Dilemma Time!

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Stuart_D

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I'm pleased to announce that my wife is expecting twins! [23]

This poses a small problem concerning cars...

There's absolutely no way that double buggy will fit into the boot of an A2. I'm also doubtful that it will fit into the boot of a Toyota Corolla (the wife's car) along with all the other stuff needed to be transported with two babies and not forgetting two baby seats and most of the time two adults.

So, in all likelyhood one of the cars will be replaced by some form of dreaded (yet trendy!) people carrier or mini MPV. The question is which car goes?

The Corolla was bought new last June and is worth about £9800. It is very well spec'd (with sat nav, climate, parking sensors etc) but sadly is not diesel.

My A2 is nearly 3 years old, is diesel and a good spec and is now worth (best case): £8890.

I drive over 200 miles per week on my commute to work so would prefer a diesel as my every day car. Although having said that, the Corolla is only a 1.4 engine and therefore not completely uneconomical unless pushed hard.

What do I do?!

In case you're wondering, my wife's current favourite is the new 6 seater Honda FR-V which is due out later this year with a diesel coming early 2005...

frv.jpg



[img=left]http://www.a2forum.net/stuart.gif[/img=left]Stuart Diamond: A2OC Founder | Forum Administrator

2001 TDi SE: Cobalt Blue Metallic | Open Sky Roof | Kenwood Mask CD | Front Centre Armrest | Front Centre Tray

New A2OC Website!
 
Congratulations to you and your wife. My missus is a twin and it's run in her family for the last 4 generations - hence why we don't have kids yet :)

I'd say keep the A2 but then I'm biased - I've got one as well.

As for the FR-V, very nice looking car. Other options, a second hand A4/6 Avant. Is there a new Zafira on the horizon. C-Maxx - bit bland but very good apparently

Don't drink drive! Not only is it socially unaceptable, it also harms A2's.
Was a Merlot 1.4SE petrol originally.
Now an Ebony Black 1.4SE petrol with Red Leather, CC, Symphony + all the previous options we had.
 
Congratulations Stuart! Wow, twins. I'm nowhere near ready for kids, but the idea of twins makes me really really scared. Having to give up a car (like your A2) is only one consequence of having two kids at once!
But hey, don't let me scare you. Kids can be great, even in pairs. ;)

About the cars: I second Rob. Plenty of bland cars to look at. Maybe include a 307 station/SW too. Or Mondeo. My guess is that these have more room that the average MPV.

The F-RV is nice too. Destined to follow-up the already special Honda Stream. And I love Honda's [8)]
If you're in for (relatively) cheap and practical: consider the Honda Jazz too. Those rear seats are way way more practical than the awful A2 system.

And talking about great looking cars (but with average space): treat yourself to a visit to your Volvo dealer and check out the new V50. Wow.

How's the new Corolla Verso? Maybe your dealer can make a good deal if you turn in the other one...

Congrats again!

Edo

--
(2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), 95bhp/235Nm chiptuned by ABT, black interior, sport seats, heated mirrors, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver, Infinity Kappa 63.1 + Vifa on-dash tweeters, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp)
 
Congratulations, that is certainly a change of lifestyle - one at a time is bad enough.

Isn't getting a Honda a sign of middle age? but then who am I to talk. What you probably need is one for the wife to ferry the children about (large - consider a year old Mondeo estate) and one for commuting (Keep the A2?????).

Our experience of people movers (Megane Scenic so not the biggest) is that they take ages to warm the interior on a cold day and the aircon struggles on a hot one!

Catch up on the sleep while you can!

Ian

2002 1.4 Petrol SE, silver with climate control for SWMBO, Honda Accord Tourer 2.2 iCDTi for me.
 
Stuart

Congrats! Mad though, but congrats to you both!

Well, Audi don't have anything suitable, so trading in the A2 to an Audi dealer wouldn't produce much.

So my money would be on looking at a Corolla Verso. The new version is nice, and with a nearly new Corolla they should be kind to you (you would hope).

How about Mazda? I'm not up on their MPV range but I am aware something is out there. Or Mitsu-they usually have a few MPV's in their range.

Or remortgage, get 5 jobs and have a X5....

Or Volvo X90.....

Or SEAT Altea....


Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
[24]
Congratulation Stuart you must be over the moon!!
wow Twins thats great.
So i guess it's full steam ahead with decorating and changing car's if the A2 is not going to be big enorgh.
Well think carefully before making a move.
I had i look at the new Seat Altea very nice espcially in Graphite Grey lots of clever nik naks as well.
Looks well made and big inside.

cheers

[33][23][37][24]

Andy

A.D.Simmons
 
Is keeping just one of the twins AND the A2 an option?

No, only kidding! Congratulations!

My other halfs' brother works for Car Land and has had one of the Vauxhall Zafira's as a company car and he raves about it! Said that he cannot believe that it is a Vauxhall and he'd rather his kids, their rubbish and their sticky fingers on a Vauxhall than anything else!

Fi

2002 TDi Sport Cobalt Blue, winter pack, leather, rew
 
It seems a real shame that you should be forced to change car for the sake of a double buggy. My two are 15 months apart, now 4 and 5 and we have been from Chester to all over the place, including Cornwall and Eastborne with them, including when they were much younger. We had a double buggy which folded like a concertina inwards, and then collapsed downwards. I can't remember how old the younger one was when they first sat in the buggy rather than a pram or a "pouch"- I have a feeling it may have been about 6 months, but I wouldn't swear to it. I suppose that might be your problem. I have been to check the make of the double buggy but can't find a label, sorry! It fitted easily in the boot, or in the well behind the front seats, since the baby seats lift the baby so high and their feet are so little there is more space there than there would be with adults. I have a 1.4 petrol and do a fair amount of work travel on my own- I like the idea of being in a small light car which is not unnecessarily drinking petrol, but has the feeling of strength and smooth ride of a much bigger car. I have found because of the height of the boot, it is surprising how much stuff you can get in. My wife has an Alfa 156 and the inconvenient narrowing of the boot next to the rear seats and wheel arches means there's not much advantage in boot space over the A2, despite being a bigger heavier car (although there is a bit of extra space between the rear seats in the Alfa).
 
Congratulations with the twins Stuart!!!

I'd drop the corolla, and go for a FR-V or a A4 Avant. Perhaps the Seat Altea is a suggestion or the corolla mpv, that way you could change the corolla by your toyota dealer.

_________________________
Some think I am genius,
Others just can't think...
http://www.ufuk.nl.tt
 
Thank you all for your comments on the twins and feedback on cars...

We had a very productive weekend and despite the great arrival date still being 6 months away we managed to visit 3 different car dealers (we like to plan ahead)!!

First we went to Toyota, then Renault and then Volkwagen:

The Corolla Verso and Avensis Verso we thought were nice but really not very cleverly thought out cars with some very silly design features and there are more interesting cars available for the money. The Renault Grand Scenic really caught our eye in terms of practicality and that virtually everything has been thought of. It's also very good value for money but not the best looking car in the world and as I have no experience of French cars so have no idea of their long term reliability/affordability. Finally the VW Touran is now our favourite as the moment you get into it you feel the quality and how solid the car is compared to others. It's also got clever seating and tons of space. We'll wait until the Honda FR-V comes out before making a final decision.

But the good news is that we have more or less decided that we will be part exchanging my wife's Corolla and I will keep my A2 as it is so economical and cheap to run. [24]

[img=left]http://www.a2forum.net/stuart.gif[/img=left]Stuart Diamond: A2OC Founder | Forum Administrator

2001 TDi SE: Cobalt Blue Metallic | Open Sky Roof | Kenwood Mask CD | Front Centre Armrest | Front Centre Tray

New A2OC Website!
 
Congratulations to you both Stuart.

Shaf

Nov 2002 TDi Sport, Silver,Black/grey interior,climate. Replaced previous Mar 2001 TDi SE
 
[37]
Gosh!
Buy an A3 DSG quick!
[2]

NEVER attempt a battle of wits with an unarmed man.
A2 1.4 SE TDI replaced with A3 2.0TDI DSG, the transmission of the future - today.
 
No Kaine...not much BS needed! Just mentioned the car tax, 2 yearly servicing and the fact it's an Audi vs a Toyota (sorry Steve!) and she didn't seem to mind getting rid of her car!

Dick - I do like the look of the new Volvo, however the wife would like something that is a bit higher up, such as an MPV so that she's not forever beding down - especially as it will be two babies constantly being put in the back and taken out.

[img=left]http://www.a2forum.net/stuart.gif[/img=left]Stuart Diamond: A2OC Founder | Forum Administrator

2001 TDi SE: Cobalt Blue Metallic | Open Sky Roof | Kenwood Mask CD | Front Centre Armrest | Front Centre Tray

New A2OC Website!
 
Stuart

I would be very wary of the Renault - we had a Scenic for 3 years and had more issues with that than we had with the A2, when it went back it was just like the one in the current TV add - it had a mind of its own, when you turned things on they didn't always start and when you turned them off they didn't allways stop! No engine/gerbox problems though!

Ian

2002 1.4 Petrol SE, silver with climate control for SWMBO, Honda Accord Tourer 2.2 iCDTi for me.
 
Ian - enough said! I'm 99% sure we'll be going for the Touran unless the FR-V is very impressive.

[img=left]http://www.a2forum.net/stuart.gif[/img=left]Stuart Diamond: A2OC Founder | Forum Administrator

2001 TDi SE: Cobalt Blue Metallic | Open Sky Roof | Kenwood Mask CD | Front Centre Armrest | Front Centre Tray

New A2OC Website!
 
Stuart
Yes, that's a valid point, which is why my wife likes the A2 or the XC90, but at £46k for the exec model (her preference) it's not on just to sit higher.
 
That's a fair point Dick, but there's always the Hyundai Santa Fe for £15,995.00 !

[img=left]http://www.a2forum.net/stuart.gif[/img=left]Stuart Diamond: A2OC Founder | Forum Administrator

2001 TDi SE: Cobalt Blue Metallic | Open Sky Roof | Kenwood Mask CD | Front Centre Armrest | Front Centre Tray

New A2OC Website!
 
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