What car to get #4
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 8:49 pm
Once upon a time when Little Miss Pete was small we went on holiday and I looked over my shoulder to see her sat, miles away in the back of the Omega (that dates this story) utterly divorced from the conversation up front. So we bought a three seater!
A Multipla! And we all sat in the front and told tales and sang to music. It was great although sometimes people pointed at us and laughed and on one occasion took photos.
But eventually it reached the end of it's natural life so we bought the only other 3 seater! A Honda FRV!!!!
That was EVEN BETTER. Not as distinctive to look at admittedly but the seats did't give you back ache as they folded int the floor, rather than having to be lifted out. And you can get loads in it (the last holiday it did we had 3 people, 6 bikes (three on the back and three inside), 2 tents and an inflatable canoe. But it died, turns out Hondas aren't as reliable as you've heard.
So since then we've been managing with the i3 (perfect commuter car. Not a holiday car) and the Exige (pointless indulgence car) and the ex-ddtb, ex-Ape Golf... Now the Golf is excellent but it's 125k, it's only the 3 door and it is a tad too small for when we all go away together.
Mrs Pete suggested a Transporter, no struggling to lift bikes, looks cool, 3 setas in the front but soooooo much money. And comically unreliable. My vehicular sourcer (Ape) has already sourced me one but Mrs Pete says I'm not allowed to by any more stuff off him as it's getting weird. And then we sat in one and when they have a double pax seat it doesn't adjust for rake and it's really uncomfortable. And to get a LWB Kombi with less than 100k is going cost LOADS!
Mate loves Vitos so we went to look at them but the middle seat in Dualiner has no leg room as the gear shift sticks out into where your legs are supposed to go.
Transits are impossible to buy and, perhaps, a bit too much van. Trafic are way too van.
Then I saw a XC70. I mean it at least looks like an estate car, and the boot is a proper size but it's no van. I should have bought my mate's 535d last year but I thought it was too dear (turns out that is just what they cost...). Tried an Octavia estate which are so cheap on PCH, pretty much just the depreciation, but too bland...(Sorry the many many owners but it's not my fault). The new Superb is quite nice, genuinely, but I'd got bored by that stage and I can't find the same deal that made me look in the first place...
I could PCP a T6 (150bhp Highline LWB Kombi if you're interested). I mean people do. And Little Miss Pete would be happy (although it would have to be 2 seats in the front and three behind). But I don't think I want to spend all that money on a van.
Or a battered old Volvo like everyone else? I could live out my Lovejoy fantasies...
Suggestions?
A Multipla! And we all sat in the front and told tales and sang to music. It was great although sometimes people pointed at us and laughed and on one occasion took photos.
But eventually it reached the end of it's natural life so we bought the only other 3 seater! A Honda FRV!!!!
That was EVEN BETTER. Not as distinctive to look at admittedly but the seats did't give you back ache as they folded int the floor, rather than having to be lifted out. And you can get loads in it (the last holiday it did we had 3 people, 6 bikes (three on the back and three inside), 2 tents and an inflatable canoe. But it died, turns out Hondas aren't as reliable as you've heard.
So since then we've been managing with the i3 (perfect commuter car. Not a holiday car) and the Exige (pointless indulgence car) and the ex-ddtb, ex-Ape Golf... Now the Golf is excellent but it's 125k, it's only the 3 door and it is a tad too small for when we all go away together.
Mrs Pete suggested a Transporter, no struggling to lift bikes, looks cool, 3 setas in the front but soooooo much money. And comically unreliable. My vehicular sourcer (Ape) has already sourced me one but Mrs Pete says I'm not allowed to by any more stuff off him as it's getting weird. And then we sat in one and when they have a double pax seat it doesn't adjust for rake and it's really uncomfortable. And to get a LWB Kombi with less than 100k is going cost LOADS!
Mate loves Vitos so we went to look at them but the middle seat in Dualiner has no leg room as the gear shift sticks out into where your legs are supposed to go.
Transits are impossible to buy and, perhaps, a bit too much van. Trafic are way too van.
Then I saw a XC70. I mean it at least looks like an estate car, and the boot is a proper size but it's no van. I should have bought my mate's 535d last year but I thought it was too dear (turns out that is just what they cost...). Tried an Octavia estate which are so cheap on PCH, pretty much just the depreciation, but too bland...(Sorry the many many owners but it's not my fault). The new Superb is quite nice, genuinely, but I'd got bored by that stage and I can't find the same deal that made me look in the first place...
I could PCP a T6 (150bhp Highline LWB Kombi if you're interested). I mean people do. And Little Miss Pete would be happy (although it would have to be 2 seats in the front and three behind). But I don't think I want to spend all that money on a van.
Or a battered old Volvo like everyone else? I could live out my Lovejoy fantasies...
Suggestions?
R Class/Viano is what you need