What 7-seater car do you have?
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  1. #1
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    Default What 7-seater car do you have?

    Looking about at some new cars and wanting your opinions.

    What do you drive and what are the pros and cons? Tax, space, cost, ease of moving seats etc...

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    zafira - don't like it im forever moving around car seats, cant get three seats on the middle seats so have to use one in boot and then cant safely put double buggy in - even at weekends if we all go out - there are six of us with dd boyfriend, so ds15 and ds9 end up in back seats but there isn't much leg room and its not comfortable, I used to have a Chrysler grand voyager and absolutely loved it - had to sell it as could no longer afford to run it, it was a 4 and half litre petrol if I win the lottery I will definitely get another one
    I love my friends who live inside my laptop xx

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    Zafira - As above - I don't like it. I had Galaxies before and loved them. Told DH I wanted a Diesel Grand Espace and got apetrol zafira.

    I struggle to find pushchairs to fit the Zafira. When all the seats are up there is very little room in the boot. Have had to buy a new pushchair (good excuse) and even that does not fit in boot and has to go across foot well. I sometimes struggle to push seats back and forth to get LOs in the boot seats.

    I am saving for my Grand espace!!!!

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    Mazda 5 love it except cant fit three car seats across back so have to climb in boot to get kids in. Love the sliding doors tho as no banging them into other cars

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    Chrysler grand voyager ! I used to have one years ago and I'm now looking for another one. You can get them in engine sizes from about 2.5 -3.3 I think
    They have loads of boots space even when using all 7 seats and models from about 2005 have seats that fold into the floor
    Mandy xx

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    Quote Originally Posted by EmmaReed84 View Post
    Looking about at some new cars and wanting your opinions.

    What do you drive and what are the pros and cons? Tax, space, cost, ease of moving seats etc...
    I have a Renault Espace Grande. Lots of boot space and legroom, three seats fit easily across the middle, room to climb in to do up seat belts in the rear seats and I love it.

    Cons: only get 30 to the gallon on school runs, best for longer trips. High car tax.

    I have a loan Zaphera and hated it.

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    I don't have one and would never get one. They are soooo expensive, use more fuel, cost more in road tax and insurance. You have to have a lot of your own children and minded children to make it cost effective.

    I have had a Skoda Octavia for 14 years now. I can get 3 car seats across the back seat and one in the front (I can isolate the air bag if needed). It costs £100 road tax, £300 insurance and does at least 50 miles to the gallon even on the local trips. It has a huge boot, I can get a double and single buggy in plus a months grocery shopping!

    It does limit me to a max of 4 children but if I were to get more what is to say I could keep them all the time and if not then I am left driving a bus in the evenings and weekends for me and my family and we don't need that or the expense of it.

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    I see what you are saying RS and would love a nice 5 seater again. Seen so many lovely cars I wouldn't mind having but we have such a big family and go out a lot of big day trips so when I am not minding I have an extra 3 seats available. Plus DH loves taking his Nan and Grandad out so... 7 seater is has to be LOL.

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    If I didn't have 2 of my own children to take to school each then a 5 seater would be fine, but with 3 under 5's as well it would be impossible. Plus I do have 2 older children as well, who both drive, but it does mean we can go out as a family
    Yes the tax and insurance can be more expensive but that's something I can't avoid and I have drive all types if cars but always feel safer when I'm sat up higher, that's a personal opinion and not necessarily a proven fact before someone tells me either wise
    Mandy xx

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    I have three kids of my own .. Age 7,9 and 11,

    So for us a 7 seater is a must for minding
    Especially as I have to drive them to school and back.

    At weekends we fold the back seats flat and have a large boot, ideal
    For the dog/weekends
    Away etc.
    On a day I don't have three little ones I often have the girls friends home to play. However would love a mondeo or similar!

    I have a Renault grand scenic and while it is economic I much preferred the Hyundai trajet and ford galaxy we had before but they did guzzle the fuel ..Both were unleaded rather than diesel so That makes a difference,

    With both of those the seats were in or we had to take them out to make a bigger boot, so I guess the scenic is more flexible, but each seat was individual and full sized plus it was higher so I feel like I have trouble getting into the back, and my girls complain there is no leg room in the boot, my phil and ted fits in ..
    Just ..
    But I have to put it upright

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    I do have a zaf. Yes the seats can be a pain but I easily manage with two big seats in the very back, if needed another big seat in the middle row to one side and booster seats in other two if needed. I have a double buggy which fits easily in the boot no problem. I have two children so at weekends easily converts to normal car with big boot. For what I need it for it s fine. I don't see the point of paying even more money for a larger 7 seater when it does the job. I will change it in a few years and the next one will probably be the last 7 seater as by then my own boys will be in senior school and won't want to spend time with me during holidays on trips out.
    Children are born with wings we help them to fly.

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    My list lol!!

    I've had a Ford Galaxy...it was ok...
    Then I got a Vauxhall Zafira...no end of problems and quite cramped...
    Then I got a Ford S-Max...loved this car...
    Then I had a Renault Grand Scenic...loved it and traded it for...
    My beloved Renault Traffic Passenger mini bus which has 9 seats, loads of room and is soooo economical

    Sarah x
    Sarah, Bumble Beez x x

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    I have a Citroen grand Picasso. Much better than my old Zafira.

    Loads of Citroens around on the school runs at the moment!

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    Quote Originally Posted by adedwards68 View Post
    Chrysler grand voyager ! I used to have one years ago and I'm now looking for another one. You can get them in engine sizes from about 2.5 -3.3 I think
    They have loads of boots space even when using all 7 seats and models from about 2005 have seats that fold into the floor
    We also have the grand voyager, I wouldn't change it for any other 7 seater, it has electric sliding side doors which are great for tight spaces. You can easily fit 3 car seats in the back and strapping in the LO's is easy due to being able to walk through the middle and stand. We have the model where the seats all fold flat making it like a mini van.
    There is also loads of boot space even when all seats are up, we can easily get a phil and teds plus a fold down buggy in there, I can also fit a large wheelchair in the boot.

    I would say go for a diesel as we did have a petrol before this one and the fuel consumption was poor.

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    I don't have a zafiria but my sister does. She has 2 toddlers and a 14 year old, who is on the small side. With 2 toddler seats in the middle row the eldest had to sit in the front, there isn't enough leg room for her in the rear. By putting one toddler in the rear older one can sit in the middle
    It's probably depends a lot of what your finances are, if you feel confident about driving a larger car
    Mandy xx

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    I have a Toyota verso corolla. It's a 5 seater with 2 pop seats in the boot. I love that it's not too big and when only family with the 5 seats it looks like a 'normal' car!
    I can squeeze a single umbrella buggy in the boot with all seats up and then we have to have bags around our feet!
    Had it 5 yrs and would have another tomorrow.

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    I have a Peugeot 807, love it, 3 car seats fit across back, can isolate passenger air bag and even with all 7 seats up can get double buggy in and it has electric sliding doors :-)

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    We have a Zafira and it suits our needs maybe in a few years we will need something slightly bigger.

    Most people who I know have a 7 seater because they need it if dh could he would have had a polo but unfortunately we need the seats
    When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door

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    Quote Originally Posted by munch149 View Post
    Mazda 5 love it except cant fit three car seats across back so have to climb in boot to get kids in. Love the sliding doors tho as no banging them into other cars
    Snap!! I love my mazda too but it's only a 6 seater really.

    What car seats do you use in 3rd row? Can you fit a double pushchair in the boot with all seats up?

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    Quote Originally Posted by pinklady756 View Post

    Snap!! I love my mazda too but it's only a 6 seater really.

    What car seats do you use in 3rd row? Can you fit a double pushchair in the boot with all seats up?
    I have a britax and a mothercare car seat in second row and a baby start 123 seat in third row as always put oldest in the back as more able to climb in and out themselves. My double pushchair I put in the middle row footwell as fits better there anyway and with car seats it doesn't get in childrens way. Umbrella single stroller will fit in the boot. I did once get three across the middle but can't remember what seats I had. The ones I've got now must be wider as I can't do it again.

 

 
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