Family "grand tourer" on the cheap?
Discussion
As we're planning on having a child in not too distant future, I'm planning on getting a car that would be OK during short journeys around town, and also capable of travelling in comfort at motorway speeds. I'm thinking 320d Touring, is there anything else I should consider? I have 10K to spend.
TIA,
Michal
TIA,
Michal
Edited by MichalPH on Thursday 3rd April 17:05
Never, ever underestimate the amount of clobber a baby / young person 'needs'.
In their early months, you've the pushchair / buggy, high-chair or foldable equivalent, changing bag, playmat, clothes, toys....
In my view, the 3 Series is too small. There's not enough rear seat space once their legs get longer and, if you're tall, the rear-facing baby seat eats into how far the front seats move rearward. And the boot isn't terribly large either.
We had a Saab 9000 and that was great. Find one now, though...
A Mercedes E-Class estate replaced that. Big, but so easy to park and has a black cab turning circle. Great on long trips, as you'd expect.
If you like BMW's, then why not a 5 Series estate? Loads more room and I reckon you'll get far more for your money.
I suspect you'll be wanting good fuel economy if your choice is a diesel? I also suspect your annual mileage isn't going to be terribly high. Petrol. Please. You should get a lovely engine for your budget and the long trips where you'll notice it will be marginal at best against the diesel.
In their early months, you've the pushchair / buggy, high-chair or foldable equivalent, changing bag, playmat, clothes, toys....
In my view, the 3 Series is too small. There's not enough rear seat space once their legs get longer and, if you're tall, the rear-facing baby seat eats into how far the front seats move rearward. And the boot isn't terribly large either.
We had a Saab 9000 and that was great. Find one now, though...
A Mercedes E-Class estate replaced that. Big, but so easy to park and has a black cab turning circle. Great on long trips, as you'd expect.
If you like BMW's, then why not a 5 Series estate? Loads more room and I reckon you'll get far more for your money.
I suspect you'll be wanting good fuel economy if your choice is a diesel? I also suspect your annual mileage isn't going to be terribly high. Petrol. Please. You should get a lovely engine for your budget and the long trips where you'll notice it will be marginal at best against the diesel.
Here are some thoughts on my experience of cars & kids:
We managed fine with our 3 series convertible with 1 child, and for a fair while with 2. The boot on an e46 cabrio is pretty large - compared to its hard roofed descendents - and would fit buggy (double icandy peach) and luggage without much problem, and isofix seats in the back meant we could travel around with the kids both slotted safely into their maxi cosis without much drama.
However, when they both got big enough for us to go camping, and drive to the South of France we wanted something bigger to fit all the camping gear in. We also use a Thule roof bag and bars when we are taking a lot of gear with us, although not on long journeys as we try to cram everything into the back of the car as a roofbox hits your MPG (losign at least 10mpg) on a long run - this is important if you think you can just extend upwards when you have a small car and a lot of gear on big journeys; we were considering a four door golf GTI which would have been great fun for the first couple of years, but tight packing the car up and Mrs P really didn't want a roofbox whenever we visited her mum in Dorset for the weekend.
We settled on a used A6 avant, which we all love. It's a manual a 2.7 diesel has a good mix of poke and economy, and comfort, (twin turbo v6 brrm brrm!), and swallows a lot of stuff.
I bought our one for about £12k on just over 50k miles two years ago, but similar can be found for £8-10k now, especially if you go for one of the more recent 2.0d engines which have similar power but better economy and much cheaper tax. Its a lot of car for the price. It's also great to going to the tip, carrying big stuff around, a very useful thing indeed especially when used to just having a convertible.
I wasn't so keen on the 3 series or the A4 - these just seemed cramped in the back (kids kicking your back when driving is particularly annoying) and the boots are not "that" big. Friends who had them seemed very easy to fill up with baby accessories.
I would have fancied a 5 series but these seemesd a bit more for the money and what I could have got in the equivalent a6.
An A6 is a big car, but we've never had issues in town, you just get used to it parking and driving around, and it's certainly not the biggest car out there compared to some of the SUVs and people carriers mentioned above. I quite fancy another one when this one needs to be replaced, but i'll have a look at the 5 series and E class (7 seats to take the kids and their mates/cousins) too as the later editions are looking good.
We managed fine with our 3 series convertible with 1 child, and for a fair while with 2. The boot on an e46 cabrio is pretty large - compared to its hard roofed descendents - and would fit buggy (double icandy peach) and luggage without much problem, and isofix seats in the back meant we could travel around with the kids both slotted safely into their maxi cosis without much drama.
However, when they both got big enough for us to go camping, and drive to the South of France we wanted something bigger to fit all the camping gear in. We also use a Thule roof bag and bars when we are taking a lot of gear with us, although not on long journeys as we try to cram everything into the back of the car as a roofbox hits your MPG (losign at least 10mpg) on a long run - this is important if you think you can just extend upwards when you have a small car and a lot of gear on big journeys; we were considering a four door golf GTI which would have been great fun for the first couple of years, but tight packing the car up and Mrs P really didn't want a roofbox whenever we visited her mum in Dorset for the weekend.
We settled on a used A6 avant, which we all love. It's a manual a 2.7 diesel has a good mix of poke and economy, and comfort, (twin turbo v6 brrm brrm!), and swallows a lot of stuff.
I bought our one for about £12k on just over 50k miles two years ago, but similar can be found for £8-10k now, especially if you go for one of the more recent 2.0d engines which have similar power but better economy and much cheaper tax. Its a lot of car for the price. It's also great to going to the tip, carrying big stuff around, a very useful thing indeed especially when used to just having a convertible.
I wasn't so keen on the 3 series or the A4 - these just seemed cramped in the back (kids kicking your back when driving is particularly annoying) and the boots are not "that" big. Friends who had them seemed very easy to fill up with baby accessories.
I would have fancied a 5 series but these seemesd a bit more for the money and what I could have got in the equivalent a6.
An A6 is a big car, but we've never had issues in town, you just get used to it parking and driving around, and it's certainly not the biggest car out there compared to some of the SUVs and people carriers mentioned above. I quite fancy another one when this one needs to be replaced, but i'll have a look at the 5 series and E class (7 seats to take the kids and their mates/cousins) too as the later editions are looking good.
Edited by prand on Thursday 3rd April 17:06
We get about 30-32mpg from our 2.0 Mk IV Mondeo (trouble-free since new in May 2009) which has a vast boot for prams, pushchairs, bikes, scooters etc. An estae would be even better for rearward visibility but possibly less secure.
Petrol is cheaper than diesel and cheaper to service so don't get sucked in by the devil's own fuel.
Has all you need really (bar manual windows in the back on our Edge version) including cruise control.
Petrol is cheaper than diesel and cheaper to service so don't get sucked in by the devil's own fuel.
Has all you need really (bar manual windows in the back on our Edge version) including cruise control.
Simes110 said:
Never, ever underestimate the amount of clobber a baby / young person 'needs'.
In their early months, you've the pushchair / buggy, high-chair or foldable equivalent, changing bag, playmat, clothes, toys....
In my view, the 3 Series is too small. There's not enough rear seat space once their legs get longer and, if you're tall, the rear-facing baby seat eats into how far the front seats move rearward. And the boot isn't terribly large either.
We had a Saab 9000 and that was great. Find one now, though...
A Mercedes E-Class estate replaced that. Big, but so easy to park and has a black cab turning circle. Great on long trips, as you'd expect.
If you like BMW's, then why not a 5 Series estate? Loads more room and I reckon you'll get far more for your money.
I suspect you'll be wanting good fuel economy if your choice is a diesel? I also suspect your annual mileage isn't going to be terribly high. Petrol. Please. You should get a lovely engine for your budget and the long trips where you'll notice it will be marginal at best against the diesel.
We got everything our (at the time) 6 week old daughter needed for a week away, pram, etc in the boot of our mk5 Golf. You don't need a massive car.In their early months, you've the pushchair / buggy, high-chair or foldable equivalent, changing bag, playmat, clothes, toys....
In my view, the 3 Series is too small. There's not enough rear seat space once their legs get longer and, if you're tall, the rear-facing baby seat eats into how far the front seats move rearward. And the boot isn't terribly large either.
We had a Saab 9000 and that was great. Find one now, though...
A Mercedes E-Class estate replaced that. Big, but so easy to park and has a black cab turning circle. Great on long trips, as you'd expect.
If you like BMW's, then why not a 5 Series estate? Loads more room and I reckon you'll get far more for your money.
I suspect you'll be wanting good fuel economy if your choice is a diesel? I also suspect your annual mileage isn't going to be terribly high. Petrol. Please. You should get a lovely engine for your budget and the long trips where you'll notice it will be marginal at best against the diesel.
St John Smythe said:
We got everything our (at the time) 6 week old daughter needed for a week away, pram, etc in the boot of our mk5 Golf. You don't need a massive car.
This. My lad is 3 months old and expecting to have to cart everything except the kitchen sink around all the time I bought a Legacy. Turns out I rarely carry anything but a pushchair and a change bag for him. Even then the dog spends more time in the boot than the chair does and I do a fair few miles with everyone in the car.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tourer
I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
Fantuzzi said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tourer
I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
I started searching for a DB7 !I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
St John Smythe said:
Simes110 said:
Never, ever underestimate the amount of clobber a baby / young person 'needs'.
In their early months, you've the pushchair / buggy, high-chair or foldable equivalent, changing bag, playmat, clothes, toys....
In my view, the 3 Series is too small. There's not enough rear seat space once their legs get longer and, if you're tall, the rear-facing baby seat eats into how far the front seats move rearward. And the boot isn't terribly large either.
We had a Saab 9000 and that was great. Find one now, though...
A Mercedes E-Class estate replaced that. Big, but so easy to park and has a black cab turning circle. Great on long trips, as you'd expect.
If you like BMW's, then why not a 5 Series estate? Loads more room and I reckon you'll get far more for your money.
I suspect you'll be wanting good fuel economy if your choice is a diesel? I also suspect your annual mileage isn't going to be terribly high. Petrol. Please. You should get a lovely engine for your budget and the long trips where you'll notice it will be marginal at best against the diesel.
We got everything our (at the time) 6 week old daughter needed for a week away, pram, etc in the boot of our mk5 Golf. You don't need a massive car.In their early months, you've the pushchair / buggy, high-chair or foldable equivalent, changing bag, playmat, clothes, toys....
In my view, the 3 Series is too small. There's not enough rear seat space once their legs get longer and, if you're tall, the rear-facing baby seat eats into how far the front seats move rearward. And the boot isn't terribly large either.
We had a Saab 9000 and that was great. Find one now, though...
A Mercedes E-Class estate replaced that. Big, but so easy to park and has a black cab turning circle. Great on long trips, as you'd expect.
If you like BMW's, then why not a 5 Series estate? Loads more room and I reckon you'll get far more for your money.
I suspect you'll be wanting good fuel economy if your choice is a diesel? I also suspect your annual mileage isn't going to be terribly high. Petrol. Please. You should get a lovely engine for your budget and the long trips where you'll notice it will be marginal at best against the diesel.
Fantuzzi said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tourer
I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
That's why I've "..." there I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
MichalPH said:
Fantuzzi said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tourer
I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
That's why I've "..." there I think you just mean 'tourer'...
I was all excited to suggest a load of GT cars!
Anyway Maserati GT have been proven to help children's bone development.
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