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New Car Help Please. - ArcticBlue

Hi, so I am in need of a new car as we have a baby on the way and my 2004 RS 182 is not big enough.

I have been looking at varoius reviews of cars for weeks now, from 4X4's, Crossovers, sensible family cars but nothing interests me so I think i have narrowed it down to the following, I am looking at stuff about 4 years old and 4-5 door.

Golf MK6 GTI

BMW 325i

Audi A4 2.0T

Seat Leon 2.0 TSI FR

I have had a test drive in a 2012 Fosuc ST but I have to say I was not overly impressed it did not seem any faster than the 182 even though I am sure it, also did not like the centre console really like the shape mind, but they do cost a bit more than I really wanted to spend.

So out of the 4 listed whoch would be the one to get, unless there is something else to think about, I do need something that is hopefully reliable as I tend to keep my cars for a long time, I have had the 182 from new.

New Car Help Please. - thunderbird

Look at all the cars, drive them and then decide which is best for your needs.

As for reliability its a lottery with a used high performance car that could well have been thrashed or through one or 2 hedges.

As for "it did not seem any faster than the 182" speed is not everything. Most modern "sensible" cars are well up to the job of transporting you and your new family.

We make a regular trip to Scotland, about 400 miles each way. About 10 years ago we had a 150 bhp hatch that went like a rocket and would do the trip in about 6 1/2 travelling time. Now we have a 115 bhp estate, nowhere near as fast but it still does exactly the same trip in 6 1/2 hours and uses a lot less fuel in the process.

New Car Help Please. - YG2007

Welcome to having a family. I suggest you get the missus to see which one she finds easiest to get the baby seat out of the back of through the rear doors. (This is the reson for your change). looking at your selection you are still keen on having a vehicle with some performance. If this is your 1st child the "ife support system" your missus will insist on you carrying around to show your new addition off to (the baby not the car) has to fit in the boot. When I started this game with my 1st child in 1995 we went from a Metro to a Laguna (I wasn't selling my porsche) as the family car. The laguna hatchback was big but once you got travel cot, push chair, changing box, clothes for baby and missus in you only had room left for a tesco bag for yourself. I would consider estate versions or at least the hatchback versions of above in your selection. Two years down the line if you buy wrong you will have to trade in for an MPV when No2 turns up !!

New Car Help Please. - RobJP

First off, congratulations.

Now, as to the car. I know this isn't going to be very welcome, but do bear in mind that a hard/sporty/firm ride, and big wheels with ultra low-profile tyres is going to mean restless kids.

So on that basis, a Focus ST, any GTI/M-Sport type of car is a bad idea. Same with a 3 door hatchback. Child seats and children are difficult enough to move in and out, and get fastened in with a 5 door car, a 3 door is just asking for hell.

New Car Help Please. - ArcticBlue

Hi, thanks for the replys, I have tried to get the other half's opinion but she is not really bothered as long as it has rear doors and is not a "tank" as she puts it she does not mind what the car is.

She is of opinion that an audi A4 and 3 Series are big cars and does not want anything bigger, she also does not like the look of 4x4 or any of the crossovers and also claims that most of those types of things are (to) big as well.

I was looking at these cars because they all come with the 5 door option, yes it is true I do want some performance, I thought the cars listed were a resonable compromise, after all if it was just about speed than I would be looking at the Megane RS 250.

I do like the look of the mk6 Golf GTI but most of the ones I am looking at have quite a high mileage, for example, there is one just down the road from me 2011 plate with 71k on the clock, 1 owner from new, i am guessing it was a reps car.

I really am tempted but I am also unsure of what is considered to high a miles on the clock.

New Car Help Please. - 72 dudes

Out of the 4 cars on your list, I would discount the Leon first, purely based on the huge expanse of grey scratchy plastic inside (apologies to the Seat fans on here)

The other 3 are all "nice cars" with a good mix of performance and practicality. The BMW has a smaller boot and narrower access than the other two, but is probably the best driver's car. However, it's a 6 cylinder, so running and servicing costs will be higher.

It really is a case of trying them out, keeping in mind the requirement for tansporting lots of baby clutter around.

One final thought, if you can find one, a Seat Exeo 2.0 TSi has a high quality interior and would provide outstanding value compared to the Germans, while having the same engine as the A4, Leon and Golf. A little bit different too.

New Car Help Please. - bazza

I'm afraid you need an estate. None of the others are really big enough for all the baby stuff and you'll probably add another in a year or two anyway! So just get the right car for the job, an Octavia estate or Mondeo estate. If you must have performance, they do fast versions which are all pretty good. Some estates like A4 aren't really that big, hence my choices above. Ceed also is pretty big and good value. Avensis also huge. Estates grow on you, you'll always want one as you realise how versatile, practical and so damned useful they are.

New Car Help Please. - Pebble

^Correct. Get the biggest station wagon you can find. It'll fill up with baby stuff faster than you can imagine--you'll need all the space you can get.

New Car Help Please. - Avant

An Octavia vRS estate (mark 2) has the same engine as the mark 6 Golf GTI, and will cost you less to buy and to insure. It also has very good visibility (better than the Octavia hatch) so your wife shouldn't think it too much of a barge.

New Car Help Please. - jgrahampo

What he said Octavia

New Car Help Please. - mark999

+1 for the octavia some good deals about. The 4x4 is excellent if you need the extra grip (quite a bit more thirsty though)

Mark

New Car Help Please. - 72 dudes

Something tells me the OP wouldn't be seen dead in a Skoda Octavia estate, no matter how fast and spacious it was. Right, Arctic Blue?

Edited by 72 dudes on 22/08/2014 at 19:36

New Car Help Please. - Avant

Arctic Blue is happy to be seen - alive, presumably - in a SEAT Leon, so clearly not a badge snob. People who "wouldn't be seen dead in a Skoda" aren't interested enough in cars to frequent a forum like this!

New Car Help Please. - ArcticBlue

Hi, I have been looking at the Octavia vRS but not the estate, really like the new mk3 but slightly out of my price range, was also warming to the mk2 until I read an old thread over on the Briskoda site about the mk2 some of it has slightly put me off.

Some report LOTS of raod noise, water leaking in to the boot, poor audio equipment to name a few, but at the end they all still seem to highly recommend the mk2.

So no I wold not rule a Skoda out, or a Seat lol :)