After some advice on a new carp wagon.

Currently rolling around in a 2004 Berlingo, but my wife now refuses to take it if I've got the car, and it's certainly seen better days.

I'm thinking about going back to some form of 4X4, but something comfortable enough for a longer journey too.

Got about £7k to spend, already have one estate so don't want another.

Any recommendations appreciated.

Diesel Ford Kuga. Used mine several trips to France. With a Roofbox i easily fit 2 loads of gear. Comfy and pretty good fuel consumption motorway driving.

Yep, a Kuga is a good shout though 4x4? Not sure. My fishing wagon is a Kia Sportage, high wheel base, 4x4 if needed, really economical and I can get tonnes of stuff in it. It's not as fun to drive as my 3 Series Estate but that thing doesn't get down the tracks to the lakes I fish!

Think my next motor will be an Octavia scout, I'd like a cross country Volvo but they don't half hold their money and they're dear to start with.

All the best bits of a car, but with 4x4 and jacked up suspension. SUVs hold a premium and are smaller than they look

Try and go for a car that doesn't meet the ulez as I know a few people are upgrading so a bargain could be had 👍

In reply to Post #1
Honda CRV. Choice of diesel or petrol, manual or auto. Avoid diesel if you're only doing short daily drives due to the dreaded DPF issues - same for all later diesels. The manual diesel's can suffer with clutch/DMF wear. Replacement isn't cheap at circa £1500. The auto, especially on later models (9 speed), is the top choice.

I got a CRV after handing back a company Superb estate. Did think the Honda wouldn't have the same carrying capacity. It has, due to the load space height.

Avoid Ford automatics (powershift 2011-2016). There are known faults which unfortunately is not a case of if it will go wrong, but when.

In reply to Post #5
Try and go for a car that doesn't meet the ulez as I know a few people are upgrading so a bargain could be had
this is very true but would be a nightmare if you want to drive thru a zone at £12.50 a time !
I know the Nissan Qashqai 4WD gets 50.0 mpg
I have a mate that was looking for a fishing wagon to replace his freelander that he loved

initially he bought a Yeti but could not get on with it so bought a Passat estate but it was too low he now has the Nissan Qashqai and says its the best of the bunch

In reply to Post #1
Second hand Icecream van?

You'd get a power barrow in the back and you can knock out 99's and choc ices round your day ticket

In reply to Post #8
I have a van, has it's downsides - think a decent pathfinder would be an awesome buy.

Is it dedicated for fishing, If so I can't see a single reason not to get a van? After having vans for years, with a ramp you can just push your barrow up inside, I can't ever imagine wanting to load everything into a car.

Things like a nissan pathfinder are the size of a van without the room inside, and worse on fuel.

Thanks for the replies guys. I have a nice ulez compliant estate, so definitely does not need to be ulez compliant. The Berlingo was originally a fishing only vehicle, but my Mrs has now gone back to the office once or twice a week, which leaves me driving my smelly rusty old Berlingo to the office too....!

ive had Volvo V70 estate, 2 Berlingo Multispaces in the past and now have a 2020 180bhp Kuga ST Line.

The Berlingo isnt as refined//quick as a Kuga/Volvo but they are the most versatile vehicle on the market and generally brilliant imo as a jack of all trades. I also have a van for fishing nowadays but if i had to have only one vehicle again it would be the Berlingo Multispace.

Personally I would never share a family/personal vehicle with a fishing vehicle again .... I would spend less on the main vehicle and buy a cheap van/berlingo in addition to the family/personal vehicle .... The second vehicle can ge a godsend for far more than just fishing

In reply to Post #7
Our Quashqai 1.5dci has been brilliant, only wish it was the 4x4 version (it's the wife's car). Never actually got stuck anywhere though and I drive it across the fields and over the floodbanks on the Trent. Need ground clearance that would see an estate ripped to bits!

Will do 60mpg on a run, can get loads of gear in and in the 5 years we've owned it the only issue we've had is aircon leaks (it's an early version of the newer 1234rf gas system), but that was sorted when we took it to a specialist air con place who knew what they were doing! We've driven it to the south of France multiple times and it's never let us down in the 50,000 miles we've done, it's currently on just under 120k.

£20 a year tax as well.

There are probably better modern alternatives, but they're not £7k!

In reply to Post #1
Skoda Kodiaq?

In reply to Post #1
Skoda Yeti / Karoq 4x4 . . .

Depends on where you fish - Vans def fine for Lakes with tracks / dedicated carping however if you fish rivers then a 4x4 is more versatile and will get you home on a rainy / muddy day