Discussion
The new born is here, so time to chop in my mk7 Golf Gti for something 5 door with a bigger boot.
Jeeez there’s a lot of options. Small SUV, estate, sport back. Every manufacturer seems to make 5 different models that would work (3 series, 4 series, 5 series, x1, x2, x3 for example).
Current leaning is 3 series touring or a Tucson. I suspect my Golf is worth about £12k (2013, 55k, new clutch/water pump, FVWSH) and I could prob put another 10k in. But do people still buy cars outright? I’ve not had time to do the man maths and work it all out.
Hoping to hear what others in similar situations have done recently!
Jeeez there’s a lot of options. Small SUV, estate, sport back. Every manufacturer seems to make 5 different models that would work (3 series, 4 series, 5 series, x1, x2, x3 for example).
Current leaning is 3 series touring or a Tucson. I suspect my Golf is worth about £12k (2013, 55k, new clutch/water pump, FVWSH) and I could prob put another 10k in. But do people still buy cars outright? I’ve not had time to do the man maths and work it all out.
Hoping to hear what others in similar situations have done recently!
What I’d suggest doing is not jumping in with both feet. When our first born arrived, up until he was maybe 16-18 months old, we coped just fine with the wife’s 5dr Polo and my S3 Saloon. Having rear doors was a necessity, as was enough boot space for the stroller and changing bag, but babies don’t need much paraphernalia.
Switch that out to toddler age and suddenly you are taking more toys and things out alongside the buggy and changing bag. This was when we swapped the wife’s car for a Skoda Yeti, I still had my S3 Saloon.
Finally when child 2 was due (and child 1 was 3.5), we traded up the Yeti for a Passat GTE Advance Estate. Enough boot space for family holidays for the four of us, and enough leccy range to do the school run and the day-to-day running around town.
All cars have been perfect for the time that we used them, and I managed to retain the S3 and latterly 440i cab for 2nd car duties.
We’ve now got the Model 3 Performance as well, which easily swallows the needed bumf for a day out with the kids, but I think it’d be on the small side for a UK holiday. A model Y might cut it though.
FWIW all cars mentioned with the exception of the Polo have been owned outright.
Switch that out to toddler age and suddenly you are taking more toys and things out alongside the buggy and changing bag. This was when we swapped the wife’s car for a Skoda Yeti, I still had my S3 Saloon.
Finally when child 2 was due (and child 1 was 3.5), we traded up the Yeti for a Passat GTE Advance Estate. Enough boot space for family holidays for the four of us, and enough leccy range to do the school run and the day-to-day running around town.
All cars have been perfect for the time that we used them, and I managed to retain the S3 and latterly 440i cab for 2nd car duties.
We’ve now got the Model 3 Performance as well, which easily swallows the needed bumf for a day out with the kids, but I think it’d be on the small side for a UK holiday. A model Y might cut it though.
FWIW all cars mentioned with the exception of the Polo have been owned outright.
Yeah not sure about all this new car business. Our cars with the kids under 3 were Daewoo Matiz, Pug 306 3 door, Focus and an Alfa 147 5 door.
Then the next few years upto they were teenagers a 3 door Corolla and a 5 door Civic.
We spent many years with the roof box which we put in the double pram for holidays and loads of their toys etc.
Then the next few years upto they were teenagers a 3 door Corolla and a 5 door Civic.
We spent many years with the roof box which we put in the double pram for holidays and loads of their toys etc.
Small suv will not give you much bigger boot that the gti, but does make loading far easier ias it's at waist height, good for mum and if like me you have a bad back!
Roof box for longer journeys or holidays away.
I'm guessing the GTI is a 3 Dr, in which case I can understand the decision. If its a 5 door I would keep hold of it and see how you get on, especially if it's had a new clutch.
If you've got £22k to play with a Golf R estate would be worth a look, manuals are prone to clutch issues though.
Roof box for longer journeys or holidays away.
I'm guessing the GTI is a 3 Dr, in which case I can understand the decision. If its a 5 door I would keep hold of it and see how you get on, especially if it's had a new clutch.
If you've got £22k to play with a Golf R estate would be worth a look, manuals are prone to clutch issues though.
Draxindustries1 said:
Kuwahara said:
Do you really need a new car for one kid … you don’t need all the crap they try to sell you…
This^A Golf is fine for just one child.
I'd be spending money elsewhere, not a new car. .
Smaller pushchairs are available too but you'll wish you had gone for a full-size one when you are struggling whilst someone glides past with a Vista 2 or similar.
I'd suggest an E-Class or 5-series sized car in estate form is where you should be looking... A 3 series isn't significantly bigger than a Golf.
Kuwahara said:
Do you really need a new car for one kid … you don’t need all the crap they try to sell you…
A friend bought a Q7 for his second child. It wasn't really for the child, it was for the absolute monster of a double pram he bought and he wanted a Q7 anyway. The child was a convenient excuse 
If the OP is using it as an excuse for a new motor then I'd say the world's your oyster for the first one. I've a brother getting on just fine with a Honda Jazz which probably has less space than a Golf although they are practical in a city in ways the Golf doesn't quite match.
Noticed the last post on 3dr and I missed that in the first post, I agree that could get annoying.
If you do go for a new car, we’ve found the split tailgate of the X5 to be so useful, I’m amazed others never mention. It’s a great platform for nappies and changing kids when in the move or just sitting/standing them for a quick change. Even when the car is packed to the rafters, drop the tailgate and you’ve got kiddie space. I’m not saying get an X5 but if there is anything else with a split tailgate, we’ll worth bearing in mind.
Stanley Rous said:
If you do go for a new car, we’ve found the split tailgate of the X5 to be so useful, I’m amazed others never mention. It’s a great platform for nappies and changing kids when in the move or just sitting/standing them for a quick change. Even when the car is packed to the rafters, drop the tailgate and you’ve got kiddie space. I’m not saying get an X5 but if there is anything else with a split tailgate, we’ll worth bearing in mind.
I can understand that, we’ve used the flat boot of the Passat a number of times for an emergency clothing and nappy change.I'd suggest keeping what you have an see how you get on... I sold my clio 172 for a 3 series estate when we had our 1st kid, my wife kept her fiat 500.
I then I got a Keep Renegade when we had our 2nd kid, my wife kept her fiat 500.
She still has the 500 9 years later !
So long as the buggy fits in the boot you'll be fine, or say a golf is more than bit enough and if 3 doors is a worry then consider turning off the passenger airbag, kid goes in passenger seat other adult goes in the back
I then I got a Keep Renegade when we had our 2nd kid, my wife kept her fiat 500.
She still has the 500 9 years later !
So long as the buggy fits in the boot you'll be fine, or say a golf is more than bit enough and if 3 doors is a worry then consider turning off the passenger airbag, kid goes in passenger seat other adult goes in the back
Roboticarm said:
I'd suggest keeping what you have an see how you get on... I sold my clio 172 for a 3 series estate when we had our 1st kid, my wife kept her fiat 500.
I then I got a Keep Renegade when we had our 2nd kid, my wife kept her fiat 500.
She still has the 500 9 years later !
So long as the buggy fits in the boot you'll be fine, or say a golf is more than bit enough and if 3 doors is a worry then consider turning off the passenger airbag, kid goes in passenger seat other adult goes in the back
That's good advice for most things in life and agreed. Stick with what you have until you understand what you don't like about it and what you'd like to improve rather than pre-supposing what you'll need.I then I got a Keep Renegade when we had our 2nd kid, my wife kept her fiat 500.
She still has the 500 9 years later !
So long as the buggy fits in the boot you'll be fine, or say a golf is more than bit enough and if 3 doors is a worry then consider turning off the passenger airbag, kid goes in passenger seat other adult goes in the back
With a 2.5 and 1.5 year old we're rocking a C4 Grand Picasso. Double buggy plus shopping no problem. Grand parents no problem. Another child seat no problem. Travel potty in use in boot no problem! Does it handle like it's on rails, of course not but with anyone or any load in it you ain't hooning anywhere anyway. I also have a weekend car which is basically a garage ornament these days. We could probably manage with the Merc B class we still have but we don't have to. The extra space is just convenient.
Take a look at the Ford Edge:
Vignale:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211292...
Titanium:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210050...
2.0T Insignia Elite Nav 260:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210271...
Vignale:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211292...
Titanium:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210050...
2.0T Insignia Elite Nav 260:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210271...
tty thing...I've just bought a £10₩k miler lexus is220d to keep me going for 6 months.....I might just cancel....Just to confirm the golf is a 3 door. I’m putting the car seat in the back to use the isofix as it’s more secure than a seatbelt in the front.
It’s quite an operation to put the car seat in the back - and don’t want the missus to struggle.
My other car is an s2000, so don’t mind ‘giving up’ the gti but if it is going I’d like to replace with something we can keep for a while - hence might as well be a bigger (Esate/suv) 5 door.
It’s quite an operation to put the car seat in the back - and don’t want the missus to struggle.
My other car is an s2000, so don’t mind ‘giving up’ the gti but if it is going I’d like to replace with something we can keep for a while - hence might as well be a bigger (Esate/suv) 5 door.
si_xsi said:
Small suv will not give you much bigger boot that the gti, but does make loading far easier ias it's at waist height, good for mum and if like me you have a bad back!
Roof box for longer journeys or holidays away.
I'm guessing the GTI is a 3 Dr, in which case I can understand the decision. If its a 5 door I would keep hold of it and see how you get on, especially if it's had a new clutch.
If you've got £22k to play with a Golf R estate would be worth a look, manuals are prone to clutch issues though.
Golf R estates (well any mk7 golf estates) have massive boots for the overall size of the car - R estates only come in DSG too Roof box for longer journeys or holidays away.
I'm guessing the GTI is a 3 Dr, in which case I can understand the decision. If its a 5 door I would keep hold of it and see how you get on, especially if it's had a new clutch.
If you've got £22k to play with a Golf R estate would be worth a look, manuals are prone to clutch issues though.
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