CHRYSLER’S king sized seven seater has been chosen as the best used buy on the market.
The Grand Voyager topped the list of models examined by Used Car Expert during 2011.
Second spot went to the estate version of the Renault Laguna while Vauxhall’s mini-MPV, the Agila, came in third.
Matt Tumbridge, editor of Used Car Expert, said: “First, second and third places can’t just be taken by the cheapest cars or the cars that have lost the most value.
“More often than not these cars are cheap because they are a bit rubbish. We are talking about good cars, launched around 2007/2008 that are overlooked by the market and represent the best value to the canny buyer.”
Here is what the team at Used Car Expert said about the top three:
Vauxhall Agila
Do you like the Fiat 500? Or the Ford Ka? Well, underneath the skin the third placed Agila is pretty much the same car, with the same range of engines. It may lack the chic, but it does not lack the cheap, undercutting the bijou 500 by £1,500 like for like. A serious bargain.
A silver 2008, 1.2 petrol with only 23,000 miles is available for £4,500. The cheapest Fiat 500 with that engine is £6,000 and that will have 60,000 miles on the clock.
Renault Laguna Touring
In second place is a car that remains closely competitive with the all-conquering Ford Mondeo. It is a practical car that does all you need, is very well built (a fact backed up by the 100,000 mile warranty) and it’s also a comfortable and tidy drive. Diesel cars with warranty left are available at very sensible prices.
You can pick up a 2009 model Touring (estate) with only 20,000 miles on the clock for £8,000. Or a 2008 diesel with 80,000 miles (thus still in warranty) for under £5,000. Unbelievably cheap!
Chrysler Grand Voyager
The Voyager is a rare thing. A car with seven full size seats that is big enough to accommodate the luggage of seven full size people. Chrysler invented the MPV and has been making Voyagers for more than 30 years. The experience shows. It’s a good drive too despite the old school engine. Most people who want an extra row of seats go with the more fashionable SUV such as a Land Rover Discovery or a Volvo XC90 – making the Voyager very cheap.
A well equipped 2008 LX model, in silver with less than 15,000 miles on the clock is available for £14,995. A top spec 20,000 mile Limited model from the same year is going for £17,000 – that’s nearly £20,000 off the new list price.