People carrier shite, inspiration?

[daveb47]

http://autoshite.com/topic/14776-estima-last-chance-now-%C2%A350000/

[Partridge]

[Honey Badger]

Rover 416 Tourer, style comfort and the old people will feel right at home.

 

Plus babys like riding in the boot

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-ENGINED-ROVER-416-TOURER-MOT-APRIL-TAX-JUNE-2014-UNIQUE-PAINT-JOB-350-/261295479250?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cd66c99d2

[retrogeezer]

Congrats Mr & Mrs LT! 

 

Not sure about a car though, any 7 seater means naff all boot space when you use the back row of seats. How about a small transit type minibus?

[dollywobbler]

Renault Grand Espace still has boot space even seven up. Honda Shuttle is a good shout too.

[ProgRocker]

Congratulations!

 

How about a Toyota Space Cruiser or the more utilitarian Lite Ace?

[ruffgeezer]

The Xantia will be fine, you'll nit get the gramps in an mpv without some contortion, I'd get an estate if you are worried about having a big enough boot.

[Junkman]

If you want to have the number of people to be carried reduced in the short to medium future, I suggest one of these death traps:

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C419547

 

Mind you, the toll on lives could include your own, but given the options of buying a people carrier or getting killed, I for some odd reason prefer the latter anyway.

[Cavcraft]

Actually a Transit van with incredibly frilly/missing/Isopon filled arches would be best. Or at a push a 306 diesel estate.

[Tetleysmooth]

Actually a Transit van with incredibly frilly/missing/Isopon filled arches would be best. Or at a push a 306 diesel estate.

I think Billy's nailed it.

[beko1987]

I got an XM estate when our little one and the shit we had to cart around with her got too much for the ZX. It is great, can fit 3 pushchairs, 3 car seats across the back (mrs would have to plug the belts in though, my fat hands couldnt do it), and will still go fast enough to get you told off by er indoors.

 

Or a Meriva. Mrs has one currently and its served us well. Check your buggy fits in though, ours only justdoes, and I had to removesome trim to make it easier. She is pondering getting rid of it if you do happen to be that desperate

 

Old merc/ovlov with the 2 seats in the boot?

[bub2006]

Our e class as two dickie seats in the boot and roll up netting what acts as a dog guard. Good thing about the merc and Volvo estate 7 awarded is the lever inside the boot to get out yourself. I spent many an hour in the boots of my dads 240 glt and 740 gle staring at the front of a sprite alpine caravan on the back. 6+ hours to devon.

[Mr Livered]

The Xantia will be fine, you'll nit get the gramps in an mpv without some contortion, I'd get an estate if you are worried about having a big enough boot.

I agree with those who are pointing out the shortcomings of a people carrier. We ran a Peugeot 806 for a year or two because we told ourselves we were buying a mega-practical vehicle but we weren't.

 

If you've got luggage, folded pushchairs and so on to transport, then the back row is out. Therefore you suddenly find you haven't got a people carrier at all really, because it's now an estate car but bigger. And taller, which as has been pointed out isn't always convenient.

 

This is why after our dip into the world of people carriers we're just planning to use the W124 Merc estate as family holiday barge. Might need a roof box, if they insist on bringing too much shit, but so maybe would the 806.

 

Only real problem with the Merc is that mpg isn't that great; more sippy alternatives (Pug 406?) are worth a look if you like those.

 

Having typed all that shit, I'm thinking about Dave's Estima, which is a. Veg friendly and b. 4 wheel drive, both of which are pretty cool. It's also rather more interesting than most of the others of its type.

[anonymous user]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-ROVER-827Si-AUTO-6-DOOR-LIMOUSINE-LONG-MOT-LOOK-AT-THIS-BLACK-BEAST-/231065845083?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item35cc98fd5b

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1984-MERCEDES-250-LWB-AUTO-WHITE-/151141994327?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2330c3cf57

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Daimler-DE36-7-Seater-Limousine-1954-/171144864274?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27d9076212

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-LAND-ROVER-109-CSW-12-seater-station-wagon-very-good-all-round-/271289040123?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f2a163cfb

 

 

[For Fiats Sake]

Just make the grandparents follow you in their own vehicle with the kidz and the pushchairs etc.  

 

Thusly a 2 seater sports car will do nicely.

 

Sometimes I even surprizes myself.*

[Mr Livered]

I also found my FX4 Fairway to be great family transport when my chiddlers were little. It was lovely to be able to close the little connecting window, turn on the radio and enjoy the drive.

 

It was wonderful in all but two respects: not a lot of luggage space, and either a crappy front passenger seat or none at all.

[Lankytim]

There are quite a few top suggestions here. Maybe we should stick with the Xantia, it will fit the bill for 99% of excursions and apart from not having 12 seats it's pretty much perfect.

 

I did forget that I already own TWO XM's, one to return to the road and one to cannibalise for unobtainable parts. It should offer quite a bit more space than a Xantia but it's still a 5 seater...

 

Maybe I should just A frame the dead one behind the good one. I'd have a 10 seater that way...

[bub2006]

True shiter. Forgot you had an xm and 1 for spares!

[bub2006]

Can you get lift up seats in the boot of an xm or modify Volvo/merc seats to fit? I also remember my dad having a 505 estate gti and all the seats were forward facing

[Cavcraft]

Pretend you didn't read this, and I'll pretend I didn't type it:

 

VW Sharan TDi. Go like a rocket, great on fuel and loads of room inside. The downside is the make, but I suppose you could always upgrade/rebrand it with Ford Galaxy badges. 

[Lankytim]

I keep forgetting I own an allegro too!

 

Both XM's are hatches, so no room for fold out seats really, plus not OMG TYPE APPROVED or whatever they should be.

 

I'm pretty attracted to Sherpa/Pilot mini buses. Plenty of seats for outings with the extended family but narrow enough to fit in a normal parking space. I've heard that they're complete shit in every other respect though.

[Mr Livered]

Yes, I was really tempted by Wilko's one (is it still 4 SAIL M8?). You could remove the back seats to leave just two rows and thus have enough seats, and have room behind them to sleep on family holidays, shitefests, etc.

[Lankytim]

Pretend you didn't read this, and I'll pretend I didn't type it:

 

VW Sharan TDi. Go like a rocket, great on fuel and loads of room inside. The downside is the make, but I suppose you could always upgrade/rebrand it with Ford Galaxy badges. 

 

 

I've just looked at these on ebay and they do seem GR9 VALU. Maybe i'm a bit of a snob though, all the ones I can afford seem decidedly low rent to me. The LIDL car park opposite our house seems full of them, all complete with chain smoking tracksuit wearing mum and 10 snotty kits. You get the picture. Same with Estimas and the like too! I do live in a pretty low rent area though so i'm sure I wouldn't be judged.

[bub2006]

When i was growing up there was five kids in total plus dad and stepmum. If my dad just happened to find a cheap hatchback after his last car rusted through two of us would be slung in boot with a cushion and the dogs. When I was born I was put into my pram and tied to the back of the passenger seat of a y plate transit. Thoughs where the days.

[Partridge]

[Lacquer Peel]

Caterham 7.

[Pillock]

I'll agree with all the other sentiments about people carriers. If you're going to get one, try it out properly - get as many people to try sitting in all the seats in loads of combinations.

We've got a Touran - TBH didn't need a 7-seater, but we do need room for people plus loads of shite. On the occasions we've used to rear seats it's been a proper faff, involving entering and exiting through the boot hatch. Which means me getting the huff with people who stand on the bumper. They're also so shallow, they're only useful for children and people without legs.

 

You can pop one of the middle row seats out, which makes it a bit more minibus like to enter, but then you've lost a seat. And then have to find someone to stash a seat at home.

[Partridge]

Caterham 7.

The 7 denotes the number of seats is has. FACT.

[Junkman]

Why was EVERYTHING nicer and better in ye goode olde dayse?

 

[RichardMoss]

One of my neighbours owns somethng similar: