Unkillable family car for the wife c£9k
Discussion
Well my wife has finally managed to kill the B180 Cdi. It fought on bravely for 4 years of abuse carrying battle scars on every panel, bumper and piece of interior trim. Impressing me with it's resilience where many a car had crumbled before. But sadly, she's managed to finally strike a deadly blow to it's rattly, smokey, oily heart.
So it's time to find the next victim. Despite the fact she ferries my children around all day I'm reluctant to spent a significant amount as she just can't have nice things. So the budget is £8k absolute tops (preferably less).
Criteria as follows:
Relatively economical (she will complain about anything that averages less than 40mpg. Usage is mainly around town with a motorway journey every 2 weeks)
No older than 2008 (she's a simple woman and as the dead Merc is an 08 she won't equate "new" unless it's "newer")
Big enough for 2 young kids and a decent amount of luggage or kids bikes being thrown in etc. General family duty type stuff.
Reliable or at least cheap to fix. I pay the bills and I don't like having to deny myself a new shiny thing cause her s
t box is broken again.
Not a vauhall or a Korean car (I can sympathize with her hatred of vauxhalls but don't get why she doesn't like Hyundai or kia)
That's about it. It should be simple but I'm finding it difficult because well, such cars are hard to get interested in. Said she wants a Volvo mainly because she thinks it'll be good in the inevitable crash she will have at some point during her ownership.
PLEASE HELP!
So it's time to find the next victim. Despite the fact she ferries my children around all day I'm reluctant to spent a significant amount as she just can't have nice things. So the budget is £8k absolute tops (preferably less).
Criteria as follows:
Relatively economical (she will complain about anything that averages less than 40mpg. Usage is mainly around town with a motorway journey every 2 weeks)
No older than 2008 (she's a simple woman and as the dead Merc is an 08 she won't equate "new" unless it's "newer")
Big enough for 2 young kids and a decent amount of luggage or kids bikes being thrown in etc. General family duty type stuff.
Reliable or at least cheap to fix. I pay the bills and I don't like having to deny myself a new shiny thing cause her s
t box is broken again.Not a vauhall or a Korean car (I can sympathize with her hatred of vauxhalls but don't get why she doesn't like Hyundai or kia)
That's about it. It should be simple but I'm finding it difficult because well, such cars are hard to get interested in. Said she wants a Volvo mainly because she thinks it'll be good in the inevitable crash she will have at some point during her ownership.
PLEASE HELP!
Lexus IS250. It won't do 40mpg in any scenario I can think of, but they aren't shocking on fuel ( 30 odd ), it'll be relatively cheap to buy, nice interior, they're very reliable. And a very nice thing to drive. Don't fall into the trap of thinking the diesel would suit you better, it will break.
+1 to the Lexus:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or go for a Cactus:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Or go for a Cactus:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Edited by ZX10R NIN on Friday 15th June 17:09
Dacia is a good shout. Bet it will go down like a st sandwich when I suggest it but I'll give it a go.
Those Lexus are nice..... far too nice for her. Nice as they are I also find saloon cars to be a bit lacking in versatility for mixed family use.
Nice idea of her buying it with her own money to teach her a lesson. just need to find a dealer that will accept the imaginary money she makes at her imaginary job.
t sandwich when I suggest it but I'll give it a go.Those Lexus are nice..... far too nice for her. Nice as they are I also find saloon cars to be a bit lacking in versatility for mixed family use.
Nice idea of her buying it with her own money to teach her a lesson. just need to find a dealer that will accept the imaginary money she makes at her imaginary job.
Edited by nunpuncher on Friday 15th June 15:18
Been looking at cars for the OH with a similar budget.
Plenty of nearly new french motors, the one that's caught our eye is the C4 cactus. Now you said it's need to take abuse, these are pared back so there is less stuff too break and with the bumps on it should stop some of the damage.
Take a look at them, seem good vfm.
Plenty of nearly new french motors, the one that's caught our eye is the C4 cactus. Now you said it's need to take abuse, these are pared back so there is less stuff too break and with the bumps on it should stop some of the damage.
Take a look at them, seem good vfm.
If she treats cars that badly, I wouldn't be paying £9k for one. My girlfriend is exactly the same: she can't go a month without crashing into something and often forgets to check that the car is actually stopped before putting it in park (lovely noise that makes).
I got her a £2k 2009 Dodge Caliber, pre-dented, with peeling paint. 60 profile tyres for the potholes/kerbs are very useful: she has yet to burst/cut a tyre since she's had it, compared to her previous car where they never lasted more than a year. It uses more fuel than a more modern car, but what I lose in fuel costs I easily make up for in repairs/tyres.
I know it'd cause arguments if I bought her something nice as I'd be furious every time she damaged it, with this I just let her get on with it and we're both perfectly happy that way.
I got her a £2k 2009 Dodge Caliber, pre-dented, with peeling paint. 60 profile tyres for the potholes/kerbs are very useful: she has yet to burst/cut a tyre since she's had it, compared to her previous car where they never lasted more than a year. It uses more fuel than a more modern car, but what I lose in fuel costs I easily make up for in repairs/tyres.
I know it'd cause arguments if I bought her something nice as I'd be furious every time she damaged it, with this I just let her get on with it and we're both perfectly happy that way.
Why do people keep recommending the Duster? They're utter garbage - if they were £2k maybe but to waste £9k on one is madness.
The Honda Jazz on the other hand, total white goods. Well built, reliable, safe and bland as you like. She'd get a 3 - 4 year old Jazz for £9k and it'll last longer than you really want it to.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
The Honda Jazz on the other hand, total white goods. Well built, reliable, safe and bland as you like. She'd get a 3 - 4 year old Jazz for £9k and it'll last longer than you really want it to.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Edited by Blaster72 on Friday 15th June 18:19
I have a 250k mile XC90 performing a similar duty. It absolutely refuses to die. If you want a cheap solution it's yours for a grand. I've taken leave of my senses and ordered a lease touran for her. MOT until December, no significant faults, cosmetically you can't fk it up substantially from where it is, just didn't fancy taking it on a European tour this summer.
k it up substantially from where it is, just didn't fancy taking it on a European tour this summer. If the Mercedes has stood up fairly well to abuse, how about another Mercedes? I'm thinking maybe another C-Class Estate? Other options could be a Golf Estate or Volvo V50 perhaps? I'm shying away from bigger estates (Passat/Octavia/V70 etc) if she lacks a bit of spatial awareness. If I had to drive it too, that's where I would be looking.
My dad has a Citroen C3 Picasso. Cheap as chips and surprisingly it's not a bad drive but the boot may be a bit on the smaller side maybe.
I wish my wife and kids treated the family bus with a bit more respect. She's a pretty decent driver (she has only hit the side of the garage once) but it's always filthy outside and in and I'm usually tasked with the monthly clean! I don't begrudge her staying at home with the kids though. The second income would ease the finances a bit sometimes but I don't see the value in using 75% of her income to pay someone else to look after our kids. She'll go back to work next year when our youngest goes to school full-time and maybe she can get another Fiat 500, we had one pre-kids and she treated it like her baby! I'll take on the family car and get something a bit nicer, as I know that it will get looked after properly. I won't be taking on the current family bus that's for sure!
My dad has a Citroen C3 Picasso. Cheap as chips and surprisingly it's not a bad drive but the boot may be a bit on the smaller side maybe.
I wish my wife and kids treated the family bus with a bit more respect. She's a pretty decent driver (she has only hit the side of the garage once) but it's always filthy outside and in and I'm usually tasked with the monthly clean! I don't begrudge her staying at home with the kids though. The second income would ease the finances a bit sometimes but I don't see the value in using 75% of her income to pay someone else to look after our kids. She'll go back to work next year when our youngest goes to school full-time and maybe she can get another Fiat 500, we had one pre-kids and she treated it like her baby! I'll take on the family car and get something a bit nicer, as I know that it will get looked after properly. I won't be taking on the current family bus that's for sure!
That's the thing. She does sometimes hit things
like the odd small wall or railing and fairly recently cut a deer in half (the Merc stood up to that amazingly well).
The problem is that she's just really terrible at realising when other drivers haven't seen her. It actually took me ages to work this out. For example, a few months ago her mother gave her a loan of her 2 week old f-pace. Wifey takes it shopping and as she's driving along looking for a space completely fails to notice some guys reversing lights come on. You can guess what happened next.
like the odd small wall or railing and fairly recently cut a deer in half (the Merc stood up to that amazingly well).
The problem is that she's just really terrible at realising when other drivers haven't seen her. It actually took me ages to work this out. For example, a few months ago her mother gave her a loan of her 2 week old f-pace. Wifey takes it shopping and as she's driving along looking for a space completely fails to notice some guys reversing lights come on. You can guess what happened next.
white_goodman said:
If the Mercedes has stood up fairly well to abuse, how about another Mercedes? I'm thinking maybe another C-Class Estate? Other options could be a Golf Estate or Volvo V50 perhaps? I'm shying away from bigger estates (Passat/Octavia/V70 etc) if she lacks a bit of spatial awareness. If I had to drive it too, that's where I would be looking.
My dad has a Citroen C3 Picasso. Cheap as chips and surprisingly it's not a bad drive but the boot may be a bit on the smaller side maybe.
I wish my wife and kids treated the family bus with a bit more respect. She's a pretty decent driver (she has only hit the side of the garage once) but it's always filthy outside and in and I'm usually tasked with the monthly clean! I don't begrudge her staying at home with the kids though. The second income would ease the finances a bit sometimes but I don't see the value in using 75% of her income to pay someone else to look after our kids. She'll go back to work next year when our youngest goes to school full-time and maybe she can get another Fiat 500, we had one pre-kids and she treated it like her baby! I'll take on the family car and get something a bit nicer, as I know that it will get looked after properly. I won't be taking on the current family bus that's for sure!
Good luck. Our youngest has been in school for 2 years but I still can't convince wifey that going back to work would make life a little better for everyone.My dad has a Citroen C3 Picasso. Cheap as chips and surprisingly it's not a bad drive but the boot may be a bit on the smaller side maybe.
I wish my wife and kids treated the family bus with a bit more respect. She's a pretty decent driver (she has only hit the side of the garage once) but it's always filthy outside and in and I'm usually tasked with the monthly clean! I don't begrudge her staying at home with the kids though. The second income would ease the finances a bit sometimes but I don't see the value in using 75% of her income to pay someone else to look after our kids. She'll go back to work next year when our youngest goes to school full-time and maybe she can get another Fiat 500, we had one pre-kids and she treated it like her baby! I'll take on the family car and get something a bit nicer, as I know that it will get looked after properly. I won't be taking on the current family bus that's for sure!
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