Hate my car and have to change it!

[lavenderhoney]

I am driving a horrible Peugeot and I hate it. I am used to a jeep or a vw golf and bought this as its so cheap to run, and its a mistake. I just don't feel safe in it, and its big enough for day to day but not for camping stuff. I could get round that with a bike rack on a vw golf - bit I was told you can't get them for kids bikes?

I live in the sticks but don't do off roading and we like camping so I need boot space for the times we do go, unless there is another solution! I have looked at the ford fusion and although it seems nice and roomy I'm put off by its ugliness. It reminds me of a ford escort van for some reason.

I am dithering about the BMW 3 series estate, a Honda crv or a vw passat. The passat might be too big though.

I have about 8k to spend including p/e and I don't want a car that's expensive to maintain or falls apart easily! I am going to buy trade for that reason as I want a warranty! Any advice for or against the above v welcome:)

This thread was from last year but might be useful.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/cars/1699013-4x4-vs-estate

If you miss the Jeep I wonder how much a second-hand Qashqai would cost?

They are very expensive donkeys! Thanks for the link:)

Does a high mileage matter really anymore? I like the good old vw passat, a BMW 3 estate or a Honda 4x4, in fact any 4x4:). I don't have more than £5 to spend though, plus my car p/e so about 6-7 k maxed out.

Am no expert but lean to the idea that mileage doesn't matter much in a car in this day and age especially with emission testing. What matters more is how well the vehicle's been looked after - has it been regularly serviced. For that reason we always ask to see as full service history as possible.

I don't know if this will help but I have a Skoda Yeti. We also live in the sticks and need boot space for camping. It has been excellent.

They look characterful Nigel! Would they be within OP's budget?

I was just thinking our BMWs have been a bit useless on inclines when it snowed. But even 4x4s (which ours weren't) aren't miracle workers, I wonder if you'd still need winter tyres?

Course you can put kids bikes on a bike rack. Might be a problem with a very small frame on a rear mounted rack, but no problems on roof bars.

FWIW, I carry lots of kiddy junk, construction site stuff and bikes (big and small) and have just ordered a Golf Bluemotion as a new company car. When I was considering cars, roof rails were an essential!! I currently have Skoda Fabia estate, and would happily have had another, but they are no longer an option for us (at work).

Yeti was my first choice, but company car tax much cheaper on the Golf. Otherwise i'd have got a Yeti.

Ford focus estate.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles

I was just thinking our BMWs have been a bit useless on inclines when it snowed. But even 4x4s (which ours weren't) aren't miracle workers, I wonder if you'd still need winter tyres?

Yes.

I have to confess that I'm not sure about the cost of a used yeti - this was our first brand new car - I would guess you could get one within budget.

I haven't (and am not planning to) drive off road but live out in the middle of nowhere with narrow lanes so there's plenty of going up the verge/off the tarmac into the edge of the field. I am slightly concerned that if it snows heavily this winter, our main road in and out of the village is a single track road with no edge across a field. I've got visions of me missing the edge and wandering across the field instead!

DH seems to think there is mileage in winter tyres (iyswim!).

A used Yeti is too much for my budget:)

I have thought of a Toyota RAVI or a Honda CSV, which seem a bit cheaper.
Aren't BMW estates expensive to repair?

Ran this thread past my DH this evening. If you are in the Home Counties he reckoned you can skip the 4x4 requirement go for winter tyres instead.

With your budget a more punchy drive than a Passat would be either a 2008/2010 Alfa 159 1.9 or 2.0 for a great engine and fantastic drive or a similar age BMW 3 series 2.0 both with probably 60 000 miles.

Have you asked this on a motoring forum?

If you like Golfs, and think that the Passat is too big, isn't the obvious choice a Golf Estate? I've just got one today - we read all the gumph and they seem to be the best bet if you want lots of load space without too huge a car. Don't know how much they are used but surely would be less than BMW?

How interesting - I have decided to go for a golf. I'm worried about a BMW cost to repair. I haven't been on any motoring forums.

I suppose I can always put a roof thing on it for camping and a bike rack? The man at halfords told me kids bikes couldn't go on bike racks?

I know absolutely nothing about cars so keep that caveat in mind!
I have a Honda and I bloody love it. It was a steal and has been excellent value for us. Never an issue and very easy and comfortable.

A roof box might do away with the need for an estate I guess. Not contradicting the Halford's guy but must have imagined seeing people driving along the motorway with kids' bikes secured to their cars...!

It will depend on the bike rack and the size of the kid's bikes, surely? We had a thule rack mounted on a towball on previous car, that was certainly fine with DDs second bike.

A Golf will have fairly high repair costs as well. Get something from the Far East.

Or if there's a suitable British-built Japanese car - my toyota avensis hatchback was great, problem was that they stupidly stopped doing the hatch (why? it was the only model you ever saw [confused) and the tourer was too big. If there's a recent enough, good condition one of those it might suit you very well.

For a roof rail mounted bike rack, the bike wheels sit in a channel, which accommodates any size tyre except superfat. The frame is held upright by a clamp whose position is pretty adjustable. The smallest bike we've had on ours (Thule and MontBlanc, DH ran the Thule over) is a diddy 14" Islabike; the largest is DH's mahoisiive 25" frame with 29" wheels.

Ok, I've seen two cars:)

One is a BMW x5 and is lovely to drive, but is a 2001
Two is a vw passat which is also nice and is a 2007.

Both the same mileage and cost practically the same.
The bmw I like because its big and shiny and the passat I like because its cheaper to run but seems so boring:)

The dealer told me the mpg are pretty much the same which I'm not sure about tbh...

I wouldn't entertain either. The Passat will be expensive to keep on the road, the X5 eye watering. Get something Japanese.