SF's road to mortgage freedom!

slowlyfading

AlexLK wrote: »

As for the car, how much oil are we talking? If it's just leaving it's mark, I wouldn't worry about it and just be sure to check it once per week before you sell, if it's leaving a puddle, that's a different matter. What sort of car are you looking for?

It leaves quite a mark, not a puddle as such but it seems like quite a bit. DH checks the oil once a week just to see if it needs topping up or not we just want a slightly bigger car, as we've got a small car at the moment with hardly any boot space. Maybe a fiesta? We don't have a large budget, so it's probably what we can end up getting for the cash we've saved! Any suggestions? I'm not a car person at all...

slowlyfading

CathT wrote: »

Ah, rocking chair, nursing baby. Takes me back!

I agree about the clothes, you will end up with loads. I bought second hand good quality bundles for my second. Kept him in baby grows for the first 4 months anyway so didn't need much.

I might just buy one or two things, just because I can and then see what else comes our way!

ljaneyr

From the bit of research I have done myself, Fords seem to be a bit more expensive. My dad worked for them his whole life so we always had a Ford. I felt like a rebel when I bought my Vauxhall

Unless we see something bigger/better, we will probably end up getting another Vauxhall as they do seem cheaper and I have loved mine.

We're not planning on replacing it just yet though as its only from 2008 but there isn't loads of room when your boot is taken up by two dogs!

beanielou

A yaris?
Maybe not an i.q though!

AlexLK

slowlyfading wrote: »

It leaves quite a mark, not a puddle as such but it seems like quite a bit. DH checks the oil once a week just to see if it needs topping up or not we just want a slightly bigger car, as we've got a small car at the moment with hardly any boot space. Maybe a fiesta? We don't have a large budget, so it's probably what we can end up getting for the cash we've saved! Any suggestions? I'm not a car person at all...

What do you want from a car? What sort of budget is not a large one? You can get some seriously nice cars for not a lot of money.

slowlyfading

We just need it to be big enough to get a pram in the boot and have 5 doors. Our budget will probably be around £6,000 give or take!

beanie - we did look at a yaris it's a potential!

AlexLK

slowlyfading wrote: »

We just need it to be big enough to get a pram in the boot and have 5 doors. Our budget will probably be around £6,000 give or take!

beanie - we did look at a yaris it's a potential!

I'm not sure that I'm really the person to be asking as I most certainly would not be putting £6,000 into a small hatch which will depreciate rather quickly and not be very comfortable.

With that budget and the requirement it is to be a family car and not a classic I'd be looking at the following: Land Rover Discovery TD5, BMW 3 / 5 Series diesel saloon or touring (if you want something very economical on fuel, go for a 320d), Jaguar XJ6 (X350). All will be very comfortable, though the BMW more on the sporting side of comfortable and the LR the most "agricultural" and all will provide many years of motoring if properly maintained.

greent

Having 4 children and have gone through a lot of cars over the last 17 years between myself and OH, I can say that a small hatch will be fine most of the time. Don't buy it before you have your pram/ travel system sorted though - you want to make sure your boot room is adequate - some prams don't fold brilliantly. You can also make sure your car seat fits it properly too (fire service will do this for free, or somewhere like Halfords and John Lewis will do it if you buy from them, I believe)


I had a sporty astra for about 9 years (went from 2 to 4 children during that time!) and loved it. We also had an escort (last model before focus). I wasn't as fussed on that personally. I now have a Golf plus and I love that too! (We've also had estates, an S-Max, a Galaxy, a VW Passat and a mondeo during that time. Our other car is a VW Sharan - but we need a big car to fit all 6 of us in at once!!)


Comfort is a personal issue - can depend on height and body size etc. Part of the reason I love my golf plus is because it's a little higher than a regular golf (or similar) - I have hip issues after children 3 and 4 and find a higher seat is easier to get in and out of.


Do any of your friends have small children? - might be worth asking which cars they do/ don't like x But 5 seats is a MUST!!


xx

atypicalblonde

Hi SF!


I remember you and I were on the DFW boards at the same time, and it seems we have done things in life at similar times too, although our babies came very soon after getting married and are now 2 and 1!


It is soooo exciting planning for baby's arrival isn't it. You really do need so very little, the best gifts we got for DD, our first, were boxes of Aldi nappies, wipes and Sudocrem! Oh, and Lanisoh cream for sore boobies, not cheap at £10 a tube but if you are planning on breastfeeding it is a godsend. We borrowed a rear facing car seat from a friend, and got a City Mini jogger pram which can be used from birth - we borrowed a Bugaboo travel system from a friend at first but I thought it was awful - heavy, hard to collapse (or maybe that was just the sleep deprivation?!) and just a nuisance really.
City Minis aren't cheap but they do you from birth right up to toddler age - my DD is 2.5 now and still fits in there perfectly if she needs to give her little legs a rest.


HTH somewhat, best of luck xx

greent

Hold off on the Lansinoh - I bfed all 4 of mine (nos 3 and 4 until they were both 2y 10m!) - and never once had sore boobs/ nipples. You might not need it and it's an expensive 'just in case' xx