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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Convince me that having a larger car than you need is not selfish.

411 replies

Rooners · 04/03/2014 09:46

Because I cannot think of a single reason why it's not. I'm talking about cars that are huge for the sake of it, not cars that carry wheelchairs, or loads of people, in a relatively compact and utilitarian manner.

But something that only has 4/5 seats yet is the size of a small tractor - and no, I don't think this is wrong if you live somewhere with poor terrain. But if you don't?

  1. They take up more space when the last things we need on our crowded roads are unnecessarily supersized vehicles.
  1. You can't see past them because they are often much higher than 'normal' cars - great for the person driving the thing, rubbish for everyone else
  1. They tend to use a larger amount of fuel than a 'normal' car - which is, unarguably, utterly unfair given the fuel crisis the world is facing.
  1. They don't fit into a normal parking space which causes untold problems in car parks.
  1. They don't fit in a narrow road so cause hold ups as people try to pass each other.

So please convince me, if you can be bothered, that I ought not to be so cross when I am trying to use the roads and one of these massive tanks makes it difficult, dangerous or just really bloody awkward.

I am willing to listen. It's that or spontaneous combustion really.

OP posts:
LessMissAbs · 06/03/2014 20:56

It is also true that a lot of larger luxury cars are designed to have you coming out of them at the end of a long journey as fresh as when you started. Like Scotland to the south coast ferry ports. I wouldn't fancy that in a small cheap car. But perhaps Scottish people are not supposed to travel to these places, or to fly or get the expensive ferries from northerly parts of England instead.

EvansOvalPiesYumYum · 06/03/2014 21:02

Night night Rooners - I think we actually did start to compromise on a couple of little points, didn't we?? Thanks

Tabby1963 · 07/03/2014 20:01

LessMissAbs, I drive to Wales (from Scotland) regularly, six plus hours, and with my lovely comfy 4X4 (like defonamechangeforthis said, its like driving sitting in an armchair) it's an absolute pleasure. I usually leave after work and drive straight down, arriving between 10 and 11. It is no longer a journey ordeal that has to be got through somehow.

Shonajoy · 07/03/2014 20:40

We had a Toyota Prius, MPG was worse than my Qashqai. We now have a Lexus ct whatever hybrid, again petrol consumption is crap. My daughter has an a class Mercedes as she travels a lot with uni, and build quality is great, mpg about the same as my Qashqai. Hybrid cars IMO are a total waste of time- the Lexus is a company car, and we get it for tax reasons.

defonamechangedforthis · 07/03/2014 21:34

ours does 19mpg, but cant beat it for comfort!

luabay · 07/03/2014 21:49

I read in "housewife today" that 4x4s are more comfortable because if only two wheels are driving the car you get unbalanced and gradually get spinal deformities. If you look at people getting out of their small cars you can see them starting to hunch over.

Kelpie1975 · 08/03/2014 15:00

Convince me that what car I choose to drive is anybody's business but my own?

Shonajoy · 08/03/2014 19:47

Kelpie it's not- I'm new here but find a lot of these threads are brought up to boast that the op is better. As in much more ecologically, financially, and personally.

What your supposed to say is you drive a purple rangerover,you get spray tanned daily and don't care, and that you breastfed your kids till they were five while attending church on a daily basis.

Shonajoy · 08/03/2014 19:48

It's basically a "what do you drive" thread. To prove that I'm SUCH a consumer and they're so uninterested they started the thread in the first place.

Shonajoy · 08/03/2014 19:51

Luabay, I haven't seen that but I've had several pretty sore back surgeries, and I find daft things like getting into the car, and the boot height, make a wee part of everyday life more comfortable.

I can't go on holiday as I'm still recovering, but it's the little things.

Rooners · 11/03/2014 16:35

'Kelpie it's not- I'm new here but find a lot of these threads are brought up to boast that the op is better. As in much more ecologically, financially, and personally.'

Bollocks.

If you weren't so new here you might realise how completely crap I am at various things. I am honest about it. I am not a better person than you, or than anyone else on this thread.

It's about trying to make people think about the reasons it's probably best to have a smaller car, if you can and if it makes sense, because of all the things I outlined in the OP.

If you had bothered to read the thread you wouldsee me state again and again that I'm not attacking people, I'm attacking the idea of having a giant car.

But then, that's probably no fun for you is it.

OP posts:
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