PH parents - who's got the smallest/least practical cars?
Discussion
When I eventually get around to impregnating the wife there's absolutely no f
king way I'm having a pissing people carrier, bloody things clogging up all the roads over the bank holiday weekend.
So, PHers with a child/children, which of you are managing quite happily with smaller/less practical cars for carrying around your brood and all their associated detritus?
A couple of points:
1)Having an Ariel Atom on the garage for occasional use and a Ford Galaxy for 99.99999999% of the time is cheating, and
2)Please, please don't let this turn into a thread where all the pussywhipped 4x4/MPV/SUV drivers come on and try to pathetically justify the purchase of crap cars that their wives chose for them
king way I'm having a pissing people carrier, bloody things clogging up all the roads over the bank holiday weekend.So, PHers with a child/children, which of you are managing quite happily with smaller/less practical cars for carrying around your brood and all their associated detritus?
A couple of points:
1)Having an Ariel Atom on the garage for occasional use and a Ford Galaxy for 99.99999999% of the time is cheating, and
2)Please, please don't let this turn into a thread where all the pussywhipped 4x4/MPV/SUV drivers come on and try to pathetically justify the purchase of crap cars that their wives chose for them
We chose to run a Mk4 Golf GTi as our family runabout with our first kid. It was absolutely fine, but I can't drive it if the kid is behind the drivers seat. For that reason we need something bigger for the next kid.
At the same time, I ran a Jag XJR which was great (but expensive) as a family car. Biggest problem was the low roof and knocking him out every time we put him in the child seat.
I also have a Westfield, but that's not really child-friendly until he's a bit older.
At the same time, I ran a Jag XJR which was great (but expensive) as a family car. Biggest problem was the low roof and knocking him out every time we put him in the child seat.
I also have a Westfield, but that's not really child-friendly until he's a bit older.
Considering I have three children (and two large dogs) who I have to drive three miles to school each morning due to rural living...
I like to think my M3 Evo is one of the most impractical vehicle choices, second only to the TVR Tasmin. I'm hoping to chop them both in by the end of the year....
For an Elise. I am determined to prove I can somehow survive a large family life with only two seats
ETA Until my eldest son was around a year old I had a Citroen 2CV
I like to think my M3 Evo is one of the most impractical vehicle choices, second only to the TVR Tasmin. I'm hoping to chop them both in by the end of the year....
For an Elise. I am determined to prove I can somehow survive a large family life with only two seats
ETA Until my eldest son was around a year old I had a Citroen 2CV
Edited by Gretchen on Monday 5th April 22:41
There was 3 of us and we managed with a mini estate and later a Metro. That was a rather long time ago though.
If you do have a sprog and the other half wants a posh modern pushchair then you may be knackered with a small car, they are stupid sized things that don't fold up anything like as much as the older style pushchairs. My wife has an Octavia Estate (excellent car FWIW) and the bloody pushchair took up a significant amount of the boot.
If you do have a sprog and the other half wants a posh modern pushchair then you may be knackered with a small car, they are stupid sized things that don't fold up anything like as much as the older style pushchairs. My wife has an Octavia Estate (excellent car FWIW) and the bloody pushchair took up a significant amount of the boot.
Two kids a year apart and it was either a classic mini or her metro, money was really tight back then! We learned to package well, even did a fortnights camping in the mini (roofrack for the frame tent sacks) when the girls were two and three years old, so pretty much any modern car will be up to the job if you can survive without carrying about all the unused crap that most parents "can't do without" these days.
I'm not a sadomasochist and consider anything smaller than a focus impractical for a family car.
I prefer something with a boot (a saloon in other words) in order to fit a pushchair in comfortably as well as provide a bit of a crumple zone if someone decides to plough into the back of me and subsequently into my kid on the back seat.
I really do not feel comfortable with small children in the back seat of some of these tiny hatches on the roads today.
I prefer something with a boot (a saloon in other words) in order to fit a pushchair in comfortably as well as provide a bit of a crumple zone if someone decides to plough into the back of me and subsequently into my kid on the back seat.
I really do not feel comfortable with small children in the back seat of some of these tiny hatches on the roads today.
In the last 6 years of fatherdom, here's a few of the practical family cars...
Proper Mini
MINI Cooper S
A somewhat highly strung VXT
TVR Chimaera 450 (which she came home from hospital in, with the roof down!)
TVR T350
Porsche 944 S2
So becoming a father need not be the end of your petroleum indulgence!
Proper Mini
MINI Cooper S
A somewhat highly strung VXT
TVR Chimaera 450 (which she came home from hospital in, with the roof down!)
TVR T350
Porsche 944 S2
So becoming a father need not be the end of your petroleum indulgence!
Gretchen said:
For an Elise. I am determined to prove I can somehow survive a large family life with only two seats
A bit of advice here:http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Children
Our cars are boring as we're poor but there's certainly no need for a people carrier after having a sprog.
When sprog 1 was born we had a Cinquecento Sporting which was perfectly useable. Only got rid of it as we were doing 160 mile round trips on the M25 at least once every week and it was doing my nut travelling that sort of journey in such an unsuitable car. Subsequently we had a 1st gen Vectra which is still fine now we've had a second sprog. It's starting to get a tiny bit on the small side - myself and my OH are both tall, as is sprog 1, and sprog 2 is in a rear-facing car seat. This takes up masses of room and so has to go behind Mrs K as she's marginally smaller than me, unfortunately sprog the eldest is also tall and is starting to get a bit cramped sitting behind me.
Normal size cars are fine - you don't need to go and buy the biggest troop transport you can find!
If we were to have a 3rd child we'd have to look at something bigger though. I have vowed if we HAVE to have a people carrier then it will either be one of the VXR offerings (or equivalent from another marque), or something very old and battered which I can paint like this:
When sprog 1 was born we had a Cinquecento Sporting which was perfectly useable. Only got rid of it as we were doing 160 mile round trips on the M25 at least once every week and it was doing my nut travelling that sort of journey in such an unsuitable car. Subsequently we had a 1st gen Vectra which is still fine now we've had a second sprog. It's starting to get a tiny bit on the small side - myself and my OH are both tall, as is sprog 1, and sprog 2 is in a rear-facing car seat. This takes up masses of room and so has to go behind Mrs K as she's marginally smaller than me, unfortunately sprog the eldest is also tall and is starting to get a bit cramped sitting behind me.
Normal size cars are fine - you don't need to go and buy the biggest troop transport you can find!
If we were to have a 3rd child we'd have to look at something bigger though. I have vowed if we HAVE to have a people carrier then it will either be one of the VXR offerings (or equivalent from another marque), or something very old and battered which I can paint like this:
Edited by OwenK on Monday 5th April 23:32
jbi said:
I'm not a sadomasochist and consider anything smaller than a focus impractical for a family car.
I prefer something with a boot (a saloon in other words) in order to fit a pushchair in comfortably as well as provide a bit of a crumple zone if someone decides to plough into the back of me and subsequently into my kid on the back seat.
I really do not feel comfortable with small children in the back seat of some of these tiny hatches on the roads today.
I prefer something with a boot (a saloon in other words) in order to fit a pushchair in comfortably as well as provide a bit of a crumple zone if someone decides to plough into the back of me and subsequently into my kid on the back seat.
I really do not feel comfortable with small children in the back seat of some of these tiny hatches on the roads today.
My Brother has an 18 month old daughter, he also drives a Clio 182 and manages perfectly fine! So you can manage perfectly fine with a car smaller than a Focus.
jbi said:
I'm not a sadomasochist and consider anything smaller than a focus impractical for a family car.
I prefer something with a boot (a saloon in other words) in order to fit a pushchair in comfortably as well as provide a bit of a crumple zone if someone decides to plough into the back of me and subsequently into my kid on the back seat.
How often did that happen before you had a child?I prefer something with a boot (a saloon in other words) in order to fit a pushchair in comfortably as well as provide a bit of a crumple zone if someone decides to plough into the back of me and subsequently into my kid on the back seat.
EDLT said:
jbi said:
I prefer something with a boot (a saloon in other words) in order to fit a pushchair in comfortably as well as provide a bit of a crumple zone if someone decides to plough into the back of me and subsequently into my kid on the back seat.
How often did that happen before you had a child?
All the time, until the magical force field generated by the 'baby on board' sticker is activated via application to the rear window.
I love this sort of post. I used to hold similar rabidly held views about not compromising on cars but the sad fact of life is that once you get there it is just so much hassle not to get a big car. So if you can afford it you do. It needn't be a people carrier but in my experience trying to survive with young kids and a small motor is an exercise in bloody minded misery. If you want to remain PH there are all sorts of estate options out there.
Mine is 4 months old now and we have a bugaboo.
1) A focus is just about usable, the pram fits but little else would go in the boot.
2) An S3 works for 2 of you. The problems are - rear access (4 doors = essential unless you are a contortionist) both of us are 6ft+ so baby wouldn't fit behind and if we all went out baby went in the front and an adult in the back.
3) You actually need less crap than you think.
We actually used the focus and the s3 until we decided what we wanted/needed so take this option if it's open as long as you have more than 2 seats, suck it and see. I have now purchased an Octavia VRS hatch. Plenty of space for a week away with baby, pram and all the crud the wife takes without being an estate or people carrier.
It's all about your level of tolerance either cripplingly impractical but fun or practical and dull and with a baby practical and dull is going to have a big impact in your life. I compromised but I'm not regretting it.
1) A focus is just about usable, the pram fits but little else would go in the boot.
2) An S3 works for 2 of you. The problems are - rear access (4 doors = essential unless you are a contortionist) both of us are 6ft+ so baby wouldn't fit behind and if we all went out baby went in the front and an adult in the back.
3) You actually need less crap than you think.
We actually used the focus and the s3 until we decided what we wanted/needed so take this option if it's open as long as you have more than 2 seats, suck it and see. I have now purchased an Octavia VRS hatch. Plenty of space for a week away with baby, pram and all the crud the wife takes without being an estate or people carrier.
It's all about your level of tolerance either cripplingly impractical but fun or practical and dull and with a baby practical and dull is going to have a big impact in your life. I compromised but I'm not regretting it.
e39 540i Touring and jobs a good un! My dad had one of these and up untill recently it would waft a 5 person family with 2 adults and 3 of us sprogs ranging from 15-20. Loads of boot space as well. Pretty swift as well, especially if you can find a manual one! but these are pretty rare! Not the most fuel efficient beasty though!
As my 'kids' are nearing 40 so you'll understand that we had different cars then. There were no people carriers until the brilliantly designed but poorly built Espace appeared.
I was a car salesman whilst my boys went from 0 - 14.
So it was usually Mother's car that got fixed for the transport of children, but I did modify some demo cars for holiday purposes. I put Britax car seat mountings in the back of: BMW E3 2500, BMW E3 3.0Si(phew, what a rocket ship), E(?)the first 525. Honda Civic 1500 (made of thin paper) Honda Accord(the first one).
For Mother, I fixed britax seats into: Sunbeam Tiger(with hardtop!), Escort Mk1 Estate (1760cc twin 40s).
After those our 'family' cars were a string of estate cars. A couple of which were brilliant designs; the Maxi and the Renault 16TS. The Maxi was rubbish build quality though.
There's just two of us at home now, and I am close enough to walk to work. But recently I needed to buy a shed for a few months, and I'm really enjoying the Subaru.
I really just don't 'get' the people carrier thing, much prefer an estate car.
I was a car salesman whilst my boys went from 0 - 14.
So it was usually Mother's car that got fixed for the transport of children, but I did modify some demo cars for holiday purposes. I put Britax car seat mountings in the back of: BMW E3 2500, BMW E3 3.0Si(phew, what a rocket ship), E(?)the first 525. Honda Civic 1500 (made of thin paper) Honda Accord(the first one).
For Mother, I fixed britax seats into: Sunbeam Tiger(with hardtop!), Escort Mk1 Estate (1760cc twin 40s).
After those our 'family' cars were a string of estate cars. A couple of which were brilliant designs; the Maxi and the Renault 16TS. The Maxi was rubbish build quality though.
There's just two of us at home now, and I am close enough to walk to work. But recently I needed to buy a shed for a few months, and I'm really enjoying the Subaru.
I really just don't 'get' the people carrier thing, much prefer an estate car.
Edited by Paul Drawmer on Tuesday 6th April 07:32
Gretchen said:
Considering I have three children (and two large dogs) who I have to drive three miles to school each morning due to rural living...
I like to think my M3 Evo is one of the most impractical vehicle choices, second only to the TVR Tasmin. I'm hoping to chop them both in by the end of the year....
For an Elise. I am determined to prove I can somehow survive a large family life with only two seats
ETA Until my eldest son was around a year old I had a Citroen 2CV
Your dogs go to school!!!I like to think my M3 Evo is one of the most impractical vehicle choices, second only to the TVR Tasmin. I'm hoping to chop them both in by the end of the year....
For an Elise. I am determined to prove I can somehow survive a large family life with only two seats
ETA Until my eldest son was around a year old I had a Citroen 2CV
Edited by Gretchen on Monday 5th April 22:41
Edited by mercfunder on Tuesday 6th April 07:49
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