A good old what car thread - certain criteria though.
Discussion
SWMBO is expecting our first 5678Jnr in January next year. After last years experience with the snow, I want something that will enable us to be fully mobile regardless of the weather. We live pretty rurally so the roads don't get gritted or cleared. Thus I have a pretty specific set of criteria.
- Estate or Hatch with lots of boot space
- 4WD or AWD (I may be prepared to sacrifice this for 2WD + Winter tyres if everything else is met)
- Some ground clearance as we had 12" of snow last year.
- Isofix mounts on the rear seats
- Nothing too old or too leggy.
- Reliable
- Budget of £6k-£7k max.
- Not fussed on Diesel or petrol as mileage isn't huge.
Thought process so far has been as follows:
Obvious choice is a trusty old Defender, but these are just going to be too old for the money I have to spend? Don't especially want an "off roader" either. Plus no Isofix mounts.
Was tempted by a Subaru Outback from around 2004-2005, but these seem rarer that Unicorn s
t. Latest shape is too expensive and older shape just a bit too old.
A 2005 Impreza WRX Wagon ticks most of the boxes, just not the ground clearance one. With winter tyres and 4WD would this be OK though?
Audi Allroad is at the top of budget and will be at 100k miles or more.
Any thoughts?
- Estate or Hatch with lots of boot space
- 4WD or AWD (I may be prepared to sacrifice this for 2WD + Winter tyres if everything else is met)
- Some ground clearance as we had 12" of snow last year.
- Isofix mounts on the rear seats
- Nothing too old or too leggy.
- Reliable
- Budget of £6k-£7k max.
- Not fussed on Diesel or petrol as mileage isn't huge.
Thought process so far has been as follows:
Obvious choice is a trusty old Defender, but these are just going to be too old for the money I have to spend? Don't especially want an "off roader" either. Plus no Isofix mounts.
Was tempted by a Subaru Outback from around 2004-2005, but these seem rarer that Unicorn s
t. Latest shape is too expensive and older shape just a bit too old.A 2005 Impreza WRX Wagon ticks most of the boxes, just not the ground clearance one. With winter tyres and 4WD would this be OK though?
Audi Allroad is at the top of budget and will be at 100k miles or more.
Any thoughts?
Volvo V70 XC / Cross Country sounds ideal, think they can be had well within budget too.
Though the 4wd gubbins is not as good as Subaru's offerings, a Subaru would be my first choice from the being mobile point of view. However either car on winter tyres would be more or less unstoppable.
Though the 4wd gubbins is not as good as Subaru's offerings, a Subaru would be my first choice from the being mobile point of view. However either car on winter tyres would be more or less unstoppable.
5678 said:
C8PPO said:
5678 said:
- 4WD or AWD
Which particular vehicle with more than 4 wheels were you thinking of?
Anyone know much about older Freelanders?
Fume troll said:
I'm REALLY keen on these, but that pushes my budget that bit too much really. cptsideways said:
Volvo V70 XC / Cross Country sounds ideal, think they can be had well within budget too.
Though the 4wd gubbins is not as good as Subaru's offerings, a Subaru would be my first choice from the being mobile point of view. However either car on winter tyres would be more or less unstoppable.
Will have a look at the XC70. Didn't realise they were 4wd so had discounted them on that basis. I think they may end up being too old and too leggy for what I'm after though. Though the 4wd gubbins is not as good as Subaru's offerings, a Subaru would be my first choice from the being mobile point of view. However either car on winter tyres would be more or less unstoppable.
Edited by 5678 on Wednesday 28th July 10:11
5678 said:
Fume troll said:
I'm REALLY keen on these, but that pushes my budget that bit too much really. This one looks good: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1896003.htm
Also: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1843811.htm
Cheers,
FT.
Fume troll said:
This one looks good: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1896003.htm
Also: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1843811.htm
Cheers,
FT.
Liking those. Good work FT. Have forwarded them to SWMBO for an "opinion"... Also: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1843811.htm
Cheers,
FT.
OP, regarding the countryside and winter. I was brought up on a farm and have worked on farms all my life at home and abroad and I have never had, needed or wanted anything more than a standard front wheel drive hatch. I always get to work. Last winter was unusual and even if it was the norm, the actual number of days that roads were covered in snow were only a handfull out of the whole year. So why buy a car with drive to more wheels? Unless you have winter tyres, you just have a tall wobbly car with no grip instead of a normall car with no grip.
So the question is now.. "We have a baby on the way, recommend me a car. Thanks"
So the question is now.. "We have a baby on the way, recommend me a car. Thanks"
Willy Nilly said:
OP, regarding the countryside and winter. I was brought up on a farm and have worked on farms all my life at home and abroad and I have never had, needed or wanted anything more than a standard front wheel drive hatch.
Bet ploughing takes you ages though! Willy Nilly said:
Unless you have winter tyres, you just have a tall wobbly car with no grip instead of a normall car with no grip.
This is wrong.Cheers,
FT.
Fume troll said:
Willy Nilly said:
Unless you have winter tyres, you just have a tall wobbly car with no grip instead of a normall car with no grip.
This is wrong.
Completely.
Not to mention the Subaru options will be a nicer drive in normal conditions as well as the snow.
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 28th July 10:47
Willy Nilly said:
OP, regarding the countryside and winter. I was brought up on a farm and have worked on farms all my life at home and abroad and I have never had, needed or wanted anything more than a standard front wheel drive hatch. I always get to work. Last winter was unusual and even if it was the norm, the actual number of days that roads were covered in snow were only a handfull out of the whole year. So why buy a car with drive to more wheels? Unless you have winter tyres, you just have a tall wobbly car with no grip instead of a normall car with no grip.
So the question is now.. "We have a baby on the way, recommend me a car. Thanks"
The reason is that we have the baby due and I want to guarantee that we are mobile during that period no matter what happens. Mrs5678 is planning a home birth with private midwife and I want to be able to get out/to hospital/etc even if it's the end of the world! This has led me to the criteria I set out. So the question is now.. "We have a baby on the way, recommend me a car. Thanks"
Now some sort of Military APC would do the job, but I also want something that's OK to drive in normal conditions and suitable to lug a new family around in.
BadgerBill said:
Jag x type AWD est for around £7k?
http://www.avonvalleygarage.co.uk/vehicle-details....
I did have a look at those. Doesn't have the ground clearance that I'm after though.http://www.avonvalleygarage.co.uk/vehicle-details....
Unsure as to what you are trying to clear, are you going to take it off-road? Our Outback just pushed snow out of the way last year, so unless you are green-laneing over some nasty stuff it would be fine. Most of the incidents where people were stuck this year were on snow compacted roads, where clearance wasn't the issue, but grip was, which this should be fine with, although a decent FWD with proper winter tyres would be just as good. Camskill do a good selection, and that is what we went to post Subaru.
BB
That said, some fella on here reckoned that his RWD Capri or Jag or Bimmer was the ultimate in low traction snowy/icy conditions, and would breeze past all other forms of transport in adverse conditions...
BB
That said, some fella on here reckoned that his RWD Capri or Jag or Bimmer was the ultimate in low traction snowy/icy conditions, and would breeze past all other forms of transport in adverse conditions...
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