Family cars

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Kenickie
Kenneth Attenborough
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Re: Family cars

Post by Kenickie »

Thanks both. It seems that they're going to ban petrol as well as diesel so is there any extra issue with diesel? I feel a bit suspicious about diesel but I guess only because I've never had one.

Oh, also, the Ford guy was super keen to sell the new model rather than used. When we were in a test drive he even said at one point that he wouldn't risk putting a child in a used car! I was like 'don't you check the used cars you sell then?' and he backtracked a bit, but what a thing to say to a parent. I think if we do go for a ford then I'm definitely going to find a different dealer than that one.

We didn't have time to test drive anything else so are glint to try again tomorrow. We had a look at Toyota and the Corolla is a little bit bigger than the Mondeo, and also comes in petrol and hybrid rather than diesel. We then went to Citroen and the Grand Picasso/ Space tourer seems like a nice option. It's much cheaper than the Ford. The internet in general seems to be down in its reliability (same as Mr Mayday here) but then P had a C2 for eleven years which was absolutely fine until very near the end.

I think it comes down to estate Vs SUV. An estate wouldn't have enough room for all our stuff for a holiday, but I guess we could just get a roof rack as it would be plenty for day to day. An SUV feels a bit like overkill and might be tricky to drive (although obviously I'd get used to it and if we're keeping it for years or would be worth the initial getting used to it) and we'd definitely never need to upgrade or worry about space for holidays. It's a difficult one.
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Edith Bacon
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Re: Family cars

Post by Edith Bacon »

Squirrel wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 3:56 pm

I heard an argument against hybrids yesterday but I should caveat that it was from my boss who is a bit of an Eeyore as well as a closet Luddite, AND I don’t know where he got the information.

Basically that owners of hybrids end up running their car on fuel rather than electricity, which is less economical due to lugging around the battery, as well as less environmentally friendly. It did actually sound plausible when he told me, although subject to those caveats!
I don’t have a huge sample size to speak on behalf of, but all the hybrid owners I know enough about to have this information definitely use the electric aspect as much as they can.

I heard rumblings a while back that a lot of hybrids were bought as company/pool cars because of the tax breaks associated with them and it’s likely that some drivers have had one foisted in them without the facility (or will) to charge it either at home or at work.
smalex
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Re: Family cars

Post by smalex »

I don't have anything useful to add but you have my sympathies. For what is often the second most expensive thing you own, car shopping is beyond tedious.
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Squirrel
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Re: Family cars

Post by Squirrel »

Kenickie wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 6:59 pm Thanks both. It seems that they're going to ban petrol as well as diesel so is there any extra issue with diesel? I feel a bit suspicious about diesel but I guess only because I've never had one.
Diesel is more polluting than some aspects of petrol (more particulate matter) but it used to be cheaper as well as more fuel efficient, so when diesel first went mainstream it was perceived to be better, although nowadays i don’t think it is really, as understanding has improved and especially since petrol car engines have also improved. :blah:

I’ve almost always had diesel cars and I don’t think there are any particular issues with them that I’m aware of other than the pollution. As I said before, they cope better at the >100k mileage stage than petrol cars do so they’re a good choice for high mileage use or if you’re buying an older car (which you’re not, but I’m just :blah: ) and you get more MPG (at least that used to be the case).
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Squirrel
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Re: Family cars

Post by Squirrel »

Also :blah: early diesel engines used to be sluggish and noisy which isn’t the case any more.
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Glint
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Re: Family cars

Post by Glint »

Kenickie wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 6:59 pm
I think it comes down to estate Vs SUV. An estate wouldn't have enough room for all our stuff for a holiday, but I guess we could just get a roof rack as it would be plenty for day to day. An SUV feels a bit like overkill and might be tricky to drive (although obviously I'd get used to it and if we're keeping it for years or would be worth the initial getting used to it) and we'd definitely never need to upgrade or worry about space for holidays. It's a difficult one.
Do you mean boot/ luggage space or cabin space?

My mondeo estate had much more space than my current CRV. I like the raised driving position of the CRV and its no different to driving a normal car. It is just the usual adjustment from changing cars.
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Kenickie
Kenneth Attenborough
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Re: Family cars

Post by Kenickie »

Thank you all, it's so helpful to have this stuff explained properly rather than in patronising sales bollocks. I totally agree that the whole process is completely tedious.

Sorry Glint, I mean boot space. The estates I looked at were about 580 litres Vs the SUV 700 litres (size with five seats used). But further googling has found a Skoda superb estate with a 660 litre boot, so that might be a good combination of loads of space but still a more normal car. Although maybe you're right that the adjustment will be less difficult than I think. Ml
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Mayday
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Re: Family cars

Post by Mayday »

God those guys sound right dicks. I would absolutely look at used cars. If you look for cars with FSH and check that all the recalls (if any) are up to date. If over 3 years old you can also check the mot history online which will help you see how well the car has been maintained.

I bought my Smax 6 months ago with 95k and it is 13 years old. I even ferry my kids round in it :lol:.
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nineseven
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Re: Family cars

Post by nineseven »

Surely any new car becomes used the moment you drive it off the forecourt. So he seems to be suggesting you buy a new car for each use. It seems a bit... expensive?
Loralei
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Re: Family cars

Post by Loralei »

The Superb is the best car name ever :))

I went from a Polo to a Galaxy with no problem at all, Ken. I'd have struggled at first without parking sensors but otherwise it was a breeze.
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Kenickie
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Re: Family cars

Post by Kenickie »

That's reassuring, Lora.

We spent quite a bit of time at Skoda today, after going to Citroen who didn't have any automatics to test drive. The Skoda guy was great and a world away from the Ford idiot.

The superb is definitely the best option if we go for an estate, and was really nice to drive. I also test drove a seven seater SUV which in some ways I was hoping to hate as it would make the decision much easier. However, I found it really easy to drive.

So it's basically coming down to estate Vs a seven seater. It would be handy to have the option of extra seats I guess, and I couldn't fit in the middle seat of the superb with both our car seats in. However, with the Skoda one (Kodiaq) the extra seats seemed not really great - you had to fold down one of the middle ones to get to them, which would mean removing the car seat and then putting it back in again and doing the same when you got to the destination which seems totally impractical. It was also really difficult to actually get into the back two seats. I guess it's fine if you're transporting extra kids but it feels we're a long way off that.

So I'm wondering if the seat issue is similar with other people who have seven seaters or if it's that the Skoda one is badly designed?
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Loralei
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Re: Family cars

Post by Loralei »

It sounds really badly designed. The Zafira was like that; I had to move the middle seats forward to free the back seats, which wasn't a simple operation with car seats installed and drove me mad. I know the C-Max, S-Max and VW Touran are much more sensible but I haven't tried any others.

I don't always use my extra seats for people. Sometimes having the smaller boot is better for shopping, for example, to stop things rolling everywhere, or for transporting things that need to be upright. That's more of a nice to have than a reason to choose a car, obviously, but you might find you change the layout more than you expect.
Loralei
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Re: Family cars

Post by Loralei »

Oh yes! :idea: I had a Zafira between the Polo and the Galaxy. Sorry.
Mayday
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Re: Family cars

Post by Mayday »

I found that when I was looking for a 4x4 years before we had the Smax. It did seem to be a feature of quite a few cars, I ended up with a discovery in the end but we had to get to the back row through the boot as both outside seats of the middle row had car seats on them.

I very rarely use the extra seats, it is more just that they are there in case of extra children/transporting to birthday parties etc. And comes in handy for luggage, moving furniture and my endless tip trips :lol:.
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Rhodonite
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Re: Family cars

Post by Rhodonite »

Like Mayday, we have always gone in through the boot to get to the extra seats. We often have 6 people to transport but rarely 7, so one back seat would stay down. With the c-max we've folded the middle seat away, to make a bit of a walk way, although we're about to turn J rear facing again, so I'm not sure that will work anymore, with the support leg.
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Kenickie
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Re: Family cars

Post by Kenickie »

Accessing through the boot is genius!

I've arranged for a S max test drive on Wednesday so I'll make my final decision then, or at least the MPV Vs estate one. I feel like the estate is maybe better for us right now, but the MPV would be more future proof. So maybe it's best to get it later if/when we need it? I guess I feel a bit silly getting such a huge car for four smallish people but it is practical.
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Mayday
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Re: Family cars

Post by Mayday »

Except in car parks (I always reverse in, then realise my passengers are stuck :lol:)
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Princess Morripov
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Re: Family cars

Post by Princess Morripov »

If you plan on keeping a car for ten years though, I’d be tempted to go as big as you feel comfortable driving? I get hot rage trying to fit everything in my car and it is the size of a tractor :lol:
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Kenickie
Kenneth Attenborough
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Re: Family cars

Post by Kenickie »

:lol: That's very true.

I drove a C4 grand Picasso today and really liked it. I think I prefer the Superb as it's a nicer car, but the Picasso is a more sensible choice, which is probably what I need to go for now with my life choices. :ruby: :lol: I feel a bit bad for the Skoda guy though as we spent ages there and he was really nice.

I think the Picasso is slightly cheaper/better value than the SMax, and the only advantages that I can see to the Ford from reviews I've read is that it's a bit of a better drive if you want to be whizzing around B roads, which I have little interest in. And possibly better reliability.

I'm very tempted to just go for it as the dealership have a 2018 one that's ready to go and good value.
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Mayday
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Re: Family cars

Post by Mayday »

If you are happy with it I'd go for it Ken. Do try and get them to knock a bit more off though :lol: no matter how good a deal.

I do a lot of whizzing around B roads, thinking about it :lol:
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