Twins on the way .... need a new car .... help!
Discussion
It looks like my 2 seater days are numbered 
I have to buy a replacement car and having loadsa trouble of thinking what to get next. I can only have one car, as I dont have a parking permit for another.
So this is my criteria .... sub £35k. Must be able to seat 2 baby seats + accompaning baby stuff (which i have no idea of what that involves as of yet). Must be manual, but will comprimise to flappy paddles, driver focused car. What car can give me the daily thrills of an Elise !!!! Or should I give up the kids for adoption ???
So this is whats on my shopping list so far ....
Audi RS4
Audi RS6
BMW M3
BMW M3 CSL
BMW M5 400BHP one
Maserati 3200 GT / 4200 (cant afford Gransport)
Porsche 993 Carrera 2S (anyone tried with 2 kids ?)
TVR Cerbera with spitting flame exhausts
I'm not a BMW fan, but at the moment I seem to be leaning to an M3 CSL. I can track that too with babyseats
What do you guys/gals think ?
>> Edited by ThirtySomething on Friday 2nd December 17:35
I have to buy a replacement car and having loadsa trouble of thinking what to get next. I can only have one car, as I dont have a parking permit for another.
So this is my criteria .... sub £35k. Must be able to seat 2 baby seats + accompaning baby stuff (which i have no idea of what that involves as of yet). Must be manual, but will comprimise to flappy paddles, driver focused car. What car can give me the daily thrills of an Elise !!!! Or should I give up the kids for adoption ???
So this is whats on my shopping list so far ....
Audi RS4
Audi RS6
BMW M3
BMW M3 CSL
BMW M5 400BHP one
Maserati 3200 GT / 4200 (cant afford Gransport)
Porsche 993 Carrera 2S (anyone tried with 2 kids ?)
TVR Cerbera with spitting flame exhausts
I'm not a BMW fan, but at the moment I seem to be leaning to an M3 CSL. I can track that too with babyseats
What do you guys/gals think ?
>> Edited by ThirtySomething on Friday 2nd December 17:35
the porsche is not an option, though I think kids fit in them the first few years, but you have no room for you kids stuf I'm not an audi fan but its a good option when you take a RS, the understeer can be taken out(most of it) you can make(tune) that car like you wanted it I guess.
A M3 CSL sounds good, but its only 2 doors, but then on the other way you have a thing of both worlds...stil can take the kids with you(although not that handy with 2 doors) but you don't drive your kids all the time in the car do you...?
Difficult choices
GTRene
I'm not an audi fan but its a good option when you take a RS, the understeer can be taken out(most of it) you can make(tune) that car like you wanted it I guess. A M3 CSL sounds good, but its only 2 doors, but then on the other way you have a thing of both worlds...stil can take the kids with you(although not that handy with 2 doors) but you don't drive your kids all the time in the car do you...?
Difficult choices
GTRene
Must emphasise that the seats will not be the limiting factor here. If this is truely your only car then its going to have to be able to take at least the double buggy, and on weekends away the bottles paraphinalia, baby-bath, 2 portable cots and a wide and varied collection of other stuff.
Does the car need to do all this, or are you staying indoors? Scooby Legacy is a good choice estate, 3.0R is quick, 4wd and understated. Wild card, check out the boot (it's huge), but what about VWs uber-barge Phaeton great value second hand 35k should get a W12 4-motion!! Both drink!
I really think you will be looking at a large saloon or a good sized estate.
Whatever you decide, good luck and congratulations!!
Regards, Neil
Does the car need to do all this, or are you staying indoors? Scooby Legacy is a good choice estate, 3.0R is quick, 4wd and understated. Wild card, check out the boot (it's huge), but what about VWs uber-barge Phaeton great value second hand 35k should get a W12 4-motion!! Both drink!
I really think you will be looking at a large saloon or a good sized estate.
Whatever you decide, good luck and congratulations!!
Regards, Neil
Great question and my answer would be an Audi S4 V8 Avant ... if I didnt keep pissing money away on the Elise and trackdays I'd upgrade my 2.8Q to this. Lots less understeer than the B5 platform biturbo S4 and RS4.
Good topgear video of this vs an E46 M3 at http://carfreaks.b0nk.net/TopgearM3.wmv
One stop dealer listing with heaps of cars for £30k at www.allapprovedcars.com/UsedCarSearch.aspx?UManufacturerId=264&UModelId=2773&UseContext=1
Enjoy, HB
Good topgear video of this vs an E46 M3 at http://carfreaks.b0nk.net/TopgearM3.wmv
One stop dealer listing with heaps of cars for £30k at www.allapprovedcars.com/UsedCarSearch.aspx?UManufacturerId=264&UModelId=2773&UseContext=1
Enjoy, HB
Wrong, wrong, wrong!
I had kids - 7 years ago - I tried to keep everything in one family bundle and that was just, well, wrong.
If you want to enjoy your car and support the bundle(s) then split the 2. £35k is a reasonable budget so why not do something exciting like a big fat Merc E class with all the gadgets for £15k and something a little more adult orientated for everything else. £20k should get you into as much trouble as you need with a decent S1 exige, TOTR Evo VIII, or a Radical.
Garages can be rented for next to nothing (even in London a few miles away) so don't restrict yourself - go for practical AND speed.
I did
S.
>> Edited by sethlj on Friday 2nd December 22:56
I had kids - 7 years ago - I tried to keep everything in one family bundle and that was just, well, wrong.
If you want to enjoy your car and support the bundle(s) then split the 2. £35k is a reasonable budget so why not do something exciting like a big fat Merc E class with all the gadgets for £15k and something a little more adult orientated for everything else. £20k should get you into as much trouble as you need with a decent S1 exige, TOTR Evo VIII, or a Radical.
Garages can be rented for next to nothing (even in London a few miles away) so don't restrict yourself - go for practical AND speed.
I did
S.
>> Edited by sethlj on Friday 2nd December 22:56
sethlj said:
Wrong, wrong, wrong!
Interesting cos this is what I did, £35k invested to run a TVR Chimarea and an older Audi Estate and I didnt fair so well.
Double the annual operating costs for insurance/tax and treble the maintenance cos you have 2 old knackerd cars rather than one nearly new.
If its not the money its the time you need to invest in arsing about managing two motors when you have a whole new set of responsibilities and challenges demanding your time (and money).
Buy hey, such differences in opinion and approach keep the world turning. Its like they say in green eggs and ham ("try them, try them you will see ..."
only with sunk costs. >> Edited by hbaumhardt on Saturday 3rd December 09:36
My 2 pennies on the S4 (I have a B6 V8 Avant). I don't think they are a big inside as the outside leads you to believe (reverse tardis). I was fooled by this when we got ours shortly before the arrival of our daughter. We have had particular trouble with the width of the boot. Seems that most buggies will not go straight across the boot, so you end up putting it in diagonally and taking up most of the boot floor - it's then a pain to fill the boot. A friend has a B6 Avant and a golf GTI (a couple of models old) she recons the golf boot is wider and bigger!
I'm not that chuffed with the handling, but that's another stuy (perhaps I'm spoilt by the Elise)
Have you thought about a hot hatch for a bit? (at least until you've got over the sicky years) I rather like the idea of a Golf GTI or Focus ST for a bit and they're probably more practical than you think...
I'm not that chuffed with the handling, but that's another stuy (perhaps I'm spoilt by the Elise)
Have you thought about a hot hatch for a bit? (at least until you've got over the sicky years) I rather like the idea of a Golf GTI or Focus ST for a bit and they're probably more practical than you think...
If I could have two cars, then I certainly would. Unfortunately, the cost of running two is just too prohibitive at the moment. Renting a garage near me will cost £2,500 a year. On top of that, twin insurance and maintainance. Just dont want to go down that route at the moment.
The Scooby/Evo thing is not my scene. If I was a spotty TWENTYsomething and lived near a farm then I would consider them. I want a car that gives you a buzz, a sence of occasion everytime you drive it, not a car that has flown through Halfords Ripspeed parts bin.
Okay so 911 is out. RS6 is also out as it only comes in Auto. TVR Cerbera is out on reliability and practicality.
The Scooby/Evo thing is not my scene. If I was a spotty TWENTYsomething and lived near a farm then I would consider them. I want a car that gives you a buzz, a sence of occasion everytime you drive it, not a car that has flown through Halfords Ripspeed parts bin.
Okay so 911 is out. RS6 is also out as it only comes in Auto. TVR Cerbera is out on reliability and practicality.
And I missed that your getting TWINS, congratulations ^2 (as if I actually read stuff before spouting my opinions). So your gonna need 2 car seats, double buggy and for nights away double travel cot etc its really an estate car or bust. I considered a *lot* of 4wd then rwd then fwd estates for my one-size-fits-all family mobile;
Audi B6 S4 - Like what oastbloke says you have to "tune" your kiddy equipment to fit in the car but good compromose.
Audi B5 RS4 - Despite folks talking about understeer its not *that* bad and I keep bumpting into a bloke at eaytrrack days who kanes his RS4 round quite handily http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=57454#pid Geting old, could be big bills.
Audi C5 S6 - great size & engine, auto, crap handling
Audi C5 RS6 - stupid money and maintenance, auto
Passat W8 - Cheep, good engine but wallows like a bathtub
BMW 540 Touring - Not bad if you like BMWs
Volvo V70R - Just Too big
Merc E55 AMG - Silly money, average handling
Subaru Legacy Estate Spec B - just a little too chav for me
Mondeo ST220 - Get them new for £17k from trade-sales, nearly did this to keep the TVR (even though Ford and FWD) !
Saab 95 HOT estate - Too much money for FWD
Can you get a Cayenne S for £35k ?
etc etc ... needs beer inna boozer to really do this justice ;-)
>> Edited by hbaumhardt on Saturday 3rd December 13:35
Audi B6 S4 - Like what oastbloke says you have to "tune" your kiddy equipment to fit in the car but good compromose.
Audi B5 RS4 - Despite folks talking about understeer its not *that* bad and I keep bumpting into a bloke at eaytrrack days who kanes his RS4 round quite handily http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=57454#pid Geting old, could be big bills.
Audi C5 S6 - great size & engine, auto, crap handling
Audi C5 RS6 - stupid money and maintenance, auto
Passat W8 - Cheep, good engine but wallows like a bathtub
BMW 540 Touring - Not bad if you like BMWs
Volvo V70R - Just Too big
Merc E55 AMG - Silly money, average handling
Subaru Legacy Estate Spec B - just a little too chav for me
Mondeo ST220 - Get them new for £17k from trade-sales, nearly did this to keep the TVR (even though Ford and FWD) !
Saab 95 HOT estate - Too much money for FWD
Can you get a Cayenne S for £35k ?
etc etc ... needs beer inna boozer to really do this justice ;-)
>> Edited by hbaumhardt on Saturday 3rd December 13:35
I got twins and a little 3rd one too. Considering the double buggy if you ever plan to goo for a holiday I'd go for an MPV - which is also fantastic for kids trips when the grands are around.
So wifey drives an Espace (actually a grand's car!) and we're very happy with it. For the work+fun part I had an Elise and now an M3.
M3 is great, has a fantastic engine but its grin factor is zero. I am using it for winter motorway journeys now and it's the right tool for the job.
Unfortunately for you I'd rule it out as it's incapabale of carrying buggy and stuff + family.
>> Edited by edoardo on Sunday 4th December 10:58
So wifey drives an Espace (actually a grand's car!) and we're very happy with it. For the work+fun part I had an Elise and now an M3.
M3 is great, has a fantastic engine but its grin factor is zero. I am using it for winter motorway journeys now and it's the right tool for the job.
Unfortunately for you I'd rule it out as it's incapabale of carrying buggy and stuff + family.
>> Edited by edoardo on Sunday 4th December 10:58
Congratulations on the twins!
Our identical boys are just coming up to 21 months old - you have plenty to look forward to (I'm just not saying plenty of what )
We found a large saloon a necessity, but an estate makes things easier. We didn't find we needed an MPV (we have just the twins) - perhaps one could have made things easier still, but myself and the wife both dislike them.
Don't underestimate the amount of 'stuff' you will have to carry about, at least for the first 12-18 months. Especially if you buy a 'trendy' three-wheeled off-road style double buggy.
We started off with a Volvo 760 saloon, which we could fill if going somewhere for the day (but allowed us to take our own high-chairs). We swapped to an estate version, and have only filled it when going away for a week. We are now thinking we can go back to a large saloon or small estate.
Really don't mean to preach, but I would look at the cars suitability for the family first, and your driving pleasure second. You will be busy enough*, without dealing with a compromised vehicle, and I reckon the sacrifice should only be less than two years, maybe a year.
* Not that I am trying to scare you
Phil
Our identical boys are just coming up to 21 months old - you have plenty to look forward to (I'm just not saying plenty of what
) We found a large saloon a necessity, but an estate makes things easier. We didn't find we needed an MPV (we have just the twins) - perhaps one could have made things easier still, but myself and the wife both dislike them.
Don't underestimate the amount of 'stuff' you will have to carry about, at least for the first 12-18 months. Especially if you buy a 'trendy' three-wheeled off-road style double buggy.
We started off with a Volvo 760 saloon, which we could fill if going somewhere for the day (but allowed us to take our own high-chairs). We swapped to an estate version, and have only filled it when going away for a week. We are now thinking we can go back to a large saloon or small estate.
Really don't mean to preach, but I would look at the cars suitability for the family first, and your driving pleasure second. You will be busy enough*, without dealing with a compromised vehicle, and I reckon the sacrifice should only be less than two years, maybe a year.
* Not that I am trying to scare you
Phil
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