Is this stupid?

Author
Discussion

jakesmith

Original Poster:

9,461 posts

170 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Here's the situation
I have a 997 C4s, don't like my wife driving it as she does not understand the concept of mechanical sympathy
I want to buy a station car for the 1 mile each way daily journey to the station & very occasional longer trip when my wife wants to go to her family (150 miles) & I'm otherwise engaged
We might be having kids soon & if I buy a second sensible car now & pay for it before that I may be able to keep the Porsche as we'll have the family car box ticked
I refuse to buy a car that doesn't have leather seats & also fancy an auto just for a change though that's not essential
I has to be FWD or 4WD as that's another box ticked for practicality if there is snow here (live in semi rural Surrey)
Car has to be reasonably safe in an impact so no Yaris, Panda etc
Not bothered about fuel consumption as milage so low
Budget is up to 4k and I don't want to buy something that's going to need constant attention

I seen a few cars locally that look like they fit the bill:

Mk4 Golf V5 170BHP - nice one for sale for £1250 locally - love the way they look & fact they have xenons etc, but have a gut feel this a complete money pit however for a £1k car it's not the end of the world if I only get a year or two out of it
Toyota Rav4 - good selection from about £3kish with under 100k miles
Honda CR-V - again £3kish will get the spec I want & under 100k miles
Ford Focus 1 - seen a nice full leather auto 1 owner one for £2.5k

PurpleMoonlight

22,362 posts

156 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
What's mechanical sympathy?

McWigglebum4th

32,414 posts

203 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Forester

4wd

built like a tank

drinks like a fish

Quhet

2,409 posts

145 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Saab 93 or 95. Loads around, cheap, reliable, safe & well specced. Jobs a good 'undrink

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Don't forget that FWD or 4WD have better traction in the snow. For braking and cornering you're just as screwed as a RWD car. I live in the sticks amongst untreated roads and would recommend winter tyres. However, for getting to a station a mile away I'd just walk - that's what I did when I commuted by train and the nice car stayed at home.

Just some thoughts for you.

jakesmith

Original Poster:

9,461 posts

170 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
My wife & I both get an 06:25 train & sometimes come home at 8pm so walking isn't an option, it takes up too much of the 90 minutes we call an 'evening' in the week. It's hard to avoid getting dirty and feet wet etc. In the summer we both cycle but in winter it's too muddy, wet, cold and dark.

Mechanical sympathy = revving the st out of it when pulling away from junctions, ripping the clutch up etc

Really tempted by the £1.25k Golf V5 but gut tells me it's a total reliability nightmare

How about Grand Vitaras?

fatboy b

9,492 posts

215 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
1 mile to the station = a walk. Shirley??

jakesmith

Original Poster:

9,461 posts

170 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
fatboy b said:
1 mile to the station = a walk. Shirley??
We leave early
We get home late
The road isn't brilliantly lit
We have to dress smartly for work
We have a gym at home & don't need the exercise
We don't like getting cold or wet
We cycle in the summer

swisstoni

16,850 posts

278 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Where's this station, Ben Nevis?

CoolHands

18,496 posts

194 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
the v5 golf are reliable but drink like a fish which is why no one wants them. Plus high road tax. Very smooth engine though. Parts are cheap from ecp.

davamer23

1,126 posts

153 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
fatboy b said:
1 mile to the station = a walk. Shirley??
Walking is not an option and don't call him Shirley. biggrin

vikingaero

10,256 posts

168 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
I thought this was PH not EcoMentalists?

What someone chooses to do with their hard earned is their decision. Or course you have the right to sneer and deride them. I bet most of those querying the station commute drive more polluting cars, are just as lazy in private, or have lower polluting cars that create more emissions than the OP because of mileage.

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
I know this is an utterly mental non-PH idea, but how about letting your wife choose as it sounds like it'll be her car.

swisstoni

16,850 posts

278 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
I thought this was PH not EcoMentalists?

What someone chooses to do with their hard earned is their decision. Or course you have the right to sneer and deride them. I bet most of those querying the station commute drive more polluting cars, are just as lazy in private, or have lower polluting cars that create more emissions than the OP because of mileage.
It's a lighthearted question and he's getting some lighthearted answers. If someone can't pick out a shed for themselves then they are probably safer staying at home.

danjama

5,728 posts

141 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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Forester or Impreza wagon.

tomjol

532 posts

116 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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Family junk will fill up a Mk4 Golf very quickly indeed, they're much smaller than the modern equivalents.

rohrl

8,712 posts

144 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
What's mechanical sympathy?
If you have to ask...

Mechanical sympathy is having a feel for the machinery you're using and not inflicting unnecessary damage to it through hamfisted technique. In the context of a car it means doing your best not to crunch gearchanges for example. It's why some people will drive a car into the ground in a few thousand miles while others are still on the original clutch at 200,000 miles.

Roo

11,503 posts

206 months

MrBarry123

6,025 posts

120 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Surely something with a Volvo badge?

P.S. OP - I completely understand why you wouldn't want to walk to and from the train station - bugger that.

gazza285

9,780 posts

207 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
MrBarry123 said:
Surely something with a Volvo badge.
V70XC D5 would be my choice.