David P Williams Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Well, the Mondeo estate is six years old and getting a bit rattly, so fancy a change. SWMBO fancies one of these SUV style things - the reviews and advertising for the new Seat Ateca are catching her eye, but I'm not sure that type of vehicle is a good model carrier compared to an estate car - am I wrong? My most likely move is to downsize slightly to a 6 month to a year old Focus estate but could anyone out there with one of these run a tape measure in the back with the seats down please? I would like to know how much shorter the load area would be than the Mondeo. Do the seats fold down flat? Thanks, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 You will be disappointed with anything smaller after the Mondeo Estate David, so be prepared as the smaller new cars are "a bit rattly" and much smaller by floorspace Edited By Denis Watkins on 16/02/2017 17:11:37 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Many of those SUV things are like an inverse tardis where an massive car outside is like a thimble inside. Take a look at the skoda range. The rapid spaceback has alot of space for a small car, and the octavia is a nice size too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I'm a Mondeo man too, anything smaller just won't do. I got it because it's the floor space that matters most to me, if I can't get my SE5a in fully assembled plus another model or two plus field equipment it's no good to me. Be careful with the specs for those SUV types, might have a lot of volume but a lot of that is floor to ceiling. That's what I've found anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Vauxhall Zafira....no contest! . I can carry more dumpy bags in it than my old 55 Escort van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Webb 2 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 We looked at the Ateca end of last year, but it is relatively small inside so ended up getting the Alhambra lots of room if you don't mind an old mans car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 Thanks chaps, I know what you mean about anything else feeling small after the Mondeo. Its an hours drive to any flying club from here, so I tend to take a selection of models plus supplies for the day and the floorspace available makes it easy. I did baffle the Seat salesman by getting him to fold the seats down (they don't go flat) and measuring the loadspace. About 1.6m long, so a tight fit for things like my Wots Wot XL. It is annoying that all the references for loadspace are in litres, when I need to know the floorspace. Anyone out there able to measure a Focus estate for me please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I've just got a new Mondeo Estate. Very nice indeed! All depends on how large you models are. Octavia, Superb, Golf, Passat, Mondeo or up to an Smax, Galaxy etc. Not really much to tell between any of them. I'd go for a Superb estate or a VW or Ford people carrier if you're carrying models. I've got a van, so keep the car for non modelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 My folks have just bought a Focus estate so I can measure it tomorrow when I see them if you like David what dimensions would you like? Fantastic car by the way....it's a Ecoboost 125 petrol auto.....great car to drive.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 Thanks Percy, just what I needed to know. About the same load length as the Ateca then but flatter. The Mondeo is about 73 inches, so I lose about 9 or 10 inches. Should still just fit the Wots Wot XL though. Going to look at a Focus estate tomorrow, a 1.5 Ecoboost petrol 180HP Auto - should be nippy enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Emms 1 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 Thankfully Percy has got you the info! Being on a slightly lower than Mondeo and Focus budget, I have been looking at the same issue. Clearly the SUVs are of no use whatsoever. Two interesting cars I have found are the Renault Twingo because the seats fold to produce a perfectly flat load space from the passenger side dashboard to the tailgate - in complete contrast to my C1 which doesn't! The other is the Dacia Logan with the 900cc Ecoboost type engine (turbocharger with variable inlet valves to provide the throttle control). Put aside the Auto Express hype, it is the old model Clio with the new model Clio systems, sold as the Renault Logan in many parts of the world, and every owner I have spoken to likes them. Edited By John Emms - Puffin Models on 16/02/2017 21:08:44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 My (105" long) Sbach should just fit in my X5 with the rudder attached, and tight to the dashboard. I would have thought a Galaxy or similar would have more length than the X5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted hughes Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Don't get a diesel whatever car you get. They are already being penalised with higher parking charges in some cities, and there is talk of them being banned altogether:http://www.modelflying.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=124368 Edited By ted hughes on 17/02/2017 06:58:21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Whalley Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I have a VW Tiguan, had to fetch a 6 x 3 fence panel in it, just failed on length, width ok, I tied the tailgate down, aok, seats were laid flat, very quick to do.👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Posted by ted hughes on 17/02/2017 06:39:03: Don't get a diesel whatever car you get. They are already being penalised with higher parking charges in some cities, and there is talk of them being banned altogether:**LINK** Edited By ted hughes on 17/02/2017 06:58:21 They may ban the future production of diesel vehicles in coming years but they are not going to ban diesel vehicles that are already in existence. Just the flavour of the month, next year it''ll be the fact that Hybrids do more overall damage to the environment from manufacture to disposal, with all the battery material that is extracted from all over the world. A Prius' batteries contain material from Canada and South Africa and are shipped to Europe for assembly, then the batteries are sent to Japan and the car is made, then the car is shipped to wherever in the world it has been bought. My new horrible, nasty diesel..I know i'll rot in the flames of hell. Mondeo was built in Spain, then shipped here..end of story. The big thing people should be worried about is the VED changes in April. If you own a small 'eco-friendly' city car that currently have low tax then be prepared for a shock!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Whalley Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 If they do ban diesels there's going to be an awful lot of vans and hgv's going spare!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy G. Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Take a look at the Honda Jazz. Plenty big enough for my gliders or power models plus flying gear, seats fold totally flat in seconds. Comfy,quick and very economical on fuel. When I was looking for cars the totally flat and large headspace was top of my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GONZO Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 "The big thing people should be worried about is the VED changes in April. If you own a small 'eco-friendly' city car that currently have low tax then be prepared for a shock!!" Only for new registrations after April, not existing registered vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 The diesel thing is part of the problem I have. I said I would not have another diesel when I was shopping for my current car nearly 4 years ago - I only do 8000-9000 miles a year and a lot of it is short (<30miles) local trips. The problem is that in the second hand market for model carrying type vehicles like estate cars, the vast majority are diesels. Finding a decent spec petrol one with a decent engine seems difficult, especially when you live a long way from any large towns or cities as I do. Manufacturers over the last few years put all the effort into diesel models and the petrol versions appeared like an afterthought, or the basic entry level model with a puny engine that allowed them to advertise a low "starting from" price. Things appear to be changing - new models, such as the Ateca I looked at, have good petrol options through the range, but it will take time for this to filter into the second hand market. I'm extremely reluctant to buy new having dropped 18 grand in a couple of years on a new Jaguar I bought years ago back when I was still working. Now properly retired I have to make optimum use of the pension and non-increasing savings, so would be happier spending 10-12K plus the value of my current Mondeo (not much!) rather than 20K+. Anyway, no point having a really nice car round here as it's all narrow muddy lanes full of potholes and you spend a lot of time squeezing into hedges to make room for tractors the size of earthmovers, huge artics full of sheep, and school buses. So - round and round the decision loop I go and I know the answer is probably either to keep the Mondeo estate I have and just patch it as it goes (will be less than 10-12K over the next 3 years) or swap it for a 2 or 3 year old petrol version if I can find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted hughes Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Posted by Chris Whalley on 17/02/2017 08:27:42: If they do ban diesels there's going to be an awful lot of vans and hgv's going spare!!! Quite. I'm not supporting the backlash against diesels, I'm just pointing it out. The harm diesel emissions do was not considered by Gordon Brown's government when they brought in the current tax bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted hughes Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Posted by David P Williams on 17/02/2017 09:16:22: The diesel thing is part of the problem I have. I said I would not have another diesel when I was shopping for my current car nearly 4 years ago - I only do 8000-9000 miles a year and a lot of it is short (<30miles) local trips. The problem is that in the second hand market for model carrying type vehicles like estate cars, the vast majority are diesels. Finding a decent spec petrol one with a decent engine seems difficult, especially when you live a long way from any large towns or cities as I do. Manufacturers over the last few years put all the effort into diesel models and the petrol versions appeared like an afterthought, or the basic entry level model with a puny engine that allowed them to advertise a low "starting from" price. Things appear to be changing - new models, such as the Ateca I looked at, have good petrol options through the range, but it will take time for this to filter into the second hand market. I'm extremely reluctant to buy new having dropped 18 grand in a couple of years on a new Jaguar I bought years ago back when I was still working. Now properly retired I have to make optimum use of the pension and non-increasing savings, so would be happier spending 10-12K plus the value of my current Mondeo (not much!) rather than 20K+. Anyway, no point having a really nice car round here as it's all narrow muddy lanes full of potholes and you spend a lot of time squeezing into hedges to make room for tractors the size of earthmovers, huge artics full of sheep, and school buses. So - round and round the decision loop I go and I know the answer is probably either to keep the Mondeo estate I have and just patch it as it goes (will be less than 10-12K over the next 3 years) or swap it for a 2 or 3 year old petrol version if I can find one. Apparently the cheapest way to run a car is to buy one a year old and keep it until repairs are un-economic (that came from a money-saving website, for what it is worth). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 hope we have enough petrol to go around when the big switch comes......... ken Anderson..ne...1...RIP diesel dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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