Discussion
Due to the arrival of a baby in August, we are having to rethink our car situation. Going to keep my golf GT diesel, sell my VX220 turbo, and the wifes a class and buy a family car.I had an F80 M3 in mind as it delivers reasonabe economy, sufficient space, and a good compromise of a fun car, with space for the family - I've discounted a c63 due to economy, but just wondering if there are any other obvious choices that I'm missing?
If you're considering the M3, I would seriously try out the 340i. Unlike the M3, it's available as an estate. If you opt for the auto, it uses the ZF8, which in my opinion is far superior to the DCT in the M3.
And if it shares the same engine as the M140i (which I believe it does), then a £500 remap should get it to ~450bhp, which is about the same as the M3 anyway. It would almost certainly be more economical as well.
And if it shares the same engine as the M140i (which I believe it does), then a £500 remap should get it to ~450bhp, which is about the same as the M3 anyway. It would almost certainly be more economical as well.
ITP said:
Isn’t the golf gt diesel a family car?!
My thoughts to, I'd be keener to hang onto the VX220 than end up with a diesel and an m3.To me it reads that you will lose the vx (fun car) stick with your Golf tdi (boring car) whilst the Mrs uses the M3 as a daily with all kiddy crap in it which seems a massive waste.
Presumably the Mrs is likely to be ferrying the kid around the most so why not swap her Merc for something a little larger IF you find it a struggle?
ColinMacC said:
Due to the arrival of a baby in August, and due to economy, but just wondering if there are any other obvious choices that I'm missing?
Yes. Let me tell you my not particularly brilliant decision after the birth of our second child. Money was somewhat tight. We owned a 1275 metro and a mk2 cavalier 1.6 GL.
For some reason i bought a citroen AX 1.4D and sold the Cavalier.
For fuel economy.
To be fair to the AX. It was big enough to get 2 car seats and an adult in the back. The boot was big enough for a push chair and overnight bags.
We kept it for 5 years....
My point is that children are small. Stick with what you've got. Stop panicing and realise how lucky you are.
This is the classic case of the petrolhead - soon to be father dilemma.
Said dad in waiting reluctantly accepts fate and realises that the days of performance 2 seater, cabriolets and coupes are numbered and seeks a 'family' car with a turn of speed and credibility.
Some go overkill and ditch the past and buy some MPV diesel with a sporty trim level and some go for something like a fast estate.
The latter is, in my opinion, the way to go to avoid serious misery and retain some car enthusiasm.
RS4 Avant is a good shout. Something like this perhaps?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
Said dad in waiting reluctantly accepts fate and realises that the days of performance 2 seater, cabriolets and coupes are numbered and seeks a 'family' car with a turn of speed and credibility.
Some go overkill and ditch the past and buy some MPV diesel with a sporty trim level and some go for something like a fast estate.
The latter is, in my opinion, the way to go to avoid serious misery and retain some car enthusiasm.
RS4 Avant is a good shout. Something like this perhaps?
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
flatso said:
Go practical...Mazda 5. Sliding doors, do not need to disassemble the baby buggy everytime, cheap to run, large windows so the baby can actually see outside. You will not use an M3 or RS4 anywhere near its potential with the baby around.
Ive got 3 children and sure, you never enjoy the car with the children in but the children are not always in the car.You can still take an RS4 for example for a blast or a bit of 'me time' and enjoy it.
If OP is a petrolhead then something like a sildey door Mazda would be soul destroying imho
lord trumpton said:
Ive got 3 children and sure, you never enjoy the car with the children in but the children are not always in the car.
You can still take an RS4 for example for a blast or a bit of 'me time' and enjoy it.
If OP is a petrolhead then something like a sildey door Mazda would be soul destroying imho
An MPV would indeed be soul destroying. Much as I love the VX, it barely gets used enough to justify being in the garage at the moment - never mind when a baby comes along. Unfortunately, the isofix child set requires the front seats to be slid forward to a point where neither of us can use the car - In terms of an RS4 - what sort of fuel economy should I expect??You can still take an RS4 for example for a blast or a bit of 'me time' and enjoy it.
If OP is a petrolhead then something like a sildey door Mazda would be soul destroying imho
I would do it a different way, which is sell the Golf keep the VX220 & buy an Alpina D3 BiTurbo they're a great car full stop & in 9-10 situations not only is it on par with the M3 (I had an F80 non comp at the same time as I got the OH the D3) but at times was clearly better it's also depreciated less than the equivalent M3 too so it's been a win win.
When you're fully on it the M3 is still the better car but for the other 354 days of the year the D3 rules.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
When you're fully on it the M3 is still the better car but for the other 354 days of the year the D3 rules.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Big GT said:
Dont knee jerk. You've got a golf and a class. Both suitable and should fit buggy in. See how you get on. You cant sling an m3 around with newborn and all the gear that goes with it.
this. defo. you'll always still have the odd day free to go out in your weekend car, and in a couple of years (when youll get as much as 6hrs sleep a night!) you'll have some free time/energy back to enjoy the VX and then youll be startin a thread, " wish I hadn't sold my vx cos now I gotta find another one" haha. if you feel like the golf is too small (kids arnt in rear facing seats too long) then fine, get something a bit bigger as the main kid-mobile, try and get the mrs to drive that, then a second interesting-ish daily 5 door whatever you fancy- then appreciating weekend car kept safe for when its needed happy days. in a few years youll be gagging to get out the house for a spin away from the screaming kids.. so ive heard.. lol.
my much cheap budget/reliable version is nippy Mazda 2 for mrs, enough size for family civic for me, and fun MR2 roadster for weekends. I wish id kept my daily corrado and fun mx5 I knee jerk swaped for a civic, but hey-ho, good luck
So, Have had a slight change of plan - Traded the A-Class in against a new 335d Shadow edition touring - Got an unbelievable deal being the end of June and with the new model coming etc. Put it on PCP.
Going to keep the VX as a weekend toy - It's not going to lose any value and servicing costs are negligible!. Keeping the golf, which just ticked over 150k miles, Servicing it myself, so it's cheap motoring - meaning that by my man-maths, the BMW can be split between me and the wife, so looks like very cheap motoring!
Going to keep the VX as a weekend toy - It's not going to lose any value and servicing costs are negligible!. Keeping the golf, which just ticked over 150k miles, Servicing it myself, so it's cheap motoring - meaning that by my man-maths, the BMW can be split between me and the wife, so looks like very cheap motoring!
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