The wife and I are expecting our first child in May and I need to change my car - 306 Gti6 isn't really practical..
I was just wondering if anyone could offer some advise on what would be the best sort of thing to go for. I was hoping something 306 sized would suffice, but after picking up the new pushchair/travel system and having to really shoehorn it into the boot, I'm thinking maybe slightly bigger is better (or just something medium sized with a bigger boot).
I've got about £4000 to play with. Any thoughts or advise will be grately appreciated..
Thanks
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A bit more info would be great;
Is this going to be your only car?
How many miles per annum do you do?
How long would you intend to keep the "new" car? i.e. If it's for several years, your firstborn may have a sibling by then ...
Does SWMBO drive too, if so does she have any particular requirements? I know mine does!
Would you often require space for "other" passengers i.e. grandparents etc.
... you get the gist ;-)
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Ah Yes, sorry, should have thought about those points.
Yes, will be my only car and probably average between 10 - 15,000 miles per year.
Probably look to keep the car for 2 - 3 years. Wife doesn't drive, so she doesn't get a say in the matter ;o)
No other regular passengers either, so just me, wife and baby.
Hope that covers it - Thanks Chad
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The world's your oyster - pretty much anything medium size upwards would do the job;
With your annual mileage, whether it's petrol or diesel make little difference, your the only driver and only 3 regular passengers.
There's are a LOT of good cars that would fit your requirements and budget. However I assume you enjoy driving since you already have a 306 GTi6 - if it was me, I'd look at a 99'-01'Nissan Primera 2.0GT. You should be able to get all the baby's kit in the boot, it should be reliable and not expensive to run and it's a great drive.
P.S. Should leave quite a lot of change from £4k too.
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I'd look at a 99'-01'Nissan Primera 2.0GT.
Actually they may be called "2.0 Sport" or "Sport+" ..
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Firstly, congratulations!
I was in exactly the same situation some years ago.
I'll list some views, some obvious perhaps and you can take note of what you want.
* Five doors is an absolute must.
* A very big boot is required. Pushchair/travel changing bag/toys/clothes/travelcot if staying overnight - before you put a toothbrush of your own in.
*Low loading lip in boot. Avoid those that you have to lift things in and out of.
*In two or three years you will get through two baby seats. Check they will fit choice of car. Don't assume they all will.
* You don't mention budget but I would be thinking Mondeo/Avensis/Mazda 6: probably in estate form but not as a priority.
*MPVs low priority. Smaller boot (in general) and too many seats.
* Consider cleanability of seats. Velour I would avoid. Your baby will vomit/spill food and drinks/colour in/melt chocolate onto the seats.
Good luck.
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Sorry! You do mention budget! Scrap Mazda idea.
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Medium or large'ish estate (406?)or Picasso or Zafira - you don't think you need that amount of space but you will. My son had a 3 series and the pushchair wouldn't fit in the boot without being part dismantled. He now has a Passat estate and that is big enough but not by much. IMO MPVs are great for kids especially if you do regular long journeys - they can see out and take much much longer to get bored. Shame about the Gti6 though!
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What about Volvo V70 T5 estate? Tons of room in the back for pushchair, etc. Stonking performance for when wife and kid are not in the car...
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This is excellent, thanks guys. Some possibles there I would have never thought to have considered. Please keep them coming..
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For a car with a big boot I'd suggest a Mondeo or Skoda Octavia -either of these comes as a hatchback or estate, and there are lots of engine-size choices within your budget.
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And just to spoil your fun, give your wife driving lessons as a thank you for your heir - life is really difficult without driving once you have children. If you found loading the buggy into car inconvenient, just think about getting it onto public transport! Voice of experience here - had no car as we lived in London for first babe and life was impossible!!
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What exactly is not practical about a 306 GTi-6?
It's a 3 door hatchback with a spacious boot, easy access into the boot, etc etc.
I love the way people think they MUST sell up and buy an MPV or something dull just becuase they are expecting a child. My mother had an XR3i back in the early 90's and that was fine for not one but two kids :p
Obviously a Mondeo ST24 would make a better buy, but.. ;)
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What exactly is not practical about a 306 GTi-6?
It would probably suffice if the kids were self propelled and didn't have a pram.
Believe me, you end up with a lot of stuff to carry around for a tiny baby, and after looking after the baby all day, the last thing you want is having to shoehorn all the stuff back in the boot, plus all the shopping you've accumulated (nappies etc) and then hurt your back trying to put child in the back seat. In the rain.
5 door hatch with big boot: Octavia, Mondeo etc. Is the pram / travel system goes into the boot lengthways, that's a bonus.
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Just had the same Dilema (Well nearly)I have a 306 and the Wife Had a Daewoo Matiz.
We have a Gracco Travel System Pushchair which is pretty big.
It fit's in the boot of my 306 fine but yes three doors is a pain when you have to lift the car seat in and out the back all the time.
The Daewoo Matiz's Boot fitted the pram in only with out the parcel shelf.
She sold this and bought a Focus for £3k. There is plently of room in the boot for the pram and shopping. We are going on Holiday next week and will have to take luggage, pushchair, travel cot etc and will have to use some of the back seat.
The way we looked at it is if/when we have another child we will buy a roof box because it's not worth spending the extra money on the running costs of a bigger car for the sake of 1 or 2 times a year you have to take all the stuff with you.
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It's going to hurt whatever car you have so I wuld wait and see. The only advantage I can see in buying a new car is that it will make you feel like you are taking control of the situation. This is a mistake: from now on you are not in control. Get over it.
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