Cars, choices, apathy and inevitability.

[Brandane]

Kia sportage?
That was our choice for a " fit it all in" vehicle, but mr6 decided looking good was more important and we bought a golf gti.

Please, NO, do not buy a Kia Sportage!
I think Mr6 made the right choice; the only surprise is that a Golf GTi and a Kia Sportage are mentioned in the same list of choices, they are like chalk and cheese.
Many years ago, strangely enough I owned a Golf GTi at the time, I went to the USA on holiday and my rental car was a Kia Sportage. I took it out of the airport onto an Interstate and thought a hurricane had suddenly blown in. The Kia was all over the place and it felt as if there were constant cross winds trying to blow it about the road. Horrible car to drive, in fact the worst I have ever driven, and I have driven a lot. The following morning I went to get in the car so put the key into the door lock and the lock barrel fell inside the door. Thankfully that was enough to convince me to return it and get something driveable.

 

[Crackle]

And you thought my cooker hood thread was dull @theclaud

It was.

There's something familiar about that.......

 

[perplexed]

Outlander?

Another vote for the Outlander here.

 

[Crackle]

I think the Outlander is out. Can't find one for less than 20grand with the engine I want. I was also driving behind one today and it seemed to lean into bends, a bit like the old Kia Sportage we had, though the reviews are mixed about it's handling. Academic anyhow.

 

[Drago]

Mine never seemed to roll unduly? Apart from the ride being a bit firm it handled its girth with aplomb.

 

[rich p]

I think the Outlander is out. Can't find one for less than 20grand with the engine I want. I was also driving behind one today and it seemed to lean into bends, a bit like the old Kia Sportage we had, though the reviews are mixed about it's handling. Academic anyhow.

Thanks for clearing that up, Crax
You riding the bike these days?

 

[Crackle]

Thanks for clearing that up, Crax
You riding the bike these days?

I like to take it with me in the car or on the car.

 

[Wafer]

Is the problem with an estate just the leg room for the middle seat in the back?

I'm in the process of getting an estate (boot space for bike or dog rather than rear seats) and while researching I did find a couple that mentioned smaller/no transmission tunnels in the back. No idea what it's really like as it's not what I ended up going for but the Hyundai i40 was one http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/reviews/hyundai/i40/estate/video#video

Looks like the right sort of price range, good mpg, low tax.

 

[Crackle]

Is the problem with an estate just the leg room for the middle seat in the back?

I'm in the process of getting an estate (boot space for bike or dog rather than rear seats) and while researching I did find a couple that mentioned smaller/no transmission tunnels in the back. No idea what it's really like as it's not what I ended up going for but the Hyundai i40 was one http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/reviews/hyundai/i40/estate/video#video

Looks like the right sort of price range, good mpg, low tax.

That's interesting. I wouldn't mind having a look at one of them and there's one nearby.

The review says it handles worse than the Mondeo, which can't be true as the Mondeo was the dullest handling car I've ever owned zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

[rich p]

,

That's interesting. I wouldn't mind having a look at one of them and there's one nearby.

The review says it handles worse than the Mondeo, which can't be true as the Mondeo was the dullest handling car I've ever owned zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Anyway, who is this third teenager that's appeared? Did you nick one, or adopt, á la Madonna?
And WTF is a 'mouldering bat' in the OP?

 

[Crackle]

,
Anyway, who is this third teenager that's appeared? Did you nick one, or adopt, á la Madonna?
And WTF is a 'mouldering bat' in the OP?

The third is the ever present friend. My two being quite active, have picked up similar inclined friends. So whenever we go somewhere we normally have company. I'd grown so used to this that I began to wonder why I had no pictures of my third son when he was young.

 

[Profpointy]

That's interesting. I wouldn't mind having a look at one of them and there's one nearby.

The review says it handles worse than the Mondeo, which can't be true as the Mondeo was the dullest handling car I've ever owned zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Not quite sure I understand the mondeo comment. I had one as a company car and despite being a great big dull barge at first sight it was great to drive and had excellent handling; miles better than the 8 or 10 similar bracket cars I test drove, and not far behind the hooligan model golf turbo gti I got next. The mondeo was only the 2l ordinary model too, not sporty model at all.

 

[Wafer]

That's interesting. I wouldn't mind having a look at one of them and there's one nearby.

The review says it handles worse than the Mondeo, which can't be true as the Mondeo was the dullest handling car I've ever owned zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Having watched a lot of their estate reviews (ironically ended up going for one I hadn't looked in to) they seem to quite like the current Mondeo handling. I too have an irrational dislike of Ford's however so I didn't pay a lot of attention.

Oh, and it may not work out with the sort of car you're looking for, but I ended up being quite surprised at the deals I could get on a new car compared to a used/nearly new one. I too thought it was pointless getting a new car due to the immediate depreciation but actually in some cases I could get a new car on cheaper finance than something 6 months old. That's all been on PCP style finance though so pretty much locks you in to changing car by the end of the finance term. The sort of thing you're looking at might not come in your budget still but I did have a look at and test drove a 2008 (weirdly I felt far too big in the drivers seat) and I could've gotten a new one with a sticker price of around £18k for similar finance to a £12k 2nd hand car.

 

[Crackle]

Not quite sure I understand the mondeo comment. I had one as a company car and despite being a great big dull barge at first sight it was great to drive and had excellent handling; miles better than the 8 or 10 similar bracket cars I test drove, and not far behind the hooligan model golf turbo gti I got next. The mondeo was only the 2l ordinary model too, not sporty model at all.

It's a preference thing I guess. Most Fords I've driven have felt competent but a little dull, detached. The Mondeo was a great motorway cruiser. V50, Audi Avant, Subaru Forester, all cars I've had, were far better but I'm willing to accept that you might have found it better, we are all different.

 

[Tin Pot]

I shall fall upon the mercies, or lack thereof, of the cc collective. Ok I may not but you may well have thought of something I haven't, actually that's quite likely, I haven't thought about it much at all.

It has been deemed that the Citroen C3 Picasso, a remarkable car considering it's made out of cheese and cardboard, is too small for three teenagers, bouldering mats, bikes and dog. This was brought home to me when I was forced to choose which one to leave at home. I chose a teenager but was outvoted. We therefore have to upgrade to something made out of bigger bits of cheese and cardboard. I have been trying to express a preference to Mrs C but I've discovered I don't have any besides, bigger, a bit more umph fully loaded and a better circulation system able to deal with Lynx and Adidas aerosol smells.

Typical estates have been poo poo'ed as the middle seat will apparently lead to more sultry teenage moods than normal, so mpv type boxes have been identified as suitable. leading the charge is the C4 Grand Picaso, I'm told. I have been asked to provide some other contenders to the title but my eyes keep glazing over, which is why I need your help. To put forward clever thought out opinions on uninspiring boxes on wheels. Now before you start, my irrational dislikes include Ford's of any kind, Skodas and faux 4x4's, apart from that, all's good: Ideas?

C4GP Exclusive petrol 2L can't go wrong