So We Are Having a Baby, Suggest a Family Car

[TheOperator]

Hey all

Have not posted on here for a while as life has been hectic with work and now the obvious from title of thread which we are thrilled about :yesnod:

Now we have a run about shopping trolley (08 Swift, better for those duties than new MPS we had) and the 09 Sri Turbo neither of which is really going to cut it as a family car with baby stuff and our puppy Samoyed which ends up large.

I am lucky to have access to most brands a good prices however i cannot for the life of me decide what we want / need :RollingEyes:

At the moment my wife is suggesting a new SSV Sportwagon or HSV Touring Wagon which i think i could live with however apart from my brief stint with the MPS i have always owned Euro's and prefer that side :swg:

Her only other suggestion was a AMG ML63 or a similar look ML series with AMG kit however i am reluctant to go this way as i'd rather the C63 and want another house first.

So please fire away with suggestions!!!

[btm]

no idea on family wagons, so i'll just say congrats :)

[JohnBu]

Congrats..

I was having a similar conversation with Vectracious about this a few days ago..

I dislike 4WD wagons, just due to the way they drive.. but do like the idea of a station wagon.. so get what Vectracious has, a Passat R36... something euro, spacious and yet sporty.

I'm personally leaning towards an Evo X for a family car as I've never owned a big car, nor intend to.. however I'm certain it will be too small when we have a family.. lol. But in europe, they use GTIs as family cars without a problem.

[JR]

not that i'm being biased (cause i've got one on order), but u should checkout the skoka octavia rs (http://www.skoda.com.au/octaviars/wagon.aspx). both the hatch & wagon have humongous boot space and still pack a punch. same golf gti engine, though detuned slightly (147kW as opposed to 155kW). the skoda shares the same parts bin as that used by the golf gti & the audi a4. they're all owned by VAG (volkswagen audi group).
u get lots of standard features, but for much less than a vw or audi would cost.


c63 amg....drooool

congrats on the baby.

[Jerram]

Insignia OPC Estate.

[poita]

we have a mazda 6, pretty good family car

decent amount of room, cheap to run.

has a little bit of go.

still struggling to see how an evo x is a 'family car'

[btm]

4 doors is family :)

[Vectracious]

what's your budget?

[JohnBu]

pretty high if they are considering an ML or C63

[gmonkey]

Audi rs4 wagon :) or high end 5 series BMW.

I must admit the v8 in the amg wagons sound like pure sex best engine I've ever heard! Better than a lamborghini or Audi r8 or Ferrari... They had one as safety car in f1.

But then if ur having a baby u don't want a loud annoying car, remember the kid will probably fall asleep while ur taking it for a drive (which is a good thing! Ask Pete.. Baby + sleep=good) so maybe an e class would be better

[TheOperator]

Thanks for the replies and well wishes :yesnod:

John i like your chain of thinking with the Evo however i don't think my wife could live with it day to day with a little spew machine and wouldn't be too comfortable with our dog :shocked:

JR i had previously thought of the Skoda however the resale scares me (i turn cars over every 12 months to 2 years) and to a lot of people in this country anyway they still have a poor stigma attached! Having said that it is a great car and congratulations :cornut:

Poita i drive Mazda's at work a lot and the 6 is a great car, however the wife doesn't like it as "it is too slow" . However i think she is a different breed as she had a stroked and fully modded Rex before and when we first got together :thumbs:

Vectracious i didn't really want to state a budget but for arguments sake lets say 50 to 60K (but be aware with the industry pricing i get that brings close to 80K cars into the picture), however having said that i am more than happy to be convinced to a cheaper alternative :wink5:

I can afford a ML or c63 however as i stated i want to buy another property to add to my portfolio so i can't justify the extra 100K or so on a car right now when i could put that into bricks and mortar! 2 years time all going to plan it will happen, and for the mean time Dad has a M3 and GT3 for fun when i visit :cornut:

I guess at the end of the day it's going to be driven by my wife 90% of the time but she is a bit of a revhead but at the same time she is anal about a good compromise for baby

[Vectracious]

then take an R36 wagon for a test drive. Sub 6 second 0-100 time and you can fit a lot of stuff in the back. Still quite comfortable for her and the bubs and will prob be enough to keep her rev-head tendencies satisfied...

and of course it's Euro, and its nice inside and all that.

Octavia's are OK - but its a 4-cyl at the end of the day - and if you're looking at V8's, the V6 is a good compromise. The R36 doesn't sound as good as the C63, but it still sounds good.

The only other problem with the VW's at the moment are the wait times for delivery - I've heard as much as 6-8 months for brand new....

[gmonkey]

For the non luxury lines..with power still

Wrx Sti? (hatch)
Lancer ralliart sportback?
Ford mondeo xr5? (wagon if u can)
Toyota hilux TRD? (theyre dual cab pretty sure? Means dog can get some air :p)
Ford territory st?


Ya never know but the kid could possibly change her from being a rev head haha

[TheOperator]

Vectracious i will see if i can have a look at one on the weekend, i am pretty sure there is one sitting in a VW showroom near me in Black.

I must say though i wouldn't be keen on waiting 6 to 8 months for it unless i was cut a cracking deal even with discounts, but maybe my opinion might change after a drive and good look :skep:

Gmonkey to answer your suggestions:

Wrx Sti? (hatch) - Seriously looked at one before, hatch isn't as big as you would expect and after wife having a Rex previous that would blow the doors off it i want to steer clear of a car that would become a money pit :yesnod:

Lancer ralliart sportback? - I'd rather the Evo it's too half cooked but hatch is like STi

Ford mondeo xr5? (wagon if u can) - Had one in Europe as a Hire car and was nice but didn't do it for me or make me "want to" shell the money out on one

Toyota hilux TRD? (theyre dual cab pretty sure? Means dog can get some air ) - Don't make them anymore and 2nd hand is not an option for Tax reasons among others

Ford territory st? - Wife hates them and can't be bothered arguing over it :rolleyes5:


Ya never know but the kid could possibly change her from being a rev head haha -

LMAO if you knew her that isn't going to happen plus i am worse than her, we already have already been looking at whats available in Quads and at KTM mini sx bike so girl/boy can ride bikes with us a bit later on:devil: Plus Grandpop and Granddad are both terrible and found Ducati Monster walker and Porsche 356 pedal car :lol:

[gmonkey]

What about a jaguar xf? Or Porsche panamerra (don't believe topgear an how ugly they are cause In reality it really isn't that bad.... In black) or cayenne turbo?

[TheOperator]

What about a jaguar xf? Or Porsche panamerra (don't believe topgear an how ugly they are cause In reality it really isn't that bad.... In black) or cayenne turbo?

All are getting a bit away from the dollars i am wanting to spend right now as i said above.

However i do like the Jag XF but is too close in price to Merc once optioned to even consider, Panamerra is much nicer in flesh and a good drive but still think for the money and model i'd want i would buy a 911 and the Cayenne Turbo is awesome and i can vouch for how nice the Cayenne's are having driven one quite a bit (Mum has GTS version with Gemballa upgrades)

[lithium]

congrats on the baby mate :)
have i got this right: you're after a big car, with lots of power, has to be brand new, up to 70-80k, reliability isn't a big issue because it'll only be kept for 2 or 3 years?

sounds like an optioned up falcon or commodore derivative would fit the bill nicely... FPV have a supercharged V8 falcon out soon i believe. i imagine a European prestige car big enough for your needs which also has a lot of power will cost more than you want to spend - as you've mentioned.

[TheOperator]

congrats on the baby mate :)
have i got this right: you're after a big car, with lots of power, has to be brand new, up to 70-80k, reliability isn't a big issue because it'll only be kept for 2 or 3 years?

sounds like an optioned up falcon or commodore derivative would fit the bill nicely... FPV have a supercharged V8 falcon out soon i believe. i imagine a European prestige car big enough for your needs which also has a lot of power will cost more than you want to spend - as you've mentioned.

Thanks we are very happy about having a baby :thumbs:

You have pretty much summed it up exactly.

I am going to look at a r36 tomorrow to satisfy my thoughts on a Euro wagon.

However i think my wife seems to like the idea of a R8 Tourer or R8 Clubsport (i get them 20 to 30% off). She also has been looking up Walkinshaw upgrades :wink5:

[poita]

so does your wife have a twin sister?

[mrbe]

Thanks we are very happy about having a baby :thumbs:

You have pretty much summed it up exactly.

I am going to look at a r36 tomorrow to satisfy my thoughts on a Euro wagon.

However i think my wife seems to like the idea of a R8 Tourer or R8 Clubsport (i get them 20 to 30% off). She also has been looking up Walkinshaw upgrades :wink5:

Take into account how much space is in the rear of the Sportswagons and if it will suit your needs. As you said earlier, delivery time is going to be important (a guy at work just ordered the new Rex Luxury model and won't be here until at least Nov). The R36 would be great, but where's the Passat up to in it's model life as opposed to the VE-II.

Now that you'll soon have the most precious cargo on the second row, PLEASE consider either a cargo barrier or use a roof box if you're going to head off for weekends with a boot full of gear. Don't believe what anyone tells you: those little bolts holding the seat backs upright will not hold back all the unrestrained weight in a big hit. The problem created by a forward moving seat back is that whatever is between the seat back and the seat belt gets crushed.

I love cars too, but I share your frustration of finding one thing that has everything. Hope the shopping trip today was a success.

For something completely out of left field and without an estate/avant option: http://brisbanetimes.drive.com.au/motor-news/30th-anniversary-hdt-breaks-cover-20101008-16als.html

[poita]

$128k for a commodore

pass

[liam]

Firstly congrats :)

The lancers (sedan) this year are huge, the Evo would fit performance and size along with safety - 5 Stars with airbags I didnt even know existed! The Evo also eats the WRX STI!

WRX variants - very very cramped Im 6"1' and in mums I touch the roof if I sit in the back. Overall not a very nice drive either

R36 - This would be my vote. Heaps of room, very good build quality and more than enough power. A car review was done between the R36 and top of the range AMG C class and it ended with the R36 being picked the best out of the two. I was lucky enough to get driven in a Golf R today and all I can say is F%$# me its fast! (chipped so its now pushing 0-100 in under 4.4 sec's)!

The commodores are alittle cheap in the interior. Having come from a Audi TT to our SSv it was very very nasty! (And stuff that 128k version!)

[Houdini]

http://www.babyvillage.com.au/generated_content/shop_product_images/product_page_main_photo/7047_0b2fa9ee7e425cd1c0c250159fbfcdc0/71561%20Chicco%20Ducati%20Monster%202%20copy.jpeg
nice

[liam]

Houdini now I know they have slackened up on the L plater laws but mate, you should know by now cars have 4 wheels not two..... :P

[[OPCSRi]]

I'm liking the C63 john.

[Milesy]

My wife and I got a red manual SSV sportwagon as our family truckster and from our experience it us the most practical car. I can drag off most cars at the lights but carry a bugaboo with ease and be a mobile change table for those number twos when out and about! I cannot speak more highly of it!

[ChrisMaz]

Saab 9-3 Aero Sport combi? (Wagon) Love the look of them for some reason, won't appeal to many people though. Closest thing you'll get to an Insignia OPC wagon at the moment :p

[gmonkey]

I like em to chris :p and the new shape we ain't got here yet is drop dead awesome for a Saab

[TheOperator]

Poita no twin sister sorry, 2 younger sisters however but between me (i'm 6'6) and their brother (over 6') we are a bit protective ha ha :swg:

Mrbe thanks for the advice on cargo barriers, it is something i had already thought of and would have for sure!

As for lifecycle of R36 i think it is coming towards the end as this shape has been out at least 4 years now.

That HDT version is not bad, but for 128K i would just fork out the extra and get the c63 i want anyway :wink5:

Liam thanks. Not that fussed on the Ralliart and Evo i just don't quite see as doing the family duties real well (i.e i see it would become a club day car).

R36 you suggested didn't impress me greatly, sure it is nice build quality and goes reasonably well but i can't get past the price, to me it is about 20K over priced (i come from experience living in Europe and VW's are like Holdens back in Germany and it shits me they price it as a premium brand here and everything is a over priced option). My wife didn't mind it but thought the Golf Gti and R were better but aren't big enough :cryin:

The new Series 2 interior of Commodore is a big improvement over old one also which astonished me as i know how bad they usually are!

Houdini that's the bike one grandparent bought. My parents have this on order:

http://www.prestigetoygift.com/images/other_toys/CIMG0003.jpg

Milesy yeah starting to think along those lines now. We have a Bugaboo on order so good to hear it fits well :yesnod:


So basically after our weekend adventure it seems like a R8 Clubsport or R8 Tourer is top of the list and i heard some mutterings about all Walkinshaw upgrades minus the blower (she prefers a cam :rolleyes5:)

We did look again at the below but i think i talked sense into her and myself we are better off long term to wait 2 years:

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/content/image/1/6/1651_c63_amg_estate_front-4b77acebad912-625x360.jpg

[Wraith]

Hey all

Have not posted on here for a while as life has been hectic with work and now the obvious from title of thread which we are thrilled about :yesnod:

Now we have a run about shopping trolley (08 Swift, better for those duties than new MPS we had) and the 09 Sri Turbo neither of which is really going to cut it as a family car with baby stuff and our puppy Samoyed which ends up large.

I am lucky to have access to most brands a good prices however i cannot for the life of me decide what we want / need :RollingEyes:

At the moment my wife is suggesting a new SSV Sportwagon or HSV Touring Wagon which i think i could live with however apart from my brief stint with the MPS i have always owned Euro's and prefer that side :swg:

Her only other suggestion was a AMG ML63 or a similar look ML series with AMG kit however i am reluctant to go this way as i'd rather the C63 and want another house first.

So please fire away with suggestions!!!

1st off I agree with your thoughts on property vs vehicles - I've being doing the same hence having held off from much desired mega dollar car purchases in recent years, hopefully it'll all come good in the end ;)

As for above, you couldn't possibly go wrong with either a Commo sedan or sagon or even a Falcon, they're both well sized for the job and excellent value for money...

A slightly smaller Mitsu Lancer sedan would also be a good choice, again excellent pricing (22-34k) depending on model and that awesome 10 year mechanical warranty...

In the end it all depends on your budget, if your wanting the best value for money overall I'd steer clear of the Euro vehicles, go Jap or local IMO :)

[ChrisMaz]

Still personally think this is a true winner.

http://image.motortrend.com/f/editorial/quick-drive-2007-saab-9-3-aero-sportcombi/6239271+w750/2007-saab-9-3-sport-combi.jpg

[TheOperator]

Wraith i agree i think it will be a Aussie bogan mobile or a jap car :yesnod:

Euro cars just don't add up for the cost v features etc for what we are after and considering we won't have it for a long period!

ChrisMaz the Saab scares me as i might as well hand a homeless person half what it cost as it would be more useful to to them than me tearing up that much money! Depreciation on Saabs is truely fightening :wink5:

[gmonkey]

New c class merc comes out soon... Maybe got previous shape runout. Lot cheaper?

[lithium]

one more suggestion: if you're happy to trade some space and the power of a big falcon/commodore have you considered a Liberty 3.6R? they are really quite nice inside. unfortunately i think they don't come in wagon form, so it might not be quite practical enough for what you're looking for :sosp:

[Wraith]

Wraith i agree i think it will be a Aussie bogan mobile or a jap car :yesnod:

Euro cars just don't add up for the cost v features etc for what we are after and considering we won't have it for a long period!

ChrisMaz the Saab scares me as i might as well hand a homeless person half what it cost as it would be more useful to to them than me tearing up that much money! Depreciation on Saabs is truely fightening :wink5:

If it's all about value for money, you can't beat the local brands or locally available Asian vehicle market...

Main prob with the Euros is the Aust market pricing - such a blatent rip compared to Europe and alot of other Countries outside Europe :mad:

With the SAAB's what I'd also be weary of is the hanging unreliability rep they still seem to have...

[btm]

With the SAAB's what I'd also be weary of is the hanging unreliability rep they still seem to have...
and outdated styling!

[liam]

Not to mention the lovely black plastic ocean thats on that car!

[TheOperator]

Main prob with the Euros is the Aust market pricing - such a blatent rip compared to Europe and alot of other Countries outside Europe :mad:



How right you are about that, Dad's current model M3 cost the equivalent of 80K Aus with quite a few features and the GT3 was along the same lines in savings :shocked:

The best one was he was telling me about how a 1 year to 18month of 135i coupe could be had with very few miles for about 16000 pounds or 25K Aus :shocked:

This country makes me so mad on so many levels but i still choose to come back here and settle as it is the best place to raise a family :thumbs:

[Wraith]

How right you are about that, Dad's current model M3 cost the equivalent of 80K Aus with quite a few features and the GT3 was along the same lines in savings :shocked:

The best one was he was telling me about how a 1 year to 18month of 135i coupe could be had with very few miles for about 16000 pounds or 25K Aus :shocked:

This country makes me so mad on so many levels but i still choose to come back here and settle as it is the best place to raise a family :thumbs:

Yep, all pros and cons as you say, pity for us car enthusiasts we'd all be much wealthier if not bitten by the bug :D

And there are also worse out there on this topic, take HK for eg. they pay around 'twice' what we do in $AUD for the same car type/model...:shocked:

[CORZZA]

New Volvo XC60 ;)

Whats your price range?

If Volvo is in your list of maybes let me know and we can chat

[Ice]

ML63 is bloody nice but the guys here at work are getting over 20L per 100 sop youde be filling it up all the bloody time, the ML350 CDI is a good choice with plenty of torque and economical but its over 100K....hec the ML300CDI is just about 100K. the new E-Class have an E350 Station which is beautiful and my persoanl favourite here at work is the R-300 CDI which is Veeeeeeeery nice to drive.

The VW R36 Peter has is a great idea....

there is the Volvo XC60 that Corza mentioned or the Saab someone else mentioned. I mean yes you may have the budget for it but do you...sorry does your wife need a Sports car 4WD/station wagon ? You really just have to go test drive them all and see what you like.

Congrats on the Baby too :)

[Ice]

What about one of these ?

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/first-pictures-saabs-new-suv-20101019-16rvm.html

I think it looks HOT !

[CORZZA]

The XC60s are in demand. They arrive at the dealer and go out the door within days

[TheOperator]

CORZZA thanks for the suggestions and the offer but the Volvo just doesn't do it for her! One of my mates bought one for his wife (think it is t6 r design?) and my wife drove it but wasn't that fussed on it :rolleyes5:

Ice thanks we are very happy about our little bundle of joy but are ready for things to change quite a bit :yesnod:

I take it you work for Mercedes? I was under no false pretenses of what the fuel economy was on the ML63 or C63, but when i get one i can live with it (i have a fuel bowser at work i can use with unlimited fuel card :wink5:).

The R class you speak of are very nice also, Dad had one as a rental a while back and was raving about it and is not a Mercedes man :yesnod: (I love them and he has a diehard BMW man, only thing we both like is Porsche ha ha).

SAAB i wouldn't go near for a lot of reasons but massive depreciation past what i can claim on tax in a financial year is one of the biggest reasons :wink5:

We looked at R36 but as i said to Wraith previous it is at the end of it's life cycle and is WAY over priced in this country and everything is a massively overpriced option :yesnod: In my opinion it is at least 20K over priced, just shits me they try and sell VW as a premium brand here when i only see it as a Holden or Ford cause of living in Europe!

As for does my wife need a sport based car, probably not but she is that way inclined so that's what she will get, doesn't bother me as it allows me to have another toy as well as my own (plus she tells me last night once she gets her family car i can go get my new Ducati i've been putting off for ages) :yesnod:

[Vectracious]

We looked at R36 but as i said to Wraith previous it is at the end of it's life cycle and is WAY over priced in this country and everything is a massively overpriced option :yesnod: In my opinion it is at least 20K over priced, just shits me they try and sell VW as a premium brand here when i only see it as a Holden or Ford cause of living in Europe!


I'd love for you to give me an example of a car worth 47K-50K that is of the same quality and spec and performance of a R36. Dad has a VE Calais which cost about 50K about 3 years ago. He is about to pick up a Calais V when the current lease runs out worth about 65K. My car is still better equipped - apart from the fact that I don't have rear seat DVD screens. Materials used inside the car are a hell of a lot better than the plastics in the Holden and Dad's car has squeaked and rattled since the day he got it. He would love to get into a Euro but the way Telstra organises their leasing agreements - you get cheaper lease rates on Aussie built cars over Euro ones, even though their end value is the same.

The Passat is due for a facelift in the new year - but the platform and most engine choices will remain the same - hardly the end of its lifecycle.

And despite what it's like in Europe - we don't live there which means that we have to pay a premium for Euro product. Consider yourself lucky that we only have to pay 47K for an Octavia vRS or Golf GTI in Australia - in Singapore and Malaysia a Skoda vRS goes for the equivalent of AUD$75K and a Golf GTI for about AUD$85K.

[Wraith]

CORZZA thanks for the suggestions and the offer but the Volvo just doesn't do it for her! One of my mates bought one for his wife (think it is t6 r design?) and my wife drove it but wasn't that fussed on it :rolleyes5:

Ice thanks we are very happy about our little bundle of joy but are ready for things to change quite a bit :yesnod:

I take it you work for Mercedes? I was under no false pretenses of what the fuel economy was on the ML63 or C63, but when i get one i can live with it (i have a fuel bowser at work i can use with unlimited fuel card :wink5:).

The R class you speak of are very nice also, Dad had one as a rental a while back and was raving about it and is not a Mercedes man :yesnod: (I love them and he has a diehard BMW man, only thing we both like is Porsche ha ha).

SAAB i wouldn't go near for a lot of reasons but massive depreciation past what i can claim on tax in a financial year is one of the biggest reasons :wink5:

We looked at R36 but as i said to Wraith previous it is at the end of it's life cycle and is WAY over priced in this country and everything is a massively overpriced option :yesnod: In my opinion it is at least 20K over priced, just shits me they try and sell VW as a premium brand here when i only see it as a Holden or Ford cause of living in Europe!

As for does my wife need a sport based car, probably not but she is that way inclined so that's what she will get, doesn't bother me as it allows me to have another toy as well as my own (plus she tells me last night once she gets her family car i can go get my new Ducati i've been putting off for ages) :yesnod:


I'd love for you to give me an example of a car worth 47K-50K that is of the same quality and spec and performance of a R36. Dad has a VE Calais which cost about 50K about 3 years ago. He is about to pick up a Calais V when the current lease runs out worth about 65K. My car is still better equipped - apart from the fact that I don't have rear seat DVD screens. Materials used inside the car are a hell of a lot better than the plastics in the Holden and Dad's car has squeaked and rattled since the day he got it. He would love to get into a Euro but the way Telstra organises their leasing agreements - you get cheaper lease rates on Aussie built cars over Euro ones, even though their end value is the same.

The Passat is due for a facelift in the new year - but the platform and most engine choices will remain the same - hardly the end of its lifecycle.

And despite what it's like in Europe - we don't live there which means that we have to pay a premium for Euro product. Consider yourself lucky that we only have to pay 47K for an Octavia vRS or Golf GTI in Australia - in Singapore and Malaysia a Skoda vRS goes for the equivalent of AUD$75K and a Golf GTI for about AUD$85K.

Just curious guys on pricing of the VW R36, I test drove and got priced an R36 sedan last year, it came to over 70k as was or nearly 85k optioned the way I liked it, full options list and every last goodie saw it at around 90k...definitely over priced for what it is IMHO.

How/where and what spec/trim level could you get one at 47-50k ???

I'd definitely consider one at that price range :)

[TheOperator]

I'd love for you to give me an example of a car worth 47K-50K that is of the same quality and spec and performance of a R36. Dad has a VE Calais which cost about 50K about 3 years ago. He is about to pick up a Calais V when the current lease runs out worth about 65K. My car is still better equipped - apart from the fact that I don't have rear seat DVD screens. Materials used inside the car are a hell of a lot better than the plastics in the Holden and Dad's car has squeaked and rattled since the day he got it. He would love to get into a Euro but the way Telstra organises their leasing agreements - you get cheaper lease rates on Aussie built cars over Euro ones, even though their end value is the same.

The Passat is due for a facelift in the new year - but the platform and most engine choices will remain the same - hardly the end of its lifecycle.

And despite what it's like in Europe - we don't live there which means that we have to pay a premium for Euro product. Consider yourself lucky that we only have to pay 47K for an Octavia vRS or Golf GTI in Australia - in Singapore and Malaysia a Skoda vRS goes for the equivalent of AUD$75K and a Golf GTI for about AUD$85K.

There probably isn't anything that exactly matches the R36 for quality or same features but that doesn't change the fact that it is overpriced at anywhere from 68 to 84K! Maybe it is different in your location but i know for a fact that dealers in my region have them sitting on showroom floors for some time as customers won't generally justify the price of one (most end up going to Audi, BMW or Mercedes) because they don't associate VW as a high end brand :eek6:

I'm not disputing that it is a great car, i just have a different view on things cause i have lived in Europe and don't believe that we should be consistently ass raped for the right to own a Euro car and face the massive price hike (and the manufacturers can't justify it by taxes, LCT or smaller volume market either). I work indirectly in the Automotive industry so i know it's about profits and perceived worth and not any other spin they like to put on it :wink5:

As for Passat i agree a facelift is not technically the end of a cars lifecycle, but if you are like me and turn them over every 12 to 24 months then it makes a massive difference in terms of resale value :yesnod: Wholesalers and also next owners will associate a pre facelift model as "the old model" and hence won't command the same pricing, so need to be careful to always have what the latest is!

[TheOperator]

Just curious guys on pricing of the VW R36, I test drove and got priced an R36 sedan last year, it came to over 70k as was or nearly 85k optioned the way I liked it, full options list and every last goodie saw it at around 90k...definitely over priced for what it is IMHO.

How/where and what spec/trim level could you get one at 47-50k ???

I'd definitely consider one at that price range :)

Wraith even with me getting an industry price a fully optioned wagon was still going to cost me the better part of 75K which was not worth it in my opinion either!

I think the 47k - 50k wouldn't get used example, let alone a new one ha ha

[Wraith]

There probably isn't anything that exactly matches the R36 for quality or same features but that doesn't change the fact that it is overpriced at anywhere from 68 to 84K! Maybe it is different in your location but i know for a fact that dealers in my region have them sitting on showroom floors for some time as customers won't generally justify the price of one (most end up going to Audi, BMW or Mercedes) because they don't associate VW as a high end brand :eek6:

I'm not disputing that it is a great car, i just have a different view on things cause i have lived in Europe and don't believe that we should be consistently ass raped for the right to own a Euro car and face the massive price hike (and the manufacturers can't justify it by taxes, LCT or smaller volume market either). I work indirectly in the Automotive industry so i know it's about profits and perceived worth and not any other spin they like to put on it :wink5:

As for Passat i agree a facelift is not technically the end of a cars lifecycle, but if you are like me and turn them over every 12 to 24 months then it makes a massive difference in terms of resale value :yesnod: Wholesalers and also next owners will associate a pre facelift model as "the old model" and hence won't command the same pricing, so need to be careful to always have what the latest is!

Agree, for a good Euro I'd go BMW or Audi for anywhere over 80k...R36 was very good but I simply wouldn't pay that much for one...


Wraith even with me getting an industry price a fully optioned wagon was still going to cost me the better part of 75K which was not worth it in my opinion either!

I think the 47k - 50k wouldn't get used example, let alone a new one ha ha

Yeh, as said I'd like to see where/how an R36 costs only 47-50k ?????????

Would have to S/H...

[Ice]

You think the VW is over priced ? what about the Liberty GT ? that starts at $58K plus plus plus....and doesnt goes as hard as the R36.....I know which ide be choosing and a Holden/ford eq ? for what you get its a pretty good price and ide consider it premium brand. In Germany its certainly considered just that and the quality of the car is just as good as the other big Germans ! they just cater more to the masses. To get the same in a mercedes you have to buy the C63 and that'll cost you $150K ! Now Thats overpriced ! Anyway all this talk doesnt matter, your wife has to like it, it has to have balls and you want good resale so whatever she chooses your going to have to like it, haha. Shame abotu the Saab, i love it but your right about the resale.....

[sooty]

I believe Pete got the 47-50k from it being said that it's $20k overpriced. Thus comparing it to a car of that value is the comparison that you're making.

[Vectracious]

There probably isn't anything that exactly matches the R36 for quality or same features but that doesn't change the fact that it is overpriced at anywhere from 68 to 84K! Maybe it is different in your location but i know for a fact that dealers in my region have them sitting on showroom floors for some time as customers won't generally justify the price of one (most end up going to Audi, BMW or Mercedes) because they don't associate VW as a high end brand :eek6:

I'm not disputing that it is a great car, i just have a different view on things cause i have lived in Europe and don't believe that we should be consistently ass raped for the right to own a Euro car and face the massive price hike (and the manufacturers can't justify it by taxes, LCT or smaller volume market either). I work indirectly in the Automotive industry so i know it's about profits and perceived worth and not any other spin they like to put on it :wink5:

When I got mine last year, you could almost not get one for love or money - it was either buy what they had on the floor or face up to a 6 month wait while it was being built in Germany.

To you or me, VW is not a high end brand, compared to BMW or Merc - but to the majority of Australians - it's german and therefore must be good. BM/Merc/Audi/VW know this and will market that to the nth degree - why else did Holden play the "german" card with the Astra and Vectra way back. I agree that we shouldn't be ass raped with LCT and getting charged extra for the privilege of owning a Euro car here, but what can you do? I could have got a Calais wagon and had change for what I paid for the R36 - but to me I didnt mind paying that little bit extra for what the VW offers over the Holden.

BMW and Merc are also overpriced - I remember when we were in the states a few years back and I went looking in a BMW dealership - 3 series that would have gone for 80-90K here were only about AUD$40-50K over there - why the discrepancy in a "premium" brand?

The equivalent Bimmer to the R36 wagon would be the 335i touring at 112K, in a Merc you would have to step up to a C63AMG at 146K and Audi don't make anything that quick. At 40K less than the Bimmer - the Passat definitely represented value for money for me.



As for Passat i agree a facelift is not technically the end of a cars lifecycle, but if you are like me and turn them over every 12 to 24 months then it makes a massive difference in terms of resale value :yesnod: Wholesalers and also next owners will associate a pre facelift model as "the old model" and hence won't command the same pricing, so need to be careful to always have what the latest is!

I don't turn them over that often. I've usually hung onto cars for at least 4-5 years - and with each of the previous ones (Vectra, WRX) I've managed to get 50% back at the end of the 5 years - to me, thats reasonable depreciation for owning a car for that long.


Yeh, as said I'd like to see where/how an R36 costs only 47-50k ?????????

Would have to S/H...

Ange, I never said that a R36 could only cost 47-50K - The Operator said that the R36 was 20K overpriced for what it is, so I simply asked him to give me an example of a car worth 47-50K that is equivalent to a R36.

90K definitely sounds excessive for a fully loaded R36 - have never heard of anyone paying anywhere near that for a fully specced one over at the VW forums.....

[Wraith]

You think the VW is over priced ? what about the Liberty GT ? that starts at $58K plus plus plus....and doesnt goes as hard as the R36.....I know which ide be choosing and a Holden/ford eq ? for what you get its a pretty good price and ide consider it premium brand. In Germany its certainly considered just that and the quality of the car is just as good as the other big Germans ! they just cater more to the masses. To get the same in a mercedes you have to buy the C63 and that'll cost you $150K ! Now Thats overpriced ! Anyway all this talk doesnt matter, your wife has to like it, it has to have balls and you want good resale so whatever she chooses your going to have to like it, haha. Shame abotu the Saab, i love it but your right about the resale.....

I'm sure there are plenty of other car types out there that are over priced for what they are or consider this; we'd have an endless list if we put all car types in a comparitive situation, in that case everyone would only buy the cheapest cars available...;)

At the end of the day as always it's each to their own... :)

I'd still buy an R36 at 47-50k though, if that's possible :D but no way at over 70k...IMO

[Wraith]

Ange, I never said that a R36 could only cost 47-50K - The Operator said that the R36 was 20K overpriced for what it is, so I simply asked him to give me an example of a car worth 47-50K that is equivalent to a R36.

90K definitely sounds excessive for a fully loaded R36 - have never heard of anyone paying anywhere near that for a fully specced one over at the VW forums.....

Thanks for the clarification Pete :)

I actually got a bit excited thinking I could actually get one for that price - I would you know :cornut:

[Vectracious]

Thanks for the clarification Pete :)

I actually got a bit excited thinking I could actually get one for that price - I would you know :cornut:

Remember Ange - it's only worth what you're willing to pay for it ;) :D

[Wraith]

Remember Ange - it's only worth what you're willing to pay for it ;) :D

True that !!!

As long as the individual is happy, each to their own :)

[bornwild]

Congrats on the baby first of all!!! Very exciting time!! :)

Let me just comment a couple of things I read so far:
- Commodore SS-V....great car and all but slightly unsophisticated.
- VW R36 is brilliant however as you guys said overpriced.

I'll drop my 2c on a family car, so first of the el' cheapos:
-Kia Sorento (awesome and very good quality with incredible diesel engine 422Nm@1800-2500rpm)
-Kia Sportage (smaller than Sorento but very very nice)
-Honda Accord Euro (very mean looking car, great for family however engines lack oomph if that's one of your criteria)
-VW Tiguan (Very nice)

El' luxurio cars:
-Mercedes E250CDI Blueefficiency Estate
-Audi A4 Avant 2.7TDi (Awesome, drove one...extremely quick, get the multitronic)
-BMW 335i M Sport Touring (Need an explanation?)
-BMW X3 (The new model)

Enjoy! (The baby bundle I mean!!...a car's just a car anyhow)

[Wraith]

Congrats on the baby first of all!!! Very exciting time!! :)

Let me just comment a couple of things I read so far:
- Commodore SS-V....great car and all but slightly unsophisticated.
- VW R36 is brilliant however as you guys said overpriced.

I'll drop my 2c on a family car, so first of the el' cheapos:
-Kia Sorento (awesome and very good quality with incredible diesel engine 422Nm@1800-2500rpm)
-Kia Sportage (smaller than Sorento but very very nice)
-Honda Accord Euro (very mean looking car, great for family however engines lack oomph if that's one of your criteria)
-VW Tiguan (Very nice)

El' luxurio cars:
-Mercedes E250CDI Blueefficiency Estate
-Audi A4 Avant 2.7TDi (Awesome, drove one...extremely quick, get the multitronic)
-BMW 335i M Sport Touring (Need an explanation?)
-BMW X3 (The new model)

Enjoy! (The baby bundle I mean!!...a car's just a car anyhow)

G'Day again stranger !!! :D

And BTW well said above ;)

[TheOperator]

Bornwild all good suggestions however the wife refuses to own a Kia (even though i think they are very good these days for cost), Honda as you mentioned not enough go and VW Tiguan is not bad but would probably buy CX7 / CX9 for the money i get them for :swg:

As for the luxo's i like the A4 Avant for sure as does the wife but yet again not enough performance unless you buy the "S" or "RS" series :nonod:

However over the weekend had a massive spanner thrown in the works as an old friend of mine came to visit and happens to have just gotten on of these:

http://www.privatefleet.com.au/images/upload/Image/Mercedes%20Benz%20ML%2063%20AMG.jpg

Now as you can imagine the wives get talking and end up disappearing for ages and it seems my wife drove it (i have been trying to stop this as i knew the end result) and as they do measured it up for prams, baby seats etc :skep:

Well you guessed it she loves it and wants it and has the usual stupid pregnant women thought process (goes something like "we can get more houses in a couple of years we need this now") :nonod:

Needless to say this is one argument i will be stamping my foot on :hand:

[gmonkey]

Ugly ugly ugly 4wd.... Even the Kia looks better hahaha

[Mr Kenny]

It's probably $40k just for the grille. :eek:

[Ice]

Bornwild all good suggestions however the wife refuses to own a Kia (even though i think they are very good these days for cost), Honda as you mentioned not enough go and VW Tiguan is not bad but would probably buy CX7 / CX9 for the money i get them for :swg:

As for the luxo's i like the A4 Avant for sure as does the wife but yet again not enough performance unless you buy the "S" or "RS" series :nonod:

However over the weekend had a massive spanner thrown in the works as an old friend of mine came to visit and happens to have just gotten on of these:

http://www.privatefleet.com.au/images/upload/Image/Mercedes%20Benz%20ML%2063%20AMG.jpg

Now as you can imagine the wives get talking and end up disappearing for ages and it seems my wife drove it (i have been trying to stop this as i knew the end result) and as they do measured it up for prams, baby seats etc :skep:

Well you guessed it she loves it and wants it and has the usual stupid pregnant women thought process (goes something like "we can get more houses in a couple of years we need this now") :nonod:

Needless to say this is one argument i will be stamping my foot on :hand:

Its a good 4WD and punchy but your looking at 100K for the base ML300CDI (3ltr Turbo V6 Diesel, 140kw)

[TheOperator]

Its a good 4WD and punchy but your looking at 100K for the base ML300CDI (3ltr Turbo V6 Diesel, 140kw)

Yeah Ice that's it, as i said earlier i can afford an ML63 (but i would prefer a c63) but it won't be happening as i want to buy at least 1 or 2 more houses before i start spending that sort of money on a car :wink5:

2 years time is the plan to unleash on something reasonably flash like this :swg:

Told her i would buy her a B Class which was met with a blank look :lol:

[TheOperator]

Ugly ugly ugly 4wd.... Even the Kia looks better hahaha

Guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, cause from my point of view their is no comparison in looks department even allowing for price differential the Merc just looks tough :swg:

I find the new Sorento ok from some angles but but ugly and trying too hard from others :nonod:

[Ice]

Told her i would buy her a B Class which was met with a blank look :lol:

The B200 Turbo isnt such a bad car you know ! its pretty zippy.....youve spoiled her for choice now. just tell her its top of the line, haha

[bornwild]

Your budget seems to vary quite a bit depending on performance :P

[bornwild]

As for the luxo's i like the A4 Avant for sure as does the wife but yet again not enough performance unless you buy the "S" or "RS" series :nonod:


The Avant 2.7TDi is an extremely quick car....What is your wife used to driving? A GTR?? :P

[Vectracious]

The Avant 2.7TDi is an extremely quick car....What is your wife used to driving? A GTR?? :P


. However i think she is a different breed as she had a stroked and fully modded Rex before and when we first got together :thumbs:

[TheOperator]

Yeah her Rex was a very quick car, had the ability to run a very low 11 but the once i took it to WSID (to get a number as i'm not into drags) i was soft on it and full street trim except for race fuel and ran 11.89.

Was really setup for circuit work and we both put it round Wakefield, and i also had a go at Eastern Creek, Oran Park and Queensland Raceway. Don't remember times except for Wakefield where i managed a 1:09.8 which i think was car not me :lol:

But i guess you can see why this is a hard process but i will prevail :swg:

[lee]

I suspect the ability to run <12 second sprints will become irrelevant when you have a baby in the back :p

[JR]

I suspect the ability to run <12 second sprints will become irrelevant when you have a baby in the back :p

oh yes it will - when the little one appears to begin squirming & grunting and u realise u have no more nappies left in the car, and home is just 1km away, around the corner. u need to get home fast, and get the little one out before he/she does a #4!!

not speaking from personal experience ofcourse ;)

[Vectracious]

I suspect the ability to run <12 second sprints will become irrelevant when you have a baby in the back :p

not necessarily - my son absolutely loves me driving fast - do a launch control in the R36 and he's smiling and giggling and craning to see the dash from the seat!! :D

[poita]

my little fella loves the car.

puts him to sleep. and gets bored if you drive on the smooth roads, prefers the rougher roads

[guy 27]

http://indianautosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/gemballa-tornado-porsche-cayenne-gts-concept_1.jpg
????


the standard Cayenne GTS develops a reasonable 495hp, the Gemballa models coax out 542, 641 and 740hp, all depending on the customer’s choice.

[lee]

oh yes it will - when the little one appears to begin squirming & grunting and u realise u have no more nappies left in the car, and home is just 1km away, around the corner. u need to get home fast, and get the little one out before he/she does a #4!!

well when you put it that way... :D

[TheOperator]

http://indianautosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/gemballa-tornado-porsche-cayenne-gts-concept_1.jpg
????


Mum has one of these but in white and the 542hp version, needless to say it is a sweet car for sure but more a toy Dad likes to justify as her daily :lol:

I can't wait till they move back to Aus in 2 years and bring their cars back with them :eek6:

[PaulyJ]

What's that smell?

[gman]

I have a VW Tiguan and love it. It fits all the baby stuff in it no prob, goes moderately hard (better with the APR tune) and has excellent fit & finish.

I looked at the Range Rover Sport (V6 diesel) but went with the Tiguan for various reasons (mainly not fitting in the garage and not wanting a $110,000 car doing shopping runs) saving $40,000+ in the process.

IMHO, the Tiguan is the best car in it's class. Comes down to how many $$$'s you have to spend and personal taste.

Sent from the train on an iPhone with a hangover using Tapatalk

[Wraith]

That above is an abomination...

[gman]

That above is an abomination...

You no like the Tiguan???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheOperator]

That above is an abomination...

I agree, i should have said if you lost the body kit and just had the power upgrades and wheels that's what Mum has

[TheOperator]

What's that smell?

I'm hoping to never have to say that :lol:

But as many friends have told me i will have to deal with some nuclear explosions and the aftermath from time to time while driving :eek6:

[TheOperator]

I have a VW Tiguan and love it. It fits all the baby stuff in it no prob, goes moderately hard (better with the APR tune) and has excellent fit & finish.

I looked at the Range Rover Sport (V6 diesel) but went with the Tiguan for various reasons (mainly not fitting in the garage and not wanting a $110,000 car doing shopping runs) saving $40,000+ in the process.

IMHO, the Tiguan is the best car in it's class. Comes down to how many $$$'s you have to spend and personal taste.

Sent from the train on an iPhone with a hangover using Tapatalk

Might have to investigate thanks.

I know when we looked at r36 we walked past one but didn't give it a second look cause after dealing with annoying sales managers i just wanted to get out !!!

[gman]

Not sure where you are based, but I bought mine from McCarrolls at Hornsby (closest to the upper North Shore) and they were excellent...The Chatswood VW would not be my first chioce due to previous experiences... Definitely try McCarrolls if your up that way...Just an FYI

[bornwild]

Given that you don't have a concrete budget and aren't decided on whether you want a family car, a sports car, both or neither.....What will you buy??

[poita]

What's that smell?

defiantly bovine

[sooty]

defiantly bovine
defiantly? is it male?

[Ice]

Might have to investigate thanks.

I know when we looked at r36 we walked past one but didn't give it a second look cause after dealing with annoying sales managers i just wanted to get out !!!

:out: you simply cannot walk past an R36 without going PHOOOAAAR !

[Wraith]

You no like the Tiguan???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry gman, basic one is ok but done up like that does nothing for me :(

[poita]

defiantly? is it male?

yupp

[gman]

Sorry gman, basic one is ok but done up like that does nothing for me :(

I think we have wires crossed here. The Gemballa House brick one the previous page is a Porsche Cayenne and looks like a Euro interpretation of a US monster truck, but not...

The Tiguan (which is what I have now) is a much more sedate, mid sized soft roader 4WD and looks pretty good IMHO...

That said, basic Cayenne is good, turbo Cayenne is great (if your not paying for the fuel bills), Gemballa Cayenne is poo....... ;)

[Wraith]

I think we have wires crossed here. The Gemballa House brick one the previous page is a Porsche Cayenne and looks like a Euro interpretation of a US monster truck, but not...

The Tiguan (which is what I have now) is a much more sedate, mid sized soft roader 4WD and looks pretty good IMHO...

That said, basic Cayenne is good, turbo Cayenne is great (if your not paying for the fuel bills), Gemballa Cayenne is poo....... ;)

Oops sorry again, that's the one I meant the ugly ass Porker...that one does nothing for me even standard :(

[TheOperator]

Given that you don't have a concrete budget and aren't decided on whether you want a family car, a sports car, both or neither.....What will you buy??

Basically i took control today and had enough of her not being able to make her mind up (i probably gave her too many options)

Ordered a SeriesII SSV Sportwagon (Cost me 40K with employee pricing applied) and have a set of 22 inch wheels and Tein coilovers ordered also, should look like the following but white:

http://forum.streetcommodores.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=147495&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1275197218

Figure for the 45K its going to owe me it covers everything we will need for next 12 to 24 months and won't loose to much on it when time comes to sell :eek6:

[PaulyJ]

Glen, Ange... stick to the topic.
Operator, congrats on the new car.

[poita]

very nice buy mate

[bornwild]

Ahh holden employee. I didnt know that :p congrats on the buy mate. You bought the manual right? Your discs are going to look miniscule in those rims :p

[TheOperator]

Thanks guys i think i will be happy with it and the wife was pleased so happy times :lol:

Bornwld i don't work for Holden directly, my employer owns many holden dealerships as well as mulitple franchises of most other brands also among other things :wink5: I run the IT and eBusiness side of it all but still entitled to employee benefits:wink5:

Yeah bought a Manual, no way would i buy a Auto with that AFM nonsense :shocked:

As for brakes not too worried about them, i do have a set of AP's that will fit nicely however i won't be able to fit the standard 19" wheels over them so see what happens :yesnod:

[Wraith]

Basically i took control today and had enough of her not being able to make her mind up (i probably gave her too many options)

Ordered a SeriesII SSV Sportwagon (Cost me 40K with employee pricing applied) and have a set of 22 inch wheels and Tein coilovers ordered also, should look like the following but white:

http://forum.streetcommodores.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=147495&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1275197218

Figure for the 45K its going to owe me it covers everything we will need for next 12 to 24 months and won't loose to much on it when time comes to sell :eek6:

Congrats - excellent choice IMHO considering all other options and the sport wagons look hot, even better than some of the sedans IMO !!! :)

[gman]

Nice work, good pickup.. :)

[metry]

very nice choice. congratulations on the new buy

[lee]

That's gonna be a lot of fun. When do you take delivery of it?

[TheOperator]

That's gonna be a lot of fun. When do you take delivery of it?

Thanks yeah should be good for a family car to haul baby in for a while :lol:

Car hopefully turns up in a couple of weeks time :yesnod:

Coilovers arrived today and rims arrived today also. Main thing is just waiting on correct speed and load rated tires to arrive from Germany as they are Continentals, wanted it legal which most people don't seem to care about cause apparently tires cost to much and would rather get defected and drive round uninsured :rolleyes5:

Also got the AP's out and sitting in garage so think they will go on when coilovers get fitted :ihih:

[boorny88]

nice buy mate and def gonna look awesome with those rims and lowered as well as the AP brakes cant wait for the pics of the car once you get it well done and congrats again on the baby bud