Have you test driven any or excluded on paper?

Multipla - well I would have one but Mrs L wouldn't drive it even wearing a brown paper bag.

We had a Multipla for 3 years, one of the original bug eyed ones. Absolutely brilliant car, but made out of tinfoil and cream cheese. Every panel ha a dent in it when we sold it and the interior plastics broke if you looked at them.

Still probably our favourite family car that we've owned in 24 years of marriage and 18 years of having kids (with the possible exception of the Triumph Herald Estate many years ago).

Ours was named bumpy car by the kids.

Not that this helps the car choice

Have you test driven any or excluded on paper?

 

In our case I drove and had rides in all on Latte's list apart from the Verso.  Out of all the cars it was the one that left me cold.  Plus it was too narrow anyway as I discovered when parked next to one when we had the Octavia.  It looked no wider inside then the Skoda when peeking inside. 

 

Also, Fatwomble's experience pretty much sums up what my friends though of their Multiplas. 

Fiat Multipla was the UK Drug smugglers vehicle of choice for a while and anyone buying one for quick ferry trips across on Booze Cruises must be aware of this.

Maybe take your own Petroleum Jelly with you to ease your way on the trip and make it a bit more painless..

Q7's are getting cheap.. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201310309539997/sort/default/usedcars/model/q7/make/audi/page/2?logcode=p

 

Edit: Missed the bit when you said no huge tanks.. 

We had a Fiat Multipla when I was growing up.. Until my sister put an arse shaped dent in the door by shutting it with her backside.. Then we got rid..

Hi Martin,

 

Hope you are all well.

 

Just going through the same process myself. In fact ive put the Octy up for sale to start the ball rolling. I will be watching this thread with great interest. I'm coming round to the Alhambra more and more and they seem to have very good reviews. My budget is about half of yours but if we can help share useful info feel free to contact me.

 

This was the post I started.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/301457-7-seater-recommendations/

Next door neighbours son has a SMax sport thing with all bodykit and big wheels and twin pipes,

 

Nice looking thing and doesn't look that big really altho never driven one

The S-Max is a great car, as such I have decided I can't find anything worthy of replacing it so have withdrawn it from sale.

 

If you can work around the spare wheel there is the option of the Titanium X sport with the larger wheels & bodykit as Volvomeg has said, they also come with a nice 2.2diesel or the 2.5t petrol, both these are very quick (for the size & weight)

Mr 2SF, we did this study 2 years ago.

We plan to buy another Grand CMax though and are going to swap soon so PM me if like.

Hope this helps.

Further to the above this time around I have another contender that ticks the boxes and might change my mind.

It's a Toyota Prius +. Left field I know but 7 seats and lots of goodies and not quite as pious an image as an ordinary Prius.

These would not fit in your budget second hand though until probably next year. HTH.

SWMBO has spotted the Fiat 500L Fiat: an unreliable car made badly from cheap plastic sold at full price.

 

It seems likely, on consideration, that we need a 6 seater with the 7th seat being used less. Unfortunately this means the FRV is out of the equation as it only seats 6. This is a shame as she liked the look of it.

 

Her logic's a bit weird though. She says that the Galaxy and Sharan/Alhambra are too big, but likes the Volvo XC90!