2 seaters + kids conundrum
Discussion
Who here makes the following work somehow:
- 3 kids that all require ferrying at various times to various clubs
- 2 parent's that both work but only one really has to commute
- One big family car
- One 2 seater as the other car
My current situation is swap point 4 with an old but reliable little hatch runaround, which I want to get rid of and replace with preferably a Z4 Coupe or failing that a MX5...
..the OH has fairly challenged whether not having the extra (at least) two seats in the second car would make our lives a hassle. But then in terms of something PH-worthy around the £10k mark that leaves me with what, a TT?
So do you make having a 2 seater work with a family life?
- 3 kids that all require ferrying at various times to various clubs
- 2 parent's that both work but only one really has to commute
- One big family car
- One 2 seater as the other car
My current situation is swap point 4 with an old but reliable little hatch runaround, which I want to get rid of and replace with preferably a Z4 Coupe or failing that a MX5...
..the OH has fairly challenged whether not having the extra (at least) two seats in the second car would make our lives a hassle. But then in terms of something PH-worthy around the £10k mark that leaves me with what, a TT?
So do you make having a 2 seater work with a family life?
Legend83 said:
..the OH has fairly challenged whether not having the extra (at least) two seats in the second car would make our lives a hassle. But then in terms of something PH-worthy around the £10k mark that leaves me with what, a TT?
Have you ever looked in the back of a TT, no way would anyone ever want to sit in the back. I have a 3 door car which my teenage children rarely sit in the back of and even that is a pain.If I was regularly having to ferry children about I would have to go for a four door car.
Legend83 said:
Who here makes the following work somehow:
- 3 kids that all require ferrying at various times to various clubs
- 2 parent's that both work but only one really has to commute
- One big family car
- One 2 seater as the other car
My current situation is swap point 4 with an old but reliable little hatch runaround, which I want to get rid of and replace with preferably a Z4 Coupe or failing that a MX5...
..the OH has fairly challenged whether not having the extra (at least) two seats in the second car would make our lives a hassle. But then in terms of something PH-worthy around the £10k mark that leaves me with what, a TT?
So do you make having a 2 seater work with a family life?
You can get some very PH worthy cars that'll do the job & still be a fun steer (they're mainly hot hatches) or something in between like a nice coupe.- 3 kids that all require ferrying at various times to various clubs
- 2 parent's that both work but only one really has to commute
- One big family car
- One 2 seater as the other car
My current situation is swap point 4 with an old but reliable little hatch runaround, which I want to get rid of and replace with preferably a Z4 Coupe or failing that a MX5...
..the OH has fairly challenged whether not having the extra (at least) two seats in the second car would make our lives a hassle. But then in terms of something PH-worthy around the £10k mark that leaves me with what, a TT?
So do you make having a 2 seater work with a family life?
PS 308 GTI 270:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403278...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404098...
Astra GTC VXR:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404078...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403237...
Coupes.
CLK55 AMG:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403087...
3.0 S5:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403127...
4.2:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403247...
RCZ R although this might be tight space wise:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403207...
E350cgi:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403207...
135i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312104...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401215...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202403137...
Manual 330i:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312285...
G37:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309202...
Mr Tidy said:
For your situation a hot hatch looks like the simplest solution.
But if you really wanted a Z4 (which I can understand as I'm on my 3rd) it depends if you wanted one enough to deal with the inevitable compromises that would come with it.
Enjoy whatever you get.
Hi Mr Tidy you probably saw my intro post on the Z4Forum! I did have 2 seater permission at that point but it's been withdrawn again!But if you really wanted a Z4 (which I can understand as I'm on my 3rd) it depends if you wanted one enough to deal with the inevitable compromises that would come with it.
Enjoy whatever you get.
Re: your comment, herein lies the problem as I'm just not a hot hatch type...
... another option is a 6 series which is a Z4 Coupe in 2+2 form essentially but feel like the bork potential goes up a significant notch!
GT86?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024031977...
Basically an mx5 with back seats. Not sure how useable they are but probably okay for short runs with kids.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024031977...
Basically an mx5 with back seats. Not sure how useable they are but probably okay for short runs with kids.
How about a BMW E93? I am currently running a 2009 325i as our main family car (plus a small EV as our second car). It's a full size four seater, the boot is reasonable with the roof up, and at the touch of a button the roof drops, turning it into a fun motoring experience (albeit more cruiser than hardcore sports car).
As a compromise for the family man car enthusiast that needs something semi-practical I think it's not a bad shout.
More bork factor than an MX-5 admittedly, but it's no use having an MX-5 if you hardly use it.
As a compromise for the family man car enthusiast that needs something semi-practical I think it's not a bad shout.
More bork factor than an MX-5 admittedly, but it's no use having an MX-5 if you hardly use it.
Similar situation and would love an mx5 or z4 but just is not an option for doing all the after schools kids clubs etc with the second car so have an e88 BMW (I serries convertible). It's not fast 2.0 petrol engine but still nicer than most the white good alternatives and still offers some rwd top down fun on a B road.
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
Have you ever looked in the back of a TT, no way would anyone ever want to sit in the back. I have a 3 door car which my teenage children rarely sit in the back of and even that is a pain.
If I was regularly having to ferry children about I would have to go for a four door car.
Fair point on the TT - my son sat in one recently and said it was ok, but he has not started the puberty charge yet so still quite short for his age...no point buying based on the situation now I guess!If I was regularly having to ferry children about I would have to go for a four door car.
Reminds me of years ago when my wife used to take the kids to nursery then park the sensible car at the station and get the train to work. When I finished work, I used to have to drive to the station in my 2 seater, find her car (never in the same spot), and swap-over so that I could use her car to pick the kids up…
Did this for about six months before it just became too much hassle and I swapped the S2000 for a hot hatch…
Didn’t help that when I spoke to my local Honda dealership about disabling the passenger airbag so that I could fit a child seat, they told me that “Honda recommend that children travel in the rear seats”. We were stood next to the car (with the roof down) at the time and the guy told me this without a hint of irony…
Did this for about six months before it just became too much hassle and I swapped the S2000 for a hot hatch…
Didn’t help that when I spoke to my local Honda dealership about disabling the passenger airbag so that I could fit a child seat, they told me that “Honda recommend that children travel in the rear seats”. We were stood next to the car (with the roof down) at the time and the guy told me this without a hint of irony…
135i or JCW MINI ?
Not great for legroom but if it's only for short runs then does that matter? I'm 5'9 and coped sitting in the back of a MINI for a 2 hour journey before. Obviously not so viable if those in the front seats are over 6 foot!
Go for the convertible of either of these and at least if the weather's nice you can have the roof down and it makes it easier to get in and out of the back seats.
Not great for legroom but if it's only for short runs then does that matter? I'm 5'9 and coped sitting in the back of a MINI for a 2 hour journey before. Obviously not so viable if those in the front seats are over 6 foot!
Go for the convertible of either of these and at least if the weather's nice you can have the roof down and it makes it easier to get in and out of the back seats.
I'd love a 2-seater but with 3 kids it does not work and to be honest I'd feel a little sad not being able to share the driving experience with more than one family member wife or kid!
There's always the possibility of making your family car the fun one like a C63 Sportwagon?
It would make ferrying the kids a bit more interesting?
PS. A few moons ago I took a brave pill and got a Maserati 4200 Coupe for under £10k a great bit of fun which was genuinely a 4 seater. I know a specialist down the road so that de-risked the purchase a little.
Now a 2nd fun car is out of the question (it is now a 1L Fiesta) as kids are at the age where oldest one is about to learn to drive.
(I made the family car a bit nicer by getting a Flying Spur)
There's always the possibility of making your family car the fun one like a C63 Sportwagon?
It would make ferrying the kids a bit more interesting?
PS. A few moons ago I took a brave pill and got a Maserati 4200 Coupe for under £10k a great bit of fun which was genuinely a 4 seater. I know a specialist down the road so that de-risked the purchase a little.
Now a 2nd fun car is out of the question (it is now a 1L Fiesta) as kids are at the age where oldest one is about to learn to drive.
(I made the family car a bit nicer by getting a Flying Spur)
Edited by fflump on Friday 12th April 09:57
fflump said:
I'd love a 2-seater but with 3 kids it does not work and to be honest I'd feel a little sad not being able to share the driving experience with more than one family member wife or kid!
There's always the possibility of making your family car the fun one like a C63 Sportwagon?
It would make ferrying the kids a bit more interesting?
It's a nice idea but we have got so used to the ease of the S Max for family duties - no thought required to get anything in the boot, plus 3 full size seats in the back reduces arguments etc.There's always the possibility of making your family car the fun one like a C63 Sportwagon?
It would make ferrying the kids a bit more interesting?
Think I am starting to realise I need to lead with my head and not my heart here! Can't complain too much, as I have had two 2-seaters in my car history so far so not like it's completely missing from my life-history. My fault for spawning so many mini-L83s!
Legend83 said:
fflump said:
I'd love a 2-seater but with 3 kids it does not work and to be honest I'd feel a little sad not being able to share the driving experience with more than one family member wife or kid!
There's always the possibility of making your family car the fun one like a C63 Sportwagon?
It would make ferrying the kids a bit more interesting?
It's a nice idea but we have got so used to the ease of the S Max for family duties - no thought required to get anything in the boot, plus 3 full size seats in the back reduces arguments etc.There's always the possibility of making your family car the fun one like a C63 Sportwagon?
It would make ferrying the kids a bit more interesting?
Think I am starting to realise I need to lead with my head and not my heart here! Can't complain too much, as I have had two 2-seaters in my car history so far so not like it's completely missing from my life-history. My fault for spawning so many mini-L83s!
Similar situation... three kids of school club age and a two seater is very difficult to make work. It's amazing how often one ends up picking up more than one kid, or kid + friend.... I don't know the age of your kids, but something classic like a 944 is a potential option.
It's worth thinking left-field as there are masses of fantastic options in the classic world. My kids have some really happy memories of the sort of stuff they've been ferried around in, all bought for less than £10k, including Land Rovers, Porsche 924s, MGB GT, Citroen DS, Fiat Spider, Citroen Ami, Karmann Beetles, Silver Shadows, Scimitars, Range Rovers, Jaguars etc.
It's been great fun for me as well as them!
It's worth thinking left-field as there are masses of fantastic options in the classic world. My kids have some really happy memories of the sort of stuff they've been ferried around in, all bought for less than £10k, including Land Rovers, Porsche 924s, MGB GT, Citroen DS, Fiat Spider, Citroen Ami, Karmann Beetles, Silver Shadows, Scimitars, Range Rovers, Jaguars etc.
It's been great fun for me as well as them!
ChrisH72 said:
GT86?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024031977...
Basically an mx5 with back seats. Not sure how useable they are but probably okay for short runs with kids.
A mate does - two kids (now 12 & 9) fit OK with the front passenger seat forward a bit and one behind them. No chance behind a normal height driver.http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024031977...
Basically an mx5 with back seats. Not sure how useable they are but probably okay for short runs with kids.
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