New Dad in London - do I give up on the sports car?
Discussion
Chaps - this isn't a "what car" question, so let's not get it transferred to the What Car forum by making hopelessly impractical suggestions for how I am to convey my forthcoming spawn about the place.
It's more a genuine question as to what kind of car I need. I should set out the facts.
I currently run two classics, a beater and a sports car. The beater stands me in at nothing, but is not really safe and has no Isofix, so wife does not want it for baby purposes. The classics never get used, and in fact I shall probably sell the Mercedes as frankly, despite only having had it for a year, it is sitting idle and whilst in almost perfect nick, will deteriorate if unused. Saab lives in Surrey at my Mum’s and is stored during the winter. So take the Saab and Merc out of this equation.
This leaves my 2007 4.3 V8 Vantage. I am loath to sell it – it is a good one, and I have just replaced the suspension and brakes. It is a lovely thing to own and drive. But the question really is – how often will I use a two seater sports car once I have a baby, given that I live in London?
1) Frankly most driving will be short runs to nursery when wife is off maternity leave. This has left me worried that a performance car will be problematic with such useage – probably not the best use of a 2007 Aston. Now I know things like the VAG TFSI engines route exhaust gases through the block for fast warm-up, and are probably better suited to this sort of running than the old tech V8 in the Vantage. Also, wife does not like driving the Aston, and definitely not with a baby in the front seat.
2) I don’t drive at the weekend apart from short runs, and don’t drive during the week at all. The only likely trips will be to see my mother in Surrey, in which case I will need something that can take Lady F, Baby F and myself + kit, or longer trips out of London to see friends (same issue).
The obvious solution is to buy a Nissan Leaf or similar and keep the Aston. But whilst that means super-cheap running costs on the main car, to my way of thinking the Aston will never get used at all then, and still of course need taxing and maintenance: so I am still paying for an expensive car. Also, the thought of doing the only driving I will ever do in a Nissan Leaf or similar makes me sad.
I was genuinely thinking that something like an RS6 Avant, whilst they are still legal, would just be a better solution, instead of the Vantage. The problem is of course swapping a non-depreciating car (AMV8) for a depreciating one (RS6 etc) – because whatever I buy will need to be newish and reliable, not older and prone to expensive failure. But this still seems better than running two cars when one will never get used, and the other will be a lease or depreciating asset anyway (Nissan Leaf).
So, to you Dads out there – is a two-seater car totally useless with a newborn? And can modern performance cars cope with lots of short runs in town (they must do as there’s thousands of them driving around London, right?)
Also, given that you are not going to be driving on the doorhandles, do you actually use a performance family car at all?
I suspect I know what the answers will be...
It's more a genuine question as to what kind of car I need. I should set out the facts.
I currently run two classics, a beater and a sports car. The beater stands me in at nothing, but is not really safe and has no Isofix, so wife does not want it for baby purposes. The classics never get used, and in fact I shall probably sell the Mercedes as frankly, despite only having had it for a year, it is sitting idle and whilst in almost perfect nick, will deteriorate if unused. Saab lives in Surrey at my Mum’s and is stored during the winter. So take the Saab and Merc out of this equation.
This leaves my 2007 4.3 V8 Vantage. I am loath to sell it – it is a good one, and I have just replaced the suspension and brakes. It is a lovely thing to own and drive. But the question really is – how often will I use a two seater sports car once I have a baby, given that I live in London?
1) Frankly most driving will be short runs to nursery when wife is off maternity leave. This has left me worried that a performance car will be problematic with such useage – probably not the best use of a 2007 Aston. Now I know things like the VAG TFSI engines route exhaust gases through the block for fast warm-up, and are probably better suited to this sort of running than the old tech V8 in the Vantage. Also, wife does not like driving the Aston, and definitely not with a baby in the front seat.
2) I don’t drive at the weekend apart from short runs, and don’t drive during the week at all. The only likely trips will be to see my mother in Surrey, in which case I will need something that can take Lady F, Baby F and myself + kit, or longer trips out of London to see friends (same issue).
The obvious solution is to buy a Nissan Leaf or similar and keep the Aston. But whilst that means super-cheap running costs on the main car, to my way of thinking the Aston will never get used at all then, and still of course need taxing and maintenance: so I am still paying for an expensive car. Also, the thought of doing the only driving I will ever do in a Nissan Leaf or similar makes me sad.
I was genuinely thinking that something like an RS6 Avant, whilst they are still legal, would just be a better solution, instead of the Vantage. The problem is of course swapping a non-depreciating car (AMV8) for a depreciating one (RS6 etc) – because whatever I buy will need to be newish and reliable, not older and prone to expensive failure. But this still seems better than running two cars when one will never get used, and the other will be a lease or depreciating asset anyway (Nissan Leaf).
So, to you Dads out there – is a two-seater car totally useless with a newborn? And can modern performance cars cope with lots of short runs in town (they must do as there’s thousands of them driving around London, right?)
Also, given that you are not going to be driving on the doorhandles, do you actually use a performance family car at all?
I suspect I know what the answers will be...
Edited by Harry Flashman on Thursday 24th May 14:41
As a new Dad, in my experience a 2-seater will be less than useless. You need at least 3 seats for people, and probably a bit more for 'stuff' (children come with a lot of 'stuff'). Ideally, the everyday car will have 4 doors but I think that is a bit more subjective.
I'm eyeing up an impreza wagon when my company car goes back.
I'm eyeing up an impreza wagon when my company car goes back.
Id sell it as you are keeping the classics
With one kid I found you still get a bit of spare time once they are past a few months , its good to have something to get into to relieve the stress of kids!
Ive also had unpractical small cars with kids , I used to have a W124 coupe as an only car, I now have a glorified van and a bigger car is so much easier and less hassle . I just throw a the pram in the back now fully upright and put together, with my last car I had to dismantle it and even take the wheels off
Ive found isofx helpful , lots dont though
With one kid I found you still get a bit of spare time once they are past a few months , its good to have something to get into to relieve the stress of kids!
Ive also had unpractical small cars with kids , I used to have a W124 coupe as an only car, I now have a glorified van and a bigger car is so much easier and less hassle . I just throw a the pram in the back now fully upright and put together, with my last car I had to dismantle it and even take the wheels off
Ive found isofx helpful , lots dont though
Keep the SAAB as is - winter snotter/let it go, you’re not using it particularly anyway.
Migrate the AM to Ma’s & sorn it over winter. You can tax it for 6months over summer & enjoy the occasional drive while not losing much money (if any, & still owning it).
Sell the merc (to me!
ulterior motive in posting *), & buy a 2yr old ecoboost focus estate (or whatever brand of vanilla small estate floats your boat) & use that for the city grind.
It might not be an appealing solution, but IMO it’s the most practical & also keeps you with a car you love for high days & holidays.
*If I hadn’t bought the SL at the start of the month I’d be interested - your 124 is undoubtedly a lovely car, but not right now for me. I’d put good money that if you promote it on the 1-5 barge thread, it’ll go à toute vitesse.
Migrate the AM to Ma’s & sorn it over winter. You can tax it for 6months over summer & enjoy the occasional drive while not losing much money (if any, & still owning it).
Sell the merc (to me!
ulterior motive in posting *), & buy a 2yr old ecoboost focus estate (or whatever brand of vanilla small estate floats your boat) & use that for the city grind.It might not be an appealing solution, but IMO it’s the most practical & also keeps you with a car you love for high days & holidays.
*If I hadn’t bought the SL at the start of the month I’d be interested - your 124 is undoubtedly a lovely car, but not right now for me. I’d put good money that if you promote it on the 1-5 barge thread, it’ll go à toute vitesse.
Keep it Harry.
I am 2 years ahead of you and looking for a V8V!
Im looking forward to taking my lad out in it on the weekend. The missus will probably be happy for the break!
I do however have two estates aswell for boring stuff and live a bit further out with probably more opportunities to take it out for a blast.
I am 2 years ahead of you and looking for a V8V!
Im looking forward to taking my lad out in it on the weekend. The missus will probably be happy for the break!
I do however have two estates aswell for boring stuff and live a bit further out with probably more opportunities to take it out for a blast.
Edited by p1stonhead on Thursday 24th May 15:04
Firstly, congratulations on becoming a dad!
Sadly, the sports car for family use is just not going to work. When you go out as a family you will need space for:
You
Your wife
Your baby
The car seat
The pram
Nappies
Wipes
Changes of clothes (for you and the baby - just trust me on this one...)
Potentially bottles for milk
ETC ETC ETC
SO, whilst you could conceivably keep the Aston for nursery runs, it simply won't fit all of the stuff above.
But, more importantly, much, MUCH more importantly.....your baby will become a toddler. Toddlers are evil (I have one).
They will decimate the interior of your chosen car. Footprints everywhere, snacks everywhere, mud from their puddle-splashing wellies everywhere, not to mention the scooter, balance bike, dolls and musical instruments that will accompany you everywhere.
Now, please don't misunderstand me, I love our little one very much, I have simply accepted that until she hits about 8-10yrs old, my car will suffer! So, save yourself the heartache, get yourself into an estate with wipe clean seats!
Depending on what size you want, considering you're in London, I'd recommend either the 335i tourer or (seriously) a Skoda. The Fabia is that little bit smaller again, so good for parking etc and your wife will probably be more confident driving it if she hasn't driven an estate before.
I've got a bloody labrador, a 2 year old and a pregnant wife - its too late for me, I'm in a Skoda Superb!
Sadly, the sports car for family use is just not going to work. When you go out as a family you will need space for:
You
Your wife
Your baby
The car seat
The pram
Nappies
Wipes
Changes of clothes (for you and the baby - just trust me on this one...)
Potentially bottles for milk
ETC ETC ETC
SO, whilst you could conceivably keep the Aston for nursery runs, it simply won't fit all of the stuff above.
But, more importantly, much, MUCH more importantly.....your baby will become a toddler. Toddlers are evil (I have one).
They will decimate the interior of your chosen car. Footprints everywhere, snacks everywhere, mud from their puddle-splashing wellies everywhere, not to mention the scooter, balance bike, dolls and musical instruments that will accompany you everywhere.
Now, please don't misunderstand me, I love our little one very much, I have simply accepted that until she hits about 8-10yrs old, my car will suffer! So, save yourself the heartache, get yourself into an estate with wipe clean seats!
Depending on what size you want, considering you're in London, I'd recommend either the 335i tourer or (seriously) a Skoda. The Fabia is that little bit smaller again, so good for parking etc and your wife will probably be more confident driving it if she hasn't driven an estate before.
I've got a bloody labrador, a 2 year old and a pregnant wife - its too late for me, I'm in a Skoda Superb!
Harry Flashman said:
The obvious solution is to buy a Nissan Leaf or similar and keep the Aston.
I was thinking that as I was reading. Perfect around-town runabout, will do some of the longer runs too - charging en route is less of an issue as with kids you end up stopping lots anyway. Auto, quiet, refined, torquey - just perfect for traffic and city streets. We have a Golf GTE and I like it even more than I thought I would for all the nursery runs and city grind, plus you can conveniently go further on petrol when needed. And that's after two decent city-friendly "performance" cars (M135i & Golf R estate).ISOFIX less of an issue. Belted car seats are perfectly safe, they just require more careful fitting as they're easier to get wrong. Plus ISOFIX is only for when they're babies - the weight limit means you have to go to belted seats past Group 1 anyway.
Realistically, when would you use the AM? I have a motorbike languishing in the garage, where most of the mileage since my first child was born has been trips to the MOT station. It barely costs me anything to insure and isn't depreciating so I keep it for now but I just don't find I have the time and when I do, there's other things I'd rather be getting on with. Maybe I'll get back into it, maybe not.
If you can afford to keep it, maybe move that out to Surrey and use it when you can for fun.
No.
'Dad adventures' where you leave Mum behind will be more exciting for both you and the child if it is in a special car (and with all the bhp in the world an RS6 is not 'special'). You will find that driving to a duck pond or whatever becomes a lot more appealing, even if you never get above 35mph.
'Dad adventures' where you leave Mum behind will be more exciting for both you and the child if it is in a special car (and with all the bhp in the world an RS6 is not 'special'). You will find that driving to a duck pond or whatever becomes a lot more appealing, even if you never get above 35mph.
migrate aston to parents
take a serious look at a PHEV or EV car for london
the mayors proposals for transport policy in london (from 2020?) are about as anti car as they can be stopping short of actually banning them
tesla x 100D should be fine for london life with a family and confuse the hell out of ecomentalists, its a green car, its faster than a lambo ??? lol
take a serious look at a PHEV or EV car for london
the mayors proposals for transport policy in london (from 2020?) are about as anti car as they can be stopping short of actually banning them
tesla x 100D should be fine for london life with a family and confuse the hell out of ecomentalists, its a green car, its faster than a lambo ??? lol
My two are 9 and 6 years old and we've ended up a 3 car family. We have a Subaru Forester for the whole family plus tackle. We have a Fiesta ST for me to get to work in (it can at least fit all 4 of us). Whilst I have a Lotus Exige which hardly gets driven because only I can realistically go out in it (my two sons fight over who gets a ride in it).
Having a family car and a 2 seater is the same as being a one car family if you have more than one child.
So it's up to you really. When I had only one child it wasn't too bad. If my wife was out I could still use my Exige to transport me and my son around. When the second boy came along all bets were off. When my Mrs was out I was reduced to a push chair and a buggy board.
The only reason I haven't sold the Exige is because I don't need the cash, it's slowly creeping up in value and the price of re-entry in a few years time will probably be ruinous.
Having a family car and a 2 seater is the same as being a one car family if you have more than one child.
So it's up to you really. When I had only one child it wasn't too bad. If my wife was out I could still use my Exige to transport me and my son around. When the second boy came along all bets were off. When my Mrs was out I was reduced to a push chair and a buggy board.
The only reason I haven't sold the Exige is because I don't need the cash, it's slowly creeping up in value and the price of re-entry in a few years time will probably be ruinous.
If you do have to sell the Aston, you could consider paying a yearly membership to join one of those clubs that has a selection of nice cars on offer and an allocation of 'points' per year, which you can use to pick and choose from the cars when you know you have a weekend away or something fun to do.
Would give you some fun/variety/escape/sanity, with 'fixed cost ownership' over the year.
Would give you some fun/variety/escape/sanity, with 'fixed cost ownership' over the year.
Hmm. Thanks chaps. Lots of musing to be done. I can't really see when I would leave wife and home and take child anywhere, but the best option now seems to be to wait and see how things turn out during her maternity leave...
The major problem with the Aston is that is a very expensive thing to keep if you want to keep the full Aston Service history, and also is a little vulnerable to lack of use. Something like an R8 V10 is actually a far better car to own as an occasional/leave unused for months toy, due to lower running costs and greater robustness..
The major problem with the Aston is that is a very expensive thing to keep if you want to keep the full Aston Service history, and also is a little vulnerable to lack of use. Something like an R8 V10 is actually a far better car to own as an occasional/leave unused for months toy, due to lower running costs and greater robustness..
RSTurboPaul said:
If you do have to sell the Aston, you could consider paying a yearly membership to join one of those clubs that has a selection of nice cars on offer and an allocation of 'points' per year, which you can use to pick and choose from the cars when you know you have a weekend away or something fun to do.
Would give you some fun/variety/escape/sanity, with 'fixed cost ownership' over the year.
Definitely an option. Would give you some fun/variety/escape/sanity, with 'fixed cost ownership' over the year.
I'm not speaking from first hand experience here, so please take with a pinch of salt but I am going to be a married man in the next two months so have been doing some forward planning as my fiancee needs a new car and we'd like to buy something that's as future proof as possible.
From what you've said it sounds like the majority of your driving will be with the whole family on board, so an RS6 might be excessive as realistically you won't be using all the power with your wife and newborn on board. On that basis I would consult the wife and buy something she is happy to drive and get something with enough space that will suit you as a family. Any modern estate/4x4 type car like 3 series, A4, Skoda etc etc.
I would then also keep the Aston and flog the Merc and Saab just to remove hassle. That way you have a daily wagon for the duties that's economical and not too expensive that suits the family needs and you have your pride and joy for those special occasions. After the baby is born it'll be very important to take time and spend time with just your wife so you can take her out to dinner etc. and make the Aston the special occasion car making it less of 'your' car and more as a treat for both of you to have some time away from parenting duties, even if just for the evening.
Using your Aston less regularly will make it more special for the occasions when you do use it and the higher running costs should be somewhat offset by the low depreciation. Also worst case scenario if you decide it isn't working out you can then sell the Aston but at least you won't have the regret of selling it and later wishing you didn't.
From what you've said it sounds like the majority of your driving will be with the whole family on board, so an RS6 might be excessive as realistically you won't be using all the power with your wife and newborn on board. On that basis I would consult the wife and buy something she is happy to drive and get something with enough space that will suit you as a family. Any modern estate/4x4 type car like 3 series, A4, Skoda etc etc.
I would then also keep the Aston and flog the Merc and Saab just to remove hassle. That way you have a daily wagon for the duties that's economical and not too expensive that suits the family needs and you have your pride and joy for those special occasions. After the baby is born it'll be very important to take time and spend time with just your wife so you can take her out to dinner etc. and make the Aston the special occasion car making it less of 'your' car and more as a treat for both of you to have some time away from parenting duties, even if just for the evening.
Using your Aston less regularly will make it more special for the occasions when you do use it and the higher running costs should be somewhat offset by the low depreciation. Also worst case scenario if you decide it isn't working out you can then sell the Aston but at least you won't have the regret of selling it and later wishing you didn't.
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