SSIA Estate of mind

B

bigjoe_dub

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SSIA is up at the end of Feb. Was thinking of using part of it (10K) to get a second hand car. current car is a rover 618, 1996 model. it has the honda engine. would have changed it ages ago but it keeps on going and keeps on passing the nct.

as I now have 2 kids I was thinking of getting an estate due to the amounr of crap that needs to be carried if we go anywere. (do not know how my folks managed with 5 of us and a ford escort)

was hoping to get a 2001-2003 car. top of my mind would be a ford focus esate or a toyota corella / avensis estate. anybody anything good / bad to say about these. anything to look out for when buying? any other recomendations?

ta.
BJD
 
for reviews check out

www.parkers.co.uk
[broken link removed]

avensis is reliable and if you get a diesel it'll not depreciate as much as other cars, focus is better to drive but boot may not be large enough

mazda 6 estate also gets good reviews
 
I'm currently looking around for an estate at the moment and have so far narrowed it down to an Avensis or Mazda 6. I'll probably end up going over to the UK next month for one as the choice is far better over there for estates.

What I will say is estates are hard to sell on here, so choose wisely. I'm going for the 2.0 diesel Mazda or the 2.2D4D Avensis. Plenty different spec levels to choose from in UK.

In saying that, I like the look of the new Astra estate, but to buy a new one with teh 1.7 diesel engine with a decent spec, you are looking at close to 30k euro and for that you would get a seriously good 2nd hand Mazda 6 or Avensis.

Go to mazda.co.uk or toyota.co.uk for price guidelines.
 
Moving away from the usual recommendations like the Avensis or Mazda 6...what about a Subaru Legacy??

It may not be the best looking car in the world but is definitly one to consider, with many standards such air con, traction control and all electrics. If safety is your priority it also has a super permanent AWD System. It is acclaimed by car reviewers the world over.

There is a new 2007 model out so you will probably pick up a decent spec model to suit your budget.

Good Luck
 
Pseudonym said:
Moving away from the usual recommendations like the Avensis or Mazda 6...what about a Subaru Legacy??

It may not be the best looking car in the world but is definitly one to consider, with many standards such air con, traction control and all electrics. If safety is your priority it also has a super permanent AWD System. It is acclaimed by car reviewers the world over.

There is a new 2007 model out so you will probably pick up a decent spec model to suit your budget.

Good Luck
Click to expand...
Love those Subaru Legacys but couldn't find one with cruise control except in the 2.5 petrol or a new 2.0 petrol, which I can't afford.

On the Mazda, I've decided against it as the safety rating for rear passengers is very poor and as it will be used primarily for the family with kids in the back, I'd rather go for something with a better rating
 
I owned a new Focus estate back in 2001. It's got a huge luggage capacity for a car of it's size and class. It also drives really well.

I'd go for a 1.6 LX petrol. A really good practical car.
 
re safety for children in an Avensis have a read of
http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/details.php?id1=3&id2=172
adults sitting in the front are well protected but for children
"Child Protection Permanent labels that warn of the dangers of fitting a rear-facing child seat opposite an airbag are good. All three rear belts could be locked to improve their hold on restraints. The three-year-old’s seat faced forward and used ISOFIX mountings and a top tether; it protected his head in the forward impact but not in the side impact. The child also risked chest injury in the frontal impact. The younger child faced rearwards. His head was well protected but he risked chest and neck injury."

VW Passat seems to have better protection for children
http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/details.php?id1=3&id2=219
 
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