Evening All.

Advice wanted please. Looking for a seven seater car suitable for towing 1600kg 26ft long caravan - the catch, under 5k please and auto.

I know my range rover is ideally suited to the job and will be towing the caravan most of the time but occasionaly I have the need for 6 seats. Initial thoughts were a mk 3 shogun as they seem to have slipped under that price level and still look in good nick. Only drawback is the third row seats are a bench type so you lose most of the boot when they are used - not really an option with a 2 year old and a 2 month old and the associated push chairs/prams that need transporting as well. I then thought about a late Disco 2 as they have seperate 3rd row seats but the passion these cars have for rust does worry me a bit . Looked at land cruisers but they seem to be holding their prices very very well and the ones sub 5k are either around 20 years old or been converted to some play day mud monster.

Anyone got ideas on any othet suitable vehicle as a 2nd car ? Just thought about Ford Galaxy but not sure on the kerb weight of those.

Looking forward to any suggestions. 2008 TDV8

merc e class estates with the 7 seats, are cheap as chips,, they do rust, up till a certain age, ie old ones are almost free. (1998-2005ish,) seats face backwards, for waving kids...
disco 2 , drive one, you will feel that the handbrake is on, and you are towing a toolbox down the road. ours was reliable, (compared to the old p38,) but so noisy, and gutless. but seats were bigger, and faced forward. -but still have knees up to sit down etc. D2 7 seaters are premuim, and dealers want far too much for examples.

Great never thought about the big old Merc ! Nice diesel V6 engine an option and they are indeed cheap as chips (unless you have to take them into main dealer for repair) 2008 TDV8

Buy a old one that's highly specked and lower than average miles. They are dragged down their average price by higher miled younger ones, people often look after these cars, until they become cheap, and panic sell them. They are very well equipped, though the older sat nav's are outdated. Rust killed the Merc reputation around the 2000 year, and since they have become an everyday car. (To me)

you can get diesels that do 50mpg, or v6 petrol ones that are not bad either. - or you can get the 5 litre AMG!
Leather, wood, air, cruise, super sound, electric everything. I had one for a short while, it was quite old, but it was a nice car. - big! Get one with leather, it wipes clean from split drinks and chocolate, (kids!) research the older ones' front suspension rust issue. (Struts) and front wings always have rust holes near the bumper! And rear window mechs snap their cables.
Thinking about the extra seats....I preferred the idea of the feet against the tailgate, rather than the forward facing backbone against the window, in event of some drunk texter, you fair better (injury wise)
plenty of clever folding extra seats on people carriers, but look at the gap from your back to the impact zone.
-just my two penneth!

I don't know if there's an older version around but drove a Transit Custom (15 plate) this weekend to help a friend move. They do a minibus version and that thing (the van version) was a really nice drive. Not a RR and certainly stiffer ride, to be expected with a van, but shifted along even with a full load and handled extremely well.

Perhaps something along the lines of one of those, but older? This one had the same engine as the Tdci Defender I think. Ed

Early XC 90?? Mine was a blue one!

Or a Santa Fe they have 7 seats Mine was a blue one!

Mitsubishi Delica, 7 Seats 4X4, a bit old now but I had one and loved it. 2.8 diesel. My Motto: If you are going to have one, have a BIG one!