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
How about you keep the S4 and just get something nice, cheap and sensible as a run about for when needed? £2k would literally get you pretty much whatever sort of vehicle you could want. A decent condition E39 5 Series estate could be had for that. Bags of room, great image. It's not especially expensive to run two cars.
Not sure why everyone regards People Carriers with such disdain and sees SUV's as so wonderful ?
They do a job, basically same job as an SUV but better at it in terms of space, and are cheaper to buy and tun, most SUV's are just big diesel dollops as well but somehow soothe the ego of the family man who feels an MPV is so beneath his exalted status in life where a Range Rover Sport will make him the envy of all mortals, feel free to mention the occasional snow or need to cross a muddy field once every three years as justification, its a bit like Jim Jeffries on Americans and their love of guns, people like them but really, they dont do the job any better, they are just more status orientated and have a feel good factor.
To be honest, for one small baby you dont need a huge car, we managed with 2 kids in a MK3 Golf, then three in a Volvo 850, then as they get older and bigger that is where the MPV comes in, secret is to always have something else as well
They do a job, basically same job as an SUV but better at it in terms of space, and are cheaper to buy and tun, most SUV's are just big diesel dollops as well but somehow soothe the ego of the family man who feels an MPV is so beneath his exalted status in life where a Range Rover Sport will make him the envy of all mortals, feel free to mention the occasional snow or need to cross a muddy field once every three years as justification, its a bit like Jim Jeffries on Americans and their love of guns, people like them but really, they dont do the job any better, they are just more status orientated and have a feel good factor.
To be honest, for one small baby you dont need a huge car, we managed with 2 kids in a MK3 Golf, then three in a Volvo 850, then as they get older and bigger that is where the MPV comes in, secret is to always have something else as well
any mum's car generally looks like a skip inside, battered by the children, food crushed into the seats, bodily fluids on every surface, bits of glitter, paint, broken pens, crayons, torn paper and so on.
the boot will be a spiders web of prams, shopping bags, clothes, toys, potty.
when they get bigger, muddy feet will climb all over the door jambs, seats, backs of seats.
you are in cloud cuckoo land thinking you can have a fancy car, with beautiful interior AND young children.
you actually just need a wipe clean, skip with wheels, until they get a bit bigger.
the boot will be a spiders web of prams, shopping bags, clothes, toys, potty.
when they get bigger, muddy feet will climb all over the door jambs, seats, backs of seats.
you are in cloud cuckoo land thinking you can have a fancy car, with beautiful interior AND young children.
you actually just need a wipe clean, skip with wheels, until they get a bit bigger.
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.
Babies and their associated hardware trash car interiors.
Get a shed (for her) for baby duties and keep the S4 for your pleasure.
Honda CR-V is a good mums car, as are old E class estates. Avoid anything C Class/3 series sized as they are just too cramped in the back to make sense with kids and grandparents.
Its a kids car. Its not for you. Yours is the nice shiny one unsullied by sweets, sick and spilt kiddy drinks.
Get a shed (for her) for baby duties and keep the S4 for your pleasure.
Honda CR-V is a good mums car, as are old E class estates. Avoid anything C Class/3 series sized as they are just too cramped in the back to make sense with kids and grandparents.
Its a kids car. Its not for you. Yours is the nice shiny one unsullied by sweets, sick and spilt kiddy drinks.
Congrats OP
Isn't this what Hot hatches are for? Jack of all trades - Decent interior space, but not too unwieldy, cheap to run, good fun? They've all got 3 or 5 doors at the moment or even estate versions.
Two/three year old petrol hot hatch (Focus ST/Leon Cupra R/S3/Golf R etcetc) (or look at a lease - whichever's got the silly cheap deal at the time) for a couple of years, this gives you a bit of no brainer breathing space to see if there are going to be any more mini-hashbrowns on the way.
You can also take the time to see if one car or 2 is the way forward.
Isn't this what Hot hatches are for? Jack of all trades - Decent interior space, but not too unwieldy, cheap to run, good fun? They've all got 3 or 5 doors at the moment or even estate versions.
Two/three year old petrol hot hatch (Focus ST/Leon Cupra R/S3/Golf R etcetc) (or look at a lease - whichever's got the silly cheap deal at the time) for a couple of years, this gives you a bit of no brainer breathing space to see if there are going to be any more mini-hashbrowns on the way.
You can also take the time to see if one car or 2 is the way forward.
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!
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!
elhashbrown said:
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?
So, your wife, in essence, wants to to buy a car for her parents and also chauffeur them around? 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
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?
djt100 said:
andy-xr said:
S Type
No-one questions it no matter how old
The most uncomfortable car I've even owned or been in in the rear, and seat base angle does bode well for cars seats. No-one questions it no matter how old
Unless yours is just worn out and badly in need of corrective maintenance of course...
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