Buying a Car for a preggo missus

[Rogerborg]

Is it your kid?

Asking for budget / NCAP considerations.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[weasley]

[Polarbear]

[dodsi]

[P.]

You need a Supra.

However on a serious note, if you can find an IS250 with low miles, buy it. They are lovely cars.

[Wonko The Sane]

[Rogerborg]

I noticed you've dodged the question about paternity, so I'll suggest your wife's kid doesn't deserve anything better than a Zafira. There's absolutely nothing premium or exciting about them, but you're buying a mummy bus, and that's exactly what they are. Loads to chose from at low prices, OK in the snow with wintron tyres, and some of them haven't caught fire, yet.

+1 to the Nissan Trashcan being laughably pokey in the back.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[dodsi]

[M.C]

[Rogerborg]

Thus the low prices. Check that they've had both recalls for not fixing / actually fixing the ignito-heater element and you're good. The 1.6 is sufficient for 20mph school runs and sitting stuck in traffic - welcome to the reality of parenthood.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MahatmaAndhi]

A Focus.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[waffles]

A couple of coworkers have gone for the Ford C Max, sliding doors on the side are apparently great for babies/young children. The downside seems to be boot space and it just fits a buggy in but not a whole lot else.
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[DrSnoosnoo]

I've had a giggle reading these thanks. I'll try to reply on these points.

I think I am the dad. If it's not ginger, questions will be asked.

She's now accepting the useful-ness of the slidy doors of the c max, with the extra 2 seats in the back too. May try and get out to have a look at some.

It's strange. We've set a budget so if I show her an older one for say 3.5 or 4k, she says "we can afford a newer one".

She's slowly accepting she won't be racing anybody with this car, yeah she's a fan of traffic light GP in her ratty Celica...

We have a travel system pram thing. It's a silver cross thing that has a car seat that you can put into the frame and wheel it away. Pram is worth more than my car.

Will report back.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[MahatmaAndhi]

I drove my mate's 15 plate C-Max. It's a good car. I instantly felt at home with it, like I'd owned it for years. But that's a double-edged sword. I imagine that it would become very, very boring. It depends on what you value more: practicality or fun.

My own C-Max (2005, so no basis for comparison) is about as fun as watching an orphanage burn. But it's bloody cheap and fits my pushbikes in the back. For me, the practicality (and price) was more of a priority.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[stephen_o]

Honda Civic V-Tec 1.8 Petrol. 50mpg bullet proof engines and reliability. massive inside and well specced but with smaller rear doors although they open out well, the boots huge and has a drop down flap to either split or make it bigger. I had one for 2 years and ratted it all over the continent towing a 100% weight caravan. I got rid of it p/x for almost the same as I paid for it and 8 years on it is still rattling around according to the dvla mot database on a huge mileage.

Downside is the rear visibility is non existent - need parking sensors.
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current scoot 2009 Yamaha YBR250 + Current Pootle 2013 Nissan Leaf

[dodsi]

[stephen_o]

TBH I think a Volvo is a good call. An ex-employee of mine bought one for his daily commute into Birmingham and was turned around and planted into the concrete barrier at Hilton Park by a truck, the car was a write off but he got out with only a couple of bruses.

Whilst I did say Civic as an ex-owner I hadn't tried to put a child seat in so will bow to others knowledge on that.
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current scoot 2009 Yamaha YBR250 + Current Pootle 2013 Nissan Leaf

[M.C]

[Wonko The Sane]

[DrDonnyBrago]

Grand C-max.

I have a normal C-max, if you can't open the rear door far enough it's a pita trying to get the kid in a car seat. The slidey door on most grand C-max would be really handy. Bigger boot space for more shit too - you don't think you need it until you visit family for Xmas and the already full of baby junk car has heaps of toys crammed in.

Engine wise I have a 1.6 petrol but I wouldn't particularly recommend it. It does the job but it is a boring and unrefined engine.

[Polarbear]

I have a 2 litre auto petrol c-max and actually like driving it. It's an older one though, 2008 so they have gone through a couple of facelifts since then. The 2 litre auto is a thirsty beast though. I gather it's built on the Focus chassis and it handles well for a people carrier but has a relatively small fuel tank, about 300 miles range.

A while ago I watched wifie struggling like mad to get our grandson and car seat fitted in the back of her Megane cabriolet. After about half an hour of swearing and fighting she had managed it so I asked her if it wouldn't have been easier to put the roof down first.

I didn't know she knew so many swear words.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Wonko The Sane]

[M.C]

[Fin]

Preggo woman from work who went on maternity leave before xmas has one of those Citroen Cactus things, it's high off the ground, comes in pretty colours and in the price range.

No idea what they're like though, I'd usually recommend to avoid french stuff / citroen but I learnt to drive in a ds3 with the rally version brakes which felt good.

While I can say the lexus' are strong cars mine is a very thirsty beast.

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Honestly I think you're putting too much thought and consideration into this, the majority of cars aren't as low as a Celica and will be fine.

[Polarbear]