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

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Rigel

Full Member
Aug 6, 2010
270
0
maidenhead
Love the Delica Have had mine for five years and can't let go of it - though I know I should. Pricy to run mind....about 4 miles to the liter (diesel) maybe 5 on a good run.
HTH
 

Swallow

Native
May 27, 2011
1,545
4
London
Love the Delica Have had mine for five years and can't let go of it - though I know I should. Pricy to run mind....about 4 miles to the liter (diesel) maybe 5 on a good run.
HTH

I'm addicted. Having trouble not getting that one myself, now the Mrs has taken over mine.

I get about 20 mpg urban and about 30mpg on a trip. (not sure what that is in litres) Given the OP mentioned it was for getting out of town and not for urban use I figured it was an option.

Not had to spend much on maintaining it. And my insurance is in the bracket mentioned by the OP.

Only downside is the height (I've not had any trouble with parts). At 6'10' not good for carparks with height restrictions. I had a mate who sold his in Wimbledon because in his area they all had that restriction. Round where I am not a problem and don't remember any problem out of town either.

Mr's passed her test 2 years ago and was a bit intimidated by it, having learned in a Ford Focus, but now loves the it because the height.

I'm not sure being eye level with a bus driver had been good for my driving though.

Only only 5'6" wide so no problems with Width and I assume at 15 feet long no bigger than an estate car.

Major bonus are the way the mid and rear seats fold away giving a flat floor space like a van. The Mrs and kids used to sleep in it when we started going out another reason I think it fits the OP requirements.

Also a proper 4x4 based on a Shogun/Pajero chassis.
 

demographic

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 15, 2005
4,694
711
-------------
Boing.

Whilst ratching about in the local scrapyard* for bolts with the right thread for the seatbelt holes in the back of my Hiace, I spotted a Mitsubishi Delica Chamonix.
Quite a setup in the back of those things, the rear seats can be turned sideways so they can be used as beds. Well thought out bit of kit.
I would think the seats could be fitted to another vehicle, VW Sharan rear seats are pretty well thought out as well.

Oh and while I'm sort of on the subject, Merc Sprinter battery boxes (sited in the floor of the passenger side) are handy looking things for someone wanting to put a self built camper battery in a box under the floor.

*I absolutely love ratching through scrapyards, it was a nice day and I had loads of time. Just me and a tubfull of spanners.
 

moocher

Full Member
Mar 26, 2006
642
97
49
Dorset
My wife wanted a auto 8 seater,we bought an old m reg Toyota Lucida seats fold into a bed,only hassle is it's mid engined and cambelt change is going to be cost of vehicle £7/800 .
 

ferretracer

Member
Nov 16, 2012
40
9
basingstoke
My vote would be a either be a 1.8 diesel focus estate(upto 2005) or a Astra estate 1.7 diesel the focus is about 2-3 inchs longer in the back with the seats down, Currently on my second astra on 03 plate and being fords and vauxhalls cheap on parts and very common, Also vauxhall zafira's 2 litre diesel a guy I work with swears by his, Everytime I consider replacing I do consider a nissan x-trail or pathfinder very economical for 4x4's
 

gjclayton

Forager
Sep 24, 2012
138
0
Bedfordshire
Irony is!!!!!: I was just given a Peugeot 206.
Can't afford to be picky at this point!
Looks like we'll be sleeping in a tent for a while!

Thanks for all the advice anyway!

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
 

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