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MNHQ

Family cars - how involved were you in choosing yours?

120 replies

carriemumsnet · 14/05/2009 15:37

We have this hunch at MN towers that when it comes to choosing the family car - the estates, people carriers (dare we say 4x4's?) family saloons, compacts with a bit of a boot - basically anything other than sports cars - women get quite involved and are the ultimate decision makers.

We also think women should be consulted more when manufacturers design cars (we're thinking wipe clean seat fabrics, fewer holes for crumbs to get in, more drink holders, decent make up mirrors). We can see the launch of the New Mumsnet xxx model now

We just wondered if our hunch was right - what do you think?

OP posts:

Lilyloo · 14/05/2009 19:17

We recently got a new car and it was the make and model i set out to buy. Dp isn't aware of that and we had to 'shop' around first before i we made the decision!

NorbertDentressangle · 14/05/2009 19:19

I suppose what happens here is we mull over possible cars, DP shortlists a few from ones we've suggested according to various criteria but I'm the one the ultimately decides as I tend to look at how practical it is for us as a family.

Actually he really dislikes our current car and wasn't keen on it from the beginning but I like it and wouldn't mind another when we upgrade.

Sazisi · 14/05/2009 19:19

We have one car.
I chose it (well, I suggested we get a Mazda5 and DH went off and bought one; DD2, 3 at the time, chose the colour )

ohdearwhatamess · 14/05/2009 19:24

A sore point in the ohdear household this week. I am going to rant at length. Please feel to ignore.

We discuss the merits and demerits of all contenders at length (having looked at countless websites, read car magazines, test driven various cars, compared vital stats etc etc) ... and then dh ignores my views totally and buys a ridiculous car that is entirely unsuited to our needs.

We bought a new estate car last year, which wasn't the one I wanted but actually I do love driving it, so that was fair enough. At the time he said that because he'd rollercoastered that one through I could choose which car to get when we replaced the 2nd car later that year. I duly chose what I wanted (a new Fiesta) and he went out and bought... a Mazda MX-5. Not only does it lack enough seats for the number of children we have, I also can't drive it at all (can't reach the pedals ). For most of the past 6 months it has sat on the drive gathering dust.

This week dh decides that this may not be the most suitable car for our needs, so goes ahead and buys another estate car, only telling me afterwards. He hasn't seen it, or even done a test drive, and neither have I. He keeps jumping up and down and saying 'but it has 4 seats and isofix', as though that were all I wanted in a car.

Rant over. I feel much better now.

MayorNaze · 14/05/2009 19:26

dh and i disagree about cars

he thinks we should buy the absolute best we can afford and change it every few years for a newer one

i think we should buy an average age average price one, run it into the ground and then repeat

he earns the money, therefore he wins on that one and i take no notice whatsoever of what car we have, as long as it goes

though i did choose the colour of this one

mumblechum · 14/05/2009 19:27

We don't have a family car, DH has his which he chose and paid for himself and I have mine, ditto. Neither of us consulted the other on choice iirc

MayorNaze · 14/05/2009 19:27

what is isofix?

largeginandtonic · 14/05/2009 19:28

I picked and bought ours when dh was away at sea!

StripeyOss · 14/05/2009 19:28

absolutely. i know more about cars than dh, he doesnt get to pick one without my approval first.

Lancelottie · 14/05/2009 19:34

I'm reading this in a sort of bewildered envy.
DH is 6ft 8.
He doesn't currently fit any bloody car we've tried.
We are on our third year of welding our aged rustbucket back together to get it through its MOT.

Right, I know he's not the only ridiculously tall DH on MN, so what should we be testing?

LackaDAISYcal · 14/05/2009 19:35

Oh, yes absolutely.

If it had been up to DH I'd be driving a Fiat Doblo or some other such "practical" bit of nonsense; all very well for him with his fancy company car.

Anyhoo I did all the reasearch and it was my car (from before we were married) that was being traded in to make room for DC3 and I'd be driving it all the time so the ultimate decision was mine.

Ended up with a scenic, which isn't as big as it seemed on the forecourt and is really thirsty in the petrol department, so I am we are now reconsidering getting a Doblo or something like that and DH is being very smug

tassisssss · 14/05/2009 19:35

My requirements boil down to:
can you fit 3 car seats easily in the back?
is it 7 seater but not a tank?
can I easily get my big pram in the boot?
ideally, can you turn the front airbag off?
and I like to sit in the back seat and check the height (which is a bit daft as I virtually never sit in the back seat!)

That's it. Dh then phones his mate at the garage and they get one in. I go for a look (or not) and the deal's done. I'm really not that interested and the thought of going looking with 3 small kids in tow fills me with horror!

Frizbe · 14/05/2009 19:36

Damn right we do! we are a 50/50 household but if we don't both agree, i.e. he has to come round to my way of thinking then it doesn't happen. Although with the last one, I did let him have the colour he wanted, as it was girly anyway!! I was the one who did the test drive and asked all the vaguely techy questions, whilst he did manly grunting when required.

serenity · 14/05/2009 19:39

DH doesn't drive, therefore all car decisions are pretty much mine - I have to drive the damn thing! Unfortunately finances being what they are, our choices are pretty much guided by what we can afford (last couple of cars have been between £1.5k and £2k)

We camp so general look at Estates or big family cars - DH would prefer it if we had something with a smaller engine size, but I need something with a bit of welly, and I love need my gadgety fun bits (had a brand new Passat as a courtesy car once, with a keyless ignition and automatic handbrake - I was embarrassingly overexcited by the whole thing)

ja9 · 14/05/2009 19:41

Same as most here - i got to choose the colour. That was it!

ohdearwhatamess · 14/05/2009 19:42

Lancelottie - have you (or your dh) tried a Saab estate. I have a friend with a giant for a husband - 6 ft 8, rugby player build - and that's what he drives.

myredcardigan · 14/05/2009 19:45

We have two, one family car and then DH's bit of fluff as he calls it.

I get final decision on family car though he does have far more opinions and input. Although it's my decision he has vetoed one model as he said there was no way he was going to be seen driving it.

My only input on his car is raised eyebrows as the fact that there are no back seats!

ramonaquimby · 14/05/2009 19:45

is dh who researches cars not me
can't be bothered to

myredcardigan · 14/05/2009 19:48

What I would like in a car is one with 3 isofix points across the back. I have 3 children and I want them all to be safe.

Lancelottie · 14/05/2009 19:51

Ohdear -- thanks, I'll have a look (might have to be a very old Saab though!)

TheProfiteroleThief · 14/05/2009 19:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ohdearwhatamess · 14/05/2009 19:56

Lancelottie - BIL is 6'5 and drives a Honda Civic.

vacaloca · 14/05/2009 19:56

100% my decision too. From research, to finding the car, to driving the bargain. DH not really interested in cars.

PortoPandemico · 14/05/2009 19:57

Well we got to the point of having to buy a Belgian car, as we couldn't insure our UK one any more without importing it and the MOT was due. They have a the big car show in Brussels early in the year. And the car show rooms always have huge discounts going on. So we went "shopping" one weekend. There was wine and nibbles at all of them. It was most enjoyable.

Our criteria - 4 doors and the biggest boot available without it being an estate. We bought a Seat Altea XL. It is fab - loads of safety features, VW engine, 3 "lighter" sockets, isofix fittings, MP3 capable. We chose it jointly, though DH chose the colour....

Lancelottie · 14/05/2009 19:57

Nope, tried that one (but thanks!)

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