Revolver

Taka,

Many of those giving advice either haven't had kids yet or their kids are all grown up.

Being a car nut you are also obsessing about things your wife probably couldn't care less about.

When I asked my wife what she wanted for the family wagon (and it's got to be a wagon - forget hatchbacks), she said it's got to have the following things:

1. Heaps of cargo capacity;

2. Easy to drive;

3. Reliable;

4. Relatively cheap to maintain and fix;

5. Decent low end power so she can get around quickly without waiting for the motor to decide to do something.

Since she's not a snob or fashion victim we bought a Falcon Futura wagon. Don't laugh - they may be taxis and sales rep specials but you get a lot of car for your money and they go like stink. Plus they fill all five categories no problem.

In fact, when I recently suggested she might like to upgrade to a Liberty wagon she said she loves her car too much to part with it yet.

And trust me, being a few years further down the kid rearing track than you, having a huge cargo area to dump prams, strollers, shopping, bikes, scooters, etc, etc beats the hell out of trying to stick things on racks, etc while 2 screaming kids are hassling you. You will also love it come holiday time - I can get three adults and two kids in mine PLUS a whole shitload of luggage and other crap no problems and the thing will still go hard up a steep hill with all that weight on board.

So my friendly advice is to get over any prejudices you might have against domestic cars, test drive a few and see what you think.

If all this is lost on you and you can't afford the Liberty yet, go for the 6 wagon. You will regret buying anything smaller.

labrat

Certainly there's a lot of sense in what Revolver said. We hired a Mazda 6 wagon in Switzerland recently and thought it great - it was a free upgrade from a Mazda 3. Anywat, Taka has time, and there's the Mitsubishi 380 about to hit the market.

timbo

taka...I think you need to produce at least one more addition before taking their advice

Falcadore wagons are just s-oo-o big for urban driving...but hey, if you're heading that way, why not a Prado, Patrol,

labrat

[QUOTE=timbo]taka...Falcadore wagons are just s-oo-o big [/QUOTE
Falcodorishiyota

Having seen my daughter load their Tribute to the gunwales with crap for their two little girls, I think they'd still probably fill a 3 trailer road train if the space was available. We managed to fit our girls + luggage into our AlfaSud when we used to go on holidays when living in Europe, and we weren't cramped. Of course, I used to freeze-dry and shrink-wrap them before the journey....

Revolver

Nonsense. Taka doesn't live in some Euro city with narrow lanes everywhere Timbo. I've never had any difficulty getting around in the family wagon.

And I bet Mrs Taka does most of her driving in suburban areas. :p

Anyways, you need to look at what you need the car for. Okay, if number 2 isn't going to be coming along for 3-5 years, the Mazda 6 wagon is probably going to be big enough but the size and bulkiness of kid paraphernalia never ceases to amaze me and manys the time I've wondered how people cope with much smaller cars for family duties. So if you do buy something smaller, don't complain when you're trying to wedge that last bag somewhere uncomfortable just to make everything fit for the family holiday.

As for Prados and Patrols, excuse me but we're talking about cars - not grossly obese small trucks that tip over and chew through more fuel than the 8.

Revolver

No doubt labrat but people are so much more materialistic these days and just have more...stuff.

We go to my Dad's place for the family get together for Xmas and with the kind of stuff that's now given and received for a multitude of nephews and nieces, etc you need the space.

People are also time poor these days and don't want to spend the time learning the rapidly dying art of scientific packing (my old man was a master at it!!! :D ). My wife complains I've inherited the same trait but hey, at least I can use my rear vision mirror on the freeway!!!

takahashi

We live in my parents place frequently on the weekend and we stuff everything into the 8 -which is just fit. It is minus the pram.

RX-8 has a cargo space of 290L. The pram prob take another 100L. So I think the boot is at least 400L. So the 3 is just OK.! Any bigger than this will be appreciated.

My wife has a phobia to take a large ride too. Family sedan is a biggest limit. When we stepped into the Subaru dealer the other day. She commented on the Liberty wagon straight away, "It is too long for me".

takahashi

Keep the ideas and thoughts coming guys... Mrs Taka is hugely appreciating your comments.

Revolver

Fair enough. I understand some people don't like bigger cars.

The key though, is to listen to what she wants rather than get carried away with power to weight and aftermarket suspension options! :D Give her what she wants and you've got a failsafe response to any later whinges!

EZZY

totally agree..... this is for mrs taka, and whats best for her is important.....
mr. taka needs to step aside and let mrs. taka decide which car she wants/feel most comfortable.... most of us know that little asian women dont speed, so the size of the engine isnt important (just ask my mum :D )
how about....
Audi A3 hatchback (someone suggested earlier)
Ford Focus hatchback
Holden Astra hatchback
Toyota Corolla hutchback

takahashi

Focus, Astra and Corolla - even all in sedan - has a smaller boot than the 3. OUT!

I am not sure of the Audi though..> I don't have money to buy an A3 anyway :D

timbo

I reckon you should get a Prius

1. Size is about right
2. Hatchback
3. They actually go like the stink off the line
4. Incredibly economical, so she'll feel really responsible...and give you an excuse to keeping putting petrol in the 8 as well as increasing its...er....capability
5. I reckon there's got to be lots of Prius hacks...I'm sure there's got to be a great forum which would be almost as much fun as this one, if our future is to be $2/litre
:D :D :D :D :D

Let me also revisit my learned friend's case for a Falcadore. Having had 3 closely spaced sons, I certainly agree with the room, size, luggage argument and have been there, done that. So for years we always had a big car and a small car. Guess what? Guess who used to get the big bloody tank to drive, and who kept the small nipper. That's right -- I got the tank, and she got a variety of quite tasty small cars. It was only one I started getting Volvo 740 turbo wagons and Range Rovers that life on the road regained any meaning :p :p :p

Never underestimate the capability of a smart woman to do the switch sale

Revolver

So your REAL problem is that you didn't/don't wear the trousers huh?? :p :D

I've carefully warned my (very smart) wife about tales of flooding, make sure you warm it up properly, don't rev it over 3K for the first 15 mins, don't switch the DSC off, etc, etc, etc to the point that she positively hates the idea of driving my 8! :p :D The garage is also a SNUG fit (I'm talking a matter of inches) so she's paranoid she's gonna hit something. When she had it over the weekend I had to back it out and park it again for her.

So the answer is, buy wifey the tank and keep the sportscar for you.

Revolver

You can stop now Kall.

You had me at 'getting into cheerleading uniform' :D

sjb266

hey taka..

I would highly recommend the maxima...

great engine, great transmission, great stereo, huge luxurious inside... dull image maybe

go and drive one before you make a decision...i bet ya the wife loves it!

i would buy one over all the above mentioned...it'd be close with the euro luxury though!

Lock & Load

What a horrific though our resident legal eagle :D in cheerleading uniform with a two day growth on his face and hairy legs


B......free
michael

EZZY

i'd pay to see that...... (no smart **** comments L&L :D :D :D )

RXP33D

rather have a beer... :p

ZOOMBY

Hi Taka ,

All I can say is I use to own a SP20, which if u don't know was the father of the SP23 (but im sure u do know :D :D :p ). Anyway, I can tell you I thrashed the living daylites out of that car(no I don't treat my RX8 the same way ) and it with stood all pressures given. Sure a few things had to be changed, engine mounts quite a few times(all my own fault :D :D ), but it was a good car. Enough power and handling to keep me interested, and the styling was pretty nice too for what it was.

Put it this way I had that car for just over 3years and i traded it in for my RX8, with 155,000 so it went thru a fair bit . Anyway the morale to this story is that I had a pretty close look at the SP23 when it came out. And they had increased the power output by just under 20%, made the interior a hell of a lot nicer and improved handling and exterior styling. Soooooooooooooo, going on this I would have too say it is quite a good car for the price and all the attributes that come with this car. Yes there are much nicer cars out there but thats my opinion, if u were trying to decide with the SP23.

kiwimeat

As another SP20 owner (I had mine 3 years), I was distinctly underwhelmed by the SP23. Yes power and build quality was up but the handling was softer and lacked the edge I felt the SP20 had.

I drove the SP23 and Maxx Neo Sport and for my money the Maxx Neo Sport was the better deal in terms of value as it had close to the performance of the SP23 for at least $5K less.

Lets be honest, the SP20 and SP23 are "warm hatches" only - not the real deal but never-the-less I felt the SP20 was/is closer to the target than the SP23. I still miss my SP20 (esp when at the petrol station or parking in supermarket car park!). Personally I would take the 6 over the SP23 if it had to be a Mazda, but as others have said the Accord Euro is very nice and a good drive.

aa@uow

hey Taka, what about the Maxima??
massive power n luxury interior.. (is the maxima equal to the Skyline GT35?)

also the Camry Sportivo V6 3.0 is good, it has a good engine, full body kit, sport suspensions and front stabliser bar etc.. and i am sure u know Toyota is reliable n services are cheap..