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

[Rooners]

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.

I agree TheGirlFromIpanema people who judge me based solely on the car I drive help me enormously when avoiding shallow people and finding the people I wish to be friends with - spot on

I have a year old Audi Q7, despite the fact I'm actually a nice, kind person who helps other people out a lot and works for a place that supports others owning this car negates all of this and makes me a twat apparently and justifies you being angry at me. How fair.

DH bought it, he bought it as we do a lot of motorway driving and for purely selfish reasons there is more chance in an accident the increased size of crumple zones would save our lives Vs say a SMART car that would disintegrate.

We do go rural and need the space but even if we didn't I wouldn't do motorway driving in a small city car.

So I am a selfish Twat.

But the people driving city cars in cities aren't, although they could use the tube, or buses, or walk. Based on the size of a car. OK then.

*7 year old

One thing I can CATEGORICALLY say is that I haven't called anyone a twat. Another is that I am not jealous of larger cars.

I adore landrovers. I'd quite like one if I could justify it by need - but I can't, so I don't have one.

I wouldn't want to have something that huge without needing it, because, in my opinion, that would be selfish.

I know a lot of people drive huge cars without any need to, because they SAY so on here. And in real life. That's not me assuming that most people don't need them.

It's me assuming that they are telling the truth - and if they say 'Yes I am selfish, yes I want a huge car for no real reason, fuck off if you want to control what I drive' then who am I to argue with that?

Tbf gordy I probably wouldn't even notice you unless you do this which happens a lot at dds school

We've just bought a 4X4 Dacia. We looked carefully into what we wanted in a new car, and the Dacia fitted the bill. We have 1 DD and a dog.

We do a lot of driving (PIL and DSD are 300 miles away), so we wanted something comfortable and safe for all the moving around we do.

The 4X4 bit isn't a daily essential, but when we bought it we were moving to a village that is 10 miles on a single track road from the nearest town, the village gets cut off by snow and floods quite often, so we thought it would make sense to buy a 4X4.

We aren't actually moving to that village now, but to one that has recently been cut off at one end by floods, and is quite 'hilly' so I still think the car is necessary.

Thankfully though, the Dacia isn't too big.

Blimey, isn't the Escalade hideous? I'd never heard of it before but have seen quite a few around.

True Rooners you haven't, others have on here and various times on MN it gets a little wearing but no, you didn't should have defined that sorry!

Technically though there are some practical reasons for it our core reason (our safety) is selfish.

DH has a landrover for fishing and carrying stock we are going to burn in big car owner hell

10 MPG LOL

I have one because we figured that one big car rarely driven was better than two small cars both taken out for our rare long trips. We average 5000 miles per year and have a gas guzzling 4x4. The tank gets filled once a month/month and a half so I don't feel remotely selfish.
We opted for a 7 seater (two pop up seats) as again, given the option it gives the opportunity to cram a few more people in and avoid taking cabs/using Zipcar to top up when family visit.
We also bought it as a regular car which you sit down into was causing my DH v serious back problems, which were spiraling into even more serious health issues so it was a no brainer.
We try not to park or drive it like twats. Mostly because we live in London and a) you can't really drive above 20mph anyway and there are enough jaywalkers and cyclists without lights to risk seriously injuring someone b) someone would key the car in a heartbeat. Mostly though it only gets used to leave London and the occasional evening run for pizza

I doubt I've convinced you, as you were.

Softly - that is good of you - I hate to upset people. I hate the cars, not the people. And if you have a reason for using one then that's Ok too.

Motorway driving and safety is something I don't really know enough to comment on - are they actually safer? I read once that they weren't.

I avoid motorways entirely where possible..

These bigger cars generally don't have much bigger footprints, so don't add to congestion etc. They don't really take up more "space" on the road.

Plus many modern larger cars are more efficient than older smaller cars.

Bigger cars aren't much wider than "smaller" cars so you wouldn't notice much difference in narrow roads. There is a maximum permitted width for all new cars.

For example, a Ford S-Max is less than 2cm wider than a Fiesta.

I've just ordered a new car, and I'm downsizing from an Audi A3 to an A1. I don't need to cart pushchairs etc about, as a family we're very rarely rarely all in the car together these days, the A1 is big enough for shopping etc.

That's all points for not being selfish isn't it? Getting a smaller car?

What about the fact that the one I'm getting g is v sporty looking and relatively powerful for its size because inside me I still have the frustrated girl racer, and I've had enough years of driving a "practical" car and want something for me again?

Am I still not selfish?

It's not a black and white debate

Escalade width 79"

Length 202.5"

Height 75.9"

Meriva width 66.7"

Length 159.4"

Height 64.0"

Such a childish argument "you don't like something/someone? You must be jealous!"

I don't care how big your car is as long as you park is properly but sadly, many people around here have big cars park like fuckwits. They should either be banned from buying cars or forced to take another driving test until they can park properly.

Some are some aren't Rooners the Audi is safer.

In an ideal world we would have a Golf or something for bombing around town (we are near town but not one with a transport structure).

A big car for motorways and when we go "home" (my parents) which is rural and to the horses / fishing etc.

And a Van for work use.

But we ran out of pennies when we had DD1 so stuck with the cars we bought when we were young, single and solvent!

Q7

Length
200.3 in

Width
78.1 in

Height
68.4 in

BMW X5

Width 77.5

Length 183.7

Height 69.3

I wonder if you know my dad....he recently bought a stupid big car, it just looks ridiculous!!!

It stands at about 6ft high - it's quite embarrassing.

Maybe he's having a crisis.....

I hate the way poor Rooners has to reiterate time and time again that she is not jealous and that she understands those who say that they need bigger cars.

Safety. I see small cars all crushed in accidents and shudder.

The Escalade is indeed massive, but it is not a car sold here in the UK!

X5 is definitely a large car, but only 1.9m wide. A 3 series is 1.8m wide.

I don't think te op is jealous, I am not sure however why I should have to justify my car to her.
She is welcome to drive a shithole micra but why should I have to. I am SO glad I left people like the op behind and left the UK, such attitudes and poses simply do not exist elsewhere.
Still, it makes her feel clever

We have a Citroen Berlingo. We do not need a car this large but it is seriously convenient. We have two children under 3 - the boot is wonderfully large for all the stuff you need with small children and the sliding doors are excellent for tight parking spaces.

Every third family round here has a large 4x4. We live rurally and have lots of snow so a 4x4 is not that luxurious. We couldn't afford one so got winter tyres instead.

The Berlingo is roughly 173" x 70" x 70"

well no I don't park like that - again with this confusion between bad drivers and people who have big cars

Avensis Tourer 188" x 71.25" x 58.25"

Next door and MIL have Merivas. No way would we all fit in it with all our stuff on a weekend or when we visit family and no way would the boys fit in the back in a few years. Travelling with things on your laps or around your feet is fine in theory, but if you turn your car over, books, toys, shoes etc, loose in the cabin, all become missiles.