The 'Family' Car

[Bailes1992]

Thats why you should have a saloon... it's a massive car yet people don't know it ;)

[lozz]

Thats why you should have a saloon... it's a massive car yet people don't know it ;)

yeah true, but some people up here wouid just bring a roof rack round

[Brons]

[quote="OdinEidolon"]the 406 saloon is huge inside, I drive weekly 400km (200km every way) with 5 peoples in the car (one of them is a 1yo so she has her own huge seat) and every time people gets surprised by how comfortable and spacious it is. Every. single. time.
quote]
Come on,are they midgets.

[lozz]

ihave 1 car seat and one booster seat. (as within acordance of the law)
dosent matter what car idrive, the back seat is cramped no space for anyone to sit in the back withought being cramped,
wont be so bad once my youngest son is allowed to go on a booster seat, other thing is feet in my back, they love to kick the back of the seats.
ididnt get none of that with the ford galaxy or picasso ihad, plenty of leg room for them

thats the only good thing to a mpv ithink

[OdinEidolon]

the 406 saloon is huge inside, I drive weekly 400km (200km every way) with 5 peoples in the car (one of them is a 1yo so she has her own huge seat) and every time people gets surprised by how comfortable and spacious it is. Every. single. time.
quote]
Come on,are they midgets.

Really. I really cannot see how one can complain of interior space in a 406. What the heck are you used to?
It's much more spacious than a X3, a 3 series or an Accord, and the seats are just perfect. My usual driving is 120 motorway miles each way every week with 5 people in the car (to save on fuel) from where I live to where I study (sunday) and back (friday), and always with different people: everytime someone makes a positive comment. Maybe it's just because being such an old and cheap car they did not expect it.

Maybe in UK you have different standards but for me and anyone I know (most students tho) the 406 interior is big enough. Most people have at least one small city car in their family so maybe that's what they compare to.

In terms of interior space the 406 is, even today, a little bigger than the average car of it's class(~4,5m), and huge compared to the average 4 meters citycar.
How can you complain?

[scooby]

i got rid of my galaxy before i got the 406 it had more seats a better driing position more power and the kids all had loads of room on the back seat the 406 is less economical the kids moan they are squased and hate facing backwards in the boot but when it come to the cost of repairs and the excerlent drive of the 406 i wouldnt swap back for all the tea in china

[lozz]

[quote="scooby"]i got rid of my galaxy before i got the 406 it had more seats a better driing position more power and the kids all had loads of room

Did your speaker covers fall to bits ?

mine did, iwas forever buying speaker covers and other bits of plasic for it what fell to peices.

one of fords bad desighns, or whoever desighned them vw perhaps

[OdinEidolon]

i got rid of my galaxy before i got the 406 it had more seats a better driing position more power and the kids all had loads of room on the back seat the 406 is less economical the kids moan they are squased and hate facing backwards in the boot but when it come to the cost of repairs and the excerlent drive of the 406 i wouldnt swap back for all the tea in china

How can a 2.0HDi 406 be less economical? You can archieve 55mpg easily!

[DaiRees]

I'm not so sure about the general feeling in this thread.

My opinion is that it's all about how much you're willing to pay or sacrifice for the added versatility of your desired vehicle. Right at this moment, I'd love to get a Discovery 4, but I can't afford that (I'm about 95% short of the asking price tbh ).

My first car was a Talbot Solara, big and confortable, loved it, then I went through a variety of small hatches and realised how much more versatile a hatch was than a saloon, then I got a mondeo hatch experienced the big, comfy car with the versatiltiy combined, then I had a 406 saloon and just couldn't cope, the boot was huge but the opening was too small! Then I got the estate and absolutely love it. I waft around in comfort and if I need to take a bed, or a wardrobe, or some doors, or 5 people and a mountain of luggage somewhere I can!

I rarely get people taking advantage, occasionally the family will ask for a favour but I don't mind that at all, the only one that annoys slightly is when there's rubbish to be taken to the dump, you're not putting all that old crap from your shed in my nice clean car!!

Soooo, why a big 4X4 then? Do I need 4WD? Not really, but I'd like it, I used to do a bit of offroading but obviously I wouldn't take a new car off road for fear of damaging it, but knowing it can climb a mountain if it has too will be very comforting when I need to cross a wet field or negotiate 6" of snow. Do I need 7 seats? Again not really, but a handful of times each year we take family members on days out and we end up taking both cars, what a pain in the arse that is!

I guess what I'm saying is that if I can have these "wants" without too much compromise I'm going to go for it, it's all a balancing act!

[Welly]

It's funny isn't it, I mean in real terms we'd all mostly be fine driving around in a shitty old Fiesta. It would get us to where we want without much fuss, keep up with the traffic, and be cheap........BUT we don't want to do we? I think cars are very emotive things. Jim next door will look successful with his big fancy Audi on the drive compared to Mr Welly and his shitty old Fezza the reality of course might be that Welly has far more worth and is sitting on a small fortune

My car is capable of ridiculous speed but I don't really need it but somehow I like the fact that it's there

I still think it would be best to run around in an old shitter that you can park anywhere and then Hire a Ford S-Max or something for that occasional weekend away

For the record, Mr Welly is not wealthy.

[DaiRees]

I've also got the "projecting the right image" thing going on....

My business partner turns up at customers in his leased BMW 3 series coupe (with an M-Sport pack) and I don't reckon that projects the right image, smacks to me of "tosser". Luckily he's not like that at all so as soon as he gets past the introductions everything's fine, but I hope he gets something less wankery next time.

I turn up in a 10 year old pug estate family car, is that the right image? I think I'm still just about OK because it's in such good nick and looks nice, so it says respectable and sensible but not flash.

Truth of the matter is that I could probably afford to get something now, but I've got better things to be doing with my money and the thought of spenting £400-500 a month on leasing or HPing a car scares the shyte out of me! When I do change I'll need a car that makes the right statement. "We're obviously doing OK and working hard but we aren't frivilous so we're clearly in a position to help develop your company, we're trustworthy and here to help!!".

Whatever car I chose it's going to have to work hard compensate for my tosser's number plate....

[Welly]

I know what you mean Dai, and it all comes back to what I was saying.

About 3 years ago I went to meet a Client to negotiate a £60,000.00 contract and afterwards he walked back with me over to where I'd parked, there was a kinda awkwardness as we stood around my T-reg Peugeot

The weird thing is Client's DO want to see you in a nice motor, in a way they feel that you're part of their success.

You should get a Volvo Estate V60, you won't be branded as being flash.........old maybe, but nothing else surely now though with Volvo's new crazy styling it has to shake off that old man image?

I don't mind new BMW's at all. What makes me cringe is the 'wannabe' BMW owners who think they've made it in their 9 year old BM's but haven't, really

[Doggy]

I tend to agree too, however.......

You should get a Volvo Estate V60, you won't be branded as being flash.........old maybe, but nothing else surely now though with Volvo's new crazy styling it has to shake off that old man image?
(

The word delusional comes to mind.

In any case watching our local V60 owners repeatedly trying in vain to keep up with a 10-year old pug estate, that's not really the image you want either.

[puggy]

Fully agree Doggy !! how can they shake off the old pervy person image when
people like welly drive them

406 estates rock , comfy yet versatile and quick

[highlander]

406 Coupe is a great all-round car:

- more versatile than you'd think from a Coupe shape (the boot is fairly big and the back seats fold down, unlike some BMWs)
- economical (think 2.2 HDi here)
- reasonably powerful (especially if you remap your HDi, or go for the V6)
- comfortable (Recaro seats with well-padded bolsters and clad in nice leather
- spacious (features two back seats even adults can use)
- timeless good looks; refined elegance, without necessarily being flashy

I am still in love with mine.

- When it's just me in it, it's my "sporty" car which I can drive with gusto; big grin factor.
- When I'm going somewhere with the family, all three of us fit in it and we can take our luggage with us with room to spare, and it's a great long-distance motorway cruiser.
- When I'm at work, it's a lot nicer looking than most other cars in the work car park, and if I'm visiting a customer site then it creates a good impression - nice-looking but without being too show-offy.

Not bad for a 10 year old car I bought for under £3k.

Fair enough, I won't be able to fit my drum kit in it, or a washing machine, or a wardrobe - but if I want to transport any of those things, I'll hire a van or I'll use a Courier service, and it won't cost me the earth.