Nice people thread part 3- Nice as pie

michaels

With 3 of you, you might really suit something like this?(!)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270735413367&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

LydiaJ wrote: »

My usual mechanic tells me he doesn't do bodywork but recommended me to a friend who does. The friend says the chassis is bent and it would take more than £1k just for the parts, let alone the labour. I asked him how much he'd value the car at. He looked it up on his iphone, and said that make and model should be between £875 and £1800. He said he usually advises people not to accept the first offer, but since the insurers have already mentioned £1800 I should bite their arm off.

The children are outside my house taking photos of it and saying goodbye to it. I will take it back later this afternoon to be scrapped.

Any advice on choosing a new (second hand) car much appreciated. I want something big enough to pull a small caravan, but not too colossal. I'm interested in safety and reliability. I usually buy cars at about 5 years old. I would love a sun roof but appreciate that they are increasingly difficult to find.

PasturesNew

I've got a "square ended car" - you can get SHEDLOADS of stuff easily in the back.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

LydiaJ wrote: »

Any advice on choosing a new (second hand) car much appreciated. I want something big enough to pull a small caravan, but not too colossal. I'm interested in safety and reliability. .

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201115384505882/sort/priceasc/usedcars/fuel-type/diesel/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/price-to/8000/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/model/a4/make/audi/radius/1501/keywords/quattro/postcode/sw1a1aa/page/1?logcode=p

Audi A4 1.9 or 2.0 diesel. Preferably the four wheel drive version, which they call 'quattro'. Makes a huge difference in winter. Drives and looks like a normal car. Normal or estate versions available. Typical German diesel reliability, you can pick one up with 50K or 60K miles on it for under £8k. Very frugal on fuel, easily gets 45-50 mpg on long trips. Plenty of grunt for pulling a caravan. Should go to 150,000-200,000 miles or more without any serious problems.

lostinrates

I have no idea how much a small caravan weighs, but check check and double check towing weights. I see lots of people towing trailers with insufficient cars and I'm sur this is an area they will crack down on in the future.

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

I have no idea how much a small caravan weighs, but check check and double check towing weights. I see lots of people towing trailers with insufficient cars and I'm sur this is an area they will crack down on in the future.

There's a lookup site.... you choose your car/model and choose your caravan/model and it tells you instantly if it's up to the job.

All I have to do now is remember it.... I hope to be back within 10 minutes having found it and edited this post.

Edit: Under 1 minute it took in the end. http://www.whattowcar.com/

Just select a Car and Caravan and our online computing models provide you with all the information you need: possible top speeds including wind effects and road gradients, predictions for successful hill starts and outfit acceleration are presented as well.

And most important, our new stability index gives you an exact answer to the question: “Can my car tow this caravan safely?”

lostinrates

PN, thats fab...Lydia USE PN's LINK!!!

I have t give borrowed car back next week. I've just pretende the whole car issue isn't happening here. If I had a fairy godmother/alladin's lamp it would definitely be asked to give me a reliable car that would never need replacing.

PasturesNew

That's from back when I was considering getting a small caravan

In the end I decided I was too scaredy cat to tow one

I've never towed anything and never been in a vehicle that was towing anything - and it's bl00dy windy down here.... so adding all that up I figured I didn't want to be towing something in the wind and getting it wrong.... so I got my car instead.

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

That's from back when I was considering getting a small caravan

In the end I decided I was too scaredy cat to tow one

I've never towed anything and never been in a vehicle that was towing anything - and it's bl00dy windy down here.... so adding all that up I figured I didn't want to be towing something in the wind and getting it wrong.... so I got my car instead.

towing's alright. Once you have the hang of reversing. I definitely prefer a lorry though to a trailer.

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

towing's alright. Once you have the hang of reversing. I definitely prefer a lorry though to a trailer.

The thing is, it's all down to me. Whatever I do, it's me. There's nobody else to ask, or help out, ever. No lifts, no favours, nobody in it with me.... and doing everything completely alone can be daunting. I mean, if most people c0ck up, or are stuck, there's somebody to at least call and whine about it to ... somebody waiting somewhere who'll care/worry if they're OK and sorted out. Not in my world. In my world there's just me so I have to think of worst case scenarios and fears .... and it stops me doing most stuff

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

The thing is, it's all down to me. Whatever I do, it's me. There's nobody else to ask, or help out, ever. No lifts, no favours, nobody in it with me.... and doing everything completely alone can be daunting. I mean, if most people c0ck up, or are stuck, there's somebody to at least call and whine about it to ... somebody waiting somewhere who'll care/worry if they're OK and sorted out. Not in my world. In my world there's just me so I have to think of worst case scenarios and fears .... and it stops me doing most stuff

Don't your family care?

I do. I'm sure others here do.