Two cars, or not two cars, that is the question.

Langtang

sjp999 said:

I think you'll notice a big difference in the height of anything lower V the overall size of your current SUV - can the pair of you decide on a smaller bodied but similarly tall something-or-other compared to what you're currently driving? 

Up until last Sept, I'd driven a CR-V for the last 20 years or so and really love the ride height, mirror size etc. My wife is much shorter in stature than me, and finds it difficult to drive it, for various reasons (length, pedal reach, width, parking, power)

sjp999 said:

I know we're unlikely to be buying anything lower than we've become used to over the last 15+ years, single car couple since I sold my Fiesta (original 1.4 Zetec - near XR2i performance when pushed but with comfy seats.

Ah, the days of XR2i's. Had a few of them in my time and loved every one. My wife has an Ecoboost Fiesta at the moment and it's a little pocket rocket. I love driving it, but not so sure that I'd love it full-time. Getting old.... (Who am I kidding, I AM old)

sjp999 said:

Perhaps a shorter wheelbase, small to mid sized SUV would suit? 

My wife's Fiesta is due to be changed next year, and she is seriously considering the Puma. I'd need to drive it first of course, but that could be a serious one-car contender and it's only 14cms longer than a Fiesta (which it basically is)

Langtang

pollypenny said:

It was a long debate in our house. I wanted to Godwin to one and was working towards  that as it's rare we're out separately.  Then OH had trouble. With his foot and was deteriorating get an automatic.  I hate it!  

We're the same, rarely out separately so one car will be no-brainer really. We both drive auto boxes already. They take a lot (a lot) of getting used to, but I wouldn't change back now - unless we got a sporty little number (unlikely)

Langtang

Annie1612 said:

I get that your partner would prefer to drive a smaller car. I would too but i understand it’s not really practical for us. In fact we are going to upsize to an estate soon. But I think it’s pretty easy to adjust to driving something larger once you get used to it. 

The few times my wife did drive my CR-V, I think she secretly liked it. However, she is quite short in stature compared to me and finds it difficult to get the seat position right so that she can both reach the pedals AND see out of the windscreen.

Langtang

TELLIT01 said:
It probably won't get a huge amount of use but it's nice to have it to fall back on if anything goes wrong with my car, it's in for service etc.

We'd thought about that too - having a fallback. It'd need to be old, frugal and cheap to insure if it were to be left sitting most of the year though.

Langtang

missile said:

Gone down to one car and occasionally it is inconvenient. I have been investigating Co Wheels. There is one parked 0.4miles from our home. At £35 per day, it seems like a viable option for the rare occassions when we "need" another vehicle.

Are Co-wheels the electric cars? I'm still on the fence with electric. more logistics than actual driving experience, though. I genuinely can't imagine us "needing" an extra car, much easier to just cope. But, do we want to just cope?

Langtang

Savvy_Sue said:

Then we changed to an automatic when I crocked my shoulder - it's worth considering that option, because it certainly is easier to drive, although I appreciate not everyone 'likes' that.

Long story short, I got an auto car bequeathed to me. I'd never driven one before, and wasn't sure. It was younger than my present car, so decided to keep it. Best thing I ever did.

Savvy_Sue said:

Definitely worth trying different cars, I understand for example that the kind of automatic we have was superseded almost immediately by a different way of doing it.  

Long time ago now but my wife bought a Corsa with an "Easytronic" gearbox. I can safely say it's the worst car I've/We've driven in all my 40 years driving, so yes, It's definitely worth trying multiple cars.

GunJack

One way to get around the NCD issue when going to one car is for you to insure it in each name on alternate years, providing you are always a named driver on each other's policies...so you insure it in year 1, then your wife does it in year 2 etc., most companies will keep each person's NCD active with a gap of only 1 year between insurances.

TELLIT01

Langtang said:

My wife's Fiesta is due to be changed next year, and she is seriously considering the Puma. I'd need to drive it first of course, but that could be a serious one-car contender and it's only 14cms longer than a Fiesta (which it basically is)

Simply being nosey    Why 'due to be changed'.  Do you always change when a car reaches a certain age, or keep it until bills start to mount up?  I ask because my old neighbour used to change his every 3 years because he didn't want to risk it failing the MOT!  That may have been an issue many years ago but certainly not with current vehicles.  The money he lost in buying a new car every 3 years must have been astronomical.

Langtang

TELLIT01 said:

Langtang said:

My wife's Fiesta is due to be changed next year, and she is seriously considering the Puma. I'd need to drive it first of course, but that could be a serious one-car contender and it's only 14cms longer than a Fiesta (which it basically is)

Simply being nosey    Why 'due to be changed'.  Do you always change when a car reaches a certain age, or keep it until bills start to mount up?  I ask because my old neighbour used to change his every 3 years because he didn't want to risk it failing the MOT!  That may have been an issue many years ago but certainly not with current vehicles.  The money he lost in buying a new car every 3 years must have been astronomical.

We only change it once the ashtay is full....

But seriously, we've been on the pcp treadmill for 20 years now, and it's difficult to get off. Once you've had a new car, you want to carry on. I think that might change as we approach / are in retirement.

There are bigger ways to waste your money in life - booze, ciggies, football season tickets, stocks & shares, Tory party donations.... we all have our addictions.

Madrick

TELLIT01 said:

Langtang said:

My wife's Fiesta is due to be changed next year, and she is seriously considering the Puma. I'd need to drive it first of course, but that could be a serious one-car contender and it's only 14cms longer than a Fiesta (which it basically is)

Simply being nosey    Why 'due to be changed'.  Do you always change when a car reaches a certain age, or keep it until bills start to mount up?  I ask because my old neighbour used to change his every 3 years because he didn't want to risk it failing the MOT!  That may have been an issue many years ago but certainly not with current vehicles.  The money he lost in buying a new car every 3 years must have been astronomical.

My neighbour is exactly the same
Trades in his Fiesta ST every 3 years for a new one, to avoid the mot
Last one he changed was 2 years ago, had less than 8,000 miles on the clock
But lost £9k on the deal

Every 6 years (with the money he has lost in depreciation), he could buy a new one....

As an active "money saver" it makes me cry

At least he's avoided the hassle and expense of getting his 2.5k miles a year car checked over, when the main dealer does the annual service (top up the washer fluid) ... 🤣