to help your wallet and, as I'm sure you know, with a new sprog on the way you'll need all the cash you can get! Plus they're not really as safe as people think, ok, you'll be able to ram joke cars out of the way but with the high CofG they have a tendancy to end up on their roofs...

[Blue406]

Don't go the 4x4 route! That is the way to the dark side!

Get a people carrier, better on tax and other road users!

[steve_earwig]

I'm thinking 806/7 or Pickasshole - you can't be a boy racer all your life!

On HJ's they all seem to have similar issues to our own cars (exploding clutches on HDIs? Do we get that too?!) For the 2000-2008 Pikasu:

Rated one of the cheapest MPVs to run in 2003 Which survey. All models rated average for breakdowns, problems and faults in 2003 Which survey and 'Worth Considering' by Which.

RECOMMENDED.

Considering what Which said about 406 that's high praise indeed!

[darrenwall]

i have thought about a people carrier but on my daily commute to work and back i drive over nearly 30 speed bumps and when i have to pick my children up ( twice a week ) the speed bump count goes upto nearly 70 . they were pretty bad in my 406 but they are almost unbearable in my Mi16 so thats why i was thinking of an off roader because they got the high ground clearance and heavy duty suspension

[steve_earwig]

Eh? You reckon heavy duty suspension is going to be softer than that of an MPV? I think you need to book some test drives...

[steve_earwig]

Oh, and take a tape measure to a few car parks, you'll be surprised how much ground clearance some of these MPVs have.