Looking for recommendations for cars.
Considering at the moment Mazda 5, Citroen Grand C4, Berlingo Multispace, Peugeot Partner Tipee.    Do any of you own any of these vehicles or had one. I need something I can put a cage/cages in the boot for 3 large and one medium dog. But also keep the back seats as I will need to pick up my grandchild from nursery. So don't want to be lifting out cages on a daily basis, or messing about fiddling with seats.
Any other suggestions gratefully received. I have a limited budget of around £7000 ish so 4x4s are out I am afraid as in that price range you only get older ones with high mileage.

I have a Berlingo ( Peugeot partner is same with a different badge) I have a 'dogpod' cage in the back for Zuma (GSD). With a slightly different width cage - mine is about 8-10" narrower than the full width back - you could probably fit a divider in and have space for a Med dog as well but I would think the only way to fit two more in would be back seats down and cages accessed from the side - sliding - doors.
Even with no cage at all I would not want to try and put 4 med size in the boot area.
Sorry

I don't think there is enough room for 3 large dogs in any of those cars.  At least, without the back seats down.

I have the citroen C4 grand picasso and I absolutely love it. I bought mine new and we've now done 72000 miles together with not a bit of trouble. The suspension and comfort are superb and with citroens 'snow motion' it's really good in snow too. Mine is a basic model 1.6 petrol. The only one down side about it is it eats oil, no idea where it goes, it doesn't leak, doesn't burn it - it just eats it.

I regularly had a borzoi, 2 collies and a silken in mine, now I have three silkens and a collie so it depends what you mean by large dogs? I've got a tailgate guard and dog guard from MMG to maximise space and have the middle row of seats pulled as far forward as possible. They're still useable but don't have much legroom in that position, gives more space to the dogs though :-)

4 medium size dogs in the boot

The borzoi looks like he won't fit doesn't he, but he did :-)

I should say that 3 of my dogs don't mind cuddling up at all, the 4th likes her own space so often she has half the boot and the other three huddle up at the far side. If I'm travelling a long distance 'The Diva' has the back seat and the other 3 can then stretch out in the boot. It depends what size of dogs you have and their temperaments.

Thanks Everyone.
To be honest if I have all four together it is only about 10 minutes up the road to where they go for a run. But with seasons, a youngster who needs one to one training at present, I tend to take two and two most of the time.   For longer journeys to shows I would only be taking two dogs. I have 3 Large Munsterlanders and a Finnish Lapphund. They all get on well and quite often end up in a pile on the sofa.
Have also thought about getting a van, but the lack of windows for the grandchild puts me off and also I have heard that they bump your insurance premiums  up on vans as they always assume you are going to be using it for commercial use, even if you say you or not.  Also Vans in my price range tend to have very high mileage.
My husband has an estate and to be honest I have never liked driving it as I always felt very low down and trying to see the end of the vehicle for parking I found difficult, I am only 5 ft tall so could not see over the headrest, and with little legs I end up wearing the steering wheel as a bra ! LOL. 
The Citroen C4 does seem to have a higher seating position and better visibility.

What about something like a Ford Galaxy or VW Sharan ?.

Yes I think they would do the job Celli, but never driven anything that big, and if I am honest I am not the best at parking and they look huge.
Fords and VW's do seem to hold their price as well. With the others mentioned I seem to be able to get something reg. 2011 and lower mileage where with fords and VW's you are looking more at a 2009 with a lot higher mileage.
Just been looking on the online sites at present to get a few ideas, but I suppose I need to go and test drive a few vehicles and see what I am comfortable driving and then look for that model.
Not even sure if I should go for a Petrol or a diesel as that makes a difference on price as well. I have always had petrol engines, but my husband has a diesel, and if serviced regularly they do seem to go on forever. But apart from the summer months going to shows I don't do long distances, it is just shopping taking the dogs out and from July onwards I will be picking up my grandchild from nursery a couple of days a week.

> Have also thought about getting a van

Another thing to consider with vans is the change in speed limits. Any van with a laden weight over 2 tonnes, like a swb vw transporter size upwards is limited to 50 on A roads, instead of 60 in a car and the van can only do 60 on dual carriageways instead of 70 in a car.

Just to add to the complications............Remember that engine size and emissions now make a difference to both Road Tax and Insurance class

I have a diesel Honda CRV , it must be about ten years old now and has never given me a moments bother, starts up first time on even the coldest mornings.
If you can find an old square model, they might be worth a look, lovely to drive, big boot with lots of head room, and split rear seats, and 4x4.
Don't bother with a petrol version though, rubbish MPG.

The thing with big cars is you become used to them very quickly, I'm 5'2 and love having a big un'

3 large dogs would fit in a berlingo boot, they are like a tardis!  More with the seats folded or removed, of course - I bought mine when I had 4 dogs and I've had 8 or 9 in it at a time before.  If I'm dog walking I've usually got 6 in there, all big dogs.  Cage at the back fits two, guard behind the front seats for the rest.

If you had crates behind crates though, access via the side doors is very restrictive unless you remove the back seats altogether: smaller cages would be easier possibly but my big cage (26" front to back) has to be right up against the front seats for me to be able to open the side door on it.  It's usually at the back though.

Downside to the berlingo is aging - at least it has been with mine.  Bingo is 14 next month and he's falling apart, I've had 2 major (clutch and exhaust) and 3 minor (coolant hose leak, coil spring, catalytic converter got blocked) breakdowns in the last 4 months and the front brake discs/pads still need to be done.

Thanks for all the replies, all very useful.

Didn't know about the speed limits on vans, but some do look very basic and the seats look a bit uncomfortable for my old bones on a long journey to a show.

It should be exciting looking for a new car, but I just find it really daunting, have heard that now is a good time to buy. Just not keen on some of the car sales people who pounce on you the minute you get out of the car, also unless you are buying on finance  they don't seem to want to do a deal. Think I need that Mike fella off Wheeler Dealers to go with me !! LOL. Oh and Ed the mechanic to look it over. Just don't want to end up buying a Lemon that I end up spending loads of money on.
Hope to get out and about over the weekend and look at a few cars.

Parkers is good for general info on all cars, from boot size, to mpg to cost of road tax and insurance band.
Also have expert and owner reviews.
[url=].  http://www.parkers.co.uk/   [/url]

I'm very fond of our Ford Galaxy, we are on our 3rd one now. After the first two hubby got a Mondeo, he had tested it to make sure the crates fitted in but it always felt so cramped, so after 2 years of whinging he caved in and we got another Galaxy. We can get 5 Cavaliers and an American cocker in the two crates in the boot, plus plenty of room for show gear or holiday bags! It'll receive a good test for Crufts, 3 of us going with 4 Cavaliers plus show gear, but the 3 households of dogs will need to travel separate or all the boys will be humping each other and my old girl who won't appreciate it, and everyone will arrive with their coats rumpled and sodden! They are a fairly big car but handle very well, and we had parking sensors installed front and back to help me. :-)

Seat Alhambra seems to be very well reviewed and a very good quality for the price