Beyond the BX?

[toddao]

The Merc is a good idea. There was a 7 seat option available but the rear seats faced backwards. Landrovers are something that I like but I'm a bit intimidated by - all that 4WD stuff. Perhaps - like the BX - once you get to know them it's straightforward?

My father-in-law has a Ulysses from the mid 90s which goes well and is a good workhorse but I feel 'people carriers' ( apart from the first Espace) would be a short cut to blandness/ middle-aged Dad anonymity. Ok, I am indeed an anonymous middle-aged Dad but while I can still wield a spanner and there's no signs of arthritis let's keep it relatively interesting as long as it doesn't end up one cold dark night on the hard-shoulder!

French lefty family-farmer chic is the vibe!

This was the dream but a touch of practicality prevents




The new crazy dream?

[Philip Chidlow]

I really should stop being bland and middle-aged.... Hello? ...Anybody hear me? Oh no, I'm anonymous!

French lefty farmer chic; I like it A Renault 21 Nevada's an excellent idea...

...but my choice would be Peugeot 505

[toddao]

/\ It's called diminishing returns Phil, the only balm being a few drops of the vino rouge. I knew you'd like my bit of social comment. No matter how we try to individualise ourselves we all end up seething in the anonymous mass! Apart from celebrities like Eddie The Eagle who walks amongst the gods we are all destined to ride in the people carrier! ( No mid-life crisis here, I don't want a red Italian sports car)

I really like the 505 too but they've all been dispatched off to the dark continent around here. No, not Poland.

[JayW]

Oh hell, that's class! (on a planet of it's own)

Think maybe they were going for this look?

[toddao]

My daughter really likes that colour scheme - she's 4 years old and thinks that everything should be pink. The rear view show's that it's a real performance car with those drainpipe exhausts. Shame he couldn't have found a piece of old fence or something to make some side skirts out of then we would take it more seriously .




I've got to say that this is another thing that nudges me towards the R21 option. Though it was apparently fitted only on the TXE saloon and not the Savanna/Nevada. Could it be swapped in? Then I wouldn't feel too far away from the familiar BX display.





F.Ted, my sister has got a C8 for her gang and it's done good service as well as providing entertainment with its random electrical manifestations. 4 grand is a bit out of my range however. I've never spent more than 500 sheets on a set of wheels (nor got out of the 80s yet ) though normally have to spend a couple more €€€s to get everything sorted. Is that what they call Bangernomics?

[Dollywobbler]

I bet you could cram an extra row of seats into one of these.

[Defender110]

I can recommend these on the 2.0HDi, budget in for a belts and water pump change (£400) if its not been done and the car is over 5 years old/50K miles as they grenade if left longer. Otherwise they can be bought for peanuts, give 40+ MPG and lug around 7 or 8 people with ease.
Mine tows a 23' caravan as well.


LX trim avoids the electrics that can play up, but SX has far more toys and really isnt that bad with electrical malladies (you never get bored of opening the doors by remote in the car park when someone is stood by the car) - avoid the Exclusive as the sunroofs can leak.

The example above with 47K miles and FSH would set you back about £4K with a bit of haggling.

And when the heater plugs go you need to take the engine out to have them changed ;-(

[toddao]

The ambulance would certainly be big enough but fitting the seats would be a challenge - the 504/5 had a special kind of flat rear suspension which made it possible for the extra leg space for the third row of seats. There was that 7 seater BX that was sold in that Heuliez auction recently but I don't know how that was configured. Also I would then have to go to the TÜV and get it all approved and added to the paperwork, which I think would be almost impossible.


The Savanna/Nevada continues to allure

[MULLEY]

I must admit i'd be going with Kitch's suggestion, Xsara Picasso in HDI form, loads of room & storage, soft suspension so its actually comfy, no charachter so when it get's scratched you won't care, loads available & decent specs & they are now cheap. A family workhorse which wifey will enjoy driving due to the elevated driving position & easy to drive nature, & good mpg to boot

[KevR]

Friend of mine married a woman who already had six kids. Hated the idea of a people carrier so got round the transport problem with a stretched Merc limousine - very cool way for the kids to turn up to school...!

[Mickey taker]

Just bung a pair of booster seats in the boot with lapstraps bolted to the rear seat belt mounts,that's what I did in my 960 Volvo

[Dollywobbler]

Oh yes. Good thought that. Must be a few W123 limos kicking about in Germany, usually with feeble diesel power and a slush box.

[mat_fenwick]

It's got to be relatively kid proof, cement carrying, multiple seated and not to expensive as well as complying with German emission taxes which rules out almost anything diesel newer than 1983

I couldn't help thinking there's already something in your barn which meets those criteria May not be handy to park though...

I'd go with the suggestion of something reasonably modern, say 10 years old as it will have pretty much reached the bottom of its depreciation curve yet new enough for parts to be easily available, and old enough for people to have figured out workarounds to any common problems.
Unless you want something you'll have to do a lot of tinkering with that is - I know you have a surplus of spare time. I just figured you might want to spend that time on the more important things in life, like beer or getting one of your many valvers on the road...

[Philip Chidlow]

/\ Trouble is, Todd's budget might be stretched too far... I imagine in Germany Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan type vehicles might just be attainable as might a suitable Volvo estate (850/V70?)....

[Kitch]

I must admit i'd be going with Kitch's suggestion, Xsara Picasso in HDI form, loads of room & storage, soft suspension so its actually comfy, no charachter so when it get's scratched you won't care, loads available & decent specs & they are now cheap. A family workhorse which wifey will enjoy driving due to the elevated driving position & easy to drive nature, & good mpg to boot

That's pretty much the line I took. Why would I make life difficult trying to use something else because I didn't like the idea of an MPV? A car is, above everything else, a tool for a job. Why would I not buy the best tool for the job, if it was affordable?
It does 45-55mpg, makes loading and unloading kids a walk in the park and it's going to put up a better fight protecting my kids if someone forgets how to drive and hits it than something old I like more.
We park it where we want, drive it how we want and don't care. It's got moss growing on it at the moment.
That said, it's quite a lot of fun with the remap. 206lb ft of torque is good fun for surprising people off of roundabouts who wish to cut me up!

Character? Doesn't matter one jot. There are far more important characters travelling in the back of it!