Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

Which car?

21 replies

Clarinet60 · 24/01/2004 11:15

It's scary to admit it (given the current School Run thread) but our Big Ends are going and we need a new car.
Does anyone have any links to sites advising on the safest family car?
Or anyone have a favourite?

My main worry is safety, since a close family member had a near-fatal crash last year. It would be nice to have a roomy interior too.
DH wants a jeep because he has to work off-road sometimes, but I'm resisting because 4WDs seem to get villified, for some reason!

OP posts:
zebra · 24/01/2004 11:56

As to why they're villified...
I sort of thought most of the 4WD cars have a higher risk of rolling; esp. jeep style, due to the high Centre of Gravity.
My personal expectation is to wonder if they're like most American cars, Big on the Outside and Little On the Inside. People mover might be better?
Also, you put bullbars on it and I will personally, as a cyclist, hate you (sorry to be mean, but I feel quite strongly about it) -- bull bars are just LETHAL to other types of road users.

shrub · 24/01/2004 13:07

renault megane/espace has very good reputation, also volvo. try 'which guide' you can look on their website to see latest car safety/crash results - i think they're called 'ncap' tests. car seat is just as important - britax have got a new one out called 'kid' that got highest rating.

Tinker · 24/01/2004 13:30

4WD's also block the view of the road in front, they take up as much space as van.

suedonim · 24/01/2004 14:30

This site might be useful, Droile. Euroncap safety results.

Original poster
Clarinet60 · 24/01/2004 22:01

Thanks suedonim.
I know about bull bars and wouldn't dream of having them - I can't understand why they are legal.

I'd heard about jeeps rolling - so it's true then? Right, have to talk him out of that one.
People carriers are lovely, I'm really tempted, but their lack of a long 'nose' in front worries me. There's nothing to bear the brunt of an impact. I'll have a look at the link now.

OP posts:
kiwisbird · 24/01/2004 22:05

peugeot 307 SW
FAB!!!!!

SofiaAmes · 25/01/2004 00:44

It was only a few specific "jeeps" that had the rolling problem and I think it involved going around corners at high speeds. Anyway, it depends on what your needs are. We recently bought a used landcruiser colorado...(big, big, but not the biggest). We picked it because it seats 8 (seatbelts for 8!). Dh has 3 kids from previous relationships who come on weekends; add those to our 2 and we were finding ourselves needing 2 cars to go everywhere on the weekends. Also, dh has to drive almost 2 hours to pick kids up on weekends, so he is much safer in larger 4wd than in normal car. I suppose a people carrier might have served a similar purpose, but not as cool looking as a landcruiser, so dh wouldn't have been happy as well as being functional...I did have to tell him that he couldn't have an audi tt as he had produced too many children.

Original poster
Clarinet60 · 25/01/2004 12:07

Interesting SofiaAmes, so the Jeep is not entirely out of the question after all.
DH will be pleased. His face went all pinched when I told him they rolled.
We live on country lanes, so he think's it's more practical to have a 4WD.

OP posts:
suedonim · 25/01/2004 13:25

As well as occupant safety there's the issue of others safety, too. The news recently reported that a pedestrian hit by a 4wd is three times more likely to die. We also live in the country, in the north of Scotland, but tbh, there are only about 3 or 4 days a year (which according to the weather forecast will be this week!) when a 4wd could do anything a normal car could not. It's just not worth the extra cost, for us.

pupuce · 25/01/2004 13:29

Sue - you're not in Indonesia anynore???? Did I miss a trick???

suedonim · 25/01/2004 13:40

Been back in the UK since last July, Pupuce! Dh is about to set off for India; could be interesting......

twiglett · 25/01/2004 13:45

message withdrawn

Original poster
Clarinet60 · 25/01/2004 16:03

We live in the country and my DH goes offroad. We live on a farm and need to get rid of our knackered landrover.

Interesting about the VW.

OP posts:
Original poster
Clarinet60 · 25/01/2004 16:05

PS - I'm not defending Jeeps - it's just that DH wants one and I don't particularly. I've got to build up a good case to match the good reasons he has for wanting one. For example, it would be more economical for us to have one car rather than an off-road vehicle AND a family car.

OP posts:
SofiaAmes · 26/01/2004 01:05

Landcruisers are great! They last forever and are really quite reasonably priced if you buy one a few years old. Do the research on which are the best. (ie diesel vs. petrol). Personally, I like being higher up. I think it gives me better visibility and makes me a safer driver. Though I am one of these nerds that almost never drives over the speed limit even when it's a ridiculously low one. Of course having said all of that, it's dh who drives the lc. I have one of the smallest 4 dr cars on the market...a hyundai amica and i ADORE it. You do sit a little higher than a normal car, but it's totally small on the outside and surprisingly roomy on the inside.

handlemecarefully · 26/01/2004 08:11

BMW 5 series score 5 out of 5 on occupant safety, and will carry 3 children in the rear. Okay they are expensive but you don't have to buy new.

JanH · 26/01/2004 09:57

There is a 4x4 Renault Megane - porbably not what your DH had in mind though, Droile!

JanH · 26/01/2004 09:59

Also the Audi Quattro, based on the A4 I think.

bloss · 26/01/2004 10:29

Message withdrawn

bloss · 26/01/2004 10:29

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Clarinet60 · 26/01/2004 11:48

Thanks for that Bloss, I'll show him.
Handlemecarefully, I think he might go for the BMW.
Thanks everyone for these.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page