How much of a difference between 3dr and 5dr

Mercdriver

Carrot007 wrote: »

I really don't understand this countries obsession with 3 door cars.

I only see them as a bad thing.

Once ended up sideways in a field back in those black ice crazy winters. It was in a 3 door corsa. Opening the door upwards was not easy. Woulkd have been easier in a 5 door! And you know what. After insurance paid out I got a corsa again that was exactly the same, except 5 doors.

Only thing I think a 5 door changes in direct preice is that they are often £500 more than the 3 door which makes no sense since it costs the companies more to make em since pretty much only the UK wants them!

AT least that is my experience. As soon as the car is out the dealer yard though the difference dissapears!

It's because manufacturers like Mercedes and BMW can then sell them as Coupès and charge a premium for them, since they are marketed as being more sporty, even though for example the E220 coupè is essentially the same car as the normal E220 saloon except it loses a pillar and the front doors are frameless.

neilmcl

Mercdriver wrote: »

It's because manufacturers like Mercedes and BMW can then sell them as Coupès and charge a premium for them, since they are marketed as being more sporty, even though for example the E220 coupè is essentially the same car as the normal E220 saloon except it loses a pillar and the front doors are frameless.

Not really. Most hatchback models from all manufacturers have 3 and 5 door options and they also have completely separate Coupe models in the range.

Mercdriver

neilmcl wrote: »

Not really. Most hatchback models from all manufacturers have 3 and 5 door options and they also have completely separate Coupe models in the range.

That's true of Astras, Corsas and the like, but the marketing is different with the E220 coupè for example. The rear end is a little different to the saloon, but performancewise they are the same as the standard E or C class.

UKSBD

Not related to running costs but;


My father won a 3 door Corsa a few years ago, he didn't want it, so I bought it of him.


1 traded it in within 6 months, never realised there was so much difference between a 3 door and 5 door until then.

motorguy

coffeehound wrote: »

I think in some cases the 3-door is priced higher as a sort of premium option. BMW used to on the 3-series but I don't know if that is still the case.

Because that was the 3 series coupe.

Richard53

coffeehound wrote: »

I think in some cases the 3-door is priced higher as a sort of premium option. BMW used to on the 3-series but I don't know if that is still the case.

Really? They always used to be cheaper, because two extra doors was a significant extra cost to manufacture. I hadn't reckoned with image and aspirational marketing.

Carrot007 wrote: »

I only see them as a bad thing.

Once ended up sideways in a field back in those black ice crazy winters. It was in a 3 door corsa.

I didn't say this above, but I wouldn't want to travel far in the back of a 3-door, purely because of the greater difficulty of getting out after an accident. I feel quite claustrophobic if I don't have a door next to me.

Bigphil1474

OP, I've got a 5 door fiesta, and it's the first 5 door I've had in about 15 years (apart from a brief fling with a Mondeo that blew up after 6 weeks). The size of the car is exactly the same as the 3 door model - my neighbour has a 3 door which is almost identical except colour. The only difference I can imagine may be in insurance - does having 2 back doors deem it a potential higher risk of being broken into? Can't imagine it would be much though.
To be fair, I've usually had 3 doors as they tended to be cheaper/more common at my end of the market (usually sub £1k). I got my 5 door for £4.5k but it was provided at trade through a mate - not a choice, more a case of here's a good car, there you go.
Most of the time 3 doors made sense for me - there's usually only 2 of us in the car, as the kids have flown the coop, and if we went anywhere travelling the back seats would be folded down for luggage etc. Now I've got a 5 door, I won't be going back to 3 if I can avoid it, although that's mainly cos we've got the grandkids now.

motorguy

Mercdriver wrote: »

It's because manufacturers like Mercedes and BMW can then sell them as Coupès and charge a premium for them, since they are marketed as being more sporty, even though for example the E220 coupè is essentially the same car as the normal E220 saloon except it loses a pillar and the front doors are frameless.

We've moved on here from the difference between say a 3 door corsa and a 5 door corsa and on to the difference between saloon cars and coupes.

Theres usually a lot more difference that just taking a couple of doors out and charging an extra £5K. Most would have completely different bodies from the front wings backwards.

It would be a massive over simplification to say its "essentially the same car".

motorguy

Carrot007 wrote: »

I really don't understand this countries obsession with 3 door cars.

I think theres two reasons why historically 3 door variants of stuff like Corsa sold more :-

They're seen as "sportier", as the hot version was usually a 3 door.
They're usually cheaper than the 5 door variant.

Thats changing though - for example, you cant buy a 3 door Focus any more and likewise you cant buy a 3 door Clio - so now even the "hot" versions are now 5 door.

silverwhistle

I've a 3 door after a succession of 5 door cars, purely by chance as I buy second-hand whatever is good value and some years ago had a succession of parent's hand-me downs.

Can't say I've noticed it cheaper, and generally not an inconvenience as it's normally only me (although taking 3 team mates to a game on Sunday!). I'd get a five door through preference but it's not an important enough consideration to be a deal breaker, and I reckon the OP should take the same view.