I'd go for the Espace, even I wouldn't like the latter!!
You could try a Ford Galaxy, I drive a one at work and they are very spacious, 7 seats. You can drop the back two and put you cases there and there is still enough room having three adults sitting in the back.

Hi Glynis,

We had a Peugeot 307 Estate when we went with our daughter, son-in-law and 4 month old granddaughter. You would have to allow your little boy to sit in the front passenger seat (or drivers seat if you were feeling brave!) and there would be 3 of you in the back. It was a nice car and felt quite roomy for us, even with the baby seat in the back. I think we got all our luggage in the back (4 suitcases, baby's suitcase plus massive pushchair). We certainly didn't have a roof rack.

Why don't you go along to a garage and have a look - make it a family outing and you can all try it out for real!

unless your son is going to be a driver of the car(and assuming the costs of the alternatives are affordable) i would start off by asking him where he thinks he will be sitting in any car you rent, and then explain the other practicalities ie mother getting roomy seat/best access etc.
once the facts of life have been explained and he realises how little room he is going to get squashed in the back seats of an espace, he may well see all the advantages of bigger vehicle

Thanks everyone.

The seating arrangements will be hubby and me in the front as I navigate. Mam and dad with a space between them for comfort behind us and then 22 year old in the back.

If it's a 7 seater I'm presuming it'll be 2 x 3x 2 arrangement. My thoughts were that he would be squashed in the back even though he would have 2 seats.

His thoughts are that we are going to 'look stupid' driving around in a 9 seater mini bus.

Hi Glynis,

Given the needs of the whole party and the seating arrangment you suggest above then I think that I'd put it to him that the choice is his - which would he prefer? Looking 'stupid' or suffering cramp for the duration! Most 7 seaters do have the 2+3+2 layout you assume and frankly the rear two seats are usually cramped and seemed to be designed on the assumption that they will only be occupied by kids. They're usually 'fold-out' ones into the bargain too rather than proper permanent seats - not at all comfortable for an adult for anyhitng other than short journeys. If I was 6ft 2ins I certainly wouldn't like to be relegated to them for travelling around on holiday.

If it was me I'd go for the Volkswagen. We used a people transporter for a similar 3 generation holiday but I thought it was an 8 seater - if it was like the one we had the layout is 2+3+3. To be honest I can't remember if it was a Volkswagen or a Mercedes but vehicles described as people transports rather than a MPV will give you all a more comfortable ride. They don't look that much like a minibus but are larger than most people carriers. This is mainly because they do have a proper boot space between the rear seats and the back - you don't have to choose between having the back row in use and being able to carry cases etc.

SM

Hi Glynis,
Definitely the 9 seater.You never know, you just might meet a forum member and his wife and want to take them out for a day to a really expensive restaurant !
Seriously, trendy or not trendy doesn't enter into the argument -nobody's going to notice what vehicle your lad turns up in.The only considerations are comfort and practicality

Hi Glynis. If your son is paying, let him choose....if he is not, you decide

Glynis

It's got to be the 9 seater. Think of all those extra bottles of vino you could get in it that you wouldn't have to carry back to the hotel.

Rgds Jackie

VW vans are "the shizz" (very good in youth language for those who may not know!)!! Tell him that they're retro and thus great! And tell him to cheer up with regards to looking silly- it doesnt matter how you look on holiday, as proven by the old folk with socks and sandals
luv maz (aged 20) and tim (22)

I have owned Renault Scenics now for the last 7 years. Not only do they have acres of room inside they are higher off the ground and do not have a high door sill that you have to lift your feet over. I have several friends who have back problems and they all tell me how much easier it is to get in and out of my car compared with others. As a bonus it also has a ***** NCAP safety rating.

We own an Espace, loads of room in it. My husband uses it to transport lots of friends of various sizes, plus their climbing gear and they have never complained about lack of leg room. Some friends are really tall she's 6foot and he's 6Ft 5ins we have used it for outings with them, no problem. The only thing that may be awkward will be your mother getting in and out as it is quite high to step up (The VW is even higher, though probably more room inside) my 89yr old mother in law struggles a bit as she has knee problems. If you decide on the Espace you could ask the
Car Hire firm to remove one or two of the back seats to give more room for bags etc. We usually only use 5 or 6 seats.

Think of all those extra bottles of vino you could get in

Glynis, you could probably even squeeze in a few kegs!

Many thanks everyone for your input (including the drink situation )

Mam actually finds it easier to get into a higher car than a low one. The hire firms will advertise say an Espace but then say in the bumph that an alternative vehicle may be used with the same spec.

The prices on economy car website between the 2 are an Opel Vivaro diesel 9 seater 4 door air cond etc (Again with the same message regarding alternative may be used) for £360.

The Galaxy/Espace comes in at £405 petrol.

Have looked at the Vivaro on the net and it doesn't look like a mini bus to me but then I don't drive

glynis
the Vivaro is a Van converted to either an 8 or 12 seat minibus it drives like a car but handles like a van if you corner the slightest bit too fast you will throw the back passengers arround

brian

this is a picture of a Renalt Trafic mini bus in essents it the same vehical the main diffrences are finish and trim levels

brian

Ooer it does look like a bus

Damn and blast don't know what to do now............Think I'll stay at home and let 4 go
This is the Vivaro the one I thought looked ok:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Opel_Vivaro_Bus.jpg

Let's face it, they both look like buses; but what're you going to do - ride round in it or sit and take 'photos of it ???
As long as it gets you all to where you want to go in comfort and safety that's all that matters.If your lad is handy with his p.c. he can always airbrush the bus out of the photos and replace it with a Lamborghini.

@ Sagres

We've had a meeting (well me, hubby mam and dad did - son sneaked off to avoid confrontation) and we decided to go for the cheapest which is the bus..............

So Sagres you will spot us when you see this big bus trundling round Lagos with 4 people in it (as son said he's not going in it)
Taxi anyone?

Glynis,
I'm really not trying to put you off now that you've made a decision, but, if I were you, I'd take a walk through the back streets ( if you didn't last time you were there ) as some of them are seriously narrow, before you venture there with the bus.
Gonna show my age now - why don't you strap your lad to the roof of the bus, give him a guitar and get him to play "We're all going on a summer holiday"as you drive round.

why don't you go for a Zafira (7 seat) or a senic (renalt megan) also 7 seater or one of the other vaients avilable from ford/seat/vw/fiat etc they are all car derived MPV's (mini people carriers) or are you taking enough lougae for a family of 10

note the diffrence between your picture and mine is the body builders design that has done the conversion

brian