Discussion
First off, sorry for not responding sooner and thanks to all those that have replied.
When I posted originally, I envisaged getting a large estate like a 5-series and leaving that at home for the wife to drive the twins around and I would run my 100hp panda to work and back as I do now (20miles each way).
I am beginning to think that a big, heavy and expensive to run estate is maybe not right for the amount of time it will sit on the drive. She is not a fan of big cars and I have a feeling she won't want to drive it anyway! So it would only get used on long runs for holidays, where it would be nice to drive a quality car with a good engine and not an MPV!
I wonder though if an MPV or Mondeo (type) estate might be a better route whilst they are small and perhaps I can sell my Panda and get back to Lotus ownership for a third time.
Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming.
J
When I posted originally, I envisaged getting a large estate like a 5-series and leaving that at home for the wife to drive the twins around and I would run my 100hp panda to work and back as I do now (20miles each way).
I am beginning to think that a big, heavy and expensive to run estate is maybe not right for the amount of time it will sit on the drive. She is not a fan of big cars and I have a feeling she won't want to drive it anyway! So it would only get used on long runs for holidays, where it would be nice to drive a quality car with a good engine and not an MPV!
I wonder though if an MPV or Mondeo (type) estate might be a better route whilst they are small and perhaps I can sell my Panda and get back to Lotus ownership for a third time.
Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming.
J
We have a 13 year old and a 9 year old and my wife runs a Focus Estate as our family car, leaving me free to have the daft cars.
The Focus is big enough for us, but so big that it won't fit in car park spaces.
We had the interior Scotchguarded when we bought it, so that you can just wipe sick, ice cream, chocolate and mud straight off.
It is a 2.0 TDCi, so is quick enough, but will also do 50mpg on a gentle run.
Also NCAP 5 star, which is worth bearing in mind.
They aren't expensive and are nice to drive. Only fault is the six speed box, which is nice enough to use, but you are forever swapping cogs. We should have bought an auto.
We bought it just over 12 months ago and paid four grand below list price, as the Mk3 was due in the showrooms.
We looked at Audi and BMW estates, but concluded that it wasn't worth spending that sort of cash on a car that was going to get so much heavy use.
The Focus is big enough for us, but so big that it won't fit in car park spaces.
We had the interior Scotchguarded when we bought it, so that you can just wipe sick, ice cream, chocolate and mud straight off.
It is a 2.0 TDCi, so is quick enough, but will also do 50mpg on a gentle run.
Also NCAP 5 star, which is worth bearing in mind.
They aren't expensive and are nice to drive. Only fault is the six speed box, which is nice enough to use, but you are forever swapping cogs. We should have bought an auto.
We bought it just over 12 months ago and paid four grand below list price, as the Mk3 was due in the showrooms.
We looked at Audi and BMW estates, but concluded that it wasn't worth spending that sort of cash on a car that was going to get so much heavy use.
Yes, you need a big estate car! All the people carriers have height, but not much length to the boot. Pushchairs, shopping, changebags etc etc, all take up space and you need length unless you wanna be unloadsing and balancing everything on top of each other. Plus, with an estate, you have lenght behing you should you get rear ended, to protect your little ones rather than the be sat in their £150 each seats a foot from the rear screen!
Save loads of cash (you'll need it) and get a Mondeo! Massive massive car, cheap to buy, great specs on them, cheaper to run and handle like no massive estate car should! ! !
Good Luck on the impending arrivals, your life will never be the same again, but it will be great!
Save loads of cash (you'll need it) and get a Mondeo! Massive massive car, cheap to buy, great specs on them, cheaper to run and handle like no massive estate car should! ! !
Good Luck on the impending arrivals, your life will never be the same again, but it will be great!
Edited by s3fella on Sunday 5th July 20:24
All good replies, thanks for the help. I think an estate is the way forward, I would really like a Spec B Legacy, but I am scared by the MPG figures that are being mentioned. I have thought about a 9-5 aero. I would like something a bit different and they fit that bill. Are they reliable and reasonable to run?
With regard to the mondeo, which model and spec are the ones to go for?
Cheers,
J
With regard to the mondeo, which model and spec are the ones to go for?
Cheers,
J
How about a slightly unusual suggestion, but which is a bargain at the moment (and a great combination of load lugging with performance...) - and was highly rated on Evo's fast fleet.
I bought this a couple of months ago for under £11K with 14,000miles,and fully loaded (including sat nav)...
Our first baby is due in December, and I think this should do the job perfectly - it's huge in the back, and the boot will swallow pretty much anything you'll ever need to carry - and it's got a decent turn of speed too (and I've got the MX5 and clio if I want tasty handling - although it's nothing like Clarkson would have one believe!)
I bought this a couple of months ago for under £11K with 14,000miles,and fully loaded (including sat nav)...
Our first baby is due in December, and I think this should do the job perfectly - it's huge in the back, and the boot will swallow pretty much anything you'll ever need to carry - and it's got a decent turn of speed too (and I've got the MX5 and clio if I want tasty handling - although it's nothing like Clarkson would have one believe!)
Edited by browno on Sunday 5th July 21:19
An interesting topic this one, our children are 2 years apart so we only briefly needed to carry a pushchair and a buggy at the same time.
Our first car was an A4 Avant, great car for one child but holidays still needed a roofbox as the boot is not very large. I then left the company car scheme and (with child two now arrived) chose a Renault Bland, sorry, Scenic. This was OK for carrying stuff about but we generally ran it with the middle rear seat removed so that the buggy could go down the middle. The roofbox still got some use for holidays. Not recommended for the driving experience but day to day it swallows the kit up, it is an MPV, not a rally car.
Finally, our current car and one of the best cars I've ever owned, a 2003 Honda Accord Tourer Type S - loads of room, 2.4 litres of VTEC power and not a roofbox in site. Down sides - it's a long car yet rear space is not great when putting the children in and out.
If you want an estate rather than an MPV (S-Max? / Honda FRV?) then go for a Subaru or Audi Allroad, you will welcome the higher ride height when leaning in to strap the children in and take them out.
Our first car was an A4 Avant, great car for one child but holidays still needed a roofbox as the boot is not very large. I then left the company car scheme and (with child two now arrived) chose a Renault Bland, sorry, Scenic. This was OK for carrying stuff about but we generally ran it with the middle rear seat removed so that the buggy could go down the middle. The roofbox still got some use for holidays. Not recommended for the driving experience but day to day it swallows the kit up, it is an MPV, not a rally car.
Finally, our current car and one of the best cars I've ever owned, a 2003 Honda Accord Tourer Type S - loads of room, 2.4 litres of VTEC power and not a roofbox in site. Down sides - it's a long car yet rear space is not great when putting the children in and out.
If you want an estate rather than an MPV (S-Max? / Honda FRV?) then go for a Subaru or Audi Allroad, you will welcome the higher ride height when leaning in to strap the children in and take them out.
Jimnic007 said:
All good replies, thanks for the help. I think an estate is the way forward, I would really like a Spec B Legacy, but I am scared by the MPG figures that are being mentioned. I have thought about a 9-5 aero. I would like something a bit different and they fit that bill. Are they reliable and reasonable to run?
With regard to the mondeo, which model and spec are the ones to go for?
Cheers,
J
I'd say ST220 or Ghia X (fully loaded) in 2.0 petrol or diesel would be my suggestion. The petrols are v economical for petrol 34mpg, and diesels are OK but not brill on gas 41mpg).With regard to the mondeo, which model and spec are the ones to go for?
Cheers,
J
Titanium also worth looking at , as is ST 155 diesel.
Thing is, for £7k, you will get a great 06 ST diesel, with recaros which are air conned too! 10k will get you a 57 plate new shape one too.
I'm on the look out for a late ST220 estate. Cheap as chips and just great fun cars! Dynamically, the Mondeos are top of the tree too.
s3fella said:
The Vectra is also a possibility, they are real big on the inside too. Not seen a VXR one out there, that blue one looks great.
They're a bit rare (somewhere just under 150 Vauxhall badged ones apparently!) - but there are a few around used, and it is indeed vast inside - both in the back, and the boot! Certainly something a little unusual too (and quite stealthy if you were to get a black or red one!)Edited by browno on Sunday 5th July 21:41
VXRs and ST220s are all well and good, but to be honest you are never going to use the performance.
Your driving style will completely change with a couple of kids in the car, so you may as well swallow your pride and get a diseasel with more compliant suspension and comfy seats.
You can then save your pennies for an Elise or a Seven.
Your driving style will completely change with a couple of kids in the car, so you may as well swallow your pride and get a diseasel with more compliant suspension and comfy seats.
You can then save your pennies for an Elise or a Seven.
A couple of friends had twins, yet made do with a Focus. Anything bigger than that is do-able if you are prepared to travel light.
A bigger issue is your pram/pushchair/buggy choice. Some of them do fold up quite small, but if your OH will not accept anything short of the 'best' (i.e. most expensive) 'travel solutions', you'll need a bloody Transit!
I'd have a good look around Mothercare before choosing the car.
A bigger issue is your pram/pushchair/buggy choice. Some of them do fold up quite small, but if your OH will not accept anything short of the 'best' (i.e. most expensive) 'travel solutions', you'll need a bloody Transit!
I'd have a good look around Mothercare before choosing the car.
Get the estate, theres always a time when you need it. I wouldn't have anything else.
Wouldn't have been able to take the rubbish I cleared to the tip this morning without it.
Wouldn't have been able to take my tool chest to a track day last weekend without it.
Wouldn't have been able to drive fully kitted to France skiing in March without it.
Even my track car is an estate;
Wouldn't have been able to take the rubbish I cleared to the tip this morning without it.
Wouldn't have been able to take my tool chest to a track day last weekend without it.
Wouldn't have been able to drive fully kitted to France skiing in March without it.
Even my track car is an estate;
Pat H said:
VXRs and ST220s are all well and good, but to be honest you are never going to use the performance.
Your driving style will completely change with a couple of kids in the car, so you may as well swallow your pride and get a diseasel with more compliant suspension and comfy seats.
You can then save your pennies for an Elise or a Seven.
There's a lot of sense in this.Your driving style will completely change with a couple of kids in the car, so you may as well swallow your pride and get a diseasel with more compliant suspension and comfy seats.
You can then save your pennies for an Elise or a Seven.
I rarely get to drive my 540 touring as I'd like. Mainly as the dog does not appreciate slilding around in the back. Baby sleeps through anything
Even though I've only had it a few months (and spent a load of cash on it!) I am seriously considering selling up and getting a derv Mondeo estate to replace it.
If you want a E39 540 Touring then you can buy mine off me
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