Because Estate Car

[AC43]

172 said:

I do wonder why people opt for the non estate version when buying new. Saloons especially are useless

Volvo V70 here, bought an XJR to replace it but cannot bring myself to.

Before kids I always favoured a 2 door coupe over a 4 door saloon - lower, lighter, stiffer. When I had one kid I switched to a 4 door saloon and when the second one came along I went for an estate.

Without the need to transport all manner of clobber all over the place I'd happily go back to a saloon or coupe.

But as I'm off to France soon with 4 bikes on the roof the estate is ideal.

[Pan Pan Pan]

AC43 said:

172 said:

I do wonder why people opt for the non estate version when buying new. Saloons especially are useless

Volvo V70 here, bought an XJR to replace it but cannot bring myself to.

Before kids I always favoured a 2 door coupe over a 4 door saloon - lower, lighter, stiffer. When I had one kid I switched to a 4 door saloon and when the second one came along I went for an estate.

Without the need to transport all manner of clobber all over the place I'd happily go back to a saloon or coupe.

But as I'm off to France soon with 4 bikes on the roof the estate is ideal.

I suspect this is the dilemma for people, who for whichever reason, can only really have one car. Choosing one which will tick all the boxes is again I suspect more difficult than might be thought.
My brothers, and sister have non estates, and I often get called on by them, to help them shift large or bulky loads, or even moving a number people `with' their luggage around, where their cars just would not accommodate both at the same time. With the estate, the rear can be filled to the roof, but still leaves, the passenger interior of the car as standard.

[RESSE]

Our first estate car (after a dreadful ownership 'experience' with a L320 Range Rover Sport ).

It is a 2010 C350 model - comfortable, quiet and a very pleasant place to sit on long trips - the recent addition of a roof box will help with all the stuff we take (off to Spain in a couple of weeks (1,300 miles)).

It is the first estate I have owned and I cannot think of a saloon version I would prefer over the practicality of the estate.

Edited by RESSE on Sunday 8th December 23:04

[nobrakes]

Pan Pan Pan said:

AC43 said:

172 said:

I do wonder why people opt for the non estate version when buying new. Saloons especially are useless

Volvo V70 here, bought an XJR to replace it but cannot bring myself to.

Before kids I always favoured a 2 door coupe over a 4 door saloon - lower, lighter, stiffer. When I had one kid I switched to a 4 door saloon and when the second one came along I went for an estate.

Without the need to transport all manner of clobber all over the place I'd happily go back to a saloon or coupe.

But as I'm off to France soon with 4 bikes on the roof the estate is ideal.

I suspect this is the dilemma for people, who for whichever reason, can only really have one car. Choosing one which will tick all the boxes is again I suspect more difficult than might be thought.
My brothers, and sister have non estates, and I often get called on by them, to help them shift large or bulky loads, or even moving a number people `with' their luggage around, where their cars just would not accommodate both at the same time. With the estate, the rear can be filled to the roof, but still leaves, the passenger interior of the car as standard.

Next time you help out, you can always cough Hertz cough Hire cough Vans cough...

I wish they made an A8 estate or S class estate.

Sure you can always buy one and hire a van / buy a roof box when necessary, but it’s just not as satisfying as being able to do everything yourself.

[giblet]

RESSE said:

Our first estate car (after a dreadful ownership 'experience' with a L320 Range Rover Sport ).

It is a 2010 C350 model - comfortable, quiet and a very pleasant place to sit on long trips - the recent addition of a roof box will help with all the stuff we take (off to Spain in a couple of weeks (1,300 miles)).

It is the first estate I have owned and I cannot think of a saloon version I would prefer over the practicality of the estate.

Really like the W204 estate. The C63 is on my wish list as a replacement for my 9-3 estate. If only I didn't have to save for a ruddy house

[gizlaroc]

RESSE said:

off to Spain in a couple of weeks (1,300 miles).

It is getting pretty expensive to drive there now.

Even doing 38mpg I worked out it was around £1200 including tunnel and a hotel for a night each way.

Being 3 of us, even during summer holidays it is cheaper to fly and hire a car and have another couple of nights away.
Out of season it is so much cheaper to fly.

Used to drive down all the time to St Tropez and around there. Leave at 8am and be there late that night, 1000 miles door to door. It is nice to have your car there.

[Pan Pan Pan]

nobrakes said:

Pan Pan Pan said:

AC43 said:

172 said:

I do wonder why people opt for the non estate version when buying new. Saloons especially are useless

Volvo V70 here, bought an XJR to replace it but cannot bring myself to.

Before kids I always favoured a 2 door coupe over a 4 door saloon - lower, lighter, stiffer. When I had one kid I switched to a 4 door saloon and when the second one came along I went for an estate.

Without the need to transport all manner of clobber all over the place I'd happily go back to a saloon or coupe.

But as I'm off to France soon with 4 bikes on the roof the estate is ideal.

I suspect this is the dilemma for people, who for whichever reason, can only really have one car. Choosing one which will tick all the boxes is again I suspect more difficult than might be thought.
My brothers, and sister have non estates, and I often get called on by them, to help them shift large or bulky loads, or even moving a number people `with' their luggage around, where their cars just would not accommodate both at the same time. With the estate, the rear can be filled to the roof, but still leaves, the passenger interior of the car as standard.

Next time you help out, you can always cough Hertz cough Hire cough Vans cough...

I wish they made an A8 estate or S class estate.

Sure you can always buy one and hire a van / buy a roof box when necessary, but it’s just not as satisfying as being able to do everything yourself.

I could, but I always get at the very least a really nice dinner, or a free holiday out of it, which I don't think cough Hertz. Cough hire offer at the mo

[172]

My neighbour with a 5 series and a Passat asked to borrow my estate.

I can understand someone opting for a fiesta due to size running cost ect but there is no advantage in running a saloon version over the estate.

The difference in fuel/handling/cost/parking are microscopic

[Dog Star]

Since 1994 ive always had a 2 seater as a main car til 2016 when I went to an E class coupé, then I just thought how useful could an estate be and how cool they look.

Got this beast due to the lease thread on PH for notalot- it’s ace!

[Fastdruid]

Dog Star said:

Since 1994 ive always had a 2 seater as a main car til 2016 when I went to an E class coupé, then I just thought how useful could an estate be and how cool they look.

Got this beast due to the lease thread on PH for notalot- it’s ace!

It's bloody gargantuan that's what it is. I thought the Mondeo Estate had a big boot until I saw the size of yours!

[eltax91]

I guess this is a byproduct of the SUV and MPV revolution. However, how hard is it to find an estate?!

My current accord has throw the CEL today and of course, as it languishes there getting evils from me for daring to let me down, I’ve hit the classifieds to check the market.

I want petrol, auto, heated leather, air con and cruise. Anything else a bonus, even reliability. I’d prefer jap or German but as long as it’s not French I’m Not that bothered.

6 years ago the accord was £6k and 5 years old. I had a fair bit of choice.

Now, petrol and auto within 5 years old seems to be rare as hens teeth for that budget. Unless I’m just not doing it right?!

[hyphen]

'hit the classifieds'.... you don't mean PH classifieds do you?

It's not the biggest player, ebay, autotrader etc

But yes, auto petrols will be in much smaller numbers than auto diesels on the used car market as that's whats sold more over the last decade or more.

[iacabu]

Another 9-5 Aero here, although just recently sold.

I managed to fill the rest of the boot with fuel tanks and stuff for a weekend away.

It has to be said, when I sold the ski it slid into a B5 Passat Estate much easier.

[AC43]

Pan Pan Pan said:

AC43 said:

172 said:

I do wonder why people opt for the non estate version when buying new. Saloons especially are useless

Volvo V70 here, bought an XJR to replace it but cannot bring myself to.

Before kids I always favoured a 2 door coupe over a 4 door saloon - lower, lighter, stiffer. When I had one kid I switched to a 4 door saloon and when the second one came along I went for an estate.

Without the need to transport all manner of clobber all over the place I'd happily go back to a saloon or coupe.

But as I'm off to France soon with 4 bikes on the roof the estate is ideal.

I suspect this is the dilemma for people, who for whichever reason, can only really have one car. Choosing one which will tick all the boxes is again I suspect more difficult than might be thought.
My brothers, and sister have non estates, and I often get called on by them, to help them shift large or bulky loads, or even moving a number people `with' their luggage around, where their cars just would not accommodate both at the same time. With the estate, the rear can be filled to the roof, but still leaves, the passenger interior of the car as standard.

Most of my inlaws have two cars. Usually some combo of a smaller one and a larger one - the latter for kids/dogs/bikes/camping etc. And they usually go for some form of MPV or SUV for that but they're not petrolheads in any way.

My only real petrolhead BIL takes the family away in his XK8. It's a bit of a squash but's it's got a V8 :-)

I've got two cars. A small petrol runabout for city duties and my E Class estate for everything else.

It depends on your priorities but in my book the estate can be a good compromise between the need for space, the fun of having a large engine and handling that's less compromised that that of the alternatives.

[Onehp]

MPV? Fine. Sharan and S-Max pretty good to drive too.

But not that good, they do a poor impression of a Hot Hatch Estate, which in turn do a pretty good impression anything that is interesting to drive on a B road...

[hyphen]

172 said:

I do wonder why people opt for the non estate version when buying new. Saloons especially are useless

Volvo V70 here, bought an XJR to replace it but cannot bring myself to.

Saloons will be quieter than estates you would think? So less road noise if you are doing higher mileage. Plus image.

[AllyBassman]

Joe5y said:

C350cdi with a map making it fast and fun. Sadly the throttle response (or lack of) is becoming unbearable and I’m testing other cars.

Are you sure there is not an issue with the E throttle/Pedal?

I have the same C350 cdi estate as yourself and find the throttle response fine.

Also, how do you find the map? It's on the list of things to do......

[Adrian E]

eltax91 said:

I guess this is a byproduct of the SUV and MPV revolution. However, how hard is it to find an estate?!

My current accord has throw the CEL today and of course, as it languishes there getting evils from me for daring to let me down, I’ve hit the classifieds to check the market.

I want petrol, auto, heated leather, air con and cruise. Anything else a bonus, even reliability. I’d prefer jap or German but as long as it’s not French I’m Not that bothered.

6 years ago the accord was £6k and 5 years old. I had a fair bit of choice.

Now, petrol and auto within 5 years old seems to be rare as hens teeth for that budget. Unless I’m just not doing it right?!

I suspect for petrol and auto you'll be limited to the non-lease/company car choices - an Audi S4 will cover it (buy the 2012 facelift for better economy) as you'll find next to nothing in the way of A4 avants that aren't front wheel drive manual diseasals. You might find an A6 3.0t (same engine as S4 in slightly lower state of tune) but they're rare. Possibly a BMW, but for Merc probably nothing short of an AMG version won't be diesel.

Jag worth a look? Quite a few about.....

[Gerradi]

Johnspex said:

Surely that would be grip not traction.

Yes & no really.. whether loss of traction or grip (both) she was very lucky indeed.

[Gerradi]

craig_m67 said:

Shirley that would be exceeding ones experience... bit rich to blame the car

Why have you written Shirley ?