Buying a new car!

[Feasty]

I'm finding more and more that the users of BCF seem to have more knowledge and better advice than 90% of any other forums - which is why I'm posting about a new car!

So we've got a little 'un on the way and with having a dog too we're gonna need to get a bigger car for holidays, weekends away visiting etc... Current car is a Focus which has been fantastic for us, economical to run, has hardly ever broken down and is reasonably quick (1.6i).
We can only afford to upgrade to a 4ish year old car and it would have to be an estate - now a Focus estate seems the obvious answer, but there's not a lot of them around so anyone had other estates they'd recommend?
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[EddyJones]

Golf estate?

Theres been one for sale on Visordown for a while now if your interested.

[michael j]

Bought a Volvo V40 1.8 when my mrs fell pregnant. Its been a cracking car with no problems. A little bit thirsty but we run it with the air con on all the time . Load carrying is amazing and is quiet and comfortable. Would almost certainly buy another Volvo when the time comes
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Ducati 996

[Feasty]

Well I wouldn't be buying for another 6 months or so yet, and the Volvo's look good but my wife would be using it to get to work, shopping etc - every seen a woman able to park a Volvo estate properly? Me neither!!
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[NSR Mick]

Passat TDI if your budget will stretch that far.
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If you dont like the way that I ride.......Stop trying to keep up!!!

[neatbik]

I'd second a passat tdi, quite pricey though....what about a skoda octavia? i drive lots of different cars at work and its always the vw's/audi's/skodas that impress me.
as already mentioned volvos are quite good nowadays, im thinking of replacing our focus with a v40.

[michael j]

[teabag]

Another vote for the Octavia estate. I had one until the 3rd sprog turned up. Huge boot, very relaible and much cheaper servicing / parts than VW despite being mostly the same parts!!
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NS125R = 2 years > GSX600F = 7 years > XR125L = 3.5 years > SV650S........and a Citroen Synergie HDI for the kids.

[iCraig]

I know I sometimes bleat on about Skoda's sometimes.

But the Octavia estate, is one of the best value for money cars you can get, its well built uses well proven VW units, its huge inside and its well built generally by some of the best Czech engineers!
And you'd get around around a 3 year old one for about 5-7k! If you want abit of performance though a vRS one on say a 52 plate would be around 6.5k!

[Feasty]

Interesting, I didn't think of the Skoda's. I partly ruled VW's out because they can be quite expensive and was thinking towards Toyota's, Mazda's - maybe even honda's?

Cheers for the tips though
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[Fawbish]

Another for the V40

Lovely cars, we have the "sportier" version of the estate (I know, slight oxymoron lol) but it looks really nice.

1.9 diesel, quiet and powerful motor, lots of room, safety rated 5 for the family
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"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[Wave2k]

I looked at the S40, how thirsty are these (petrol motor).
also wouldnt mind an Octavia.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[fenton]

Why an estate? My uncle has the octavia VRs and has him, wifey, dog and babs in it. Its not the estate either. God its gorgeous, wish i had my old one.
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PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!!!!! I cannot be held liable for anything that i post.

CBR400RR NC29 ( '06 - '09 )... TL1000 RK1 ( '10 - present )

[iCraig]

[.Chris.]

Morris Traveller.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[Nb]

[Rookie]

My dad recently sold his V40 as the engine died at 165,000 miles, and promptly bought another one almost exactly the same.

Edit: They're actually such good value luxury cars that I'm considering one when I get my car. A student in a V40, bit weird but they're just amazing! A 2000 diesel with 67k for £2995, yes please!

[Kara]

[Walloper]

Can't believe you're thinking of putting your family in a cage...

Here is all you need. Well just an idea.
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