For sale: Value Family Fayre!

[pogweasel]

Rather disappointingly I must offer our family dizzler to the masses.

This has been an AWESOME car and I really did think we would have it for eternity, but with a third Poglet on the way, need something bigger/more flexible.

 

2000(W) 1.8TDDI LX (AC)

178,000 miles (mostly motorway). FMDSH to 120K, plenty of bills thereafter

Leccy windows, Aircon (recently serviced & regassed), CD playa, 2x airbags, 3x3point rear belts, luggage cover.

Nice & tidy, couple of minor marks inside & out (but really no disasters).

Towbar + electrics etc.

Impeccably reliable, plus 45mpg round the houses and up to 65 on cruise on the motorway. Very nice car to drive.

 

We would like £1495 from any willing shiter

 

AV SUM PIX:

 

Happy days.

[M'coli]

Why the selling? If only I had the money...

 

I'm on Car Mechanics forum and someone had set up a poll about which estate they should buy for £2500, and the advice came back from many that it was one that wasn't in the poll...the Focus Estate!

 

Have driven these through work, and Ford got it so right.

[pogweasel]

Reason is one of space. Third child due at new year... and you can't fit a booster for our lad, a toddler seat for our lass and a baby carrier all on the rear seat, it's about 2in too narrow Ordinarily, you'd just plop the newborn in the front in a rear-facing seat, but the early focus have a passenger airbag that you can't manually de-activate. We asked the garage if they would do it, and because the car is so old (???) they won't touch it. So we are getting a Picasso, much to my own disgust.

[M'coli]

Ah, the Picasso.Another one that the manufacturer got right. I'll qualify that with this:Can you name another car in the last 15 years that didn't require its advert to be changed other than the soundtrack from its intro to the end? I don't think so. Quite possibly the best people carrier ever.Discuss.

[Ross_K]

Yeah, they're not all that bad as far as a people carriers go. We've got twins on the way very soon in this house, and another under two, so I'm in the same boat as you pog. No point in getting a diseasel in this house anyway as it'll only be used for tootling to Tesco and back. 1.6 bog standard petrol FTW as far as I'm concerned.Could be worse. Your missus could have her eye on a Scenic - now they're shit with a capital S.

[M'coli]

In West Yorks cheap PisscassoUnlike some of my other links, this one may just work!

[Guest]

I had a go in a Xsara Picasso and I felt it was an experience of sheer unrelenting misery. And I'm very forgiving of rubbish cars. It had possibly the cheapest and nastiest interior of any new car I've been in and it was a supposedly fairly high spec model with aircon and all that. I'd love to see what you sit on in the base spec model, probably an upturned piss-stained milkcrate wrapped in old packets of Monster Munch. The instrument cluster was dire too, a digital speedo just out of my line of sight and no rev counter (apparently none do). I recall general ergonomics and button placement and stuff being frustratingly unpleasant too.

 

Put it this way, it made me genuinely very angry and I can't think of many cars that have done that. I can not disguise my bile for this car. If I had to give someone a lift in one, I'd scream a load of abuse at them and then crash it into a big wall. If I got one as a rental car I'd ram it into every other car on the lot. If somehow I ended up with a job where I had one as a company car, I'd put it on a giant catapult and launch it into the office, blowing it to bits.

 

Still, the Focus looks nice.

[Spottedlaurel]

Not keen then Hirst?... If anyone in the 'normal' motoring world had half a brain they'd be snapping the Focus up at that price. Good luck with the sale, and impending fatherhood x3 to you and Ross_K. Two's enough for me, thanks.

[pogweasel]

So you don't like them much, Hirst? On the upside, a Picasso should be t'right mechanically, seem to be plenty out there with astronomic milages. They are cheap, and have all the space we need. Plenty of "NCAP" stars too, not that they count for shit. Minus points are that PSA interiors are made entirely from fromage, and it looks like an enormous 4-wheeled lemon. Do I really want to be seen driving an enormous 4-wheeled lemon? Not really. But that's life I suppose. And I still have my 'toys'.

[retrogeezer]

Never had any problems with comfort in our Picasso, quite the opposite....3/4 hour drives to the west country for holidays and north/south looking for houses were a breeze. It's no sports car granted but thats not what you buy one for. I guess the seats could have done with a bit more side support but again, not going for lap times with a child/children in the back. No problems with the dash or switch layout, all easily to hand and big switches. Rear seats are light enough to take out as opposed to some 'removeable' rear seats I've see. The space in the back is immense with the seats taken out.All you need to remember is these cars were built to a (cheap) price. But they do their job very well and the PSA diesel engine is one of the best there is.This bit pasted from the other thread:Or the Cit Pic forum is great too...if you haven't seen it already, here is the link: http://citroenpicasso.org.uk/picasso/index.php Had a 2001 HDI from March 03 to March 08....thought it was a great car (depreciation was a bit tough to swallow though) That said, it did everything we needed it to for 5 years with no dramas whatsoever.....first few holidays with my newborn (at the time!) it was great as we could take everything apart from the kitchen sink. Look about on there and you will see a few posts from me, but not for a while. I did a 'how to' on stopping the CD player skipping. My brother has the car now...

[Father Ted]

but with a third Poglet on the way, need something bigger/more flexible.

Before leaping headlong into the Picasso can I recommend one of these:

 

(this is mine, though it no longer has the green light and silly graphix)

 

Looks shite, built out of tin foil, but does shed loads to the gallon

Full lenghth roll back roof - GR8 for kids watching Blackpool Illuminations etc etc

Looks Fugly - no one will ever steal it

Drives like a van - worrying body roll in corners, but has yet to tip over

Looks like Frank Bruno after a Tyson fight - but then you honestly wont give a shit when it gets dinted.

Fits 3 full size child seats in back

Looks like my backside after a night on the ale and curry

Fits family of 5 shite in the boot for holidays - bigger boot than the arse-o

Looks like it was made out of Lego by a 4 year old but is so Spartan inside there is nothing for your little darlings to wreck.

Isofix mountings

decent NCAP with air bags

Great visibility

Cheaper than a pickarseo to buy

 

The clinic replaced these with pickarseo's and none of the drivers like them compared with the blings - I find the driving experience of the Bling much better than the Arse-o despite it being the same car underneath.

 

 

Oh - congratulations on Poglet Number 3 - can I also recommend....

[garethj]

Depends how often you need 5 seats really. When it's Mrs Pog and the 3 kids can you put the eldest in the front on a booster?

 

If it's all 5 of you, it's adults up front, 2 youngest at either end in the back and the eldest in the middle with a seat belt heigh adaptor. That's what we do some of the time in our Galant.

 

Or visit somewhere like the Car Safety Centre, Milton Keynes where they've got a shedload of baby seats and you can find 3 that'll squeeze in the back of the Focus?

 

The seat belt laws that came in about 2 years ago do have exemptions, have a look at the table at the bottom of this page: http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/child_safety/seatbelts.html

 

"two occupied child restraints prevent use of a third" This means you can get a height adaptor for the shoulder harness in the middle seat (for about a fiver) and the kid in the middle is held snugly in place by the normal seat belt.

 

We've put this on the middle seat belt of our Galant and it works well. We can just squeeze 3 car seats on the back row but putting the belts on is the devil's own job so if both front seats are occupied we usually put the eldest in the middle with the adaptor belt.

 

If Mrs Pog's will is too strong, do check you can get 3 child seats in the back of the Picasso before you buy. They've got individual seats but I don't remember them being that wide.

[fiatdaft]

dare i suggest a fiat multipla? no psa hdi probs,plenty space and err distinctive looks.also you won't look like your on yer way to pick up something from freecycle via aldi/lidl !

[Ross_K]

No, but little children in the street will point and laugh at that front:

[fiatdaft]

thats ok,you ain't looking at the front when yer driving it!

[r.welfare]

Quality procreational skillz there, Pog. Has Mrs Pog actually lived with a Picasso day-to-day, though?

 

Reason I say this is 'cos I have a Honda Accord sat here in the garage behind me (yep, all the DIY is done), sulking, with the Fabia it is meant to replace still sat on the driveway.

 

Why? 'Cos my missus, who is now 9/10ths through her pregnancy, says she cannot get comfortable in the Honda, despite the seat being as far back/down on the floor as it can get, and the steering wheel tilt on it's highest setting (she is tall and, currently, very big!). Bizarrely, although the Accord has been the best-selling car in the US for some time, and they ain't known for skimping on the burgers, the little boxy Skoda has more room in the front for her distended belly. 2 months ago, when the Accord swap was first mooted, it was fine for fit. Now I have to keep the Skoda going until the baby appears, then sell it. Wimmin.

 

Would an ex-plod Omegod running LPG not fit the bill (boom boom!) by the way? Although TBH I can't think of anything better in the Picasso's class. I still don't like 'em much though, but my experience is limited to trying to shift my cousin's 1.6 Exclusive off my folk's steep driveway, and not being able to find ANY gears at all. Super.

[pogweasel]

Multipla, got the thumbs down on that one, shame as I quite like their ugly faces. Berlingo Multispace.... that's a "no" as well, from both of us. Her because it "looks like postman pat's van", fair comment really, and me because I had a Berlingo in 2003/4, I found it pretty dang uncomfortable to drive. GarethJ.... unfortunately zero "rule bending" is tolerated in our house. Mrs PW works for a well-known company that supplies & fits kiddie seats, so really got to be 'proper' in her book. We know that the Picasso is up to the job, her sister has had one for a few years now so we know what fits

[mouseflakes]

Multipla, got the thumbs down on that one, shame as I quite like their ugly faces.

That's a pity - my missus loves ours (diesel) - she's the main driver. Sister-in-law has the second series which is a bit more handsome (if less characterful).

[Cavcraft]

Ah, the Picasso.Another one that the manufacturer got right. I'll qualify that with this:Can you name another car in the last 15 years that didn't require its advert to be changed other than the soundtrack from its intro to the end? I don't think so. Quite possibly the best people carrier ever.Discuss.

Almost. Some HI engines are awful and (here he goes again) the Zafira is a better car. Escept the 2.0DTi which is shite beyond belief.Fair play to the Picasso though, very good cars and I'd certainly have one if needed.Incidentally I can't see that Focus being around too long: ticks all the right boxes: diesel, estate, modern, economical, well loved, reliable and Ford. It's an eBayer's dream that if you can fish out the non-paying non-showing cockjockeys on there.

[Father Ted]

Berlingo Multispace.... that's a "no" as well, from both of us. Her because it "looks like postman pat's van", fair comment really, and me because I had a Berlingo in 2003/4, I found it pretty dang uncomfortable to drive.

Fair enough - each to their own - if we was all alike we would all be trundling round in Herr Hitlers People Vaggons, personally I find the Bling comfier than the arse, but then I'm more typically van driver shaped (roughly spherical)

[Milford Cubicle]

I think the original Multipla is quite attractive in an odd way, it certainly doesn't look ugly compared to a lot of current cars.

[andrew e]

I've just relegated the last britax booster to the bin - Hurrah! Relevant to the thread, Renault Kangoo?

[Jason A]

We had a Renault Kangoo at Royal Mail for a while when I was a driver for them, decent enough thing to drive with plenty of poke, far nicer than the Pujo Partners that we were also running at the same time. Not sure if there's enough room in the back for 3 kiddie seats though??For what it's worth I reckon the Picasso will do what's required of it, common sense is best used when choosing the colour though, mate of mine traded in a pretty cool TD Bora for a green Picasso, looks like a giant bogey and he can't sell the thing for love nor money!

[fiatdaft]

agree with the kangoo/cit/pug comments,what about a fiat doblo,biased i know! sorry !

[Renault18]

My Scenics (W-plate, 03-plate, 53-plate and 56-plate were great, although the 2000 to 2003 models were better than the new type. That was okay until some bitch wiped the side out of it in a car park Sorry to say, but the Grand Picasso I had whilst the Holdcroft group in Stoke employed their most average Nursery Group bodyshop employees to "repair" the Scenic was a joke in terms of quality - I'd love to see how long all the electrical shit on that stupid steering wheel doesn't last.Only problem I had was a whining diff at 35,000 miles on the W plate car which Renault cured by replacing the gearbox f.o.c.Obviously, the fact that the remote door mirror switch on this type of Scenic is now bursting into flames and setting the interior alight is a bit of a pisser, but apart from that they're fab.

[retrogeezer]

Funny isn't it.....my mum had an 04 Scenic which I drove quite a few times, thought it was dreadful. Rock hard plastic dashboard, rock hard suspension that crashed over every bump in the road, noisy (1.5 diesel) engine. She now has a C4 Grand Picasso exclusive and it's like being in a space ship....absolutely silent on the road, very smooth, lovely quality seats and plastics. Everything seems well screwed together....the 3rd row of seats are a piece of p1ss to put up. Far, far nicer than the Zafira she test drove too.Each to their own I guess.

[Albert Ross]

Are we not all missing the point here a little.................What about a First Generation Espace! All the badge kudos, the shite kudos, and the classic status to boot...................... plus Pog gets to have a real rarity for once! Go on,you know it makes sense!

[M'coli]

She now has a C4 Grand Picasso exclusive and it's like being in a space ship....absolutely silent on the road, very smooth, lovely quality seats and plastics. Everything seems well screwed together....the 3rd row of seats are a piece of p1ss to put up. Far, far nicer than the Zafira she test drove too.Each to their own I guess.

C4 Piccaso should be like that, it's 5-6 grand more than the Xsara Piccaso. The Zafira too might be the better car, but for the money that Citroen were knocking new picassos out for (IIRC, base model otr price was just under 10 grand), you weren't going to easily better it on value. The plastics etc might be cheap, but that's how Citroen got the price down.

[retrogeezer]

Not disputing that M'coli, I had the Xsara Picasso if you read my earlier post....I actually preferred that to my mums Scenic too (even thought the Scenic was £4-5k more than the Xsara Pic)The 04 on Scenic just doesn't feel very big inside, especially from a drivers perspective, compared to the Xsara Pic.The C4 pic is in a different class to the Xsara one, as I said earlier, the Xsara pic was built to a 'cheap' price and a blody good job they did of it too IMHO.Oh, and my parents aren't flush by the way, the cars are mobility cars as my dad is disabled.

[mouseflakes]

Are we not all missing the point here a little.................What about a First Generation Espace!

 

All the badge kudos, the shite kudos, and the classic status to boot......................

plus Pog gets to have a real rarity for once! Go on,you know it makes sense!

Good point AR.

 

If you're quick Pog you could get this (equally scarce in series 1 form?)

 

 

(Apologies for duplicating a post on the Ebay thread - but seems appropriate)