Car ownership with a growing family
Discussion
Fellow petrolheads,
My wife is pregnant and the time has come for me to grow up and be sensible. Unfortunately that means that I now have to involve someone other than myself in my car purchasing decisions. Over the last few years I have been lucky enough to own some nice cars, most of which have been 2 seater covertibles (Elise, Z4's etc). I currently have an Audi A4 cabriolet which is in very nice condition, but doesn't really excite me, nor is the boot big enough for a pram!
My question to you all is, what did you do when you reached my point in life? I'm not a rich man, but I am lucky enough to be able to afford something reasonable. I have two trains of thought; one is to get a cheap family saloon (old Mondeo etc) and then buy an Elise / Chimera / poss early Tuscan etc for fun. The problem is, would I ever actually get to use the fun car? If not then maybe I should plow all of my budget into a nicer "family" car, maybe an E46 M3 or an S4 / RS4?
I really need some help with this. I am usually very strong minded, but I am going round in circles with this one! To clarify my position incase it influences your reply; I don't do any long distance journeys of note, I don't do track days and I only live about 2 miles from work. My wife has a "family suitable" Ford Focus, but wouldn't drive any sort of fun car!!
Simon
My wife is pregnant and the time has come for me to grow up and be sensible. Unfortunately that means that I now have to involve someone other than myself in my car purchasing decisions. Over the last few years I have been lucky enough to own some nice cars, most of which have been 2 seater covertibles (Elise, Z4's etc). I currently have an Audi A4 cabriolet which is in very nice condition, but doesn't really excite me, nor is the boot big enough for a pram!
My question to you all is, what did you do when you reached my point in life? I'm not a rich man, but I am lucky enough to be able to afford something reasonable. I have two trains of thought; one is to get a cheap family saloon (old Mondeo etc) and then buy an Elise / Chimera / poss early Tuscan etc for fun. The problem is, would I ever actually get to use the fun car? If not then maybe I should plow all of my budget into a nicer "family" car, maybe an E46 M3 or an S4 / RS4?
I really need some help with this. I am usually very strong minded, but I am going round in circles with this one! To clarify my position incase it influences your reply; I don't do any long distance journeys of note, I don't do track days and I only live about 2 miles from work. My wife has a "family suitable" Ford Focus, but wouldn't drive any sort of fun car!!
Simon
I'd recommend the Mondeo route. I have a 05 Mondeo ST tdci for everyday and the 355 for the weekends.
You can get a relatively cheap Mondeo with average milage one if you shop around. Its a decent fun car to drive, plenty of toys for your money too, and very cheap to run, tax is only £155 a year. On the daily run to work I can easily get 50mpg, and 60+mpg on long runs. But when you need the power its got plenty! It does everything you could possibly NEED a car for.
Then that leaves you money spare for a car that does everything you WANT a car for!
You can get a relatively cheap Mondeo with average milage one if you shop around. Its a decent fun car to drive, plenty of toys for your money too, and very cheap to run, tax is only £155 a year. On the daily run to work I can easily get 50mpg, and 60+mpg on long runs. But when you need the power its got plenty! It does everything you could possibly NEED a car for.
Then that leaves you money spare for a car that does everything you WANT a car for!
I would recommend a 911 and a Mondeo as Jonty suggests.
I have 2 kids and a wife (and dog!) and we use our 996 turbo often as a family.
I have had 2 seaters in the past (MGB and TR6) and never got much use as we could not all fit in.
If it is only 2 miles to work I would get the bike out!
HTH
Alastair
I have 2 kids and a wife (and dog!) and we use our 996 turbo often as a family.
I have had 2 seaters in the past (MGB and TR6) and never got much use as we could not all fit in.
If it is only 2 miles to work I would get the bike out!
HTH
Alastair
deffo snotter/sports car route.
I have a golf GT TDI (I almost nodded off typing that) But its 125 quid a year to tax and does 40 mpg so it does its job.
250 bhp VX220 for the weekends to blow the cobwebs off. I never get chance to drive it due to the baby but its nice to open the garage door and look at it now and again
I have a golf GT TDI (I almost nodded off typing that) But its 125 quid a year to tax and does 40 mpg so it does its job.
250 bhp VX220 for the weekends to blow the cobwebs off. I never get chance to drive it due to the baby but its nice to open the garage door and look at it now and again
Jonty/Alistair,
Thanks for your replies. I would dearly love a F355/F348/996 C4S but my budget won't quite stretch to it at present. A guy on here, called Simon funnily enough, is selling a lovely looking F348 but I think my wife would actually kill me if I bought it!
FridayPassion,
You have hit the nail on the head. I'm worried about it sitting in the garage and never coming out to play!
BenGismo,
Since writing this I have done some research into the boot space of the E46 M3 and ruled it out. I think it would have to be an S4 or RS4 if I went down that route.
Si
Thanks for your replies. I would dearly love a F355/F348/996 C4S but my budget won't quite stretch to it at present. A guy on here, called Simon funnily enough, is selling a lovely looking F348 but I think my wife would actually kill me if I bought it!
FridayPassion,
You have hit the nail on the head. I'm worried about it sitting in the garage and never coming out to play!
BenGismo,
Since writing this I have done some research into the boot space of the E46 M3 and ruled it out. I think it would have to be an S4 or RS4 if I went down that route.
Si
Thanks David.
I did look briefly at a 911 C4S as an only car to fulfill both family and fun roles. Am I being daft thinking about getting a baby seat in the back and a pram in the front boot? Whatever I buy will be used for about 75% fun and 25% family but it does need to be comfortable for both.
Si
I did look briefly at a 911 C4S as an only car to fulfill both family and fun roles. Am I being daft thinking about getting a baby seat in the back and a pram in the front boot? Whatever I buy will be used for about 75% fun and 25% family but it does need to be comfortable for both.
Si
When I got to your point in life I kept hold of my Z3MC till I realised I had only done about 800 miles between MOT's.
I was seriously considering an R32 Golf as my family transport but went out and bought a 996 turbo instead. I'm currently doing about 1000miles per month in it. We've had trips to Scotland, days out, even just dropping him off at nursery. The wee lad loves the car and sits in the back going 'Voom voom' and giggling away to himself. Main difference is that when I got it he was about 7 months old and almost ready for forward facing seats so the car wasn't sitting around doing nothing.
And yeah, a Quinny Zapp fits in the boot and, if you remove the subwoofer from the rear shelf, a travel cot squeezes in there just nicely.
I was seriously considering an R32 Golf as my family transport but went out and bought a 996 turbo instead. I'm currently doing about 1000miles per month in it. We've had trips to Scotland, days out, even just dropping him off at nursery. The wee lad loves the car and sits in the back going 'Voom voom' and giggling away to himself. Main difference is that when I got it he was about 7 months old and almost ready for forward facing seats so the car wasn't sitting around doing nothing.
And yeah, a Quinny Zapp fits in the boot and, if you remove the subwoofer from the rear shelf, a travel cot squeezes in there just nicely.
We bought a 911 
although we did have a Mondeo too! Once the Mondeo died we bought a 944 as a daily driver. Problem is that although sports cars can be used as family cars, we did camping at Le Mans with the 911, it is not really practical until the child is out of a rear facing car seat. These won't go in the back and nor will the wife for very long.
Once they are in front facing life gets a lot easier and once they are out of push chairs/buggies it becomes highly practical. You will be amazed as to what you can get in the back of a 944, oak desk, football table, gazeebos etc. Just done family trip to Cornwall no probs.
An old 911 will take a Mclaren style buggy under the front but is not really a great daily driver and modern 911s won't take these. However, those Quinny (spelling?) things will go in the front, but probably not any thing that is 4WD as the boot space is non existent, I suspect the wife wouldn't get her handbag in.
You do have to learn to pack light and realise that all the crap that you drag around with you as new parents is a waste of space and not needed.
although we did have a Mondeo too! Once the Mondeo died we bought a 944 as a daily driver. Problem is that although sports cars can be used as family cars, we did camping at Le Mans with the 911, it is not really practical until the child is out of a rear facing car seat. These won't go in the back and nor will the wife for very long.
Once they are in front facing life gets a lot easier and once they are out of push chairs/buggies it becomes highly practical. You will be amazed as to what you can get in the back of a 944, oak desk, football table, gazeebos etc. Just done family trip to Cornwall no probs.
An old 911 will take a Mclaren style buggy under the front but is not really a great daily driver and modern 911s won't take these. However, those Quinny (spelling?) things will go in the front, but probably not any thing that is 4WD as the boot space is non existent, I suspect the wife wouldn't get her handbag in.
You do have to learn to pack light and realise that all the crap that you drag around with you as new parents is a waste of space and not needed.
supersport said:
However, those Quinny (spelling?) things will go in the front, but probably not any thing that is 4WD as the boot space is non existent, I suspect the wife wouldn't get her handbag in.
As I, and others, already said, a Quinny Zapp will fit in a 4WD 996. Mine stays in there permanently for whenever we use my car and we have a Maclaren in her car as it's an estate with plenty of space for the bigger stuff. You just have to be a little bit more efficient at packing and using the space.With the buggy in there I can also fit in my weekend bag, a sleeping bag and some other bits and pieces. Her bag can go in the spare back seat and the travel cot on the parcel shelf. If you need more space then get some roofbars and a roofbox
The only downside is that they should really be in front facing seats before using a buggy like the Zapp but then again if you are using a rear facing seat then it will probably be in the front with the missus in the back and she probably won't like that.
Not doing this to provoke a response, but I'd recommend you try a 535d or 335i/d touring (with warranties) and then evaluate what you get for your money. One set of runninng costs, one hellova practical performance option.
There's also the prospect to what extra you get for so little with the chipping route with the smokers too!
I made the fatal mistake many years ago of selling my toy (self built Nova SR with a C20XE 'red top') to get a sensible family car - and conteplated crashing it every time I drove it, the experience was just too dire! Lesson learned for me - except with my current mileage (50k p.a.) means a 2.0 TDI $hitbox, but we still kept our chipped 530d for the wife as she loves it so much and it's very practical & easy for her to pootle in.
There's also the prospect to what extra you get for so little with the chipping route with the smokers too!
I made the fatal mistake many years ago of selling my toy (self built Nova SR with a C20XE 'red top') to get a sensible family car - and conteplated crashing it every time I drove it, the experience was just too dire! Lesson learned for me - except with my current mileage (50k p.a.) means a 2.0 TDI $hitbox, but we still kept our chipped 530d for the wife as she loves it so much and it's very practical & easy for her to pootle in.
speed8 said:
supersport said:
However, those Quinny (spelling?) things will go in the front, but probably not any thing that is 4WD as the boot space is non existent, I suspect the wife wouldn't get her handbag in.
As I, and others, already said, a Quinny Zapp will fit in a 4WD 996. Mine stays in there permanently for whenever we use my car and we have a Maclaren in her car as it's an estate with plenty of space for the bigger stuff. You just have to be a little bit more efficient at packing and using the space.With the buggy in there I can also fit in my weekend bag, a sleeping bag and some other bits and pieces. Her bag can go in the spare back seat and the travel cot on the parcel shelf. If you need more space then get some roofbars and a roofbox
The only downside is that they should really be in front facing seats before using a buggy like the Zapp but then again if you are using a rear facing seat then it will probably be in the front with the missus in the back and she probably won't like that.
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