One of those "What car" threads...

[pompei]

Aerial Atom. Srsly though, having had one infant to cart about, bigger is going to be best. As others have said, get some parking lessons and/or parking sensors and nothing under Focus size. Fiat Multipla for the leftfield choice?

[Richard]

Or buy more compact baby kit. It does exist and it's usually a lot cheaper and better made than the bloated stuff.

[JohnDeere]

+1 on the Nissan Note, one of my mummy friends has one. Vomit wipes clean away, town driving battle scars don't rust. Rear drum brakes on hers FTW (didn't even realise they still did drum brakes on moderns).

 

Not sure how much of it is Nissan-y and how much is flakey Renault-y though.

[Negative Creep]

Nissan Bluebird

[Timewaster]

As Alf892 and Cavcraft have pointed out, recomending a car to family seems like a noble an helpful thing to do, however..

 

You say "Try a Ford Focus, they are reliable and nice to drive, good on fuel etc etc......"

 

They hear "If you buy a Ford Focus, I personally guarantee that it will never EVER break and will do 100 mpg, and if it disappoints you in any way then feel free to come and bother me about it any time day or night - even suggest that I might pay for repairs and lend you my own car while it is done regardless of the fact you have missed the last 4 services and the MOT ran out last june"

[Cavcraft]

/\

Bang on. It's almost pointless recommending cars to people now, they either don't listen or if they buy one you suggested then start going off their tits 6 months later because a wheeltrim fell off, or something like that.

[Lacquer Peel]

Making a welcome return...

 

 

The Horsey Horseless.

 

 

Seriously though, what about a Kia Soul?

 

I've no idea about engine choices, available in budget and such but they are short with a tall back and so easy to park with a big boot.

 

The Yaris is worth about £1500-£2000 and she has £1500 savings so they have around £3000-£3500 to spend.

 

£5,975

 

Maserati Quattroporte II.

[trigger]

That's the same as the Nissan Note too, Those cars up north must be a lot cheaper then down here!.

 

I know what you mean about helping friends and family with car choices, I don't normally bother unless i get asked to view a car for someone but she's clueless with cars and would be knackered without any help (plus she has a nice arse), I think a Skoda Fabia might be the way forwards now but I've told her that she'll need to sell her Yaris first as it's pointless looking at cars if she hasn't got the money yet.

 

Anyone interested in a 2003 (03) Yaris 1.0 Colour Collection 3-dr with 72k (i think) and in red for £2000? Looks just like this:

 

[Morgan84]

Honda Civic,Toyota Corolla,Kia Rio,Seat Ibiza,Ford Focus,Vauxhall Astra

[Justin Case]

http://www.perrys.co.uk/mazda-3-1.4-ts- ... istonheads

 

Mazda 3 from a Mazda dealer, low mileage, Isofix child seats, big enough boot, small engine should give good economy and low insurance, what more could she want?

[Cavcraft]

Pictures of said nice arse?

[trigger]

Pictures of said nice arse?

 

Let's just say, you would. Mazda 3 looks alright, That one in your link sounds ideal but Blackburn isn't really close though!

 

Edit - £195 a year tax for a 1.4! they are having a laugh!

[Mr Lobster]

Presumably shes not into cars and just wants a car?

 

I'd recomend a Kia Ceed. Sista_Lobsta, Bro_In_Law_Lobsta and Fatha_Lobsta all run them and they are ok if a little unexciting.Plenty big enough too.

 

Otherwise, Skoda Fabia estate, Focus, SEAT Leon / Altea.

 

Or if she'd like to spend just over £2k I'm just about to sell our Kangoo.

 

Edit - Just noticed the budget. Forget the Ceed then.

 

Have I mentioned our Kangoo does 54mpg and has a massive boot?

[Lacquer Peel]

Pictures of said nice arse?

 

Let's just say, you would. Mazda 3 looks alright, That one in your link sounds ideal but Blackburn isn't really close though!

 

Edit - £195 a year tax for a 1.4! they are having a laugh!

 

It's probably an older engine that hasn't been fiddled with to meet spurious emissions based tax bands, or just too weedy for the size of car. My mum's Accord 1.8 is £250 a year to tax, but what you'd save choosing a similar car in a slightlt cheaper tax band could easily be eaten up repairing a less reliable car.

It's a load of bollocks, essentially, to save 5p a day or something.

 

Anyway, Monteverdi 375/4, most of them should be tax exempt, thus saving hundreds a year.

[Cavcraft]

If she's got a pulse I'm interested Trig. Or probably even if she hasn't.

 

 

Has anyone mentioned Mk4 Astra yet?

[Morgan84]

A well cared for MK4 Astra in a decent spec is a nice motor

[phil_lihp]

+1 for the Mk4 Astra, having spent nearly 5 years using one belonging to a former employer, a good 1.7TD should be a slightly unrefined but pretty reliable family hack and the estate version has a totally flat back, so it's the easiest thing in the world to parallel park.

[trigger]

Not keen on Mk4 Astra's, She doesn't like them and nor do i to be honest, Had a look at a 2005 Mazda 2 1.4TDCi today, which is basically a cross between a Fiesta and Fusion, It seems to tick all the boxes and the garage made a good offer so we'll see what she decides to do, I put the Yaris on ebay tonight, She'll take £1900 if anyone on here wants it.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... RK:MESE:IT

[gtd2000]

Honda Jazz. They're pricey but my sister just went through this exercise for the same budget you can't do any better. Have a look on google, other than shit CVT gearboxes and the odd leaking boot nothing seems to go wrong with them.

They've got decent boots, do good mpg and have a flexible and family friendly interiors.

 

 

P.S. My sister bought a golf in the end but only because she got a mega bargain on one

 

I'd recommend the Jazz too - fantastic MPG (Diesel levels I'd say!) and should be big enough.

 

Things do go wrong with them - rear wheel bearings are made of chocolate supposedly and the gearbox input shaft bearing is a known defect.

 

Other than that, I like 'em

[chaseracer]

If she needs to cart all that sprog-related shit about...

 

 

Equipped for defensive parking, too.

 

[Morgan84]

Thats a very smart looking Transit