Car buying help...

akr

akr

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Hello all

I know there are a fair few car enthusiasts on the forum that I'm hoping can help.

As I'm fast approaching a mid-life crisis, I've decided it's time I get a car that I might enjoy driving and that looks ok.

I'm fortunate enough to have a budget of £8-10k but my knowledge of cars is limited in the extreme, and the only previous cars I have owned are a Renault Clio and our current Renault Scenic - both were at least 8 years old with no mod cons - my point is I guess I'll probably be easily pleased by most things in my budget.

Anyway, I have two young children under 4 so will need to able to have car seats in the back. I don't need a huge boot but will need to get a pram in there.

Estates (too big) and MPVs (have one already) are out. I'm leaning towards an Audi A3 or A4 at present but would just like to hear about what you might get in my situation and why.

If I was being practical I should probably get a Skoda Superd and I've put that on the list to look at, I'm just not convinced it will sort my middle aged man crisis out! I realise my criteria is a bit loose but really I'd just like to hear you speak about cars you love to give me some ideas.

Thanks in advance.
 
Estates are not massively larger than comparable saloon. We have a 1.9 Tdi Octavia Estate which is good for 70mph or so... ;)

It's also a diesel , so tons of torque and quite frugal compared to its petrol equivalent. Sensible driving easily get 55mpg on a "journey" - so that means when wife and twins in the car about 33mpg! Ours is 57 plate and paid £6500 2 yrs ago for elegance level of trim. That was from a Ford Dealership - as in on forecourt and yes I did haggle lots! I even got the "Are you trying to take my kids tea off the table " line from the guy (who was quite nice)

One thing I will say, and you'll probably get pushed for finance deals, extras, warranties etc is focus on how many £ to exchange the vehicle. Yes they may say We'll give yuo (picking a figure out of thin air here) £4,000 as a trade in, but the price of the replacement will be inflated accordingly. Go with yuor head not your heart. Have a look on say autotrader etc and glasses guides (there's another one as well - parkers?)

Honestly, best bet is to think of what yuo NEED from the car, what you want from the car, and if you go to a test drive, take the usual "crap" that you have in the boot and see if it all fits... No point in getting something nice and realising the pram won't fit etc.
 
Lynton said:
Estates are not massively larger than comparable saloon. We have a 1.9 Tdi Octavia Estate which is good for 70mph or so... ;)

It's also a diesel , so tons of torque and quite frugal compared to its petrol equivalent. Sensible driving easily get 55mpg on a "journey" - so that means when wife and twins in the car about 33mpg! Ours is 57 plate and paid £6500 2 yrs ago for elegance level of trim. That was from a Ford Dealership - as in on forecourt and yes I did haggle lots! I even got the "Are you trying to take my kids tea off the table " line from the guy (who was quite nice)

One thing I will say, and you'll probably get pushed for finance deals, extras, warranties etc is focus on how many £ to exchange the vehicle. Yes they may say We'll give yuo (picking a figure out of thin air here) £4,000 as a trade in, but the price of the replacement will be inflated accordingly. Go with yuor head not your heart. Have a look on say autotrader etc and glasses guides (there's another one as well - parkers?)

Honestly, best bet is to think of what yuo NEED from the car, what you want from the car, and if you go to a test drive, take the usual "crap" that you have in the boot and see if it all fits... No point in getting something nice and realising the pram won't fit etc.
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Thanks Lynton. My wife has ruled estates out - my sister has an Octavia Estate and she and her husband love it, and the space in the boot. They have family up north and do a lot more journeys up that way fully loaded, whereas we are more day / short trips or fly to see family in France and Spain.

I do appreciate you essentially to be sensible, sadly my heart has it's fingers in it's ears pretending it can't hear....

Reason I started thinking about the A3 is it's smaller than the A4, as you say some saloons are pretty big. Though could maybe consider a Golf I suppose. Going to head down to a car giant to look at some, but want to get an idea of what to look at first. We will be taking the tape measure apparently.

Thanks
 
Audi Q5, Q3 or A4 convertible are all great motors and will keep you smiling. I was going to say TT convertible, but that is not too practical.

Superb is alright if you opt for the fully loaded one, but basic ones and Octavias look very very bland. It won't help your crisis for sure :p
 
an a3 with the4four siiver cockrings of ingoldstadt, is essentially a golf in a posh frock, whereas a fabia similar size) is a golf in a hand me down 3rd trme dress... all the same under the bonnet once you remove the top piece of plastic,,
 
Lynton said:
an a3 with the4four siiver cockrings of ingoldstadt, is essentially a golf in a posh frock, whereas a fabia similar size) is a golf in a hand me down 3rd trme dress... all the same under the bonnet once you remove the top piece of plastic,,
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if you want decent Golf you buy Seat Altea XL or Golf plus at the last the resort. The rest are too small to make any sense for practical normal height person.
 
As a serious golf man, I'd be saying forget that Audi stuff. Audi is overinflated as is the golf over Seat. Seat rattle a bit in terms of trim etc, but mechanically the FR stuff is good. TDI engines and you want at least the 140bhp models, and these don't suffer with the Diesel Particle Filter DPF issues as much as the 170bhp ones, especially if looking at Audi/Golf Sline or GT.

Any car you think about, just look on a few forums for viewing guides to know where their weak points are and check when looking etc.

Do YOU really want a car to excite, or just one with more mod cons? Audi TT is a good car, but not that exciting IMO. And the A3 is nice inside but you do pay extra for that. Minimum you should look for, is heated seats, sat nav etc to take the mid life element. And the comments about Golf plus being only ones for normal height, what's your normal?!?! 6ft and had mk2,3,4,5,6 and all fit adults perfectly well apart from the mk4 in the rear.
 
On thing you didn't mention in your post is what sort of millage do you cover a day? If you're only doing short journeys I'd suggest getting a petrol. School runs and short journeys are a fast killer of DPF's in diesels. DPF's were mostly fitted post 2006. They need some decent long motorway runs at least once a week to keep them clean. If they clog up you're looking at potentially a £1200+ repair bill.

For that budget you could also look towards BMW. Although I must say if you want to go down the BMW route then stay away from their 4cyl engines. If you go for their 6cyl engines then they are just brilliant and good solid motors, but obviously the downside is that the 6cyl engines are of the larger size...more fuel, tax etc. You could look for a 325i 330i for petrols or even 325D or 330D for diesels. they're not big cars but plenty big enough for two kids and a decent boot. I own the 3.0tdi and I'm seriously impressed. I've modified it slightly and it will just keep climbing to the end of the speedo like you're in 4th gear and a 0-60 time of 5.7seconds for a diesel it can bring a serious smiley face. Also with BMW's being rear wheel drive then that can brighten things up slightly;).

All that aside though I only pay £180 for 12 months tax and can still manage over 50mpg on motorways. If you're wanting a petrol look for a 325 or 330 and try get as many goodies as you can. Also the M-sport package can bring you a lovely looking car if your budget allows.



dTEA said:
As a serious golf man, I'd be saying forget that Audi stuff. Audi is overinflated as is the golf over Seat. Seat rattle a bit in terms of trim etc, but mechanically the FR stuff is good. TDI engines and you want at least the 140bhp models, and these don't suffer with the Diesel Particle Filter DPF issues as much as the 170bhp ones, especially if looking at Audi/Golf Sline or GT.

Any car you think about, just look on a few forums for viewing guides to know where their weak points are and check when looking etc.

Do YOU really want a car to excite, or just one with more mod cons? Audi TT is a good car, but not that exciting IMO. And the A3 is nice inside but you do pay extra for that. Minimum you should look for, is heated seats, sat nav etc to take the mid life element. And the comments about Golf plus being only ones for normal height, what's your normal?!?! 6ft and had mk2,3,4,5,6 and all fit adults perfectly well apart from the mk4 in the rear.
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The 2.0tdi 140 engines are good, but with having owned loads of various VAG cars I can honestly say I prefer the 1.9 tdi 130pd engine over the 2,0tdi variant. Compared to the 2.0tdi the 1.9 is bulletproof and doesn't suffer the horrid major oil pump problem or injector recall. Although finding a car with the tdi 130pd engine in now without moon miles on will be a task in itself now, which is a real shame because they are brilliant engines. The only reason I moved to BMW was for a bit more fun. I'm still a VAG man at heart lol
 
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I know what you mean about the older 1.9 engines...still got the GTTDI as it's now the other half's and got 120,000 on the clock and I've had 4 cars inbetween. 330d all day long if it was a BMW for me, but I do a mixed set of miles so can warrant it.
 
dTEA said:
I know what you mean about the older 1.9 engines...still got the GTTDI as it's now the other half's and got 120,000 on the clock and I've had 4 cars inbetween. 330d all day long if it was a BMW for me, but I do a mixed set of miles so can warrant it.
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I ran my old B5.5 1.9tdi passat from 17,000 all the way to 190,000. Only with general servicing, wear and tear parts (brakes etc), new clutch and flywheel...that's it lol. I have the 530D touring m sport, the 330D was just a tad too small in the boot for all the dogs.
 
I had a similar crisis. I went for the A4 estate as they are well built last forever and it still looks good at 10 years old. I'd look at a sporty A3 model.
 
All above pretty much makes sense.. I will reiterate, try to fit all the crap in the boot before you buy....

The Skoda got hit up the backside a few weeks back and currently have a 2.0 Diesel Passat estate.. it is like a bloody rocketship... took it out as needed to take some pics this evening..... Sebastian Loeb.. ha, put him to shame...

Alledgedly, you can do a handbrake with the little flicky electric switch, and it's clever enough to hold itself on a hill, or change up when the revs go red...

Heated leather though......... mmmmmmmmmmm
 
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"As I'm fast approaching a mid-life crisis, I've decided it's time I get a car that I might enjoy driving and that looks ok."

If we are discussing Skoda Octavias (I own an Octavia), Superbs and Audi A3's, then you are not talking about "mid life crisis", unless you previously owned a mobility scooter.
You should be looking for something a bit exciting for £5K and then put £3K away for insurance and parts.

This would set your pulse racing

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...el-type/petrol/model/gt/radius/1501?logcode=p
 
Sit, fiddle and test drive, its the only way to find out what suits you.

Though £10k is a good budget, you can't have it all. There will be some tradeoff between performance, comfort and reliability. The 3.6 V6 Alfa is obviously going to be much better to drive than a 2.0 Diesel VAG, but it will probably cost you the purchase price in repairs. Likewise, the diesel rep-wagon isn't going to blow your socks off but is still going to be relatively more refined than the cars you are used to.



But I'll give a +1 for the Skoda Superb (and don't dismiss the 160bhp 1.8 petrol model if you're worried about diesel issues),

The Superb isn't going to be the most exciting of drives, but it will be the most luxurious-feeling car you can get for the money (bar the taxi-spec S trim). Its basically a mini limo on a Passat platform.

I was looking for cars this time last year with a similar budget and the Superb was top of my list. I'm 6'4" and was looking for a car with appropriate seats and legroom (student but have lots of commuting to do).

After looking for the right one at the right price for month or two I got a bit impatient and underspent on a decent spec, fairly new, low mileage Vauxhall Insignia thinking I'd save a few thousand (didn't want a VX but the SRI seats are damn good for tall people, I don't fit in any other repmobile).

In 1 year I've spent £1500+ on maintenance and repairs on the Insignia, bringing me back towards Superb territory. I now see there's loads more available now around the £10k mark and wish I'd been a bit more sensible!


But going back to the test drive thing... I probably did 20+ test drives when looking for a car. Its the only way to work out if its right for you. If I hadn't, I would never have found out that my knees don't work in a Mk6 Golf, and that I hated the power delivery of the diesel engine in the latest Accord. No amount of reviews and discussion can replace sitting and fiddling!
 
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If your after an A3, take a look at the Sportback version, slightly bigger than the normal one and the suspension is lowered a bit too. The SLine version is a bit more sporty though and would hold the road better in more exciting driving moments.
 
MR92 said:
Sit, fiddle and test drive, its the only way to find out what suits you.

Though £10k is a good budget, you can't have it all. There will be some tradeoff between performance, comfort and reliability. The 3.6 V6 Alfa is obviously going to be much better to drive than a 2.0 Diesel VAG, but it will probably cost you the purchase price in repairs.
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Have you ever owned an Alfa, or are you simply going by what you hear from the man down the pub?
I have owned four Alfas, and none of them have ever let me down on the road.
I am currently restoring a '97 GTV Coupe, with no rust, scabby paintwork (clear laquer over red), and almost perfect mechanicals - (steering rack needs sorting) which has done 125K miles.
 
andy700 said:
Have you ever owned an Alfa, or are you simply going by what you hear from the man down the pub?
I have owned four Alfas, and none of them have ever let me down on the road.
I am currently restoring a '97 GTV Coupe, with no rust, scabby paintwork (clear laquer over red), and almost perfect mechanicals - (steering rack needs sorting) which has done 125K miles.
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Admittedly part hearsay, part anecdote (the Insignia has an Fiat/Alfa-JTD-derived engine and is certainly not the pinnacle of refinement or reliability).

Neither are valid bases for passing judgement and I do not claim first-hand experience (I'm 22, I've only had a licence for 5 years and so passing best judgement I can with the cars I have driven), but nonetheless such strong reputations are not usually entirely unfunded. In Warranty Direct's 2013 reliability stats, Alfa ranked 35th out of 38.

And your experiences are also only anecdotal. You can get lucky with a notoriously bad car, and unlucky with an expensive prestigious marque. Whilst you're obviously very happy with your choices, some people might prefer to buy more defensively to try and lower their risk (whether that works out as expected or not is another matter).
 
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akr said:
As I'm fast approaching a mid-life crisis, I've decided it's time I get a car that I might enjoy driving and that looks ok.
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great stuff...and money to spend...

akr said:
will need to able to have car seats in the back. I don't need a huge boot but will need to get a pram in there..
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sigh.. you had me there for a minute... come back when your serious :)
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MR92 said:
Admittedly part hearsay, part anecdote (the Insignia has an Fiat/Alfa-JTD-derived engine and is certainly not the pinnacle of refinement or reliability).

Neither are valid bases for passing judgement and I do not claim first-hand experience (I'm 22, I've only had a licence for 5 years and so passing best judgement I can with the cars I have driven), but nonetheless such strong reputations are not usually entirely unfunded. In Warranty Direct's 2013 reliability stats, Alfa ranked 35th out of 38.

And your experiences are also only anecdotal. You can get lucky with a notoriously bad car, and unlucky with an expensive prestigious marque. Whilst you're obviously very happy with your choices, some people might prefer to buy more defensively to try and lower their risk (whether that works out as expected or not is another matter).
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GM Powertrain Europe are responsible for changing and developing that engine, which is based on the Fiat/Alfa block.
I seem to have been "lucky" four times.
The worst car we have ever had was an in warranty three year old Mazda, which was nothing but trouble, and the dealership was the most reluctant and untrustworthy I have ever come across.
Of course, at 22 you have a lifetime of motoring experience behind you:)
 
Sorry for the delay in responding and thanks for the responses all - much appreciated.

daugirdas said:
Audi Q5, Q3 or A4 convertible are all great motors and will keep you smiling. I was going to say TT convertible, but that is not too practical.

Superb is alright if you opt for the fully loaded one, but basic ones and Octavias look very very bland. It won't help your crisis for sure :p
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Has a look at the Qs, I thought my wife would never go for them but actually an option. Thanks.

Lynton said:
an a3 with the4four siiver cockrings of ingoldstadt, is essentially a golf in a posh frock, whereas a fabia similar size) is a golf in a hand me down 3rd trme dress... all the same under the bonnet once you remove the top piece of plastic,,
Click to expand...

dTEA said:
As a serious golf man, I'd be saying forget that Audi stuff. Audi is overinflated as is the golf over Seat. Seat rattle a bit in terms of trim etc, but mechanically the FR stuff is good. TDI engines and you want at least the 140bhp models, and these don't suffer with the Diesel Particle Filter DPF issues as much as the 170bhp ones, especially if looking at Audi/Golf Sline or GT.

Any car you think about, just look on a few forums for viewing guides to know where their weak points are and check when looking etc.

Do YOU really want a car to excite, or just one with more mod cons? Audi TT is a good car, but not that exciting IMO. And the A3 is nice inside but you do pay extra for that. Minimum you should look for, is heated seats, sat nav etc to take the mid life element. And the comments about Golf plus being only ones for normal height, what's your normal?!?! 6ft and had mk2,3,4,5,6 and all fit adults perfectly well apart from the mk4 in the rear.
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It's a good question - I think I would like more modcons inside certainly. Current one has no radio, aircon or much of anything. I realise though I could fix the previous 2 for cheaper than a new car, but I just want something new is the honest answer. I would like something where if I pull away at the lights there is the potential for the slightest bit of acceleration...I'm not a crazy driver and will have the kids often, but periodically drive for work also and would just like something that can accelerate a bit faster, does not take 2 hours just to reach 70mph etc. I'm being a little harsh on my current car, but the difference in drive when I get a hire car and get back into mine, I keep thinking mine is broken...I know the sensible options are probably the superb or the octavia but I think the inner me is rebelling against that, for now anyway.

CaveDweller said:
On thing you didn't mention in your post is what sort of millage do you cover a day? If you're only doing short journeys I'd suggest getting a petrol. School runs and short journeys are a fast killer of DPF's in diesels. DPF's were mostly fitted post 2006. They need some decent long motorway runs at least once a week to keep them clean. If they clog up you're looking at potentially a £1200+ repair bill.

For that budget you could also look towards BMW. Although I must say if you want to go down the BMW route then stay away from their 4cyl engines. If you go for their 6cyl engines then they are just brilliant and good solid motors, but obviously the downside is that the 6cyl engines are of the larger size...more fuel, tax etc. You could look for a 325i 330i for petrols or even 325D or 330D for diesels. they're not big cars but plenty big enough for two kids and a decent boot. I own the 3.0tdi and I'm seriously impressed. I've modified it slightly and it will just keep climbing to the end of the speedo like you're in 4th gear and a 0-60 time of 5.7seconds for a diesel it can bring a serious smiley face. Also with BMW's being rear wheel drive then that can brighten things up slightly;).

All that aside though I only pay £180 for 12 months tax and can still manage over 50mpg on motorways. If you're wanting a petrol look for a 325 or 330 and try get as many goodies as you can. Also the M-sport package can bring you a lovely looking car if your budget allows.





The 2.0tdi 140 engines are good, but with having owned loads of various VAG cars I can honestly say I prefer the 1.9 tdi 130pd engine over the 2,0tdi variant. Compared to the 2.0tdi the 1.9 is bulletproof and doesn't suffer the horrid major oil pump problem or injector recall. Although finding a car with the tdi 130pd engine in now without moon miles on will be a task in itself now, which is a real shame because they are brilliant engines. The only reason I moved to BMW was for a bit more fun. I'm still a VAG man at heart lol
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Mileage wise not too much. Mainly in town trips, a few weekends away but not lots of motorway miles during the week so thanks for the above, I doubt we'd do enough miles to clear the DPFs. Thanks very much - am warming to the BMWs slightly - never really wanted one before nut the 3 series does seem to good value.

minibloke said:
I had a similar crisis. I went for the A4 estate as they are well built last forever and it still looks good at 10 years old. I'd look at a sporty A3 model.
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Thanks - Going to have a look at an A3 certainly, estates look out due to my wife not wanting a long car.

Lynton said:
All above pretty much makes sense.. I will reiterate, try to fit all the crap in the boot before you buy....

The Skoda got hit up the backside a few weeks back and currently have a 2.0 Diesel Passat estate.. it is like a bloody rocketship... took it out as needed to take some pics this evening..... Sebastian Loeb.. ha, put him to shame...

Alledgedly, you can do a handbrake with the little flicky electric switch, and it's clever enough to hold itself on a hill, or change up when the revs go red...

Heated leather though......... mmmmmmmmmmm
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Thanks - I do appreciate you trying to keep my head in this :)

andy700 said:
"As I'm fast approaching a mid-life crisis, I've decided it's time I get a car that I might enjoy driving and that looks ok."

If we are discussing Skoda Octavias (I own an Octavia), Superbs and Audi A3's, then you are not talking about "mid life crisis", unless you previously owned a mobility scooter.
You should be looking for something a bit exciting for £5K and then put £3K away for insurance and parts.

This would set your pulse racing

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201409147382104/sort/default/postcode/me158hb/price-from/5000/engine-size-cars/3l_to_3-9l/make/alfa_romeo/usedcars/price-to/6000/onesearchad/used,nearlynew,new/quicksearch/true/page/1/fuel-type/petrol/model/gt/radius/1501?logcode=p
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Well I think a mobility scooter probably accelerates at the same speed as my current car :) Thanks I'd not even considered an Alfa - on the shortlist.

MR92 said:
Sit, fiddle and test drive, its the only way to find out what suits you.

Though £10k is a good budget, you can't have it all. There will be some tradeoff between performance, comfort and reliability. The 3.6 V6 Alfa is obviously going to be much better to drive than a 2.0 Diesel VAG, but it will probably cost you the purchase price in repairs. Likewise, the diesel rep-wagon isn't going to blow your socks off but is still going to be relatively more refined than the cars you are used to.



But I'll give a +1 for the Skoda Superb (and don't dismiss the 160bhp 1.8 petrol model if you're worried about diesel issues),

The Superb isn't going to be the most exciting of drives, but it will be the most luxurious-feeling car you can get for the money (bar the taxi-spec S trim). Its basically a mini limo on a Passat platform.

I was looking for cars this time last year with a similar budget and the Superb was top of my list. I'm 6'4" and was looking for a car with appropriate seats and legroom (student but have lots of commuting to do).

After looking for the right one at the right price for month or two I got a bit impatient and underspent on a decent spec, fairly new, low mileage Vauxhall Insignia thinking I'd save a few thousand (didn't want a VX but the SRI seats are damn good for tall people, I don't fit in any other repmobile).

In 1 year I've spent £1500+ on maintenance and repairs on the Insignia, bringing me back towards Superb territory. I now see there's loads more available now around the £10k mark and wish I'd been a bit more sensible!


But going back to the test drive thing... I probably did 20+ test drives when looking for a car. Its the only way to work out if its right for you. If I hadn't, I would never have found out that my knees don't work in a Mk6 Golf, and that I hated the power delivery of the diesel engine in the latest Accord. No amount of reviews and discussion can replace sitting and fiddling!
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Thanks - we will definitely do some test drives. It's possible I'll love something like the Superb (though it may be too big) but I guess the drive will tell.

PaulF said:
If your after an A3, take a look at the Sportback version, slightly bigger than the normal one and the suspension is lowered a bit too. The SLine version is a bit more sporty though and would hold the road better in more exciting driving moments.
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Thanks, yes seen that.

KIPAX said:
great stuff...and money to spend...



sigh.. you had me there for a minute... come back when your serious :)
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Well unfortunately I believe putting them in the boot is frowned upon nowdays!

Bobsyeruncle said:
Are you keeping your existing car?
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I think the other car is going to do, hence the slight compromise. By the time we insure it, tax it, repair it and MOT etc it probably won't be worth the cost of keeping it as we'd never really use 2 cars during the week.
 
I had a hired A3 a while back and i found it to be a bit of a holywood tart (that is great to look at but disapointing when you get inside), as lynton says its basically a golf in a dress.

If you want a midlife crisis car, i'd say keep your sensible car for sensible days and drop a couple of grand on something wildly impractical like one of the caterham clones, or an MX5 (not particularly fast but the handling ought to put a smile on your face), or even a motorbike !
 
big soft moose said:
I had a hired A3 a while back and i found it to be a bit of a holywood tart (that is great to look at but disapointing when you get inside), as lynton says its basically a golf in a dress.

If you want a midlife crisis car, i'd say keep your sensible car for sensible days and drop a couple of grand on something wildly impractical like one of the caterham clones, or an MX5 (not particularly fast but the handling ought to put a smile on your face), or even a motorbike !
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Don't start me on motorbikes! I've got a full license and spent a couple of months lusting after a few, but have decided it's a step too far as for me just too risky with young children. If I was single I'd get one in a flash right now!
 
akr said:
Mileage wise not too much. Mainly in town trips, a few weekends away but not lots of motorway miles during the week so thanks for the above, I doubt we'd do enough miles to clear the DPFs. Thanks very much - am warming to the BMWs slightly - never really wanted one before nut the 3 series does seem to good value.
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Aye in that case I would aim towards a petrol. The 3series are good value for money and there are a lot of nice ones out there. They were BMW's most popular model, but because of that there's plenty to choose from and a lot of info about them.
 
I know what you mean - its not the bike thats dangerous its all the other morons on the road.. I used to have a harley until some pillock with a transit van decided to demostrate newtons laws of motion.

If I ever have a mid life crisis, i'm going to go for something like this

kit-cars-tiger-S1493201-1.jpg


I know its not practical - but thats the point midlife crisus cars arent supposed to be practical and boring
 
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big soft moose said:
I know its not practical - but thats the point midlife crisus cars arent supposed to be practical and boring
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You think along the same lines as my uncle. He's a father of three and married, so for his midlife crisis car he bought a supercharged Jaguar XKR...2 seats, clever move lol.

I'm currently building up a 600+hp bmw m5, but there's something about those caterhams that just draws me to them.
 
CaveDweller said:
, but there's something about those caterhams that just draws me to them.
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thats actually a tiger kit car - theres no way i'd ever afford an actual caterham (may be you could build one using a donor engine out of a 600HP M5 :LOL: )
 
CaveDweller said:
lol those things look enough fun with a motorbike engine in let alone 600hp:LOL:
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actually something as big as a M5 engine would probably make them understeery and horrible... most of the ones i've seen on line seem to have about 2 litre engines with a Ford focus being the favorite donor - souped up with bike carbs and fuel pumps. I don't know enough about cars to get into the detail, but the couple ive driven have been fast and chuckable which is good enough for me
 
IIRC, Australian spec XK8s have child seat mounts in the back... Not sure there's room for a pram in the boot (although a set of golf clubs fits in the convertible.)
 
dTEA said:
And the comments about Golf plus being only ones for normal height, what's your normal?!?! 6ft and had mk2,3,4,5,6 and all fit adults perfectly well apart from the mk4 in the rear.
Click to expand...


I was wondering that as well. I'm 6' too and never had even the slightest issue in an A3
 
CaveDweller said:
Aye in that case I would aim towards a petrol. The 3series are good value for money and there are a lot of nice ones out there. They were BMW's most popular model, but because of that there's plenty to choose from and a lot of info about them.
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Thanks

nilagin said:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201408096480778/sort/default/page/1/make/ford/model/focus/onesearchad/used,nearlynew,new/price-from/8500/annual-tax-cars/up_to_300/body-type/hatchback/usedcars/fuel-type/petrol/quantity-of-doors/5/transmission/manual/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/price-to/10000/postcode/rm141ly/radius/1500/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l?logcode=p
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Had not considered a focus, will look into - thanks.

Nod said:
IIRC, Australian spec XK8s have child seat mounts in the back... Not sure there's room for a pram in the boot (although a set of golf clubs fits in the convertible.)
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I think I might struggle with this one, but will definitely look into!

boyfalldown said:
I was wondering that as well. I'm 6' too and never had even the slightest issue in an A3
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Good to hear - thanks
 
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