The Devil's Alternative

[hauserplenty]

PT CRUZR FTW.

If any of those others even could be imported to the good ol' US of A, they'd stick out like a sore thumb.

I could at least get parts for the Schyssler when I needed them...

[philibusmo]

The Maxi, easy. I had one as a daily for 3 months during winter about 4 years ago when I was 19. A Maxi 2 1750HL in russet brown. It was slow and the gearbox was a bit hopeless but I got used to it and it blasted up and down the M5 quite smartly with a surprisingly good heater.

 

I miss that car and would have another tomorrow no worries.

[burraston2006]

PT Cruiser. Then go along to Halfrauds and buy every piece of plastic chrome they have and stick it on! Looking good!!

Do I need to buy Halfrauds shares yet?!

[Craig the Princess]

Never driven any of them (and have only ever been in a Maxi) so all down to internet rumor and my prejudice.

 

Renault Laguna II - Would love one but no way would it survive a year with a klutz like me

 

Citroen Picasso - My pick, I'd roll in one ironically. Spotless inside and out, waxed and polished like a show car, all on a knackered £100 example. These are so shite they are through anti-shite and back to shite again.

 

Mercedes A Class - I quite the look of these but I'm guessing they are hopeless on A roads and the engine is hidden under the bodyshell.

 

Chrysler PT Cruiser - I'm warming to these with doobiedoo's one looking good, but I can't get over all the show going weird examples. Also horrible dashboard.

 

BL Maxi - Really I should pick the Maxi but having driven BL's finest Allegros through winters I don;t think it is fair on a 50 year old car to slog it 60 miles every day over muddy shit covered Norfolk A roads.

[John F]

[Craig the Princess]

Maxi had good pedestrian safety

 

[Bren]

I picked the merc because it is the best of a bad bunch - if it is utterly shit somebody wanting the pretentiousness of the three pointed star will take it off my hands.

 

Laguna at a push - not even scrappies want them. Dumped in car parks. Possibly would have a dabble if it was cheap (ie free).

 

Chrysler- appalling fuel economy and parts prices so horrific you would assume they were made from unobtanium.

 

Picasso - can't have one because I don't have COPD or claim DLA.

 

Maxi - I cant have it because although made by BL, it's not an SD1.

 

My heart said Laguna but head says merc - I would probably end up regretting getting the laguna in the same way you would regret spending on a prostitute and later on noticing your knob has turned green.

[Bren]

Hang on - I am having respiratory problems so picasso is in with a shout.

[Sloth in a bowl]

So after 120 votes the A class is heading the unpopularity contest over the PT cruiser by a short nose*.

 

And nobody has suggested any suitable alternatives, this I can only put down to the fact that all the Eastern European chod is far too good and likely to give no hassle for this company of rejects to be compared with.

 

 

 

*Sorry I couldn't resist.

[Bren]

I am surprised that no Vauxhall have been considered- diesel vectra's are the bastard child of beelzebub.

[derskine]

I hate Maxis, but I don't hate them as much as moderns.

[binhoker668]

I went for boring honesty.  The Picasso will probably be the easiest to run for commuting and family stuff.  I have ALWAYS wanted a Maxi, but I have no real hard mechanic skills and would probably be on here whinging for assistance every day!

The other options aren't options.

Maybe one day I'll have garage space for a project.  A Maxi the same as my uncle's one in eighties.  Dark brown.  Ace.

Picasso gets the vote this time.

[Dave_Q]

I went for the Picasso.

 

The question states it is to be my only transport for a year, I can't be risking some shite that will break down all the time which rules out everything else except maybe the Part Time Cruiser.

 

I already have a Berlingo which is pretty much the same as the Picasso, just with more boot and space in general.

 

That's provided I'm allowed a 2.0HDi or a pez model, if the Picasso in question is a 1.6HDi I will have a Laguna II DCi with an A class semi auto gearbox as it will be more reliable.

[Cleon-Fonte]

I'd go for the A-class, purely as it's one of the last examples of modern car makers trying something interesting. 1.9 manual with leather and folding roof for me.

 

I realise the thing would sit at the mechanics more than it would be out on the road but reliability's no fun.

 

As for the Picasso, I'd be worried about suffering the same high blood pressure problems as all Picasso drivers when they're behind the wheel, shaking their fists at other road users and prodigiously using the horn at the car in front. And peeling off the 'Powered by Fairy Dust' stickers seems too much effort.

[MrDuke]

  On 18/12/2015 at 21:01, chompy_snake said:

Why the hell do people stereotype cars so much? I find it fairly offensive that people always think that, because you have children and claim state benefits due to poor health. This means that you are a lower lifeform that shovels MacDonald's down your brats throat!

We can't all be David Cameron you know hahaha

 

It's not that, it's just that the vast majority of those people who DO claim benefits for no good reason while waddling between their flatscreens and the nearest chippie, drive Picassos (or Scenics, or Voyagers, or Kia wotsits, or whatever else will enable them to enter/exit with minimal effort and maximum arse-room).

[SiC]

  On 18/12/2015 at 21:01, chompy_snake said:

This means that you are a lower lifeform that shovels MacDonald's down your brats throat!

I'm pretty sure MacDonald was actually a farmer (or at least owned one)...

[steve_earwig]

Who? The McDonald brothers started out with a hot dog stand in California in 1937, I doubt they ever went near a tractor. Unless you're referring to Ronald, who never went near a tractor either because he never existed and was made-up as an advertising gimmick.

[Skizzer]

Maxi, because there's less to go wrong and I'd have a fighting chance of at least diagnosing the problem when something did - maybe even fixing it.

 

Second choice would be a PT Cruiser, just because it would annoy you lot so much.

 

I reckon I'd make a lot more use of public transport that year, mind.

[Richard]

  On 19/12/2015 at 16:20, steve_earwig said:

Who? The McDonald brothers started out with a hot dog stand in California in 1937, I doubt they ever went near a tractor. Unless you're referring to Ronald, who never went near a tractor either because he never existed and was made-up as an advertising gimmick.

 

I think he might be referring to Old.

[steve_earwig]

Ahhh, point, Not Trevor though.

[Ghosty]

Maxi, becasue it has my name in it, and because all the other choices... just no.

Seriously though, I like them, 'specially Maxi 2s. I'd have an HL with a beige interior, don't care about colour.