Looking for impartial advice

[des_pd_ tdi]

I'm looking at trading in my Tiguan for a Mini Clubman D in an attempt to drive down my insurance and general running costs and MPG, which currently sits around 38mpg. Not too bad for a Diesel auto 4wd but with fuel prices slowly creeping up again I'm finding that I tend to use my wifes Smart car more often than not and who can blame me when I get 63mpg out of it, especially with petrol at 10p less per litre.

Will the clubman cope with a family though? 1 baby on the way and my 2.5 year old son?

Cheers

Des

[djswivel]

I think you'll need a proper 5 door. The clubmans suicide door isn't great for a family car.

[ap0gee1978]

I wouldn't want what's effectively a three-door with two small kids - being a German car, the clamshell's on the wrong side for loading children, too...

Plus, it'd only be one insurance group lower, I think - probably worth a couple of quid a month, tops.

Jog on, I say! :thumbdwn:

[Mr Bountyfull]

My wife drives a mini not the clubman, however I describe it as a ladies hand bag. That is it looks nice bot not ay all practical. If this were to be your main car or only car you will soon be cheesed off. That said its good to drive,weel put together and has the best residuals for this type of car.

Steve.

[foureyes]

I like them.

But it wouldn't be my first choice as a family car.

PS - get a second Smart car and you can take a kid each!

[Wardy]

I can see why you might want to change, but there'd be no way I'd choose a Clubman. Hardly any additional room than a std Mini really.

Octy2/Golf Mk5 5dr? Or the key engine efficiencies lie with BMW really, at the moment. A 1-Series 5dr diesel would be a definite improvement over the Clubman, but they're still not that good for interior space.

Steve

[cjb]

I can see why you might want to change, but there'd be no way I'd choose a Clubman. Hardly any additional room than a std Mini really.

Octy2/Golf Mk5 5dr? Or the key engine efficiencies lie with BMW really, at the moment. A 1-Series 5dr diesel would be a definite improvement over the Clubman, but they're still not that good for interior space.

Steve

I had a 1 series hire car. Front seat space is OK, boot space OK, rear seat space very poor. A Golf/Octy/Leon will have more room.

OK, the BMW has RWD, nice handling and a good engine, but th space is not good.

[Wardy]

My thinking was that economy-wise, the 1 is quite a way ahead, plus if you're talking transporting the small ones most of the time, they won't really benefit from additional rear leg room

Steve

[des_pd_ tdi]

The 1 series has crossed my mind, efficient dynamics make a whole lotta sense, surprises me that other manufacturers are so far behind BMW.

Shoulda just held onto my Fabia, stupid stupid stupid!

Des

[Wardy]

You can always buy another Des, it's allowed you know. Some of us have already been full circle and I can think of worse ideas

Steve

[WW_VRS]

Depends a bit on whether you want a new one or not, but I would have thought a Fabia or Octavia Mk1 or Mk2 for both, would be worth a look. There are some cracking deals on new cars but also slightly older ones due to the market collapsing pretty much.

You never know, Allams Skoda might have some offers, I havent checked/asked though

[richie]

Given the choice, it's the VW for me

[Gizmo]

Not sure if the clubman has more legroom in the back (or should that be ANY legroom) than a normal mini, but when we were looking for a replacement for SHMBO we ruled the mini out pretty quickly, they are a 2+2 at best, certainly not a car for putting kids in the back, you will get away with it until their legs are no longer than the rear seat squab, but not for anyone bigger.

[Wardy]

With a Clubman, it's also how easy it's getting the kids in there in the first place! If they'd given it proper rear doors, then fine....

Steve

[Guest musky]

Must be one of the ugliest cars in the world. Handbag is a good description.

[des_pd_ tdi]

Well I drove one today it's a very nice drive, quiet, refined, access to the rear and rear space is quite good, more than adequate for my young family. However the bootspace is rubbish, less that a Fabia.

So the hunt continues........

BMW 1 series - may drive a 123d.

Octavia Esate CR TDI

Golf 6 CR TDI

Des

[WW_VRS]

A beamer 1 series imho is a 2+2, unless something has changed, and the boot space was not too great either. Drives well and the 123d has plenty of power

The latter two should be way more useful options

[dave370_1]

my best mates just bought a Seat Leon (FR) 170 diesel,seems to have loads of room in the back,may be worth a look

dave

[Paul007]

Drove a Leon FR recently and whilst it's mad (200 PS), it's very good to drive if a little harsh on the old backside. I was reading this and wondering when we'd get around to Skodas. The Octavia (either MK1 or II) takes some beating for space, pace and pulling power - diesel form only - or alternatively, that other kind...

[Brimma]

Well I drove one today it's a very nice drive, quiet, refined, access to the rear and rear space is quite good, more than adequate for my young family. However the bootspace is rubbish, less that a Fabia.

So the hunt continues........

BMW 1 series - may drive a 123d.

Octavia Esate CR TDI

Golf 6 CR TDI

Des

I'd recommend the VRS CR170, but then I'm biased. Economy isn't great at the moment, but I put that down to the fact that it's winter and the engine is still tight. Space is fantastic - I changed from a VW Touran 2.0 TDi PD140, and the difference in refinement is amazing. You hardly tell the CR is a diesel until you remember the need to use the black pump at the filling station. If VFM is the key, go for the Skoda.

[stevearcher]

My wife's got a Mini Clubman Cooper (petrol).

We've got one 4 year old and it's ok room wise but nothing like as roomy as my Fabia. Reaching in to do seat belts up is a pain. I think of it as more of a small coupe than a practical hatch. It does have quite a bit more legroom than the hatch and the boot is bigger (though still relatively small). We have done longish journeys with teenagers in the back and they were comfy enough.

I believe the CrossMan (or whatever its going to be called) is due out later in the year, with 5 doors (possibly 6 if they have the same rear doors as the Clubman!) and possibly 4wd.

Economy wise, the petrol is very good. My wife uses it for a good mixture of driving, probably averaging 50+ miles a day. Quite often its in Sport mode and driven with no real thought for economy and we never use the stop-start thing. Gets 40-43 mpg. Has been over 50mpg on a run before.

WhatCar has a long term Cooper D on test. Think they are using it round town a lot and only getting 26mpg or something! Although the diesel is probably pretty refined, diesels just sound 'wrong' in Minis, same as they do in Jaguars!

If you can put up with the lack of practicality compared to a regular 5 door hatch, it's well worth it. Handling is amazing and the ride is pretty good too (although that's probably because we've swapped from 17s on run-flats to 16s on regular tyres). The 17s on runflats made it very twitchy on bumpy corners.

[richie]

I'd recommend the VRS CR170, but then I'm biased. Economy isn't great at the moment, but I put that down to the fact that it's winter and the engine is still tight. Space is fantastic - I changed from a VW Touran 2.0 TDi PD140, and the difference in refinement is amazing. You hardly tell the CR is a diesel until you remember the need to use the black pump at the filling station. If VFM is the key, go for the Skoda.

Exactly, what he said

[des_pd_ tdi]

Exactly, what he said

I can certainly vouch for the VW Common Rail diesels as I've been running my Tiguan with one for 8 months. I've come back from a 200 mile journey in it today mixed driving and achieved 41MPG. I basically emptied all the associated baby paraphanalia out of the back, pumped up the tyres to the correct pressures, so I'm getting a few MPG more.

Think I can convince the missus to sell the Smart, give her the Tiguan, then chuck in a grand on top and buy myself another Fabia VRs for the motorway hack.

On reflection I'd be stupid to sell the Tiguan it really is a great car to drive, so I can then have the best of both worlds by pairing it up with another VRs. Need one with Xenons though....

Des