New car time: family friendly with a lovely petrol engine? - Page 1 - Car Buying

Damont

Original Poster

7 posts

105 months

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[news]

Tuesday 15th January 2019

Hi all, I'm after a bit of advice on my next car purchase. I normally have a good idea about what I want to buy next, but my thoughts have been thrown in to a bit of a muddle with the announcement that I'm going to be a dad come the summer, and so whatever I buy must be suitable for being the main transport for a newborn.

I've set a budget of £25k, which I could push towards £30k if it meant getting the right car. The plan is to sell our current car and buy a second hand car with a bank loan to finance the rest - I think this is the better option than buying new and leasing etc as I'd prefer to minimise depreciation and also anything that would remotely interest me will no doubt have eye watering monthly payments!

As we only have one car my wife will be driving whatever we buy at least 50% of the time. She has absolutely no interest in cars - her only stipulation is that it must be an automatic and fairly easy to drive. She knows how important cars are to me so she's happy to leave the buying decision up to me. Key for me is that the car must have a great engine, something with a bit of soul that has a sense of occasion to it - even though I won't be driving it quickly with the family on board, I characterful engine can make even mundane journeys more of an occasion.

With one eye on practicality, I've been looking at estate cars. No reason other than I think they'll be more practical for carrying baby paraphernalia than the saloon equivalents. I've also been told by my mates who already have kids that hatchbacks (Golf, BMW 1 series etc) are just too small - yes it can be done, but why make your life harder than it needs to be they say! I'm also open to SUVs but I can't find anything in budget with a decent engine; all of them seem to be diesels!

My thoughts have so far focused on the B8 Audi RS4 avant and the Mercedes C63 estate. I'm not especially interested in these two particular examples, but just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

My first choice would be the RS4 as I've always hankered after one and I think it just looks the part with the swollen arches. I've heard the engine is great, especially with the sports exhaust. I've driven a few C63s and the engine is epic - exactly what I'm after. But I do think the design is looking quite dated now, especially in estate form. That said, the C63 does seem to be a bit cheaper than the RS4 - no probs getting a C63 for £25k (would have to push towards £30k for a decent RS4 it seems).

I would appreciate any thoughts from the wise PH contingent. Are there any other cars that should be on the list? Just to say, I know the running costs will be very spicy - I'll probably buy an extended manufacturer warranty, especially if getting the RS4 which seems to have more issues (suspension, gearbox) than the C63.

ZX10R NIN

29,862 posts

146 months

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Tuesday 15th January 2019

Damont

Original Poster

7 posts

105 months

[report]

[news]

Tuesday 15th January 2019

Wow thanks, some great suggestions there!

I do like the look of the CLS 63... seems great value! But not sure about the shape of the boot opening, and the access to the rear doors due to the sloping roof line - could be a hassle with car seats etc.

I agree the C63 estate is probably the better package. They also come with memory seats as standard which is a definite bonus as we'll both be driving. To my eye they do look more dated than the RS4 (I guess the design has been around longer) but if I can find one in a different colour (black ones do look a bit like a hearse) then it's definitely a contender.

Thanks again for all of the ideas beer

ZX10R NIN

29,862 posts

146 months

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[news]

Tuesday 15th January 2019

Non Black options:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mammasaid

5,186 posts

118 months

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[news]

Tuesday 15th January 2019

New dad, new Volvo (you know it makes sense) laugh

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

John Laverick

2,002 posts

235 months

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[news]

Tuesday 15th January 2019

How about a BMW 340i Touring?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2016-16-BMW-3-SERIES-3-... redface

ugAAOSwTYNbc3Yu:rk:3 tongue out

f:0

Deerfoot

5,137 posts

205 months

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Tuesday 15th January 2019

Mammasaid said:

New dad, new Volvo (you know it makes sense) laugh

I agree, but this is where I'd be looking...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

SCEtoAUX

4,119 posts

102 months

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Tuesday 15th January 2019

It's a baby, not a three piece suite. Anything Focus sized and above will carry everything with room to spare.

ZX10R NIN

29,862 posts

146 months

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[news]

Tuesday 15th January 2019

Deerfoot said:

Mammasaid said:

New dad, new Volvo (you know it makes sense) laugh

I agree, but this is where I'd be looking...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

+1 to the Polestar

ZX10R NIN

29,862 posts

146 months

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Tuesday 15th January 2019

stevemcs

9,877 posts

114 months

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Tuesday 15th January 2019

The C63 is nicer than the RS4, yes the RS4 revs well and has the grip but its just an Audi.

Damont

Original Poster

7 posts

105 months

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Wednesday 16th January 2019

Thanks for the fantastic suggestions gents. Some real food for thought and cars I had never thought of. I'm going to try and get a test drive of the RS4, C63 and V60 Polestar which are the front runners. Wouldn't mind trying the BMW 340i touring as well just as a point of comparison - running costs should be lower than the others, but not sure the engine will have the same sense of occasion (though there is the option of an M performance exhaust).

Damont

Original Poster

7 posts

105 months

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[news]

Wednesday 16th January 2019

ZX10R NIN said:

Two cars sounds good in theory, but I'm not sure how much I'd end up driving the second car. Also the extra costs of two sets of insurance, tax etc.

That SRT8 looks phenomenal! bow

If I was buying just for myself it would be top of the list. But I showed a pic to my wife and her response was along the lines of "you must be having a laugh if you think I'm going to drive around in that monstrosity"... laugh

And that's before she's even heard it! Would love to see her pull up to an NCT meeting in that biggrin

bony_13

166 posts

118 months

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Wednesday 16th January 2019

Damont said:

As we only have one car my wife will be driving whatever we buy at least 50% of the time. She has absolutely no interest in cars - her only stipulation is that it must be an automatic and fairly easy to drive.

I don't know your wife obviously, but the above sentence reads to me as someone who maybe shouldn't be driving a powerful rear wheel drive car all year round with your newborn in the back. Therefore the RS4 seems a more sensible choice than Merc or BMW options.

I remember buying my first BM (only a 320d!) off a chap who was selling it because his wife refused to drive a rwd car after losing the back end unexpectedly on a muddy road.

RSTurboPaul

12,676 posts

279 months

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Wednesday 16th January 2019

bony_13 said:

Damont said:

As we only have one car my wife will be driving whatever we buy at least 50% of the time. She has absolutely no interest in cars - her only stipulation is that it must be an automatic and fairly easy to drive.

I don't know your wife obviously, but the above sentence reads to me as someone who maybe shouldn't be driving a powerful rear wheel drive car all year round with your newborn in the back. Therefore the RS4 seems a more sensible choice than Merc or BMW options.

I remember buying my first BM (only a 320d!) off a chap who was selling it because his wife refused to drive a rwd car after losing the back end unexpectedly on a muddy road.

After I had my RWD car snap away on ice and the missus spun it (twice) on cold tyres on the large roundabout at the exit to her work, I bought us a skidpan training session wink

ZX10R NIN

29,862 posts

146 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 16th January 2019

Damont said:

Two cars sounds good in theory, but I'm not sure how much I'd end up driving the second car. Also the extra costs of two sets of insurance, tax etc.

That SRT8 looks phenomenal! bow

If I was buying just for myself it would be top of the list. But I showed a pic to my wife and her response was along the lines of "you must be having a laugh if you think I'm going to drive around in that monstrosity"... laugh

And that's before she's even heard it! Would love to see her pull up to an NCT meeting in that biggrin

well it was just a suggestion lol you'd have to get the salesman to plug the exhausts up before starting lol.