UKC

The missus wants a MPV next as the tribe is expanding (along with my waistline!) and was wondering if anyone had a Multipla. Also looking at Zafira's, Touran's (a bit pricey) and Espace/Galaxy/Sharan's (for Font trips/get the mats in).

Any other recommendations?

J

In reply to Ropeboy:

My ex has a Multipla. The three seats in the front and the interesting ways you can arrange the seating in the rear are useful when you're carting stuff around (eg delivering a student and associated luggage to uni), although it doesn't provide as much space as you'd expect to look at it. It performs surprisingly well for the engine size (1900 cc), if you can stand that harsh Fiat engine sound, but the fuel economy is not so good.

There's a Multipla comradeship out there - they all wave at one another - and random people stop you in car parks to ask if they can have a look around the car, because it looks so bizarre. (My sons called it "the spaceship" and considered it seriously uncool btw - better check with yours if they're old enough to have an opinion!)

In reply to Ropeboy:

Had a Zafira for 2 weeks on hire recently. Expected a saloon car and got that instead. The wife was not impressed when I turned up with it!
It was 1.8 petrol top end model (Elite?) with leather seats.
It was competent but dull as dishwater.
I wouldn't buy the petrol one I had- not much power but ok on mpg. Trip computer read 35mpg the whole time which can't be bad for a big petrol vehicle.
If I was forced to get an MPV I'd go for the most powerful diesel I could get.

In reply to Ropeboy:

Rose on here has one, ask her if she does not post. Her man does not look after it as well as it could be looked after so comments may be coloured.

In reply to Ropeboy: Depends if your're buying new or used. We've had a Citroen Grand Picasso for the last 3 years and it's been great ( and was MPV of the year for a couple of years) - 1.6HDi engine is flexible and poky enough, and the seats/interior are just brilliant - mrs andy can put them up and down really easily (which she's struggled with before with other cars), there's loads of storage and lots of room for up to 7 if the kids have their mates along. We've never had any trouble, but my assumption is that as it's a Citroen bits will start to fall off it shortly. You can pick up a 3 year old one for 9 grand - in fact if we weren't trading it in on Friday you could have had it for 81/2 - however i think i'd always be happier with a nice guaranteed Citroen just in case...

The peugeot version gets very good reviews too - 3008?

In reply to Ropeboy: Whenever I see a Multipla I have a hankering for a nice blancmange. Shape is the same.

In reply to Ropeboy:

Used to know a company that had a Multipla and thought it was great for karting people and stuff around.

Zafira is boring as hell, but adequately functional - if you can live with the Vauxhall badge. Very small boot, though, for the size.

Espace has always been the daddy of them - my Uncle had one and we put massive miles on it all over Europe, with ski holidays and so on.

Honda Shuttle was also ok - just don't get the automatic, as it drinks petrol!

In reply to Ropeboy:
A family friend runs a Fiat franchised garage and he loves multiplas and thinks they are great.
Apparently the engine to go for is the 1.9 Multijet TDI. My parents have the same engine in a Fiat stilo multispace, it goes like stink if you push it but does 56mpg on a good motorway run, IMO the engine is the best part of the car.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Cheers guys. Not got a big budget so going for a cheap 2nd hand. Probably opt for Zafira but still partial to the Multipla.

J