How shit are Picassos?

[Timewaster]

Babies, buggys, children and car seats mean I have resigned myself to the idea of an MPV

It would be the Misusses mainly and do about 8k a year.

 

Galaxy/Sharan, Too big.

Mrs favors a Pick Arse ole mainly for the 3 proper seats in the back. Things like Zafiras only have 4 proper seats and 3 tiny flat ones.

 

Research on 'tinterweb shows that:

a 1.6 Hdi should do 50mpg but blow up in a fireball of injector, turbo, DMF, clutch and DPF failure.

a 2.0 Hdi should do 40mpg with none of the above pulled pin grenadeness.

a 1.6 petrol should do 35mpg but for the price of a 80k diesel you can get a 30k petrol.

 

Any experiences or alternative sugestions? Budget probably £3 to 4 k

[John F]

Very shit indeed.

 

Driven by hen-pecked grunting mongs whose lager-bloated wives insist that her little dahlings can't manage to spend an hour at McDonalds without several tons of shitty plastic toys to occupy their under-developed brains and at least one reinforced buggy to move the fat little shits around in, old people that pissed themselves in their seats several days ago but can't remember where they live, and people that have just given up on life. Avoid unless thick-skinned and/or blind.

 

I'm actually surprised how poor the fuel economy in the nasty, fugly things is... I'm getting 30 mpg from my Discovery 300 TDi, which is a 2.5 turbo diesel 7-seater and weighs as much as the moon.

[Albert Ross]

They remind me of a "Push-me-pull-you".....

[gearoil]

Original Fiat Multipla..??

[ruffgeezer]

Well if you are only comparing them to other small mpvs, they are probably one of the better ones, I must admit though, although capable, the driving experience is not dissimilar to that fisher=price steering wheel you probably had as a kid. I must say I prefer the Berlingo Multispace to drive, and have found that my Xsara estate is lacking in the legroom department for the bairns, so I can see why you'd look that way.

 

Things to watch out for;

• *Rusty/bubbly sills, it's a complex repair and affects the earlier shaped models.
  *Front springs break, and most will have the busted spring catching cup, so it isn't always obvious when they have broken.
  *Rear silencer brackets rot out, the silencers are now very cheap, but it's a good haggling point.
  *1.6 Hdis are prone to turbo failure if under serviced, injector blow isn't unheard of, but not the end of the world.
  

 

As an aside note, we'll have a 2003 2l hdi coming in very shortly, only 75k on the clock, as with all vehicles sold by the place I work, it'll get a full service and all the niggles ironed out, as well as 12 months MOT. If you like, I'll keep you updated?

[skattrd]

If I was in your position I'd be thinking about random JDM moptors, Honda SMX, Step Waggon (prob too big) Mitsubishi RVR, Space Runner/Charriot there's many other random motors out there I'd rather have. A Multipla would likely be top of my list for a European car

[chaseracer]

RG's right.

 

The Blingo is a much better drive, bigger inside, and more comfortable. Go for the 2.0HDi.

[SambaS]

I sat in one once. That was quite enough of Picassos to last me forever.

 

Why don't you get a Renault Espace MK1 or even a Talbot-Matra Rancho?

 

Even syphilis sounds more fun.

[willswitchengage]

One of my carpool buddies has one...

 

The 1.8 - does "move" when you want it to but is atrocious on fuel I hear. Build quality is generally terrible in all areas, although on the plus side the are real tardises - comfy seats, infinite legroom in the back an enormous boot in a car with a relative small footprint. They have comfy seats, too.

 

They're probably the best of the European offerings (another of my friends had a Multipla JTD which managed t consume all of his money), or save up for a Berlingo or Toyota Verso.

[Albert Ross]

What about a Mazda 5. Not many about, Focus Mk2 Floorpan based, seem nice from my experiences testing them.

[Guest]

They became popular because they were the only sub £10k MPV that could fit three car seats across the rear bench, if I recall.

 

The 1.6 HDis aren't that bad if looked after - my C4 is on 114k and gets along fine - although the 92 would be battling the kerbweight a bit.

Speedo BSIs go on the wonk but can be put right.

[Mr Lobster]

^ I'm well impressed with our Mazda 5 and would strongly recommend them.

 

Picassos - I ran one for a couple of thousand miles in the dark days of being a company car driver. Hated it.

 

On the positive side it was quite comfy. Thats it.

 

On the negative it was hateful to drive, alarming in crosswinds at motorway speeds and the steering wheel only seemed to have a theoretical connection to the direction of travel. Fuel economy wasn't that great and most other small MPVs do the important stuff better.

 

In short, don't do it.

 

Alternatives - depends - do you need three full size rear seats? If so then get a Blingo or Kangoo.

 

Otherwise - Mazda 5, Scenic (really), Corolla Verso, Multipla, or how about a decent size estate? Anything would be better.

[retrogeezer]

Had no major problems with our 2001 2.0hdi model, it did 45 to the gallon no matter how it was driven and has now done 120,000 miles since my brother bought it off me in 2008.

 

I quite liked how it drove, nice high seating position that you don't get with a blingo and who wants to corner on rails when you have young kids in the back?

[Timewaster]

I had considered a Mazda 5, but they look a bit over budget, and again don't appear to have 3 proper seats in the second row.

 

I don't expect to enjoy Picasso ownership, but thats not why anyone buys a people carrier is it?

 

I have also since discovered that Scenics have 3 rear seats, but we will keep Schtum about that!

 

In an ideal world I would have a CX familliale but there are a couple of problems there,

 

chances of finding a decent one, almost zero

chances of persuading Mrs that it is a good idea. ABSOLUTE ZERO

 

Enjoying the input, keep it coming.....

[retrogeezer]

and if you don't do a lot of miles you may as well get a petrol one with those price differences.

[Micrashed]

RG's right.

 

The Blingo is a much better drive, bigger inside, and more comfortable. Go for the 2.0HDi.

+1

and they do about the same MPG

[Mr Lobster]

I had considered a Mazda 5, but they look a bit over budget, and again don't appear to have 3 proper seats in the second row.

 

They don't (its a bit narrower) but unless you are using it all that much then does it matter? Does a c-max have three proper rear seats? I'd imagine early ones should be well within budget thesedays?

 

I don't expect to enjoy Picasso ownership, but thats not why anyone buys a people carrier is it?

 

No but they don't have to be miserable to drive either. I'm quite liking our Mazda and actually looking forward to driving to France in it in summer.

 

Just because you need an mpv and have kids and all that doesn't mean your life is over, you can still have something interesting and enjoyable.

[retrogeezer]

does a blingo have 3 full size rear seats then?

[Wilko220]

Oh come on, what is this?

 

You know very well that it's actually one of THESE people carriers you want...

 

[R9UKE]

Why the Scénic aversion?

 

Yes, the Scénic II is shit, but in the trade the facelift first version (2000-2003) is considered one of the best MPVs around and the easiest to sell when tidy. This clearly isn't bollocks either as they're commonly fetching more than early Scénic IIs. My mum had one, a 1.6 auto Dynamique+. She put 111k miles on it, it only suffered the usual TDC sensor causing the car not to start and the boot lock button falling out - that's really as bad as any Scénic I gets it, 1.9 dCi excluded. They feel much nicer than the Picasso, infinitely better to drive and spec'd nicer too. Ours had twin electric sunroofs, leather, climate control, cd changer, independent opening rear screen, cubbies EVERYWHERE. Plus they don't have so much of the scum-of-the-earth stigma that John F so excellently described attached. Here's a few pics of our old faithful and it's smart interior.

 

 

 

[Timewaster]

Why the Scénic aversion?

 

Yes, the Scénic II is shit

 

You answered your own question there, although I assumed that the Mk1 would be shit too.

 

Wilko, well done. I can't believe we got to page 2 without a Sherpa!

 

I might sugest a multispace, but I can see some "its a van" based resistance to the idea.

 

Perhaps a Doblo family and a blindfold.

[wuvvum]

Scénic IIs are getting very cheap for what is still a fairly modern design. Buy mine for £800 and spend the remaining £2,200 of your budget on keeping the electrics working.

 

Had you considered a slightly larger people carrier (Galaxy / 807 size) with the back row of seats removed and shoved in the shed? You'd still get the three individual seats across the back, but a lot more luggage space and you wouldn't suffer the ignominy of driving a Pickarsehole. Diesel Galaxies are pretty good on juice too, if not the fastest vehicles on the road.

[Timewaster]

Had you considered a slightly larger people carrier (Galaxy / 807 size)

 

I'd like a Galaxy, I may even get one as my daily, but I am looking for something for Mrs Tops and a Galaxy is deemed too big.

[vulgalour]

Right, something I can finally offer an opinion on. Someone else (who shall remain nameless unless they speak up), was asking me about them and this is what I had to say about the green ragtop Pickarsehole that my brother swapped for a Mondeo.

 

To me, it seemed like it was fairly well designed inside with the exception of boot space. Think of it as a giant hatchback with loads of cupboards everywhere. It was quirky and the rag top made it feel very airy, I certainly don't think it'd work as well with a plain metal roof. On the good side, the seats are comfortable, the driving position inspires confidence, visibility is good though weird due to the shape of the front, engine in his felt suitable for the size of the car and the gearbox was easy to use. The central dash binnacle was a nice touch, but took a bit of getting used to as I'm not used to full digital rather I've always been driving stuff with analogue needle dials. Loads of headroom, good amount of leg room front and rear and it didn't feel too cheap inside or out. Handling was much more like a car than the van it looks like, not too bad on fuel either.

 

An odd vehicle to place in any category. It's not quite a van, an estate, a hatchback, a minibus or an MPV, it's sort of all those things and none of them all at once. It's very French.

 

If you want something 'nice' don't go for a Picasso. Although the looks are on the quirky French side of things, build and quality wise they're neither here nor there. You'll either love it or loathe it but unfortunately many of them have been owned by McFatties with a gaggle McBrats so the interiors do tend to be a bit McRank. Usefully, they're only cloth seats away from being completely hose downable inside (I imagine, we didn't try this) like all truck stops and greasy spoons used to be.

[pompei]

A couple of weekends ago Mrs P and I went out in one (diesel minicab) and back again in another. They both felt rough and uncouth (though that might be the minicab abuse) even though i had expected them to be comfy and quirky, like proper old Citroens.

 

Didn't Pog (formerly of this parish) have one which was constantly going wrong?

[aldo135]

+1 for the Post Office LDV!

 

What about a Honda FR-V? Good seating arrangement and not too big, a mechanic friend was just telling me he really rates them.

 

I will be looking for a bigger family car soon, but as a 2nd car for £1000 ish, been thinking about big old estates like Volvo 740's and Merc E class's with the extra fold away seats in the back

[hairnet]

Original Fiat Multipla..??

 

this

[wuvvum]

I think Pog was running at 3 replacement brake light switches a week on his Picasso.

[Micrashed]

does a blingo have 3 full size rear seats then?

Yes, you can get 3 child seats in the back of a Bingo.

 

How about a stupidly cheap C8?

 

The 2.0HDi (138BHP) is ridiculously nimble for such a big car, gives 35MPG (44 on a motorway run) and swallows up almost everything you can throw into it. Dont worry about them being huge, my wife swaps effortlessly between the C8 and the Micra and she is 5'4" tall. In fact its not a whole lot bigger than a Bingo if you park them side by side.

 

Timing belt failure is the big bugbear of the car, but so long as they get replaced before 50K miles (£300) then you should be OK. And they are stupidly cheap for such a well specced car.

[Rocket88]

Nissan Serena? For ulimate miserable driving experience?