Is a Golf sized car the right choice for a family of 4?
Discussion
Me and my gf don't really think we need a car bigger than a Golf for our main family car (6 yr old and a new born soon), which she will be mainly driving during the week and me at weekends, but loads of other people who have kids reckon we would regret it and should get something like a C-max or a Touran MPV. We did consider a smaller SUV or even a larger 4x4.
My gf will drive any size of car, as long as it is a VW or Audi
Well being fair she would consider other select cars, but it does sort of narrows down the choice.
Oh and the budget will be about £10k.
Thing is, I think I would feel a t
t driving an MPV or SUV if I'm ever on my own or it's just me and her.
So, am I silly being so selfish and will I regret buying a "normal" car?
Cheers .
PS. My parents seemed to do fine carrying me and my bro around in a Vauxhall Viva!
My gf will drive any size of car, as long as it is a VW or Audi
Well being fair she would consider other select cars, but it does sort of narrows down the choice.Oh and the budget will be about £10k.
Thing is, I think I would feel a t
t driving an MPV or SUV if I'm ever on my own or it's just me and her.So, am I silly being so selfish and will I regret buying a "normal" car?
Cheers .
PS. My parents seemed to do fine carrying me and my bro around in a Vauxhall Viva!
Personally i have always felt a good compromise was the Ford Focus or even a Mondeo. Its all a family ever needs. The Focus has a bigger boot then my civic and thats huge (2x double suit case and golf bag big!)
My sister in laws have a C max and a galaxy, they just fill up with crap and have little more space inside. Its only if you need to seat 5+ do they work. Oh and you would get much better MPG out of the car alternatives. If a golf works then stick with it, but buggys and luggage need a comodeous boot....
My sister in laws have a C max and a galaxy, they just fill up with crap and have little more space inside. Its only if you need to seat 5+ do they work. Oh and you would get much better MPG out of the car alternatives. If a golf works then stick with it, but buggys and luggage need a comodeous boot....
We love our VW Touran, there is just me, my wife our baby and the dog. But we often fill it.
The baby seat obviously fills one rear seat, the pram takes half the boot and the dog the other half. Then we have the babies changing bag, food bag and other rubbish we dont need and the car is full!
We looked at various estates and other mpv's but the estates that offered the same internal feeling were the big ones - mondeos, a4's etc. And the other family wagons were a bit tacky inside.
I have to say I dont feel like a tit driving it and so far have been very very happy with it!
However we did get the sport and have it remapped, so its quite sprightly but can still return late 60mpg on motorway trips.
The baby seat obviously fills one rear seat, the pram takes half the boot and the dog the other half. Then we have the babies changing bag, food bag and other rubbish we dont need and the car is full!
We looked at various estates and other mpv's but the estates that offered the same internal feeling were the big ones - mondeos, a4's etc. And the other family wagons were a bit tacky inside.
I have to say I dont feel like a tit driving it and so far have been very very happy with it!
However we did get the sport and have it remapped, so its quite sprightly but can still return late 60mpg on motorway trips.
soad said:
Don't want a saloon then?
Thing is, what I want doesn't matter as much as what she wants!
And she doesn't want an estate or a saloon!
Personally I'd consider a BMW 3 series saloon or estate, but she isn't keen. (My bro has just bought a lovely Alpina D3 - maybe when we get a proper look at that she might be persuaded)
.Edited by Emeye on Sunday 9th May 16:43
Edited by Emeye on Sunday 9th May 16:43
The 'VAG only' thing's really hampering her there as something like a 7-seater Peugeot estate would be ideal - seating for four and plenty of room for luggage most of the time, plus a couple of flip-up seats in the back if the kids wanted to take friends with them.
But this compulsion to buy an MPV or SUV upon the arrival of so much as one child really baffles me. When I 'arrived', my parents belted me up in the back of the same Simca 1100 they had before I was even conceived.
But this compulsion to buy an MPV or SUV upon the arrival of so much as one child really baffles me. When I 'arrived', my parents belted me up in the back of the same Simca 1100 they had before I was even conceived.
mybrainhurts said:
Golf size is fine for plonking about.
Used to get three baby seats in one of these, many moons ago.
And regularly used an Astra with three, around ten years old, including a couple of runs to Geneva.
The only problem with this setup is if you need lots of luggage space.
That Beta Spyder is divine Used to get three baby seats in one of these, many moons ago.
And regularly used an Astra with three, around ten years old, including a couple of runs to Geneva.
The only problem with this setup is if you need lots of luggage space.
The answer is.... it depends.
We have 11 and 8 year olds, and found that as they got to the age of 6/7 we found a 7-seater really useful for family days out with Grandparents, kids' friends etc. With a buggy (when they were smaller) it was essential.
We have had a Galaxy (too big, back seats a pain to remove), Scenics (ugh, plastic) and now a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso which isn't bad apart from the gearbox. Next car will be another C4 with a diesel as the gearbox works better. Second hand they're probably in your range.
We have 11 and 8 year olds, and found that as they got to the age of 6/7 we found a 7-seater really useful for family days out with Grandparents, kids' friends etc. With a buggy (when they were smaller) it was essential.
We have had a Galaxy (too big, back seats a pain to remove), Scenics (ugh, plastic) and now a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso which isn't bad apart from the gearbox. Next car will be another C4 with a diesel as the gearbox works better. Second hand they're probably in your range.
Depends on age and height haha.
Our family cars since I was born have tended to be large though:
Dad's history since passing test in 1981/1982:
knackered Renault 5
Brand new Talbot Solara
Brand new Ford Escort Bravo 1.3
Since I was born in '91:
1991 Vauxhall Cavalier Saloon 1.8i
1993 Citroen XM Estate 1.8i
1995 LandRover Discovery S 7-seat 2.5TDI (300TDI)
1999 Audi A6 Saloon 1.8T
2005 Audi A6 Saloon 2.4
My sister is coming up to 17 and is current 5ft 8 (I think)
I'm 19 and am 6ft 4 (headroom is an issue in saloons
My Mum is 5ft 4
My Dad is 6ft - my sister doesn't have much legroom behind him (stopped him getting an A4 Cabrio/A4 Avant in 2005)
As of next year it'll probably be an Audi A5 Coupe/Cabrio as I've just turned 19, am at Uni, have my own car (03 Reanult Megane) and my Mum has a Golf sized car (2008 Peugeot 308 SE). From 1991 to 2003 she had a new Peugeot 205, then had a 1993 Mazda 323 stop-gap, which I then learned to drive in. We've only recently had a dog (cocker spaniel 2yrs old)
Our family cars since I was born have tended to be large though:
Dad's history since passing test in 1981/1982:
knackered Renault 5
Brand new Talbot Solara
Brand new Ford Escort Bravo 1.3
Since I was born in '91:
1991 Vauxhall Cavalier Saloon 1.8i
1993 Citroen XM Estate 1.8i
1995 LandRover Discovery S 7-seat 2.5TDI (300TDI)
1999 Audi A6 Saloon 1.8T
2005 Audi A6 Saloon 2.4
My sister is coming up to 17 and is current 5ft 8 (I think)
I'm 19 and am 6ft 4 (headroom is an issue in saloons
My Mum is 5ft 4
My Dad is 6ft - my sister doesn't have much legroom behind him (stopped him getting an A4 Cabrio/A4 Avant in 2005)
As of next year it'll probably be an Audi A5 Coupe/Cabrio as I've just turned 19, am at Uni, have my own car (03 Reanult Megane) and my Mum has a Golf sized car (2008 Peugeot 308 SE). From 1991 to 2003 she had a new Peugeot 205, then had a 1993 Mazda 323 stop-gap, which I then learned to drive in. We've only recently had a dog (cocker spaniel 2yrs old)
Edited by Waugh-terfall on Sunday 9th May 17:43
Like others have said the major concern in choosing a car should be that it's got four seats and your push chairs can go in the boot. Don't be swayed by common consensus saying you need an MPV, common consensus is often wrong. I'd recommend taking your pushchairs to a few car showrooms and putting them in the boot, then when they're in there think about your suitcases etc for a family holiday or weekend away.
Oh, and another argument against an MPV is that if it's only ever the four of you, the most space would be out of something like a Volvo V70 estate - it'll drive far better than an MPV and its only downside is that it only fits four or five people. I'd also feel far safer driving kids around in a modern Volvo than some great big wobbly MPV that can't change lanes at speed without you losing control!
Oh, and another argument against an MPV is that if it's only ever the four of you, the most space would be out of something like a Volvo V70 estate - it'll drive far better than an MPV and its only downside is that it only fits four or five people. I'd also feel far safer driving kids around in a modern Volvo than some great big wobbly MPV that can't change lanes at speed without you losing control!
Edited by RobM77 on Sunday 9th May 17:53
we had various skoda estelles when we were kids and 5 of us went on holiday to cornwall in them. Happy days.
Style and driving dynamics aside, I rekon a Citroen Berlingo would be a decent car for lugging child related paraphernalia about. If your car was never in style, it never goes out of style and you can use it for what it is, a car, not a suit.
Style and driving dynamics aside, I rekon a Citroen Berlingo would be a decent car for lugging child related paraphernalia about. If your car was never in style, it never goes out of style and you can use it for what it is, a car, not a suit.
We have both a mk5 Golf and a Focus estate. If it wasn't for our HUGE double pram, the Golf would be just fine (but since one of yours is 6, I assume you don't have one of those). The estate comes in useful if we go camping but otherwise, I'd say you don't need anything bigger than the Golf.
If you feel you simply must get bigger, I'd spend my own money on the Touran.
If you feel you simply must get bigger, I'd spend my own money on the Touran.
My missus went from an a4 to Lexus Rx when our 2nd was born. At the time I wasn't keen but when you start loading prams/buggies/bikes/bags etc it makes sense now. Obviously the size of the thing does mean the kids sit higher up so element of safety involved. Got 2 kids seats in the back and still have room for an adult in the middle. Golf is a great car but spec on the Lexus is fantastic, reverse camera and remote open boot is ideal when carrying kids/shoppping!
We're looking at changing so it's for sale if interested - see here for details
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1658103.htm
We're looking at changing so it's for sale if interested - see here for details
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1658103.htm
Edited by gavin71 on Sunday 9th May 19:14
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