Baby on the way car crisis
Discussion
There I was happily pootling about in my Audi S4 Cabrio with its lovely V8 purring away and all of a sudden I'm told a new member of the family is due to arrive and it's time to grow up. In normal situations, I could argue that a child seat could be wedged in the back of the Cabrio but my inlaws who live abroad will be staying with us for 6 months to help look after the kid and will need ferrying around as well. This means only one thing: some sort of barge is called for.
My initial thoughts drifted towards Range Rovers, but a quick chat to a local friend and garage owner confirmed that we would be seeing an awful lot more of each other should I go that route. Since this disappointment, I have arranged a shortlist ranging from the downright sensible to the rather ridiculous. I tend to live life closer to the ridiculous end of the scale, but this imminent new arrival has got me a bit flustered. An S4 Avante would seem the sensible move but my Cabrio is so well sorted that the idea of spending nearly twice its value on not such a nice estate is heartbreaking.
It will be our only car as my wife doesn't drive (if you met here you'd see that is a good thing). My limitations are a budget of about £15k, seating for four adults and a baby seat and a vehicle that I will still enjoy owning. I'm not expecting high-performance from said barge but speed isn't the only entertainment that the motoring world has to offer. I'd also like it to fit in my garage if possible which most cars seem to at a squeeze. I'm self-employed so it will need to look presentable to my clients who are often monied and know their cars.
The shortlist so far, all about 7 or 8 years old and less than 80k miles:
Porsche Cayenne - fun but potentially ruinous.
Maserati Quattroporte - ruinous.
Mercedes GL320 - more reliable than a Rangie and less thirsty, rare too but flippin' huge which is both good and bad in my book.
Mercedes S320 - wafty fun, no complaints from the back seat but the boot isn't as big as an estate. People might think I'm an airport chauffeur.
Mercedes M320 or M420 - chunky 4x4 fun but a bit less exciting and more commonplace than the above.
A middle sized saloon/bid estate such as a 5 series, E-class or A6 - I can't really get very excited about these. In my mind they are too big to be fun but too small to feel special. Unless it's an M5 etc but I can't sensibly afford a decent one of those.
At the sensible end now:
Lexus RX400h - makes sense from every angle but doesn't really get me very excited.
Smaller estate car such as 3-Series, C-class - as above and might raise some complaints from the back seat passengers (although it might be a good idea if they aren't too comfortable).
Is there anything I have missed here or cars that I should re-think or strike off immediately? Should I just give up the fight for life and buy a French people carrier?
My initial thoughts drifted towards Range Rovers, but a quick chat to a local friend and garage owner confirmed that we would be seeing an awful lot more of each other should I go that route. Since this disappointment, I have arranged a shortlist ranging from the downright sensible to the rather ridiculous. I tend to live life closer to the ridiculous end of the scale, but this imminent new arrival has got me a bit flustered. An S4 Avante would seem the sensible move but my Cabrio is so well sorted that the idea of spending nearly twice its value on not such a nice estate is heartbreaking.
It will be our only car as my wife doesn't drive (if you met here you'd see that is a good thing). My limitations are a budget of about £15k, seating for four adults and a baby seat and a vehicle that I will still enjoy owning. I'm not expecting high-performance from said barge but speed isn't the only entertainment that the motoring world has to offer. I'd also like it to fit in my garage if possible which most cars seem to at a squeeze. I'm self-employed so it will need to look presentable to my clients who are often monied and know their cars.
The shortlist so far, all about 7 or 8 years old and less than 80k miles:
Porsche Cayenne - fun but potentially ruinous.
Maserati Quattroporte - ruinous.
Mercedes GL320 - more reliable than a Rangie and less thirsty, rare too but flippin' huge which is both good and bad in my book.
Mercedes S320 - wafty fun, no complaints from the back seat but the boot isn't as big as an estate. People might think I'm an airport chauffeur.
Mercedes M320 or M420 - chunky 4x4 fun but a bit less exciting and more commonplace than the above.
A middle sized saloon/bid estate such as a 5 series, E-class or A6 - I can't really get very excited about these. In my mind they are too big to be fun but too small to feel special. Unless it's an M5 etc but I can't sensibly afford a decent one of those.
At the sensible end now:
Lexus RX400h - makes sense from every angle but doesn't really get me very excited.
Smaller estate car such as 3-Series, C-class - as above and might raise some complaints from the back seat passengers (although it might be a good idea if they aren't too comfortable).
Is there anything I have missed here or cars that I should re-think or strike off immediately? Should I just give up the fight for life and buy a French people carrier?
Edited by elhashbrown on Monday 19th October 11:40
A second car may be an option as long as the costs of the two don't get too hefty. A kind of baby-mobile that can be hosed out at the end of the day is rather appealing. The trouble is, that I would use it for 90% of my driving as I mostly work from home. It would irritate me to think of the nice car in the garage never getting used and my wife would have a go at me every time I had to de-frost the second car!
As much as I love big Jags, I do feel I am a couple of decades short of qualifying for one. Even if an XF SV8 is a bit tempting.
An E500 Estate would certainly fit the bill but they are almost mythical in rarity, particularly with reasonable mileage.
The RS4 just makes me cry. Not only is it over budget but it is almost identical to my S4 even down to the colour. While my S4 doesn't have the wide arches, it does have the same wheels, anti-roll bars, interior and a similar V8, mine lacking the coking TFSI but benefiting from a remap and Milltek. 10K for the 5-10% extra performance and a bigger boot is heartbreaking even if it is a lovely car.
Sorry, but I can't ever imagine handing over my own money for a people carrier. To me, they are solely a method of transport and cars are much more than that as far as I am concerned. SUVs have some appeal as they can be fun to drive, they appeal to the Tonka-toy-loving child in me, it's nothing to do with appearances.
austinsmirk - Thanks, I feel so much better now.
As much as I love big Jags, I do feel I am a couple of decades short of qualifying for one. Even if an XF SV8 is a bit tempting.
An E500 Estate would certainly fit the bill but they are almost mythical in rarity, particularly with reasonable mileage.
The RS4 just makes me cry. Not only is it over budget but it is almost identical to my S4 even down to the colour. While my S4 doesn't have the wide arches, it does have the same wheels, anti-roll bars, interior and a similar V8, mine lacking the coking TFSI but benefiting from a remap and Milltek. 10K for the 5-10% extra performance and a bigger boot is heartbreaking even if it is a lovely car.
Sorry, but I can't ever imagine handing over my own money for a people carrier. To me, they are solely a method of transport and cars are much more than that as far as I am concerned. SUVs have some appeal as they can be fun to drive, they appeal to the Tonka-toy-loving child in me, it's nothing to do with appearances.
austinsmirk - Thanks, I feel so much better now.
swisstoni said:
In a short while, ease of parking, size of boot and access to the rear seat is going to matter more to you than 0-60 times and what the neighbours (or even you) think.
But it doesn't last forever.
Please no!But it doesn't last forever.
talksthetorque said:
Congrats OP
Isn't this what Hot hatches are for?
For 4 adults and a baby? Not really I'm afraid.Isn't this what Hot hatches are for?
eltawater said:
Get a second car for the in-laws if they're going to be here for six months.
If you're the only one with a car, how quickly are you / your family going to get fed up with you having to drop everything and drive them somewhere? It doesn't matter how big and spacious a vehicle you have if it becomes a constant game of booking slots in your diary to take them somewhere so that they don't feel trapped at home!
They also said this. They're from China. Have you seen how the Chinese drive?If you're the only one with a car, how quickly are you / your family going to get fed up with you having to drop everything and drive them somewhere? It doesn't matter how big and spacious a vehicle you have if it becomes a constant game of booking slots in your diary to take them somewhere so that they don't feel trapped at home!
DonkeyApple said:
So, your wife, in essence, wants to to buy a car for her parents and also chauffeur them around? 
If you bought the Merc then you could at least give up your current job and at least continue being a free private hire driver for the remaining 6 months.
I wonder if renting another car when the inlaws are around or using minicabs wouldn't be cheaper than selling a perfectly good family car and one that your kid (congrats) will enjoy wouldn't be cheaper?
While this is true, They will be providing free child care so for the thousands saved I won't be complaining, too much.If you bought the Merc then you could at least give up your current job and at least continue being a free private hire driver for the remaining 6 months.
I wonder if renting another car when the inlaws are around or using minicabs wouldn't be cheaper than selling a perfectly good family car and one that your kid (congrats) will enjoy wouldn't be cheaper?
feef said:
Citroen C6
Not the fastest, but comfy, interesting, plenty of space and satisfies most petrol heads.
With your budget you could a C6 and something 'fun' for when it's just you or you and the wean
Top wafting! I like your thinking. Heads to classifieds...Not the fastest, but comfy, interesting, plenty of space and satisfies most petrol heads.
With your budget you could a C6 and something 'fun' for when it's just you or you and the wean
f1nn said:
My advice, tell the in laws not to bother, it'll only add to stress. This is your time to be savoured and on the assumption that you and your partner are able bodied and sound of mind, why would you need help?
Straight away we've dodged the need for something massive, thank me later.
Would you mind doing the negotiations for me?Straight away we've dodged the need for something massive, thank me later.
300bhp/ton said:
Well at least the internet continues to provide rubbish and inaccurate information.
I had read that they have got a lot better but this would be perhaps 10 years old and I tend to trust my friend's opinion. I think it is true to say that any well spec'd car will get costly to repair as it gets older, particularly those with air suspension and lots of gadgets, whatever the brand.Zod said:
When I was in your position, I sold my CSL and bought an M5.
I like you already.kapiteinlangzaam said:
Volvo XC90 V8
There are only ever a few for sale around the country.
I had wondered, but they are hard to find. Might be worth watching the classifieds for a while. I've got a few months yet.There are only ever a few for sale around the country.
DonkeyApple said:
The last thing a bloke needs with a new baby is the inlaws moving in for half the year!!!!
I'm afraid I don't think I have an option. But this...DonkeyApple said:
I'd be inclined to buy them an unreliable car with a dodgy satnav and letting them pop off to see a bit of Britain.
...I like.DonkeyApple said:
It goes without saying that I wish you all the luck in the world with both imminent arrivals. But I fear for you that during those tiny moments of short lived freedom you will get once in a blue moon when you are on your own in the car they won't happen because you'll be behind the wheel of an Alhambra stinking of piss and vomit (not necasarily anything to do with your child, I've just noticed over the years that they all seem to smell like that).
Just explain to the wife that you need to keep the chick magnet incase she doesn't shift the baby weight quickly enough. And suggest her dad will understand. What could possibly go wrong.
I could but try, but I might end up living in that car!Just explain to the wife that you need to keep the chick magnet incase she doesn't shift the baby weight quickly enough. And suggest her dad will understand. What could possibly go wrong.
To be honest, I have been wondering if I 'accidentally' got something too big for the garage then it would leave the perfect space for a project car ...and considering how miserable I've been looking since we sold the S4... ...and that poor Triumph GT6 has been sitting in my Dad's garage the last 20 years, he'd be glad of the space...
Wow I made TOTD! Small victories. Thanks everyone for some great and amusing suggestions. Plenty for me to think about here. More roaming of the classified's needed.
Some sort of Scooby such as a Legacy Spec B is intriguing. I had one on my short list to go and look at a few years back, but it sold before I got there. They seem as rare as hen's teeth with low miles and no tow-bar. Thinking of which, a trailer system for the Audi is not out of the question - with drainage holes for baby secretions.
Last night I was warming to the idea of a BMW 730d. The thought of being able to pass it off as almost sensible while still getting lots of wafty gadgets is appealing. Then I spotted a 760Li and my mind was made up. Surely this is the ideal baby wagon? This morning I'm wondering about 2 cars again and still in crisis. Oh well, still a few months of freedom left.
From what some people are saying, an old Land Rover or military vehicle that can be jet-washed inside is the ideal child-proof vehicle however I am in awe of those who have managed to get through it all with some of the nice machinery we have seen. You are true giants sirs.
Some sort of Scooby such as a Legacy Spec B is intriguing. I had one on my short list to go and look at a few years back, but it sold before I got there. They seem as rare as hen's teeth with low miles and no tow-bar. Thinking of which, a trailer system for the Audi is not out of the question - with drainage holes for baby secretions.
Last night I was warming to the idea of a BMW 730d. The thought of being able to pass it off as almost sensible while still getting lots of wafty gadgets is appealing. Then I spotted a 760Li and my mind was made up. Surely this is the ideal baby wagon? This morning I'm wondering about 2 cars again and still in crisis. Oh well, still a few months of freedom left.
From what some people are saying, an old Land Rover or military vehicle that can be jet-washed inside is the ideal child-proof vehicle however I am in awe of those who have managed to get through it all with some of the nice machinery we have seen. You are true giants sirs.
What have I done! This thread seems to have gone all mumsnet. Thanks for those bringing it back to PH normality. Anyone choosing pushchairs based on whether they fit in a 911 or not deserve hero status.
My biggest problem with the two car route is that as soon as I have bought the cheap 5-Series or Saab Aero estate then Wife will consider this all we need and move the remaining funds allocation to baby travel systems, mother-baby spa weekends etc. The idea of me going off and buying some sort of weekend toy would take weeks of negotiations. It's much easier to convince her: we need a big car, therefore, it must be a 20-year-old Bentley Arnage otherwise the baby won't be comfortable and get colic...
Going to check out a GL-Class Merc this afternoon. Far bigger than I would ever need but that is part of the appeal. I spotted one wedged into the airport multistory last night and could only conclude the driver left through the side window and over the adjacent car's roof. That's the kind of action-filled lifestyle this kind of vehicle brings with it!
My biggest problem with the two car route is that as soon as I have bought the cheap 5-Series or Saab Aero estate then Wife will consider this all we need and move the remaining funds allocation to baby travel systems, mother-baby spa weekends etc. The idea of me going off and buying some sort of weekend toy would take weeks of negotiations. It's much easier to convince her: we need a big car, therefore, it must be a 20-year-old Bentley Arnage otherwise the baby won't be comfortable and get colic...
Going to check out a GL-Class Merc this afternoon. Far bigger than I would ever need but that is part of the appeal. I spotted one wedged into the airport multistory last night and could only conclude the driver left through the side window and over the adjacent car's roof. That's the kind of action-filled lifestyle this kind of vehicle brings with it!
Time for a full update. Went full circle on the car choice after finding that most people advise against putting a baby seat in the middle seat (no iso points I guess) and most options have a big transmission tunnel making the middle passenger pretty uncomfortable. We narrowed the search down to a few SUVs. Range Rovers still the most tempting but with the Supercharged models apparently the most reliable and more rewarding to drive, promising no more than 17mpg raising an eyebrow of the most hardened petrolhead when a lot of journeys will be trundling around town.
It was a close call with Cayennes and ML63s seriously considered, but in the end the appauling trade-in value of a convertible in November meant that the Audi will stay in the garage for now and a more practical family wagon will be parked along side it. Everyone's a winner!
As a result the final choice was fairly sensible - a Lexus Rx400h SE-L. Very comfortable, economical for its size and with plenty of gadets to play with. Not very PHworthy but it left room in the budget to keep the toy. What the Lexus lacks in driver feedback it makes up for in wafty armchair barginess. It also has a flat floor and reclining seats in the back to aid inlaw comfort and prolonged sleep on long journeys.
The S4 will stay at least until the spring when I(we) will have to decide if it might be replaced with something lighter and more flingable or if the 4 seats are too useful to spare.
Thanks everyone for your input. Range Rover owners, I promise to give you a lift to a garage when you get stranded, if you don't mind pulling my soft-roader out of the occasional snow drift.
It was a close call with Cayennes and ML63s seriously considered, but in the end the appauling trade-in value of a convertible in November meant that the Audi will stay in the garage for now and a more practical family wagon will be parked along side it. Everyone's a winner!
As a result the final choice was fairly sensible - a Lexus Rx400h SE-L. Very comfortable, economical for its size and with plenty of gadets to play with. Not very PHworthy but it left room in the budget to keep the toy. What the Lexus lacks in driver feedback it makes up for in wafty armchair barginess. It also has a flat floor and reclining seats in the back to aid inlaw comfort and prolonged sleep on long journeys.
The S4 will stay at least until the spring when I(we) will have to decide if it might be replaced with something lighter and more flingable or if the 4 seats are too useful to spare.
Thanks everyone for your input. Range Rover owners, I promise to give you a lift to a garage when you get stranded, if you don't mind pulling my soft-roader out of the occasional snow drift.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff