What Car For The Family Man

[Batfink 201]

My Clio RS did a typically french thing and broke so I parked it at work for it (probably) never to see daylight again.

The missus has a Pug 206 but its impossible to fit all you need for twins in it.

 

So we need a new car. It cannot be too expensive, but must cope with all the crap two babies seem to need. I do not want a people carrier as I still love cars and driving and a piece of my soul would die every time I got in. I'd like it to be able to tow as well in an ideal world

 

The good thing is it will not be driven much. The missus parents live 15min walk, town is a 20min walk and I cycle to work.

 

What are you guys driving these days?

I'm contemplating a 3 series BMW again. I'm not sure a saloon will have a big enough boot so the touring, but could I get away with a sporty hatch like a leon cupra?

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

I have an A4 Avant. It is OK size wise for what I want, but I am pretty sure it would not be big enough for twins.

 

I would be looking for something the next size up from an A4 or a BMW 3.

 

BMW 5 estate, A6 estate, or what about one of the Volvos, my Dad had a V70 which was a nice thing. Depends on your budget I guess. As it won't be going far perhaps you can live with a big petrol, a lot cheaper to buy in the first place than a diesel, as long as you can live with the mpg.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Tom Fenton

[Cameron 16]

Mondeo Mk3 TDCI estate: one of the biggest boots in it's class, cheap to buy, very cheap to run, good quality and good tow cars - mine is great despite only being the 115PS version. Also they're great for blending in with the rest of the motorway cattle, if you like that sort of thing, and handles surprisingly well for such a big barge. Maybe keep the Clio to satisfy your urges for something more nimble though.

[Uberderv 6]

I bought a c250td estate which runs on veg oil so its cheapish to run. 150hp and smooth as owt on motorway runs. Loads of space for everything the missus and 2 kids need to chuck in it.

Kept my 205 for fun and I can't wait to get it running again, I miss the noise, smoke, damp, bumps and poverty SPEC interior

[Fox 3]

I got the Mrs a vectra Sri, she actually asked for a vectra! I got an ex-fleet one from work, 06 plate 1.8 vvt in black. I paid 3k a year ago for it and not had an ounce of bother with it.

 

I'm not going to lie, its not fast but the boot is enormous!

[Baz 421]

As Tom says, Volvo estate's are amazing and literally p*ss all over pretty much anything else in the same class & price bracket for reliability, running costs and usability Kev.

 

Go for a slightly older one (up to '00) for all the above though, since the Ford take-over they're not so good build quality-wise unfortunately.

 

My green 97k '99 V70 SE 2.5 20v Auto barge is for sale cheap and has all the mod cons as you'd expect, cruise control, Dual zone AC, heated leather/alcantara, heated/leccy mirrors, mega comfy and literally cavernous and tows well, was fully serviced inc. cambelt about 4k ago and has been nothing short of fantastic, only selling due to having 3 others, just rebuilt the brakes and a few bits on my 240k mile 855 Turbo AWD so will be using that again now!

 

Edit; know exactly what you mean about the 'handling' aspect too! Despite what you'd expect these things really aren't bad to the point of seemingly defying physics at times! Admittedly the auto ones aren't going to set the world alight, but they're certainly not 'slow' & you can have a little LOOS at times too!

Edited December 31, 2011 by Baz

[GLPoomobile 958]

mine is great despite only being the 115PS version.

 

What's the 115ps 1.6TDCI like to live with? I'm considering a new Focus 1.6 TDCI, and whilst performance shouldn't really matter (it'll spend 80% of it's life in city traffic) it's one of my little hang ups and I can't bare the thought of living with something too slow. I've been spoiled though, as the last couple of times I've hired a car it's been a Giulietta with the 2.0 JTDM engine and they are pokey as f***!

[Fox 3]

I'm considering a new Focus 1.6 TDCI

 

I've got one as a company car.

 

Don't be fooled by the low bhp, it really shifts when you wind it up

 

I'll actually miss it when it goes in April

[GLPoomobile 958]

Is yours the latest model or the previous generation? And what spec is it? I'll be going for the Titanium X if I choose the Focus.

[feb 47]

What about a Legacy/Outback estate diesel?

When the Forester sells I will be on a similar boat (medium sized reliable car that is economic and has AWD preferably). I am thinking of either one of these or a 320d although I prefer AWD for the winter months.

Although a 320d seems great (both on paper and having driven my friend's one it goes OK and handles well too) I think the Subaru may be more reliable. I could be wrong though.

The Focus may be better on handling/feel (I have not driven the latest one though but my dad's mkII has great handling and steering feel) but I think will feel depressed every time I look at it.

Edited December 31, 2011 by feb

[ljenkins22 0]

What's the 115ps 1.6TDCI like to live with? I'm considering a new Focus 1.6 TDCI, and whilst performance shouldn't really matter (it'll spend 80% of it's life in city traffic) it's one of my little hang ups and I can't bare the thought of living with something too slow. I've been spoiled though, as the last couple of times I've hired a car it's been a Giulietta with the 2.0 JTDM engine and they are pokey as f***!

 

if its the pug engine ive done so many injector seals on them it unbelievable, allways look at the injector area, looks like tarmac all round them, apart from that they not too bad, all the usual run of the mill stuff but all in all not bad! wouldn't recommend for city driving though as they have dpf

Edited December 31, 2011 by ljenkins22

[TheLarneMan 4]

How about a 5-door Golf?

I've one and there's enough room for a 2 year old (thankfully I don't have twins!) and a labrador in the boot. Plenty of room for all their associated junk.

[Fox 3]

Is yours the latest model or the previous generation? And what spec is it? I'll be going for the Titanium X if I choose the Focus.

 

Previous, on a 59 plate. Mine is just the Titanium, but the slightly earlier one with 17's and non tinted windows.

 

It started knocking a few months ago, went back to ford for a new bottom end. Although It's fair to say its had a hard life!

 

 

Handling wise its superb, a bit of understeer as you get with most modern cars, but the traction control sorts it out. I certainly drive quicker than I'd ever dare to in a 205!

 

I really rate it, although getting back on topic, its a touch small for us now, the pushchair alone just about fills the boot! We recently had a week away in Norfolk, and went in it as its better on juice than the vectra. It was a tight fit to get everything in, and that was with just one baby! I think I'll go for a mondeo next if I can get a similar spec.

 

Batfink, what about a 5 series touring? How much do you want to spend?

Edited December 31, 2011 by Fox

[GLPoomobile 958]

enough room for a 2 year old (thankfully I don't have twins!) and a labrador in the boot.

 

Surely it's not legal to carry a child in the boot! And is it even safe with the dog in there too?

 

 

[Fox 3]

Or an Alfa? A friend of mine has just swaped his A4 for a 159 estate... Brave man...

Edited December 31, 2011 by Fox

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

E46 330D Touring.

 

EDIT: RWD

Edited December 31, 2011 by Simes

[screwloose 6]

RS6

 

not helping i know. Although my brother has just had a baby and wanted an 'interesting' load lugger and an RS6 has fit the bill perfectly.

[Dizzee stuff 33 1 Cars]

I have a skoda fabia VRS, love it, some performace with fuel economy. Not sure its big enough for twins.

[Atari Boy 11]

I have a BM 5 series diesel which I would recccomend.

If you are not doing too many miles, 8k will get you a lot of '03 ish v8 Range Rover with all the toys......

[harryskid 193]

Are Fords affordable , they don't seem to have a good resale value ?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

I just get away with my Estate and that's with 1 child, I wouldn't even think about anything smaller,

Nice thing about the 406 is nothing ever goes wrong, well the 2 I have had and 1 company car years ago, my last one seeing 300k without any problems too, Huge boot and at the time even compared to a Volvo I transferred some stuff to I was surprised how small the boot was on that, (V70 or whatever they are in Estate form) from memory

Loads to choose from, Other than one of those I'd go for a Merc

[Anthony 1,003]

Roughly what sort of budget are you looking at Kev? Clearly recommendations for a grand will be very different to those for say £5k

 

Are Fords affordable , they don't seem to have a good resale value ?

That's why you don't buy them new - as a used buy when they've already haemorrhaged away most of their value in depreciation

[BlueBolt 156]

Stick with your first idea on the Leon!! Good for the price!!

 

I've got the mk1 TDI150 and love it... Got enough room for my 4mnth old boy and my 8yr old and 5yr old... Lots of room in the boot, plenty more than my dads golf, and shifts when you want it to (in my case whenever the baby isn't in the car, or the mrs lol)

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

For the family (two boys, a 2 and 4 year old) run around we have 306 5-door hatch, for day-to duties its fine size wise. However for if we go away for a night we need to use the roof box!! It does depend on how your pram fits in. The roof box is great, takes 5 minutes to fit, isnt not sexy but does it job, and even being a short ass have no issues using it.

 

I thought about getting an estate when the second boy was born, but bought a root box instead, as the wife wasn't keen on driving a bigger car on a daily basis. We had a 206 when the first child was born and it was just rubbish, had to take the parcel shelf out to fit the pram in!

 

 

Mad.

[welshpug 1,657]

my sister and brotherinlaw have twins, he has a 308 company car but tis getting a bit tight now they are 18 months old, so they bought a C5 estate.

 

he couldn't bring himself to buy a wrectra or a frod the other stuff was much more expensive to run.

 

 

 

it's a late 2002 110 HDI estate high spec moonstone blue alloys etc, 110k, £1200