Advice needed: Estate car purchase, economical but big enough to sleep in!

[peaks]

I'd think about the MPV's rather than estates. They give you a lot more room + comfort if you are sleeping in the vehicle. The sliding doors are handy too. You can attach a small caravan awning. Plenty of Ciroen Berlingo, Peugot Partners, Renault Kangoos MPVs out there owned by elderly folk - they are in good nick, low mileages for their ages lots of service history usually.
These vids might give you food for thought - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyffv623TDA
If you remove the seats can you store them at home?

 

[gjclayton]

Thanks yeah good idea. I don't suppose MPV's are any longer than estates anyway.

All great ideas and good things to look for. Cheers.

 

[gjclayton]

Thanks for the images too sausage!

 

[Dave]

Subaru forrester supposed to be pretty good, how about a used volvo xc 70?

 

[gjclayton]

Subaru forrester supposed to be pretty good, how about a used volvo xc 70?

XXC 70 are the 4x4 Volvos right? Or at least the ones with the black "Off road" bumpers? Could be great, but not sure my budget will stretch. A volvo is a work horse I'd be interested in though.

 

[Dave]

Well police auctions, often sell white ones, which have been well taken care of compared to the pandas, which have been screwed silly, but it would be very high mileage. North yorkshire ones are a nice dark silver.

 

[MertzMan]

Avoid audis and bmw, garage costs can be high. Parts are expensive.

They're a higher cost as the quality is generally higher and the ride much more refined. I wouldn't avoid them on that basis however. If you can afford it they're great, but for god sake only buy with FSH! A poorly maintained example will be nothing but misery and baked beans for months.

I had until last week an E39 5 Series until a trucker wrote it off for me. The BMW diesel engines are fantastic, really reliable with FSH and offer bags of power and torque. My 2.5 did 42MPG on a run. Amazing ride and huge amounts of space but suspension work on those is a killer. 2 of the 12 suspension arms cost me £200 odd quid alone in parts! They have much more components than say, a Mondeo or a Passat and take longer to fit. If you can comfortably afford one I'd recommend an E39 5 Series Touring in SE trim as they're less likely to have been ragged about. It ate motorway miles like nothing else, and it does need to live on the motorway!

I replaced my E39 with a B5.5 Passat Estate. It's a harsher ride but gets 55MPG over the beamer's 42. Parts are reasonable and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to fit them. Insurance is cheaper too. I'd buy either again but a career change has drastically changed my income so I'm a Passat guy now.

Both great cars, but make sure you have a slush fund at the ready of £500 to £1000 if you go for a 5 Series.

Personally, I'd avoid an Audi in Quattro format. Given how little it snows and the fact you'd have summer tyres anyway, there is little point to 4WD and you'd only have the downsides of more driveshafts, UJ's and a transfer box to go wrong.

 

[MertzMan]

Vectra estate is huge inside. Good economy and cheap to repair if it's needed.

Modal depending, check the swirl flaps have been removed. Otherwise, nice cars.

 

[stonehippo]

I have had a diesel Ford Focus estate for many years and had never had problems. The Zetec engine is great, but get the 2 litre engine. Nice ride and I regularly transport 4 greyhounds about. 2 adults can easily sleep in the back.

 

[Dave]

Yeh my brother and a pal have a zetec, and they are a smooth ride.

 

[oldtimer]

Skoda Octavia 1.9 Estate Diesel.

56 to the gallon on a run, FULLY loaded with big roof box, massive, class leading boot with the seats down, reliable and easy to insure....

I second this. I had one and the two of us could sleep comfortably in it with the seats folded down. Kit went into the front seats for the night. Excellent car to drive.

 

[Goatboy]

Personally, I'd avoid an Audi in Quattro format. Given how little it snows and the fact you'd have summer tyres anyway, there is little point to 4WD and you'd only have the downsides of more driveshafts, UJ's and a transfer box to go wrong.

One thing with the BMW's rear wheel drive especially on an estate/tourer is that the back end can be skittish on snow, ice, wet cobbles or just wet roads. If you're not used to it it can take you by surprise. (personally I like it; had two M Sports, I liked going sideways in my youth ).


Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[MertzMan]

One thing with the BMW's rear wheel drive especially one an estate/tourer is that the back.end can be skittish on snow, ice, wet cobbles or just wet roads. If you're not used to it it can take you by surprise. (personally I like it; had two M Sports, I liked going sideways in my youth ).


Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

Only the brave and/or foolish turn off DSC

I'd love an E36 328i M sport again.

 

[1 shot willie]

Hi GJC.

I would heartily recommend the Honda CRV V-tec Estate.
The engines are extremely reliable and quite economical.
Spares are easy and cheap to get hold of, if needed.
Had mine over some very rough ground, and over ploughed fields too.
Seats fold down in the back.
Wait for this.....it even comes with a picnic table under the rear cover

Lots on you tube to look at....here's a good clip.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsErGA5mpFg

The addition of all terrain tyres adds to the overall off road performance if you need off road that is.

 

[gjclayton]

Thanks so much for all the advice. I knew I could rely in you guys! So much on offer!

 

[XRV John]

Skoda Octavia 1.9 Estate Diesel.

56 to the gallon on a run, FULLY loaded with big roof box, massive, class leading boot with the seats down, reliable and easy to insure....

That's what I've got and just ordered a new one. Brilliant car not had a problem in 6 years. Huge boot and always 50+ mpg no matter how many people and stuff inside. With a roof box its luggage hauling ability is huge.

 

[Robbi]

I've put Spring Assistors on the back of my 1.9 Octavia Estate, very cheap and easy to fit and improved the handling and load carrying capabilities 10 fold, I would highly recommend if you intend to carry any weight.

 

[moocher]

are you sure you want an estate? what about an MPV, We've just bought a citroen Synergie 7 seater, all the seats come out (me and the boy are trying out sleeping in it tonight) and they can be picked up quite cheap (mine was £850 for a 51 plate with 150k miles). Apparently the 1.9 HDI engine is really good and if the cam belt has been done wont need anything but oil changes until 200000 miles. Insurance wasnt dear either, it cost me only £30 more than the 1.4 Pug 206 that I had before. ill get some pics of the setup later if you want.

We had a hdi 806 for a bit ,they are good cars,avoid the fiat version it's not so well built apparently .
im thinking of changing my berlingo out for a estate car next year,probably a hdi Peugeot .

 

[Adze]

Modal depending, check the swirl flaps have been removed. Otherwise, nice cars.

The above is also true for 2 & 3 litre BMW diesels (post 2001 if memory serves, but do check as memory isn't what it once was)

 

[Greeny]

Peugeot 406 2.0 HDI Estate (make sure recent cambelt change) - Huuuuuge load space, fantastic to drive, great rear passenger comfort, 60mpg if you go super careful 50 mpg in general, (will sit at 85mph all day - apparently ahem) low insurance, much more civilised diesel engine than Fords or VW/Skoda/SEAT. Mine had done 300,000 ! faultless miles when I sold it. (think they're also pre dual-mass flywheels which is good as they are massively costly to replace and prone to premature wear)

Oh caution if looking at Peugeot 307/407 etc AVOID the 1.6 HDI like the plague - the engine has huge reliability issues, diesel particulate filter fluid lunching the engine (they're the ones you see on the road doing smoke signals), turbo oil seals failing causing terminal engine revving.


In general terms MPVs will offer a more commanding view of the road , or above hedgerows than estates, estates however are much more stable in crosswinds and if having to take emergency avoidance action at speed.