Discussion
The wife and I are expecting twins in November. We currently have two small cars and I am going to chop one in for a family car.
Until now I have been looking at estate cars around £15k, namely 5 series touring, Subaru Legacy Spec B, A6 S-line etc.
However, I have been wondering if a large estate is really necessary and whether I could get away with a small estate, saloon or large hatch.
What are the experiences of the PH masses who have had two small kids, is a large estate really necessary?
Cheers all,
Until now I have been looking at estate cars around £15k, namely 5 series touring, Subaru Legacy Spec B, A6 S-line etc.
However, I have been wondering if a large estate is really necessary and whether I could get away with a small estate, saloon or large hatch.
What are the experiences of the PH masses who have had two small kids, is a large estate really necessary?
Cheers all,
You will get some who say 'don't be silly I get 3 kids and all the stuff in a Fezza, why the need for anything bigger?', but with twins you might as well get a larger estate. Its always good to have too much room than not enough. Also I hate loading the boot to the roof which you will have to do with an A4 or 3 series.
The cost of buying will not be much different nor will running costs.
Good luck with the twins.
The cost of buying will not be much different nor will running costs.
Good luck with the twins.
Firstly congratulations on the twins, double the hard work to look forward to!
A large estate is not actually necessary but it does make things easier. Buggies, nappies, changing mats, babies clothes, toys, wipes etc etc all take up a great deal of space. Add the weekly shop to that and you need the space of a Legacy, 5 series, Range Rover or similar otherwise its a real squeeze. Passenger wise you can get away with a Focus sized car quite easily but for all the clobber you will inevitably carry around with you, its simply easier to get a car with a big boot.
A large estate is not actually necessary but it does make things easier. Buggies, nappies, changing mats, babies clothes, toys, wipes etc etc all take up a great deal of space. Add the weekly shop to that and you need the space of a Legacy, 5 series, Range Rover or similar otherwise its a real squeeze. Passenger wise you can get away with a Focus sized car quite easily but for all the clobber you will inevitably carry around with you, its simply easier to get a car with a big boot.
First of all, congratulations! My twins are now 10 weeks old and it's hard work but well worth it.
I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
I got an Audi A6 Avant when the kids were babies.
Very handy 2% of the time. Pretty pointless for the other 98% with just me in it.
Also, I made the mistake of getting a big family car whilst the missus had a small hactchback. Don't know your set-up, but it quickly dawned on me that she had the kids far more often as I was at work during the week.
Do yourself a favour. Get her a small MPV. They look a bit rubbish, but are surprisingly practical for moving children and their kit around.
You are then free to drive what you like.
Very handy 2% of the time. Pretty pointless for the other 98% with just me in it.
Also, I made the mistake of getting a big family car whilst the missus had a small hactchback. Don't know your set-up, but it quickly dawned on me that she had the kids far more often as I was at work during the week.
Do yourself a favour. Get her a small MPV. They look a bit rubbish, but are surprisingly practical for moving children and their kit around.
You are then free to drive what you like.
Matt UK said:
I got an Audi A6 Avant when the kids were babies.
Very handy 2% of the time. Pretty pointless for the other 98% with just me in it.
Also, I made the mistake of getting a big family car whilst the missus had a small hactchback. Don't know your set-up, but it quickly dawned on me that she had the kids far more often as I was at work during the week.
Do yourself a favour. Get her a small MPV. They look a bit rubbish, but are surprisingly practical for moving children and their kit around.
You are then free to drive what you like.
They've got 2 small cars and are trading one for a bigger car, so it will be the big car for baby stuff, small car for the rest of the time.Very handy 2% of the time. Pretty pointless for the other 98% with just me in it.
Also, I made the mistake of getting a big family car whilst the missus had a small hactchback. Don't know your set-up, but it quickly dawned on me that she had the kids far more often as I was at work during the week.
Do yourself a favour. Get her a small MPV. They look a bit rubbish, but are surprisingly practical for moving children and their kit around.
You are then free to drive what you like.
Similarly, we've had an A4 Avant since the arrival of the kids (3yrs and 6 months respectively). A good family car? No, not really. Looks god and is certainly built well so it can take the knocks but we bought it before the first kid arrived so didnt realise it wasnt the best car for the job. Clearly our mistakee! Actually the avant is a perfect example of form over function. The boot is pretty rubbish for an estate. My mums focus hatch does it better. Dont think bigger, think clever (unlike I did). The only estate I'd consider now is a mondeo estate or perhaps a passat estate. They are big buggers. Anyway our avant is going shortly. I'd like to go to an A6 but it wont give us that much more. Likely to be an s-max or zafira. They are 'job done' motors. Really I'd like an xc90 but they are just too big imo.
One tip: Leather seats! Every fluid possible will come out of those kids in the car. Easy wipe, no stains and no lingering smells. Trust me, you wont regret the extra outlay
One tip: Leather seats! Every fluid possible will come out of those kids in the car. Easy wipe, no stains and no lingering smells. Trust me, you wont regret the extra outlay
Non-estates might be big enough until you go on holiday. At the time and budget, a 2004 Honda Accord was the biggest boot I could find and now (with 2nd child) it's just not big enough to pack all the 'just in case' stuff for a holiday in the UK.
In you situation I'd be looking for a diesel A6 quattro or at a push a 5 series.
In you situation I'd be looking for a diesel A6 quattro or at a push a 5 series.
ajprice said:
Matt UK said:
I got an Audi A6 Avant when the kids were babies.
Very handy 2% of the time. Pretty pointless for the other 98% with just me in it.
Also, I made the mistake of getting a big family car whilst the missus had a small hactchback. Don't know your set-up, but it quickly dawned on me that she had the kids far more often as I was at work during the week.
Do yourself a favour. Get her a small MPV. They look a bit rubbish, but are surprisingly practical for moving children and their kit around.
You are then free to drive what you like.
They've got 2 small cars and are trading one for a bigger car, so it will be the big car for baby stuff, small car for the rest of the time.Very handy 2% of the time. Pretty pointless for the other 98% with just me in it.
Also, I made the mistake of getting a big family car whilst the missus had a small hactchback. Don't know your set-up, but it quickly dawned on me that she had the kids far more often as I was at work during the week.
Do yourself a favour. Get her a small MPV. They look a bit rubbish, but are surprisingly practical for moving children and their kit around.
You are then free to drive what you like.
Well, with a £15k budget I'd get a £7.5k MPV for the lady of the house. It then leaves the OP £7.5k to indulge as he sees fit. Easy.
We have two small boys and have had the same dilemma.. I run my 911 (when I get it out of the Garage that is) and or my Motorbike (which I recently sold) and my transport or weekend tool.
We have BMW E39 Saloon and my wife loves it to little bits and so do I. Its always big enough and doesn't look or feel as dowdy as our previous Passat estate TDI. Also its feels so much roomier...
I would say get her a RWD or 4WD Saloon, which will be nice for you to drive and make sure your second car is something you really like.
We have BMW E39 Saloon and my wife loves it to little bits and so do I. Its always big enough and doesn't look or feel as dowdy as our previous Passat estate TDI. Also its feels so much roomier...
I would say get her a RWD or 4WD Saloon, which will be nice for you to drive and make sure your second car is something you really like.
marctwo said:
First of all, congratulations! My twins are now 10 weeks old and it's hard work but well worth it.
I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
+1. What really matters is - will your double buggy fit in the boot and how easy is it to fit child seats in the back? (does it have isofix etc). There's absolutely no point in buying a nice car since they will just puke on it, grind biscuits into the upholstery, smear dairylea on the windows and scuff the back of the front seats with their shoes. Buy something that you can hose out - a Land Rover Defender or a van. Then buy something nice when they've grown up a bit.I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
Bluebarge said:
marctwo said:
First of all, congratulations! My twins are now 10 weeks old and it's hard work but well worth it.
I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
+1. What really matters is - will your double buggy fit in the boot and how easy is it to fit child seats in the back? (does it have isofix etc). There's absolutely no point in buying a nice car since they will just puke on it, grind biscuits into the upholstery, smear dairylea on the windows and scuff the back of the front seats with their shoes. Buy something that you can hose out - a Land Rover Defender or a van. Then buy something nice when they've grown up a bit.I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
Matt UK said:
Bluebarge said:
marctwo said:
First of all, congratulations! My twins are now 10 weeks old and it's hard work but well worth it.
I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
+1. What really matters is - will your double buggy fit in the boot and how easy is it to fit child seats in the back? (does it have isofix etc). There's absolutely no point in buying a nice car since they will just puke on it, grind biscuits into the upholstery, smear dairylea on the windows and scuff the back of the front seats with their shoes. Buy something that you can hose out - a Land Rover Defender or a van. Then buy something nice when they've grown up a bit.I sold the S3 as soon as I knew we were having 2 as there was no way it would cope. Obviously something A6/5-series size would easily be big enough but MrsTwo didn't want a big car. I looked at the 330d touring and Volvo V50 and we ended up getting an S4 Avant, although it's smaller than you might imagine.
Basically, you are going to fill up whatever you buy. The main thing is to get something which will fit a double buggy lying flat. I would recommend an estate as it's much easier to get bulky items in and out of. Also check the front seating position with a car seat fitted behind. The rear-facing car seats take a lot of room and if you are tall you may struggle to get the seat back far enough.
Good luck with finding something and good luck with the babies!
chippy17 said:
I have two and get by perfectly well with an Impreza wagon, also stops wifey bringing all the superfluous fripperies the ladies tend to bring, as we can't get them in!
Ah, like your thinking. 'Tis very true though. The more space you have, the more stuff will travel with you. Needed or not. When I was a kid I was one of three, and my Dad ran a VW beetle and we got by just fine. And I remember when all this was fields..
Bluebarge said:
There's absolutely no point in buying a nice car since they will just puke on it, grind biscuits into the upholstery, smear dairylea on the windows and scuff the back of the front seats with their shoes. Buy something that you can hose out - a Land Rover Defender or a van. Then buy something nice when they've grown up a bit.
I'm sorry, did you say something? 
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