Family Fun car for £4 - £5k

[cbrbiker13]

Ok, I have had many a nice car, and bike for that matter, mainly Japanese, but am expecting twins in April and so currently myself and partner are looking at swapping our GTTDi Golf, we mainly do commuting mileage, about 25 - 50 a day depending on where we are going, the occasional long run, 300 - 400, however if we have no commute generally just use the car for town driving.

Shopping is done online, however a boot would be nice and I reckon my Golf is worth a minimum of £1,500 in part-ex...

So... Can you think of anything else, within budget, which includes the price of the Golf, 4k - 5k MAX, that tops a BMW 330D Sport in a manual, reasonable servicing costs aren't an issue, but we won't do finance, not fans. Equally I've had an EVO before, so whilst it may be a lovely quick car and family friendly, in terms of a boot, I don't want to be servicing every 3,5k. Tyres too go in about the same lol...

Many thanks for all your help and advice, we have looked and looked and can't see anything better than a 330D sport with a remap when we get bored.

THANKS!

[cbrbiker13]

Anyone?

[r7ehw]

Hi,

I love my cars and understand the dilema having had two children now ages 6 and 9. It may appear strange but the time you need the biggest car is when they are the size of a couple of bags of sugar. There is so much stuff to cart around that you really do need space. We bought the car we thought would be great an audi A4 avant back in the day (new) which we thought would be ideal. IT WAS NOT - Too small by far. The other problem with it is there was no rear legroom which is a problem when you come to fit rear facing car seats for the babies in the back and actually had to push the front seats forward which made driving longer distances uncomfortable.

The good news is your choice ie a 3 series is much better for rear leg room but I think you will find it a real challenge. The other thing to bare in mind is that once they hit about 2 you can pretty much ditch the push chairs prams carry cots sterilisers etc and you are then good to go again and a compact estate comes into its own.

Another tip here is that of the mileage, if it isn't too huge go petrol. The BM's offer good consumption even petrol and are at quite a discount to the diesel which still attract very strong money. In your budget you will get a much tidier petrol and lower mileage and less overall wear ie suspension etc. and as an ownwership propersition a cheaper over all cost.

My tip, i am biased as i have one is look at an e39 5 series tourer, or Audi A6. You will hate this but v70 also worth a look but the BMW 5 series is by far the best of the bunch. Go Sport late model 53 plate best you can find.

Trust me the 3 will be too small.

[cbrbiker13]

Thanks very much for the advice! To be honest we do all our shopping online and all our family are local, so when it comes to taking them anywhere it would only be day trips, although I understand the volume of stuff needed as we have spent a fair amount already and I have 2 bedrooms full of baby stuff! It's one of the reasons we were looking at a 330D, currently the Golf is great and would tick all the boxes, it's just we want more luxury, cruise, leather and I want more power, the Golf is good, but it's the slowest car I have ever owned and my reason for the 330D is price vs power. I know what your saying about the petrol, but... Most of my driving is at a constant speed, hence cruise, apart from overtaking, the 330D has LOADS of torque and can't think a petrol would be 200bhp+ WITH the torque and give 35+ MPG...

We have looked at the Volvo and I agree they look good, but my Mrs says no, lol, I'm selling my Fireblade too so essentially have about 5k really as we made the decision to sell it today. Although i'll get about 2-2.5 times that

5 series is bigger than we wanted too, but, I too am concerned about space... Maybe a 330D touring?

[r7ehw]

Well I suggest you take you pram and put it into the back of the 330 tourer.

The decision will be made! As for size cars shrink around you. I had the new x5 - it was (sorry is) massive the first few times you drive it but in no time at all it feels normal. My girlfriend used to take it off shopping as she said it was easier to park than her a4 cab!

Best of luck and hope you enjoy your 330d. think your mind is made up.

[cbrbiker13]

Thanks very much guys, tbh we aren't having a pram, due to the astronomical cost of a twin side by side, the cheapest we could find, bearing in mind it will only get 6 months use, was £600... Too much for me to justify in todays times... However we do have a twin pushchair and yes I know what you are saying lol, it was only so long ago we had an FTO and I was saying don't worry the kids will fit in the back, then we sold it and bought the Golf, the EVO would have been prefect, except running costs lol...

I think you may be right to be honest, perhaps I was hoping someone would turn round and go yes, it's the perfect car, as for the Legacy I think i'll have a look at them, they look like great cars, I just don't know if I could go back to doing 300 miles or less on a tank, as it is, the Golf is good for 500+ depending on driving and I think a 330D would be the same, I only fill up once a month

[Hugo a Gogo]

no advice for the cars, but buy a 2nd hand pram off ebay

[FloppyRaccoon]

Octavia VRS?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3579260.htm

Finding myself strangely drawn to one.

[cbrbiker13]

Hugo a Gogo said:

no advice for the cars, but buy a 2nd hand pram off ebay

LOL, thanks dude, no thanks, not for us, it's cool we have a twin pushchair/pram sorted now, but thanks anyway

[cbrbiker13]

FloppyRaccoon said:

Octavia VRS?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3579260.htm

Finding myself strangely drawn to one.

Yeah I've been looking at these too! AND they do a Diesel decent sized engine... have a friend who had a VRS, was a quick bit of kit... That's a really good example too, I love it, might have a look there... what's the MPG and performance like?

[icepop]

Mazda MPS ?

[blearyeyedboy]

cbrbiker13 said:

Yeah I've been looking at these too! AND they do a Diesel decent sized engine... have a friend who had a VRS, was a quick bit of kit... That's a really good example too, I love it, might have a look there... what's the MPG and performance like?

The hatch will carry more in the boot than a 3 series Touring will. I've had a double mattress in mine. (Moving house, no shennanigans!)

My petrol vRS will do 35mpg on a long run with a gentle right foot, 30-32ish across country with a bit more pace.

Kambites will be along in a minute to tell you about turbo lag but I reckon his is broken! As turbos go, it's pretty good- you do have a slight pause before it kicks in but at about 2000rpm it gives good power delivery.

Just make sure it's had the cambelt done in the price range you're looking at or factor in another £500 or so to get that and the water pump done.

[r7ehw]

Hugo a Gogo said:

no advice for the cars, but buy a 2nd hand pram off ebay

very good call. Gave my £500+ pram away in the end.

[r7ehw]

cbrbiker13 said:

Yeah I've been looking at these too! AND they do a Diesel decent sized engine... have a friend who had a VRS, was a quick bit of kit... That's a really good example too, I love it, might have a look there... what's the MPG and performance like?

Again too small IMHO

My dad has an octavia wagon and its samll in the back. Look at a 4x4 for a coupe of years! You wil actually love it! Promise!!!

[blearyeyedboy]

r7ehw said:

My dad has an octavia wagon and its samll in the back. Look at a 4x4 for a coupe of years! You wil actually love it! Promise!!!

Which Octavia wagon is that? Does it say Favorit on the back?

Joking aside, the Mk2's hatch load bay is flipping huge compared to rivals, and the wagon's rivals many 4x4's. The back seats give the same room as a Golf, which is only a limiter when kids reach 5'10" tall or so. If occasional adult passengers are fussy about the rear legroom, they can walk.

[Chris Peacock]

Snap!....


We have idendical twins inbound in april.

We also have a 3 year old boy, so last week we bought a Honda frv.



6 seats, big boot, but not much in the poke department.......oh well.

[cbrbiker13]

Thanks again for all the help everyone, it's really appreciated. To be honest we don't currently have that much stuff to carry, I know this will change, but I can currently fit the pushchair and extras in the Golf, having done a test run. Space isn't that much of an issue, I know what your all saying, but I also know our lifestyle and we walk in town, everything is within walking distance, and we wouldn't take a travel cot anywhere as we are "the house everyone comes to" if that makes sense?

So in terms of storage, i'm only worried about fitting the pushchair and a few bags, which I know having tested will go in the current Golf or the 330D. We've been out today and i've been driving my Grandma's B-Class Merc all day, it's a 2.0 Diesel has loads of space but I couldn't afford one if I tried, lol

These are the important factors, performance, 5 seats, boot, 35+ MPG, luxury eg leather, heated seats, cruise etc. preferably Diesel. I know what people are saying about needing loads of space.

Once again everyone, thanks for all your help and whoever said MPS, they are out of my budget, by a lot...