Need a small car for my wife - is the MINI too obvious?
Discussion
Hi All,
I previously posted about my plans for a 2 car garage. I now have a '15 CLS Shooting Brake for weekend work and long trips. However my wife, who is fairly new to driving, is not too happy about taking our 2 1/2 year old to nursery to school in a nearly 5 meter long estate....
Our budget is up to 20k, and I would intend to keep the car for a few years, unless we decide to chop both cars in for a Tesla when we move into our new house in July...
She is in love with the MINI, so I suspect this is what she will end up getting, but I have a few questions:
1. Practicality - there are more options in 3 door guise, as well as the looks element being better (if you like MINIs) but does anyone regularly put small kids in the back of their MINI? We have a smaller car seat we can use (Urban Kanga*) which means he will fit once he is in, I am thinking more about he practicality of him getting in and out. He was ok in my old Mazda 3 in terms of being able to climb into the seat himself, but that was a 5 door.
2. Are there any particular reliability or maintenance issues with any of the models between '15-'18? Would I be better off buying an approved car vs going independent or private?
3. Any other alternatives - I have shown her the 208, Clio and Yaris, but she was not impressed.
Note that the car has to be an Auto, and something reliable. Must haves are heated seats, parking sensors and ideally a reversing camera.
I previously posted about my plans for a 2 car garage. I now have a '15 CLS Shooting Brake for weekend work and long trips. However my wife, who is fairly new to driving, is not too happy about taking our 2 1/2 year old to nursery to school in a nearly 5 meter long estate....
Our budget is up to 20k, and I would intend to keep the car for a few years, unless we decide to chop both cars in for a Tesla when we move into our new house in July...
She is in love with the MINI, so I suspect this is what she will end up getting, but I have a few questions:
1. Practicality - there are more options in 3 door guise, as well as the looks element being better (if you like MINIs) but does anyone regularly put small kids in the back of their MINI? We have a smaller car seat we can use (Urban Kanga*) which means he will fit once he is in, I am thinking more about he practicality of him getting in and out. He was ok in my old Mazda 3 in terms of being able to climb into the seat himself, but that was a 5 door.
2. Are there any particular reliability or maintenance issues with any of the models between '15-'18? Would I be better off buying an approved car vs going independent or private?
3. Any other alternatives - I have shown her the 208, Clio and Yaris, but she was not impressed.
Note that the car has to be an Auto, and something reliable. Must haves are heated seats, parking sensors and ideally a reversing camera.
- I have the full size car seat for longer trips in the Merc
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff