Motors New wifey-mobile, practical + entertaining options?

Dacia Sandero + Alfa 4C/ Porsche Cayman

 

Porsche Macan?
I quite like the Macan, but it's down in power from what you wanted and a VAG car.

I think the 335d Touring is the correct choice here.

 

I feel we may be getting off track here... that said her "fsk the cost" car would be a G63.

Not an entirely bad shout, and I do like the 300C a lot - alas Chrysler is in the process of pulling out of the UK, which isn't ideal for after-care.

Don't shoot the messenger! There are two RSes around here, one is ASBO green and the other is white, but driven as if it were ASBO green, so that probably doesn't help.

Might be worth visiting a Ford garage to have a look, mind. The Mustang is probably getting off track a little bit, but Focus variants aren't a bad shout, even if she's not convinced at this point in time.

So instead of spending £40k on a car for her, I spend £5k on a car for her and the remainder on a another car for me?

You're clearly not married.

She loves the Macan - looked at these perhaps a year ago when we were last toying with the idea of changing her car though, and the waiting list was a mile long from new, pushing near-new prices up to (and past) list, which looks to still be the case, which is a bit of a bummer.

You're right, and it always has been the "correct" choice. I'm not sure I can get excited about it though, and if I'm not excited about it, it may as well be a 325d touring since I won't be fussed about driving it and she doesn't really care (to a point) what's under the bonnet. I think another trip to BMW is probably in order though, and perhaps Porsche as well since they're around the corner from each other. Food for thought.

 

Yes but have incredible self ...uuumm..ish... focus two cars for me/us ( commuter and fun one) and a 4x4 load lugger for all other duties that the missus uses, works well.

I can use her car to tow mine to tracks also once its complete, win, win and win.

No need to have two luxobarges that cover the similar duties.

 

Obviously my suggestion was an extreme one, it could be split in all manner of interesting ways.

 

Ha, well, those are the pauper ones! Mk2's, pff, everywhere.

Honestly, the Mk3 ST's are really nice - I'd have one if I had to compromise between function and fun. Hell, the Fiesta ST's are good too, but maybe a bit small if she's already tired of the 1-series. The Mk3 RS is about the same money as the Mustang, though, and isn't wildly different to look at over the ST. Although not in Estate format. But, 4 wheel drive funtimes!

Weird question (Not a beamer man really), but would a 2 or 3 series not be an option? I'm given to understand there's M-sport versions (So I guess M versions in petrol?) and the 2's look bigger than the 1's on the road.

 

I have to admit, the price you link above is very tempting. It has a few toys on it so that's around £3k - £4k off for taking a pre-reg with 211 miles.

 

Actually not a weird question, because my thought process had already gotten me there... I already drive a fast-ish diesel, so I probably won't get excited about driving a slightly faster diesel (a 335d), so perhaps just forget the fast bit and look at a 325d, or even a 420i GC. But whilst we're trimming back why not just refresh like for like, £25k near new... ever so slightly larger than her current car that she gets by with, looks awesome in M-Sport trim, 220d available with xDrive so ticks the AWD box.

I'm clearly getting nowhere with this... she claims not to be overly interested, but I think I'll have to kick this one over the fence before I "decide" to sod it all off and she can keep her 1er for another year (which is precisely what happened one year ago).

Apparently hitting 30 has made me really boring

 

Just get a 2nd hand GT-R and be done with it!

 

Why not replace her 1-series with two cars? A practical runabout for her and a hoon-mobile for you to rag on weekends. It seems as if you're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole here, with two pretty contrasting usage scenarios that mean that you're going to have to compromise pretty hard somewhere along the line.

 

Maybe a crotchrocket would be more exciting

Nah, I get it, I'm that way inclined myself. I'd like something faster for daily driving, but I love the convenience of driving an estate, but all the 'faster' estates are way out of my price range! Ah well.

Tbh, sounds like you should pick some "faster" cars you'd like to drive at the weekend and kick it over to the misses for a decision!

 

So the Impreza's out - thought about any of the other Subaru line-up Forester XT, or one of the 3.6 Outbacks if you can find one with decent milage?

 

I can't in good conscience buy something knowing it will sit in the garage for 340 days/year.

I'm not single minded in my pursuit of hoonage here, where nothing short of an Ultima GTR will do. In this case a 730d is my baseline - whilst not entirely devoid of personality... it's a 2 tonne 17ft vehicle, so the bar is going to be fairly low.

It's her car first, and if I can work some entertainment factor into it for me then all the better. She's a car enthusiast herself, so will appreciate it too. A "practical runabout" was never going to be a people carrier or the like. We went to a launch event for the 2-Series Active Tourer a while back, and to quote the woman with a toddler in tow "way too much of a mum's car, I'd never drive that".

I think this is what needs to happen. I came here thinking that there's only one right answer, and now there are way too many... I'm not sure if that's helpful or not

 

Subaru Outback?

2.5 170hp AWD?

Fairly quick estate, if were lucky we might even get the 3.6L 265hp model next year....

 

What's more romantic than car dealerships at the weekend?

You know, apart from literally everything.

 

Car dealerships at the weekend with a toddler with a 14 second attention span is one of the great pleasures in life.

I might do a solo scouting mission first... I've just sent her a bunch of youtube reviews for basically anything that's remotely interesting and plausible, which will undoubtedly result in a shorter list that I can then road test to present her with just a couple options for final selection. That seems like a plausible process as any.

 

Maserati Ghiblits, bit of a different choice, has some presence and a bit quirky, no doubt the Germans do it better but everyone and their nan has a prestige German motor.

 

Yah I thought of the 300C estate only to find it's probably too old for you, and the newer model is this.

Chrysler's not pulling out, they're called FIAT Lancia now

 

See, now THIS is something that I can get behind.
I find charm in Italian vehicles, though, which may not be for everyone. They tend to be a bit rubbish compared to the Germans, but they often have soul (save for the Giulietta that I drove... that was about as much fun as a regular VW Golf - read: none).
The Ghibli is a bit steep though, coming in at around 60K.

Jag would also be an option, but they only have the XF, which is like a boring 5 series Beemer (unless you go two seater...which, toddler and all considered may not be the smart choice).

It is a difficult thing to fit practicality and fun into one car. I realise that time and time again.
Hence me owning a Fiat Bravo and a GT86 (that has ISOFIX mountings and rear seats that work until the children grow legs... just saying - it's also an absolute blast, if not the fastest thing on the road)

I still say bit the bullet and go with the M2.

 

It certainly sounds like something I'm jealous about missing out on.

And tbh, that sounds best to me. Shir- Delegates all decision making, while still having plausible involvement!