Help Serious relationship problem :(

[dysfunction]

Oh, hohohohohohoho! You have no idea. I foolishly said exactly the same thing as you ("we all got in a *insert 70s shitbox here* when I was growing up, it'll be fine"), without stopping to consider childseats (which are fucking massive), buggies (which now seem to be the size of the space shuttle), and all the ancilliary crap that goes with babies, and at the moment we just have the one ankle-biter. Now no 2 is on the way, a large estate or an MPV has gone from being a nice-to-have to an absolutely essential if we want carry kids any distance. I've actually checked the missus' Focus and if I need to put a childseat behind the driver's seat I'm not going to have room for my knees, and I'm only 5' 11''.

Ironically I think it gets a lot easier when they're bigger, because the child seats get proportionally smaller and you don't need quite as much plastic crap and buggies, but in the meantime, It's looking like an S-Max or if I can run to it, a second hand 5-series or A6 estate.

I can fit two children in my Astra without too much of an issue. Plenty of room behind the driver seat and I'm 6ft.
We have quite a large buggy, which could easily be replaced with a stroller now and if I had a second child I could fit the buggy and a stroller in the boot. There would be no room in there if we had to go on holiday though but then you can buy a roof rack thingy.

The rest of the child essential clutter can fit in as well.

Add to that the fact your car instantly becomes a close relative to the fucking bin, sick of cleaning the car constantly from crisps, jellies, chocolate!!!! socks, underwear, and far too much fucking shit that shouldn't be in my car!!!!

You should't make such a mess then Cal!

 

[GimmlyThe3rd]

When All 4 of us grew up, my dad all made us fit in a Astra Estate and a dog or 2. But eventually he got a Ford Galaxy pretty cheap, and ran it on cooking oil for years and years before it became expensive. For such a abused MPV, it lasted some serious years.

I like the Subaru Legacy's if I had to buy an estate or the Vauxhall Zaf TDI's if it had to be an MPV.

 

[Zenith.UK]

I've actually checked the missus' Focus and if I need to put a childseat behind the driver's seat I'm not going to have room for my knees, and I'm only 5' 11''.

Ironically I think it gets a lot easier when they're bigger, because the child seats get proportionally smaller and you don't need quite as much plastic crap and buggies, but in the meantime, It's looking like an S-Max or if I can run to it, a second hand 5-series or A6 estate.

I've got a Focus estate from work. My 3yr old can sit comfortably on his booster behind me and I've got the driver seat one notch from all the back (I'm 6'3"/190cm). The 5 yr old is on her booster and the 12 yr old sits in the remaining seat in the back (or in the front if my wife isn't with us). A Focus has the room.

Work are changing the Focus for an Astra estate in the next few weeks and I'm concerned that I won't be able to fit the family in comfortably.

 

[DaGaffer]

I've got a Focus estate from work. My 3yr old can sit comfortably on his booster behind me and I've got the driver seat one notch from all the back (I'm 6'3"/190cm). The 5 yr old is on her booster and the 12 yr old sits in the remaining seat in the back (or in the front if my wife isn't with us). A Focus has the room.

Work are changing the Focus for an Astra estate in the next few weeks and I'm concerned that I won't be able to fit the family in comfortably.

Like I said, its easier when they're bigger; baby seats stick out much further from the seat back (and that's a seatbelt version, Isofix is worse):

 

[old.user4556]

I think i proved my point!

Have fun you bastard

The Ariel Atom, OH MY FUCKING SWEET JESUS. I have never experienced 'fast' like it. The Ferrari F430 is fast, fucking fast, but the Atom is a who new level of fast.

 

[TdC]

man driving ariel atom:

Spoiler

 

[Mabs]

far be it for me to hijack a thread , but

Car seats for children - rear facing> everything else

that is all

 

[Tom]

As a child I was driven around in a Commer FC, on sideways foam bench seats.

I died at least 40 times.

 

[old.user4556]

man driving ariel atom:

Spoiler

It really does pull your face off.

Unbelievable piece of motoring.

 

[Shagrat]

As a child I was driven around in a Commer FC, on sideways foam bench seats.

I died at least 40 times.

My dad used to drive me around in the sidecar on his Triumph Bonneville. that was scary shit as well.

 

[Billargh]

My Dad drove me around in a Ford Ka once, it was infinitely scarier than anything you lot have experienced.

 

[old.user4556]

So they took the LOL wagon from me and gave me a Ford Fiesta last week (still a rental).

It's so fucking slow, so I called the car lease people and asked for something new. I get a an Audi TT Coupé, 2.0 TFSI S-line S-tronic on Friday. Should be interesting, bet it's shite.

 

[ECA]

I like my TT

 

[TdC]

I get a an Audi TT Coupé, 2.0 TFSI S-line S-tronic on Friday. Should be interesting, bet it's shite.

according to La Clarkson it's dull. according to me a 2.0 Tfsi is going to make man juice squirt out of every orifice you posses.

 

[old.user4556]

Meh, it's not very good.

It rattles badly, the steering is vague and it doesn't feel like a sports car.

 

[TdC]

rattles? wtf?

 

[old.user4556]

Yep, fraid so.

 

[TdC]

the chassis, or the engine?

 

[old.user4556]

From both doors, thought there was a pair of maracas jammed in them :/

 

[old.user4556]

Starting to like it a bit more, but the TT simply isn't a sports car. It's a poser's car, but it's classy - the interior detail is very nice; high quality plastics, nice metal detailing, the leather seats are very nice and the stereo is pretty decent.

It's a bit more sexy than my Z4 was, the Z4 was a bit more clinical but it was sooooo much better to drive.

 

[TdC]

yeah I have a mate with a Z4 who says much the same (about the Z4). tbh I'm somewhat preprogrammed to like Audi's, not sure why. Loving the Alfa all the same (though not the idiot mileage). I wonder what it would be like with the 6 cyl engine heh

 

[ECA]

Starting to like it a bit more, but the TT simply isn't a sports car. It's a poser's car, but it's classy - the interior detail is very nice; high quality plastics, nice metal detailing, the leather seats are very nice and the stereo is pretty decent.

It's a bit more sexy than my Z4 was, the Z4 was a bit more clinical but it was sooooo much better to drive.

It's a 2000's version of the celica, looks great, performance ehhhh not so much.

That said it is comfy to drive for long periods.

 

[old.user4556]

Which is absolutely fine really. I drove coast to coast in it yesterday with the missus and it was great for long straight driving. The s-tronic made it so comfortable, but slip the 'gear stick' to the left and you can go full flappy paddle which I really enjoyed - the gear shifts are super quick.