Looking for a new dive wagon

[daz]

Right I've decided that I'm going to chop in the company car when it's due for renewal and get my own vehicle.

So what I'm after is some recommendations/ideas of suitable vehicles.

Requirements.

Must be able to carry 4 people and lots of boot space for dive kit (Estate? or 4x4)

Reliable and reasonable running costs, any indication of fuel consumption a bonus.

Not stupid insurance group.

Capable of climbing up a steep hill loaded with dive kit.

I'm looking at something second hand and as I don't do many miles to and from work, something less than 5k to buy.

Daz

[Adrian Kelland]

Daz,

I would go for Scenic and similar if I could.

I had 1.9TDi, 3 lots of kit (twins) etc, camping gear and towed a RIB. 30mpg loaded like that.

No idea of insurance, it was company car.

Adrian

[Druid]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

Daz,

I would go for Scenic and similar if I could.

I had 1.9TDi, 3 lots of kit (twins) etc, camping gear and towed a RIB. 30mpg loaded like that.

No idea of insurance, it was company car.

Adrian

I (well the wife actually) has a Scenic, but a 1.6 petrol. Wouldn't like to tow a RIB with it, and the boot space is shorter than an estate car, but taller.

Daz: I'd go for an estate car. Lots of choice in your price range - Mondeo, Pug 406, Citroen C5. Not much to choose between them tbh, they'll all carry 4 adults and a load of kit in relative speed and comfort. Diesel will give better mileage, slightly cheaper servicing and last longer, but cost lots to fix if they break. A modern 1.9/2.0 turbo will give similar performance to a petrol engine of the same size, and return about 40mpg.
Bigger estate cars can be bought for silly money - Vauxhall Omega is an excellent bit of kit; comfortable, roomy, quick, well appointed, and available in a diesel too, but will cost a bit more to run both for fuel and insurance.
4x4s use more fuel (isn't there a thread about them somewhere ) Boot space is also less than an estate car - Range Rover boot is really small.

[Jim Shaw]

Originally Posted by daz

Must be able to carry 4 people and lots of boot space for dive kit (Estate? or 4x4)

Reliable and reasonable running costs, any indication of fuel consumption a bonus.
something less than 5k to buy. Daz

I've recently bought a Vauxhall astra 1.6 petrol LPG

you could buy something bigger and more thirsty, but as LPG costs £1.86 per gallon, you don't need to be too worried about the MPG, I had a quick look on autotrader and found something like this, not sure if this kind of thing would suit you??

Good luck, hope you find something nice


Enlarge 1998 RENAULT ESPACE GTS 5dr Estate,
Petrol, 43,000 miles, . 2.0 litre, S reg, LPG gas conversion, 6 seats, New MOT, Air con, Sunroofs, Power steering, Electric windows, Central locking, Roof bars, Stereo, All major credit cards accepted.(ON HOLIDAY 17/5/05 24/5/05). £4,695 . McRae Cars.
McRae CarsTel: 01543 573511 or 07973 654908
Distance: 150 miles

[Paul Oliver]

Well my Mondeo fits 2 kids, 1 wife, their baggage, my twinset + the rest and tows a large Rhib quite well, but its an 1800 petrol.

Make sure its a rear wheel drive, mine is front wheel and really don't like getting a Rhib up the slipway at Dover, my mate has a Mondeo estate, which has even more space and being Rear wheel drive, gets the Rhib out when mine fails.

[Juz]

Blanaid has an Isuzu Trooper - LWB - huge boot space, big all round, easily tows a rib.

If we did it again, we'd shell out for a LPG conversion, for our use, it'd pay for itself within a year.

Juz

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by Druid

I (well the wife actually) has a Scenic, but a 1.6 petrol. Wouldn't like to tow a RIB with it, and the boot space is shorter than an estate car, but taller.

Daz: I'd go for an estate car. Lots of choice in your price range - Mondeo, Pug 406, Citroen C5. Not much to choose between them tbh, they'll all carry 4 adults and a load of kit in relative speed and comfort. Diesel will give better mileage, slightly cheaper servicing and last longer, but cost lots to fix if they break. A modern 1.9/2.0 turbo will give similar performance to a petrol engine of the same size, and return about 40mpg.
Bigger estate cars can be bought for silly money - Vauxhall Omega is an excellent bit of kit; comfortable, roomy, quick, well appointed, and available in a diesel too, but will cost a bit more to run both for fuel and insurance.
4x4s use more fuel (isn't there a thread about them somewhere ) Boot space is also less than an estate car - Range Rover boot is really small.

1.6 petrol towing - neither would I. As for depth, the seats move forward or come out. Height was great for standing the twins and putting them on.

Horses for courses I think.

[Wacker]

You know you want/need one!

[Paul Oliver]

Nice motor WAC, is that your favored 1st stage as well?

[Bogwoppit]

I have a Xsara Picasso 2.0 HDI Diesel. It can take 4 divers and with the 2.0 litre Turbo engine pull anything (within reason) at a economical cost. They are not expensive ad they are damn reliable.

Knowing Daz though this is probably more appropriate.