Being tall's a pain in the @rse sometimes!

[allotmentlady]

As some of you will know I sold my beloved car last year and bought a "sensible" car in readiness for Bean and all the required paraphenalia.

I've never really liked the car I now have, but was happy to make the compromise in light of what I will gain in return. However, today we've discovered that the car I now have is probably not big enough for us anyway.

After much faffing with a certain baby products company (I won't go into it, but if anyone's looking to buy baby stuff pm me and I'll do you a favour) earlier today we finally got our babyseat base (easy click in/out base that means you don't have to faff/bend so much to fit the seat each time), you merely click it into place, and I fitted it behind my seat. However, once the babyseat is fixed onto the base my seat will not go back far enough for me to be able to drive. So, we fitted it behind the passenger seat, but this means that LadyWayne (or anyone else for that matter), can't really sit behind me.

The car we have is a Honda Accord, so not exactly small - but it would seem, still not big enough!

There are loads of different factors regarding the car we want (space, safety, comfort, style, performance, economy, practicality, cost etc etc - not necessarily in that order) so I won't go into them now, but suffice to say it took me weeks of research to get to the Accord, so now the hunt is on again...

All because cars are too small.

I know what u mean. I had to 'rehome' my beloved Vauxhall Vectra 2.5 v6 when I became pregnant again and after a lot of searching we decided for a Renault Scenic ( dont buy one of these, for more info contact me). We then bought a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, its huge and I wish I had bought a Mondeo estate now. My OH is 6'3 and I am 5.10, so space is a big issue when buying a car.

Why do we have kids again??? They take so much fun away lol

[SarzWix]

Seems to me that your list of criteria is too long if you can't find anything which fits within it
You're obviously going to have to compromise somewhere along the line, because as you've said yourself, you've tried every car possible, or pooh-poohed them for one reason or another. Compromise is practically the only option left to you, unless you can afford to design and build your own.

As for the Discovery (which we have one of) being uneconomical/polluting, the older models can run on 50% veg oil with no conversions, which helps, specially if you have a makro nearby

[HeyWayne]

Just make sure & take your carseat with you when looking for the new car....not all carseats fit in all cars...(something to do with angles of seatbelts I think??)
Sorry if that's stating the obvious to a self confessed car geek...we were caught out when we needed to change car when DD was little.

Oh we will - until yesterday we didn't have it (long story, but there's a company I'd strongly urge anyone to avoid when buying baby stuff). Ours is an ISOFIX base.

I know what u mean. I had to 'rehome' my beloved Vauxhall Vectra 2.5 v6 when I became pregnant again and after a lot of searching we decided for a Renault Scenic ( dont buy one of these, for more info contact me). We then bought a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, its huge and I wish I had bought a Mondeo estate now. My OH is 6'3 and I am 5.10, so space is a big issue when buying a car.

Why do we have kids again??? They take so much fun away lol

Funnily enough, the Mondeo is the current favourite on paper.

[lainey lou]

I had a Mondeo when the kids were smaller i was very spacious, perfect at the time.
Now the kids require less baggage I have a corsa which I adore.

[SlugLobber]

Get an L200. You can chuck Bean (and any passengers) in the back. :P

[HayleyB]

I'm with the Disco gang, the chances of surviving a crash would swy my thinking with DD on board

[HeyWayne]

Seems to me that your list of criteria is too long if you can't find anything which fits within it
You're obviously going to have to compromise somewhere along the line, because as you've said yourself, you've tried every car possible, or pooh-poohed them for one reason or another. Compromise is practically the only option left to you, unless you can afford to design and build your own.

As for the Discovery (which we have one of) being uneconomical/polluting, the older models can run on 50% veg oil with no conversions, which helps, specially if you have a makro nearby

Didn't say we can't find anything, just we need to change what we have - the criteria has changed since it was purchased.

[HeyWayne]

I'm with the Disco gang, the chances of surviving a crash would swy my thinking with DD on board

I think Land Rovers only score 4 stars in the NCAP tests. Bigger doesn't always mean safer. New Mondeo scores 5.

It could be argued that you have less chance of avoiding the accident in the first place in a 4x4. Higher centre of gravity = greater chance of rolling if erratic swerve is called for.

I'm not sure if they test 4x4's for rollover yet, they never used to. Maybe they should...

[lainey lou]

Blimey youse lot, surely everyone knows the most important feature in a car is it's colour, mines silver, matches everything!

My OH used to change his car so frequently I could never keep up with make and model etc, it was always the green car or the red one!

[OverWyreGrower]

Didn't want to go into it, but...

Ok, to all the MPV fans I'm sorry, but I don't buy the "they're bigger inside". They may have more headroom - can't argue with that, but headroom isn't the issue for me.

The size of internal space of any vehicle is dictated by the wheelbase - the distance between front and back wheels. The more space between them, the greater the possibility for legroom - or room between front and back seats. It's why limousines ("stretch limos" not withstanding) have a longer wheelbase than their standard counterparts.

There are a number of cars I can "fit" in as has been mentioned, but very few of them comfortably (my first car was a MK1 Fiesta). Driving with your knees up either side of the steering wheel is horrendous for your back as your leg joints are all under strain due to awkward angles. Once again, it's a legroom issue not a headroom one.

Here is my 'minibus' - I'm not too technical about cars, however, according to my OH, we get very good mpg out of this (I drive it to work everyday), and even he says that it drives well (he drives a Seat Leon, previously an Audi A3)

[bubblewrap]

I am pleased I'm normal(in stature anyway)5' 8" tall 32" waist 38" chest. 32" inside leg The only problem hat size(BIG HEAD) 7 & 3/4

[lainey lou]

I am pleased I'm normal(in stature anyway)5' 8" tall 32" waist 38" chest. 32" inside leg The only problem hat size(BIG HEAD) 7 & 3/4

's all those brains!

[OverWyreGrower]

I get >40mpg out of my Mini Cooper S that is pretty darn good for a sporty little number

Yeah, but you can't get 2 fully grown Boxers in an Mini Cooper S (we've tried!)

[bubblewrap]

's all those brains!

Yes there is a plum rattling about in there somewhere!

[bubblewrap]

Yeah, but you can't get 2 fully grown Boxers in an Mini Cooper S (we've tried!)

And you can get two W(h)ales in a mini too just go down the M4!