I can't quite believe you can't get everything in a 3 Series Touring? We had an Octavia hatch that swallowed all our stuff for 2 adults and 2 kids (4 months old and 4 years old).

Mind you, we don't use buggies, only a baby carrier, but we got the boy's bike and scooter, my guitar and all our bags, plus tons of other stuff we could have probably left at home, and went camping in France for two weeks – no problem.

I've got a Superb saloon now, which isn't as practical as the hatch, but still manages to swallow all our stuff without problems. It's a case of making the square peg fit the square hole. As somebody posted earlier – the more room you have, the more you'll end up filling it, until you're driving a Vaneo or a Transit :p

Seriously though, if I had your budget, it'd be an A6 or a 5 Series all the way. If you are considering a VAG car of the Superb or A6 variety, obviously avoid the 2.0 PD engine like the plague. Plenty of info on here about this.

Keep us posted on what you decide

Don't buy an Octy, you'll regret it every time you grimace from gazing at its dull, uninspiring blandness of an appearance.

Incredibly dull and bland, sure it is.

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Incredibly dull and bland, sure it is.

It is a matter of opinion

It is a matter of opinion

It is for sure. And if you look at original full asking price there is also just no contest... The vRS is gorgeous for what it is: a £20 to £25,000 car. The Beemer is in a different league costing double that.

Park that vRS next to this and I can sure tell you which one will be decribed as dull and bland by the average Joe out there:

For a car that has just been replaced this 3-series still looks fantastic in my book. I'd drive one in a heartbeat!

From another perspective I can understand the cringe on running costs. While I had an Evo being able to afford to run it and enjoying paying the money are two different things. In the end I moved sites and do all motorway so it made the choice to get rid of it easier.

With regards to the 5 series avoid the m sport. My dad had one for a few years and that suspension with runflats is terrible. Personally prefer the a6 (quatro) in this class, may not drive as well but still a good car.

Royston, i will be very frank with you, the 335 delivers more perforamnce and driving dynamics that any skoda likely to be made in the next 20yrs.

they aren't cheap, and yours is a high spec yet the cost of a small trailer is too much for you???

considering the loss you will make on the 335 and the cost of buying a new car with much much less performance it just doesn't tally up.

i've driven a remapped 330d coupe m sport running 310bhp, and my word i would never look at another skoda again, it was epic and free revving, n ot diesel like in anyway.

i seriously think you should buy a decent roof box for the odd occasion that you need it and stick with possibly one of the best handling estate cars out there(I think it's far superior to a rs4 rs6 avant etc etc)

I think the only option for you where you won't lose out too much is a 530d touring(non-M sport) and if you want to a remap will bring it over 270bhp, maybe closer to 300bhp.

Don't sell your 335i, out of all the members on this forum you have the car i am most jelious of.

if you must

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201145427704765/sort/priceasc/usedcars/fuel-type/diesel/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/price-to/16000/price-from/10000/maximum-age/up_to_4_years_old/engine-size-cars/3l_to_3-9l/body-type/estate/model/5_series/make/bmw/page/1/postcode/tn401ns/radius/1500?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201136414419827/sort/priceasc/usedcars/fuel-type/diesel/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/price-to/16000/price-from/10000/maximum-age/up_to_4_years_old/engine-size-cars/3l_to_3-9l/body-type/estate/model/5_series/make/bmw/page/1/postcode/tn401ns/radius/1500?logcode=p#techSpecPerformanceAndEconomyContent

Some food for thought there, cheers. Its the tow bar I wasn't really in tune with. I'm sure its do-able, but the investment in the roof bars takes me down the roof box route. I think I'm guilty of the old addage, 'you dont know what you've got til its gone'.....

+1 a million times over.

You drive the most amazing every day performance car on the planet and you want to change it for an Octavia...... as amazing as a vRS Octavia or Superb Estate is neither of them will ever be a 335. Never. Seriously think of a trailer. A HUGE Ifor Williams if need be but don't change that car... :no:

I know, I know I keep coming back to this fact, and every time I squeeze the throttle and hear the burble, and pass everything but the petrol station, the grin comes back. Hmm a trailer in BMW red.

In that case keep what you have. The more space you have the more crap the Mrs will take. If you have another one, the first will be about 2 and you won't be carrying double the stuff. Just the same plus some bigger nappies or a potty.

Ours is 15 months and I can get by with a set of reigns and a backpack carrier now (SWMBO is another matter).

The cheapest car is the one you already own

This is very true, and I always justify the extra tax and extra petrol costs by the fact that I aint paying monthly payments on the car. Its only got 33K miles ont clock as well. How do you find the backpack carrier? Does the wee person get bored and wriggle about? and does it hurt your back after a while?

O right.

I can't say I am overly sympathetic :p I imagine the Panzerwagen actually has a bigger boot than I am used to (360litres) and I've only resorted to using my roof bars on one occasion when pram and hard luggage for 4 didn't mix. Fortunately though there is no way on earth I'll ever be taking the wife camping. With the imminent arrival of number 2 son, a roof bag seems the best compromise as I have nowhere to put a roof box when not on my car roof and the economy penalty for keeping it there is not worth thinking about. It would only be for the pram (large bugaboo) and/or some soft luggage rather than packed to the gunnels with camping paraphenalia so it should work out ok.

If I was in the market for a new car, I would undoubtedly buy something with a bigger boot but I don't think its worth changing car just for a bigger boot - and I drive a car that most would give up their first born to change for something else. Don't buy an Octy, you'll regret it every time you grimace from gazing at its dull, uninspiring blandness of an appearance.

I know, I should be more resourceful and more resilient. Camping is supposed to be about simplicity after all. I'll not start a war over the looks of the Octy however! One man's Ann Widicombe is another man's Megan Fox and all that.

I can't quite believe you can't get everything in a 3 Series Touring? We had an Octavia hatch that swallowed all our stuff for 2 adults and 2 kids (4 months old and 4 years old).

Mind you, we don't use buggies, only a baby carrier, but we got the boy's bike and scooter, my guitar and all our bags, plus tons of other stuff we could have probably left at home, and went camping in France for two weeks – no problem.

I've got a Superb saloon now, which isn't as practical as the hatch, but still manages to swallow all our stuff without problems. It's a case of making the square peg fit the square hole. As somebody posted earlier – the more room you have, the more you'll end up filling it, until you're driving a Vaneo or a Transit :p

Seriously though, if I had your budget, it'd be an A6 or a 5 Series all the way. If you are considering a VAG car of the Superb or A6 variety, obviously avoid the 2.0 PD engine like the plague. Plenty of info on here about this.

Keep us posted on what you decide

haha, I'm terribly ashamed to admit that for about a week, I was researching Merc Vito's. We are OK getting the baby stuff in but then there's no room for our stuff. Maybe I should do the packing instead of leaving it up to the Mrs.

I think for the time being, I shall be enjoying the benefits of the 335 a liittle while longer.

Thankyou very much for all your replies, its good to talk.

This is very true, and I always justify the extra tax and extra petrol costs by the fact that I aint paying monthly payments on the car. Its only got 33K miles ont clock as well. How do you find the backpack carrier? Does the wee person get bored and wriggle about? and does it hurt your back after a while?

If you have to finance a new car £200 a month is a lot of petrol even now.

Back pack carrier is good. They are very expensive new but I picked one up on Ebay for about £50. The wee man likes being in it. He's up high and can see all around and Dad's head is convenient for clobbering with a soft toy. It must be comfortable for him because he regularly falls asleep in it.

I did a lot of hillwalking as a yoof so a heavy pack wasn't a shock to me but I certainly feel him in it not being as fit as I was then. You have to get a pack that suits your back. So you do have to research which one suit which body type. The good ones (Vango, Littlelife, Bush-baby Deuter)are all adjustable for the length of your back. We've a Vango Jolly Comfort. We have a lot of hills and trails around us that are just not passable with a pram but chucking him in the pack is easy.

I use it if I'm taking him shopping because it leaves both my hands free.

Edited 17 November, 201114 yr by Aspman

I may have missed it but ive not seen anyone mention the 335d 535d?

Surely worth a look, especially after reading this; http://www.remapsuk.com/blog/?p=211?

Well I finally caved in and traded the 335. There were issues with the gearbox, and next years £460 tax upset me slightly.

So this has been the hardest decision in the entire world ever, I have never agonised over a change of car so much in my life. The reason for this is I have a little person to consider now.

After considering nearly all the cars in the world, the shortlist was Audi A6 / A4, Ford S Max, BMW 5 estate, and about a million others. Finally settled on a Volvo XC60 SE Lux Premium. 2.5 years old with 45K on the clock. Not ideal but these cars are really expensive brand new so had to make a compromise.

It doesn't handle as well as the beemer, it's noisy, the interior quality is not as good, it feels like a barn, it jiggles on the road, but I really like it, and the practicality will pay dividends eventually. There's a complete culture change to get my head around going from a 305 BHP petrol 6 cylinder gorgeous-mobile to a 2.4 diesel 5 cylinder frump-mobile. Its just different all round. I've been lucky I suppose; this is the first time in a good few years when I've had to compromise on my car choice, but it's growing on me the more I drive it, and it looks sort of swooshy from some angles.

If anyone fancies the beemer at a discount price, contact Harrats Volvo at Wakey! LOL

&*%^ me, could you have made a bigger change?

Not one i'd have made in a million years, but you seem happy!

Well I finally caved in and traded the 335. There were issues with the gearbox, and next years £460 tax upset me slightly.

So this has been the hardest decision in the entire world ever, I have never agonised over a change of car so much in my life. The reason for this is I have a little person to consider now.

After considering nearly all the cars in the world, the shortlist was Audi A6 / A4, Ford S Max, BMW 5 estate, and about a million others. Finally settled on a Volvo XC60 SE Lux Premium. 2.5 years old with 45K on the clock. Not ideal but these cars are really expensive brand new so had to make a compromise.

It doesn't handle as well as the beemer, it's noisy, the interior quality is not as good, it feels like a barn, it jiggles on the road, but I really like it, and the practicality will pay dividends eventually. There's a complete culture change to get my head around going from a 305 BHP petrol 6 cylinder gorgeous-mobile to a 2.4 diesel 5 cylinder frump-mobile. Its just different all round. I've been lucky I suppose; this is the first time in a good few years when I've had to compromise on my car choice, but it's growing on me the more I drive it, and it looks sort of swooshy from some angles.

If anyone fancies the beemer at a discount price, contact Harrats Volvo at Wakey! LOL

Interesting choice. It was the final one left on my list along with the yeti. I love the design element of the interior and exterior of them and lots more room in the boot. :-) Is yours a D5? If o, id give Bn at Shark a call as they have achieved some great things with this engine. Good luck with it. :-)

Nice car the XC60 and I'd have one over a Beemer ( maybe not an M!)

They do look nice and see what you mean about the price. Just had a look and knocking on for 17 grand for under 3 years and less than intergalactic mileage.

Car prices in general seem to have gone up so much since i last bought one. Or just maybe my tastes have gone up.