What Car?

[welby]

Hi,

Currently using a 7 seater - Vauxhall Zafira SRI (Petrol) to carry all the mobile disco in at the moment, but to be honest the costs of running it as a disco/family car are becoming impractical.

I know probably the best option is a Diesel Van, but as we have another car (2 seater) for our "fun car" so a third vehicle is not currently an option. I also considered a trailer but we have no secure storage for that.

I was wondering what car you are using as "Mobile Disco Transporter" and a "Family Car".

Any sensible suggestions please?

Thank you.

[yourdj]

Any Dielsel estate or people carrier will suffice. You do have the added danger of being crushed if you crash as they have no bulkhead however.

I just bought my girlfriend a Pegeuot 406 estate and its massive!
Bigger than my van infact.

[NKR]

I would not be transporting kit in a car. In a crash at 60 even a mobile phone coming off a parcel shelf could kill you. Never mind a tonne of DJ gear. Get a trailer or a van.

[welby]

I would not be transporting kit in a car. In a crash at 60 even a mobile phone coming off a parcel shelf could kill you. Never mind a tonne of DJ gear. Get a trailer or a van.

Thanks, but a trailer is a no as I have no secure storage and I don't take out a tonne of DJ gear as I work mostly as a small mobile outfit and never stack the car higher than the seats.

Incidently the folded rear seat act as a bulkhead and so long as you don't stack over the seat level it should be relatively safe in my opinion.

I am looking for suggestions for a "suitable car/estate" that can double as a family car

[chrisj]

My wife uses a Peugeot 306 estate which has a lot of room with the rear seats down but I never use it for disco. I use a Citroen Relay 1.9d van as it is safer with a bulkhead. Glad of this as I had to brake very hard Friday night as someone came through red lights in front of me and I heard somthing hit the bulkhead.

Get serious and sell this 'but as we have another car (2 seater) for our "fun car"

[NKR]

Thanks, but a trailer is a no as I have no secure storage and I don't take out a tonne of DJ gear as I work mostly as a small mobile outfit and never stack the car higher than the seats.

Incidently the folded rear seat act as a bulkhead and so long as you don't stack over the seat level it should be relatively safe in my opinion.

I am looking for suggestions for a "suitable car/estate" that can double as a family car

That isn't a bulhead, but its your call.

[mattydinx]

I've got an '08 Volvo V50 1.8 which is more than adequate for my needs.
I get around 35 mpg on average, not the best but what do you expect for a petrol.

The newer VW Bluemotion range are supposed to have great fuel economy.

[Sapphire Disco]

I've looked into this myself and in my opinion the best choices are.

Mondeo or Vectra estate diesel = good MPG parts & servicing & insurance, both plenty of room with seats down Vectra has slightly more room.
As mentioned no bulkhead, I make my own Ultimax stand pieces across the back of the front seats then speakers across the back behind that, not perfect but better than nothing.

[yourdj]

Incidently the folded rear seat act as a bulkhead and so long as you don't stack ov

One word - Projectiles Have a look on youtube at the crash tests. I did a short seminar on it and it was not pretty.
I have a half steel bulkhead but screwed an MDF one in to the ceiling.

I make my own Ultimax stand pieces across the back of the front seats then speakers across the back behind that, not perfect but better than nothing.

Another urban Myth. Seats do not make good barriers - even in a head on at 30 miles an hour. better than nothing.
Your seatbelt and body will make a better barrier

I would personally get an estate and secure an thick MDF (1/2 inch) bulkhead too the chassy, window bits behind your shoulders and roof.

Make a removable one but a fixed one is much better.

[Andy Goodtimes]

I actually tow a trailer most of the time but do use a large extended Luton for large jobs, however, I have just bought a new Insignia SRI Sports tourer and am very impressed, its the 160bhp 2.0 diesel so loads of power and fairly cheap to run, it tows really well and although I don't cary kit inside it it does have lots of space. I do agree that a bulkhead is a potential life saver and I know there are mounting points to fix a dog guard behind the front seats as well as behind the rear seats but dunno how secure one would be and how quickly it can be removed for family use of the car.

Don't laugh but my Wife has a Kia Sole Tempist, it is a 1.6 Diesel with 126bhp and as its the Tempist model its got big black alloys and some nice toys, it is actually very deceiving inside, with the rear seats down it has lots of space, I think one of those is well worth a look and don't be fooled into thinking they are still as bad as when they first came into the Uk with models such as the Pride, her last car was a 1.4 Jazz I-Shift and the one before that was a 1.6 Note and I think the Kia is better built than both of them.

When I bought the Insignia another car that nearly tempted me was the Orlando LTZ 163bhp diesel, nice car and lots less money than the Insignia but eventually I decided to stay with what I considered to be a better established brand.