Me or DH! My car...

[myfingersarenotsogreen]

So DH, DCs 5 &3 and Me are supposed to be going away for half term to a self catering place about 5 hours drive away tomorrow. Yesterday DHs car (family size hatchback) packed up. It is at the garage and they will phone us at lunchtime to see if it can be fixed in time...

I suggested we might be able to go in mine - a Nissan Micra but DH has refused and wants to hire one... but we now find there is no availability locally. I raised my car again wanting to discuss pros and cons but he was just rude to me!

I know mine is small, its a town car and not great at long motorway trips but AIBU to say that it has air-con, a decent radio and is actually running?

If he can afford to hire a larger car, let him. I wouldnt want to be cramped up with toddlers for 5 hours.

I think he’s being a twat. It may not be the most glorious journey but at least you’ll get there!

Yanbu

Go without him. Pillock.

Oh yeah, he’s being weird. Is it some sort of macho willy-waving thing, do you think? Doesn’t want other men to see him driving a small car? Some men can be weird about stuff like that.

assuming you can fit what you need in the car I'd save the money. we used to go 5 hours to Wales in a Honda jazz although just 2 child then. rather spoilt with our massive Skoda and totally overpack

I'd be baffled, it's not like you drive a (lovely) little Fiat 500, yours is a perfectly normal size car for 4 people.

I wouldn’t go on a 5 hour journey with that many people in a micra. If you can afford to hire one then do it. You’ll be far more comfortable and won’t have to leave things behind because there’s no space.

If you can all fit in then he's BU. If you've loads of luggage and would struggle to make it, then not so much.

I wouldn't do that trip in a micra

By the time we had car seats, pram and luggage in it would be cramped and awful! Cars like a micra are only good for journeys in town, never really for long distance.

Just hire a larger car an enjoy it.

We take our small car - Kia Picanto - everywhere including camping for two weeks so I don't see the problem with a small car. However when I was first married to DH he did see it as a problem having a small car. However I was not going to have that attitude in our marriage, where guys feel silly because a car is small. I married him because he's not a jerk so he couldn't be silly about a car.

Saying all that I am not sure how we would get on with two children. If you think you can do it though, why not. Motorway miles will probably be good for the engine clear out the cobwebs.

Oh and we do have one Dd so still have to pack plenty when we camp.

I wouldn’t. Might be manageable if you were going away for a weekend to a hotel but not for a week self catering.

Is he princess and pea? Will the micra seats bruise his derrière??
There are no cars available so it’s the micra or stayathome bay.

I do drive a little fiat 500 , use it for long journeys all the time.

If you are going self catering, is there a lot you need to take? I was shocked how much we needed for a caravan holiday we struggled to fit it all in my focus, so there wouldn't have been a chance of fitting it in a micra.

We've taken 3 children camping a car about the same size, I'm baffled by those who think it's too small.

It's hardly a breach of his human rights to drive a slightly smaller than ideal car . There's sufficient room for two child seats in the back and you just have to be smart about packing the boot and having only the absolute essentials to hand in the car itself. An extra stop or two to stretch everyone's legs beyond what you might have planned, and job's a good'un.

We've had several Citroen 2CVs, VW Polos and Fiat 500s and done long journeys with and without DCs in all of them. He's being a twit.

He can get the train then.... Quiet journey for you!!

Would your car take a roof rack or top box?

He’s an idiot.

For me it would depend on the engine in your Micra. If you've got one of those downsized turbo engines it would probably be OK, as long as you can fit everybody and everything in. But if not, five hours laden down with people and stuff, it's going to be utterly painful. Especially if big chunks of the journey are on motorways.

Who does the driving? You or him? Or do you split it?

There's absolutely no need for him to be rude to you and HIBU for that, but I can see at least some of his broader point. No chance of an equivalent courtesy car from the garage that's got your family car, I suppose?

This happened to us years ago. We did a 10 day tour of Scotland (we live in the south of England) in DW's Ford Fiesta. Two DCs 7 and 3. Once we'd worked out what luggage to leave behind it worked perfectly well.

I used to have a Mini, the type that only fits 4 people. But we took it to visit family (2.5 hours away) as a family once (DH, DD and I), and DD and I took it all over - to family, going camping, etc.

IF the garage can't fix DH's car, and there are no hire cars available, what is his plan? You may need to reduce the amount of packing, so it is more comfortable. But why wouldn't you take a car that actually works rather than not go on holiday?

Even if there are hire cars available, why wouldn't you use your car if his car can't be fixed?

Or is it that HE will be driving and doesn't want to drive a car he doesn't enjoy that far? Would you be willing to drive rather than him?