We've two cars. My VRS and SWMBO's Tigra convertible.

We've our first sprog due in 4 days and only one car we can put him in. The Tigra airbag can't be turned off without disconnecting it completely and the front seat isn't the place for a rugrat anyway.

She love this Tigra and I hate it with a passion. It's damaged, leaks, smells damp, slow, drinks oil and is the worst car to drive I've ever been in, ever (even worse than a Daihatsu Terios which was awful).

She wants me to take the Tigra to work and for her to have the VRS. I'm saying god no. Not because I'm precious about the VRS but because I hate the bloody Tigra and we'd be better off with two 5 seaters anyway. I have to drive down a busy single carriageway road to work and you need something fast to get by or a 20min journey can take 45-60 minutes as you watch the back of the caravan being towed by a Micra driven by the recently deceased. I'd rather cycle the 20 miles to work

I've suggested we sell both cars to redistribute the money in them. I'm guessing my VRS is worth in the region of £8k and her Tigra about £3k. So we'd have £11k to start with and maybe a bit more if it was something that as worth it.

We're both doing low mileages now we've moved so fuel consumption isn't really a big issue but we wouldn't want to pay £400 a year VED.

She'd like an older TT (Coupe so it has some seats in the back). I'm not too fussed as long as it's fast and preferably interesting. Hopefully reasonably reliable too.

Any suggestions on what we could get?

I've seen a 2000 (x) M5 for £7k

Or something like a 3.0 Quattro A4?

Edited 26 July, 201015 yr by Aspman

Chop her Tigra in for a Citroen C4. You can get a 1.6 HDI for £3k and it has a pair of ISOFix in the back too.

She'll only change it for something that pings her knicker elastic.

Doesn't care about cars but becomes a terrible snob when it comes down to it.

Doesn't like minis.

Mind you if I could get her to get a Cooper S I'd be happy enough to drive about in that and she could have the skud.

Thought about an RX8 too.

If you get the TT you won't have any room for the pram and everything else you need to carry around.

Why not you keep the VRs for you and get her a Fabia for herself.

If you get the TT you won't have any room for the pram and everything else you need to carry around.

Why not you keep the VRs for you and get her a Fabia for herself.

She'll only change it for something that pings her knicker elastic.

although the TT can't be practical for all the...stuff you'll be needing to lug around? S4? Avant?

The TT is one of the few cars she'll consider other than the Tigra (seriously the bloody thing is like a religious icon to her).

I was thinking that at least it's got some seats in the back to strap a car seat to. Also it'd be fast enough for me to take if she needed the big boot.

A Cooper S would be ideal but she has never liked them.

I'm willing to give up the Octy to free up some cash for her to get something with 2+ seats. I'd be happy in anything large and fast.

Sprog is due in 2 days now. Maybe she'll see the pointlessness of an old 2 seater after that.

How about a Toyota Celica? Looks to have 4 seats a large hatchback for baby things and at the same time fairly sporty. Plus it should be a bit more reliable than a Tigra

An interesting problem. I have to say I totally agree about the Tigra, quite simply a shocking car from everyway of looking at it but for some reason the ladies love it (No bloody logic in it at all...). I would think twice about owning one even if it was given to me but the women just seem to love them irrationally.

What about a Hyundai coupe? Or maybe even a Twintop?

Leftfield suggestion but - Suzuki Swift...??? Good to drive in 1.6 Sport trim (or any other for that matter), four seats and still a similar size to a Tigra.

I should also comment that this Tigra has a front bumper held together with duck tape, leaks and smells a bit damp, has off centre steering, gets about 30mpg yet is slower than a 1.0 Corsa (because it weights about 4 tons) has done 90k miles and goes through more oil than a chip shop - just to highlight SWMBOs irrational love of the skip.

I tried once upon a time to get her to look at an MX5 but no it wasn't a Tigra.

A Swift is a bit too ordinary, her Dad was trying to get her to look at one because we have a Suzuki dealer at the bottom of the road but she wasn't having it.

A Twintop she would look at, but I think it might be a bit out of budget.

I was also steering her towards Saab 9-3 convertible or an old A4 convertible maybe even a Volvo C70 but she doesn't like soft-tops. She thinks they'll get slashed.

Also convertibles don't age well.

Hmm maybe if I pulled the Tigra badge off and stuck it on a Golf or a Fabia....

...she doesn't like soft-tops. She thinks they'll get slashed.

Also convertibles don't age well...

As the owner of a 15 year old MX5 - I disagree - in 12 years of ownership I've never had a top slashed and it's aged very well... but it sounds like you've got your work cut out finding something for her so good luck!

What about an Eos? - they leak so you would retain some of the Tigras "charm" but they do have a VW badge on them...

What about an Eos? - they leak so you would retain some of the Tigras "charm" but they do have a VW badge on them...

Good suggestion, nope she doesn't like them or the Focus CC.

She's a teacher and has a pretty much constant paranoia about getting her car done over or the house egged. In fairness it did happen once but she worked at a very rough school then and not the genteel rural school she's at now. Still a few rough 'uns though.

Some of the cars she says she likes - Tigra, TT, S2000, Lexus RX300 and not much else.

Edited 27 July, 201015 yr by Aspman

What about a 4x4 thing? You could sell it to her on safety grounds...

Or with 11k get her a TT or whatever, you a bad-weather dull-mobile for a couple of grand and a motorbike?

Or with 11k get her a TT or whatever, you a bad-weather dull-mobile for a couple of grand and a motorbike?

That my friend is the nuclear option!

Should she refuse to ditch the skip I'll sell the Octy buy a 5 door 1.6 Focus for £3k and buy a Speed Triple with the rest.

I'd top myself if I had to drive the Tigra everyday. I've never hated a motor so much and I had a Clio.

She likes the neighbours CR-V but I think that might be a bit too expensive and she runs hot and cold on them.

She likes the RX300 one day, hates it the next. She likes my mates Mazda 6 but she'd never buy one.

I looked at a V8 Landy but they're still slow and fall apart.

a friend recently bought a Porsche 911 (996 Carrera 4) to be their "sensible car" becuase it has four seats, whilst his missus drives an MR2

If she's so adamant about what she will or won't like, tell her she can have free rein for a certain budget, aas long as you get the rest and she's not allowed to complain about your choice

I very much doubt she'd fit a baby seat into the back of a TT.

You can in a Hyundai Coupe though. I know, cos I've done it. They look good, drive well, immensely reliable and have a decent boot. Definately mention it if she'll only look at something sporty.

You can in a Hyundai Coupe though. I know, cos I've done it. They look good, drive well, immensely reliable and have a decent boot. Definately mention it if she'll only look at something sporty.

Doesn't really fit the fast bill though at 9.3 secs to 60 (10.6 for the auto)

The original sheep in wolfs clothing that car.

The car for her doesn't need to be fast only needs to be able to take a baby seat / Infant seat . She wants something that her friends will coo over. Doesn't matter if it drives like a turd on wheels (a la Tigra).

If I'm selling the VRS I'm happy to get something older but I'd want it to be at least as fast. Selling her Tigra and the Octy gives us about £11-12k to play with in theory. If she spends £5k on an old TT (she's doing about 20 miles a week at the moment so a well maintained car with larger miles will be ok) I've got about 6-7k to get something older but still larger and fast. I was thinking something like an older A4 3.0 petrol Quattro (Avant maybe).

Hynundai Coupe would probably fit the bill but she's quite badge conscious.

I chucked up the post in the hope of some left-field suggestions I hadn't thought of.

What about a Ford Probe/Cougar, or a Peugeot 306 Coupe. Sporty looking, and reasonaily fun to drive.

or a ford Puma - in a Tigra-like way?

Edited 28 July, 201015 yr by Wet Kipper

Not specific car advice, just a general comment.

Don't do anything rash, leave it at least a month after the sprog puts in an appearance.

You'll be amazed at the weird hormonal things that happen.

My missus lost any interest in cars, m/bikes etc. after our first kid, other than they had to be "safe", - if they had been around at the time she would probably have insisted on a Hummer.

Oh, and congratulations

Not specific car advice, just a general comment.

Don't do anything rash, leave it at least a month after the sprog puts in an appearance.

You'll be amazed at the weird hormonal things that happen.

My missus lost any interest in cars, m/bikes etc. after our first kid, other than they had to be "safe", - if they had been around at the time she would probably have insisted on a Hummer.

Oh, and congratulations

Thanks and very true.

Hence 'just thinking'.

And Puma was a good call. Her brother had one and she liked it.

Mercedes clc coupe ?

Mercedes clc coupe ?

Good one. Had forgotten about them.

Hynundai Coupe would probably fit the bill but she's quite badge conscious.

Just tell her they are a minor subsidiary of Ferrari, hence the 'Ferrari-like' looks

It certainly won't be any slower than the Tigra :no: