Got bub on the way, looking to upgrade from hatch to SUV/CUV.
So was scanning carsales and boy everything from 2014 onwards, < 150km, are just Captivas and Cherokees and starting to see more Tiguans. What's up with them?
Shoot your personal recs for used SUV/CUV with space for pram and car seat. $15k ish.
Figures
off the top of my head
Holden is a dead brand anyway… and these shitheaps were made by Daewoo which was a z-tier Korean manfuacturer
Jeep is an Ateco importer and they and the Americans treat the Australian market as if its not worth the bother
theyre designed and built by lazy Americans who could not give a shit
Thanks š
I (dad) was the first owner of a Cherokee.
Was such a shit heap (1.5 years old and less than 15k km, but already had a transmission replaced) that we felt guilty even trying to sell it privately so traded in for a massive loss. Lemon laws are worth fk all and Jeep are notorious for denying warranty claims.
They're so cheap now, that if you have mechanical skills, they'd be a great buy. Just buy 4-5 parts cars to swap things when needed lol.
When they work, they are great cars. Super comfy and feel way more premium compared to their price tag.
Unfortunately, that's the lure for unsuspecting buyers who think Jeep is robust, then they get absolutely reamed.
I got a Cherokee as a rental a few years back, one of the most god awful cars Iāve ever driven. I canāt remember what was particularly bad, the steering and road noise was awful, but I walked away never wanting to drive one again.
I usually drove hybrid corollas at the time, so itās not like I had expensive tastes.
This is a separate point but I find it amazing the number of people who want to buy a car without test driving it. They want to do the research behind the safety of a computer screen and look at specs all day. Some of my mates ask me which of the two or three cars I would recommend (not sure why, I'm not an expert or anything) and I always say "go and test drive them first and then ask me again" and most of the time that solves their query.
Just saying, that a standard car can fit a pram and car seat, but for a second kiddie, it may be an issue.
You could go for something like the Mazda CX 5.
Yeh I have a focus right now and it's tight. Hardly any space in the boot.
CX5 I heard has a boot space limitation (something to do with the width of the opening?)
I donāt regret upgrading to an SUV for a baby. Itās not just the space for a pram itās also the working height when getting them in and out of the car and doing their straps. You donāt have to stoop down as much and risk your lower back. I got a Honda CRV and have been happy with it, still going strong with no issues after 5 years. The doors open really wide and itās a bit taller than many other of the SUVs in its class and year.
I've got two kids and a CX5. Its not the biggest boot in its class but its absolutely fine for big trips and prams. Also a super reliable car.
I bought my wife a Mitsubishi Outlander with 2 kids and it is excellent - heaps of room, quiet (we have the PHEV) and great to drive.
Why did you buy 2 kids? Did they have to come with the car or were they extra? Whose kids were they?
So many questionsā¦
Hardly any space in the boot.
I had a travel pram for long trips. Cheaper option than upgrading a car. You get to use that when you on overseas trips as well.
Carrington Car Co can be blamed for Captivas
Theres nothing like loading up a single mum with bad credit and giving her a craptiva lol
That Facebook page is the gift that keeps on giving.
Only two more sleeps till Friday!
Shoot your personal recs for used SUV/CUV with space for pram and car seat. $15k ish.
Your current car will fit a pram and car seat, unless you're driving a Mazda MX-5 or something.
Why do expecting parents become obsessed with buying an SUV? I mean, my parents fit two car seats and all of our stuff into a 1970s Toyota Corolla Seca, and when I had my kid, I fit our family into my trusty old 2007 Toyota Corolla Conquest Sedan which I bought when I was in university.
Just stick with your current car, babies hardly leave the house in the first few months anyway. You can always buy a new car later.
FWIW, actually have a plan of what you intend to carry and see if it all fits in your current car, or if it will even fit into an SUV you intend to buy. Most SUVs are just hatchbacks on stilts and don't actually offer any more space (Mazda CX-5, for example, is just a raised Mazda 3, similarly people buy cars like Yaris / Corolla Crosses not realising they have less room than a Camry…etc.)
Keep your $15k man, don't buy into the car manufacturer propaganda of SUVs being "family cars", your car is just fine, take your family on a nice holiday instead.
(Mazda CX-5, for example, is just a raised Mazda 3
you're thinking of the CX30.
The CX5 is not a Mazda 3, it's a different platform and is certainly large enough as an SUV. (the CX30 though, is not).
Yeah, you are right, the CX-30 is the raised Mazda 3.
However, I think my point still stands, which is that SUVs often do not have the size advantages which people like to think they do compared to a more traditional sedan or hatchbank. For example, my comparison between the Camry and the Corolla Cross visualised:
https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/toyota-camry-2017-sā¦
The Camry has more cargo volume (524L vs. 425L), meaning it can physically carry more stuff (though granted the shape of a sedan boot may be less versatile, but let's not pretend like it's small), has a longer wheelbase (282.5cm vs. 264cm), meaning there's more space for the rear passengers, not to mention that it's a cheaper car, and more readily available.
FWIW, I think the craze around SUVs only benefits car manufacturers. In many cases, you are paying a lot of money for little more than an elevated height and "fitting in" with the other parents who own an SUV.
yes, SUVs are over-rated for 'space' compared to regular wagons ā the Mazda CX5 has less space than the Mazda 6 wagon (or the sedan for that matter). The hype for SUVs might have to do with anxious parents driving with better/higher seating? Though in terms of safety and handling, the regular wagon or sedan would easily be better than the SUV…
This. I dare the audience here to name a 5 seater SUV out there that has more cabin and boot space than a Ford Mondeo or a Skoda Octavia.
@ytthr: We've owned both with 3 kids (Octavia hatch first then Mondeo wagon). Awesome family cars, the wagon boot was so big you could wheel the off-road pram in unfolded (just flip the handle down). Swallowed furniture, bikes, dogs with ease. When it was old and dirt cheap to insure my eldest learned to drive in it as well.
When it finally crumbled at 13 years old we had to get a SUV because no wagons were within budget and for the first time I had to ask myself "will it fit in the car? ", it was a rude shock
@ytthr: That explains why we have so few of them on the roads. What people don't realise is there are many more practical and reliable cars out there than Japanese and Korean SUVs
Food for thought… still in the "look and see" phase. Bub arrives next week so I'll have a few weeks to trial. The pram itself already takes up most of the boot space though… + bassinet/seat (Ford Focus Hatch)
Here's a comparison of your Ford Focus Hatch vs. an "average" SUV like the CX-5 people are talking about: https://www.carsized.com/en/cars/compare/ford-focus-2022-5-dā¦
Wheelbase is the same, so you'll have identical space in the backseats, and cargo volume is 500L vs. 400L, which I'm sure will make next to no difference for your pram.
The pram itself already takes up most of the boot space thoughā¦ + bassinet/seat
Why are you lugging around a bassinet?
FWIW, you probably won't get a good SUV for $15k, but if you're intent on a bigger car, get a large sedan instead. You could actually get a really good condition Camry with fairly low mileage with $15k. Will give you more space than an SUV. Just won't get you the brownie points with other parents.
Ah itās the bassinet attachment for the pram :)
Camry is an nice idea thanksā¦ will shoot it past the missus š
Iām just in new dad mode juggling a lot of things right now š¤£
Edit: no goā¦ missus wants the height for āsafetyā š¤·āāļø
Edit: no goā¦ missus wants the height for āsafetyā š¤·āāļø
You mean increased risk of rollovers in an accident?
My dad was an engineer and worked at the Accident Research Centre at Monash Uni until he retired just several years ago. We had a lot of discussions on car design and road safety.
The conclusion (which is backed up by scientific literature) is that SUVs are "safer" than "lower" cars only in a head-on collision, which is the rarest of the four directions in which you could be hit.
From the sides, which are more common in accidents, SUVs are more likely to roll over than a regular hatchback or sedan. Shouldn't be surprising from the physics, SUVs have more mass, but a higher centre of mass.
More importantly, when doing the multivariate analysis (in simulated conditions), the effect of what car you drive is a smaller factor in the outcome of an accident vs. other factors, most notably driver ability. So if you want to pay money for safety, you should enrol your wife in a defensive driving course.
(Not trying to be a smartarse BTW, just pointing out that what you're saying isn't quite factually true. Ultimately, you drive what you want to drive.)
@p1 ama: She wants to see the road. Sheās a 5ft lady š¤£
Yeh everything you say makes sense. Sometimes itās not a rational based decision in the end š„²
That's fine. My pram took up my boot in my A Class and we stashed things under/over it. Extras can just go in the back seat. You can make it work.
I've now got 2 kids in the A Class, thankfully the eldest doesn't need a pram anymore š
You won't need the bassinet after a pretty short while so the pram should end up being a lot smaller. We had our first in a 2004 Mazda 3 and it was absolutely fine. You could always get a tiny foldup pram purely for travelling. We picked up a Redsbaby one and it was fantastic for trips.
Thanks for the tips!
I donāt have kids and having a kid size SUV is a game changer. From my lower back and knees, to not having to worry about steep driveways and scraping.
I just had a hire car Corolla and I couldnāt go back to a regular sedan/hatch.
Also, whoās buying a Yaris thinking it has more space than a Camry. Theyāre probably one of the smallest cars on the road.
Shoot your personal recs for used SUV/CUV with space for pram and car seat. $15k ish.
Rav4
First car that came to mind… just can't find anything around 15k unless I'm looking at 2011s.
Honda CRV ???
Will check it outš
Honda CRVs definitely worth a look though you may have to go up a couple of k. Huge interior space and a smooth drive.
Hyundai Tucson
Mitsubishi Outlander - i have a 7 seater diesel.
Subaru Forester or Outback may fit the bill. Not sure on price, may be a bit on the higher end.
Lada
I agree with some of the comments here. No need to upgrade. We have two little ones and weāve been totally fine with a Suzuki swift and a VW golf.
We have two baby seats and we can fit a double pram with room for several small bags.
Unless you plan to go camping or weekend getaway, you will be fine. Even with the occasional weekend getaway, hire the car. It will be allot cheaper.
Your budget is too low for what you want. That is why you are getting the absolute dregs. Captivate and Cherokees are cheap as they are utter shite.
Cherokees are cheap as they are utter shite
I dunno, they seem ok after doing a barra swap, a long travel coil conversion, diff upgrades and adding frame stiffenersā¦
https://www.carsguide.com.au/holden/captiva/problems
Captivas had A LOT of issues
With that said i have a Holden Equinox which was released after the Captiva and it is after they trouble shooted all the issues and i have no issues with the car, it was pretty cheap for a mid side SUV and intintially i thought if i got 4-5 years out of the car i'd be happy im on year 6 and no dramas ill keep it till it dies but overall its a good car
A Toyota with 300k on it would be far more reliable.
Used car market is pure supply and demand. The cheapest used cars are cheap for a good reason. Noone wants to buy them. If you want a popular model, you gotta pay.
Depends how much the previous owner wants to pay to get it off their hands. Make sure you have a good margin to cover the repair bills which will be infliced upon you.
All 3 have reached their "falling to pieces, expensive to repair" stage or were always that way.
Look at a Mazda CX5 or a Hyundai, Kia or Rav4 if you must have an SUV
Thanks for the recs!
Pretty sure they are called Craptiva's for a reason.
JEEP: Just Empty Every Pocket
Lord those things cost a bomb to keep running!
my god i thought i'd seen everything
That links to my earlier point on Carrington Car Co
This is a rhetorical question, yeah?
No, so delete your comment.
theyre shitheaps
they are bottom as far as reliability goes
they 1st owner is going to be releived when he drops these turds onto the next buyer