As has been said in another thread, the load space of many current estate car's is smaller than in previous versions.
is this a result of people carrying 'less cargo' ?
Does this work for you Mr Snail? ;-)
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It's yer 'sportwagons', 'tourers', and 'avants' innit? Not proper estate cars, and not really bought by the people who carry 'stuff'.
A friend picked me up in his newish BMW 3 series Touring yesterday, mock-regretting that the second child had obliged him to go for an "estate". The actual load space looked ludicrously small to me, certainly smaller than the boot of, say, a Passat saloon.
I suggested he could have looked at the Passat estate. The look on his face told me all I needed to know about the decision influencing factors. So I suggested a Skoda Superb as well, the result was even more amusing!
I still remember my old Scorpio estate fondly; especially the time I took a 6'6" x 3' bed home in it. I did have to fold the seats down for that though.
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>> The actual load space looked ludicrously small to me, certainly smaller than the boot of, say, a Passat saloon.
But the 3 series itself is a lot smaller than a Passat. Quite small cars really for the premium price paid.
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>>But the 3 series itself is a lot smaller than a Passat
...but not a lot cheaper.
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PSA are culprits for this the 407 SW and the latest C5 estate are mere shadows of the models they replaced, Vauxhalls Insignia similarly flawed compared to the cavernous Vectra estate.
As in much of todays world image is all important, apart from MB and BMW with their larger models no one dare stick a proper wide and upright Volvo 740 style estate section on any more.
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>> As has been said in another thread, the load space of many current estate car's
>> is smaller than in previous versions.
>> is this a result of people carrying 'less cargo' ?
>> Does this work for you Mr Snail? ;-)
Not having got a big enough estate to need a car to drive around it, and because of a long-standing habit, I call them shooting brakes.
Blah, blah, piffle, piffle, waffle, waffle, ......................
:-D
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I love this forum!
I started it as a friendly dig in the ribs, and people have posted on it in total seriousness!
This place really does have a better atmosphere than some other forums, (not just the one people think I mean)
On that point, I really wish people wouldn't keep on about 'that' place... as far as Im concerned this is here, there is there, and there is no competition - please stop comparing the 2... Im happy here, and have walked away from the other place...
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Carrying on the serious point - if you want a decently spacious car these days, you buy an MPV dont you? Something like a Berlingo has a huge boot compared to an estate of similar general size.
I was reading a road test from a What Car? in 1988 the other day with the general question being posed, is this the end of the estate cars. Obviously it wasnt back then, but slowly but surely, it seem sto have happened.
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Estates, as with fine wine, will continue to appeal to those who understand such things.......
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Indeed - and think of all the fine wine you can get into your Mondeo and my Octavia, Humph, that we'd have to leave behind if we'd paid £6,000 more for a similarly-powered Audi A4 Avant or BMW 3-series Touring.
And yet they sell, don't they - horses for courses, and those that can afford them can also afford to have their fine wine shipped.
(This is a surprisingly car-related thread for the non-motoring section....!)
Last edited by: Avant on Sat 26 Jun 10 at 17:35
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Perhaps, although one could equally surmise that those who choose 3 series tourings and A4 Avants have been given them by their employers or have sold their souls to the Devil to buy some perceived status while those who have A6s and 5 series might be more likely have sufficient means to afford them ( or more generous employers ) In either case I'd warrant they buy their wine in Aldi and their ties in Next......
Emporer's clothes.
:-0
P.S. I'd not turn any of them down in a gift mind. I have feeble standards when it comes down to it. Pass the gel Wayne will you ?......
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Sat 26 Jun 10 at 17:58
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True. BUT as with women andshoes - they want them to look small and dainty on the outside, but be large and roomy on the inside?
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Did you know, and I promise I can prove this, that fat women spend proportionately more of their income on shoes and handbags and buy them more regularly than slim women ?
Could be the same psychology which drives them to buy certain cars. Making up for their inability to look good in their clothes ?
Funny critters humans.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Sat 26 Jun 10 at 18:14
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...look good on the outside and lots of room on the inside...
The current Mondeo estate is, to my eyes, the best looking car in the range, if not one of the best looking mainstream cars on the market.
I like it that much I was tempted to buy one.
A Mondeo-size car is too big for me and I have no use whatsoever for an estate, but other than that, it would have been an ideal buy. :)
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>> Carrying on the serious point - if you want a decently spacious car these days,
>> you buy an MPV dont you? Something like a Berlingo has a huge boot compared
>> to an estate of similar general size.
I think that's about right. PSA will not want the 'lingo and C5 competing as load luggers. Instead the C5 is now by default a saloon and the 'lifestyle' estate version replaces the hatchback. The 'lingo soaks up the market for those wanting space with the smaller car/van crossover vehicles serving the same role in the 307/C3 market sector.
Having both a conventional estate (Xantia) and a Berlingo I'd say the biggest reason not to replace the Xant with a second MPV is it's facility to carry bikes on the roof - but that's a bit of a niche market!!
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>>
>>
>> On that point, I really wish people wouldn't keep on about 'that' place... as far
>> as Im concerned this is here, there is there, and there is no competition -
>>
>>
Certainly not at the moment. The message I get now "from the other side" is :
"LeastPessimal.Umbraco.PermanentRedirectResult"
Is that Oilrag trying to say something?
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Not sure what this is about Cliff. I certainly hope you'll post on both forums: look on my profile and E-mail me with the problem and we will try to sort it out.
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...Is that Oilrag trying to say something?...
If he is, the chances are not many of us will be able to understand it.
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>>>.....and the latest C5 estate are mere shadows of the models they replaced...
It depends. As an alternative to a Transit van then yes Citroen have trimmed down the size of the C5 from the barn-like early model but in every other respect it is a massive advance on the old car so overall the right decision.
If there is an issue using a new C5 Tourer as a van it's the soft materials that line the load bay... have to take a bit of care laying out a tarp before heaving in the hardcore.
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I have an excelent reason for buying a flat floored estate. Nothing else can carry the pampered pooch around with such ease.
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Estate vs MPV.
Well the answer is clear for me. We did our first major family trip in the S-Max this weekend. Unlike the clearly very large and very nice Superb estate, the children have three individual seats and a flat floor, so my daughter (in her car seat) sits in the middle with a three point belt and that seat is moved forward, leaving the boys on either side with the side of her seat to lean against. The two rear seats are folded into the floor, leaving a large flat boot area for luggage.
There is no way, any estate however large or expensive, could give me the flexibility that I need. Two weeks ago, we went six up to a barbeque on a beach, with a tall slight woman sitting in the very back commenting on the surprising amount of room.
We did about 600 miles this weekend with no complaints from anyone about the space or comfort. The ventilated front seats are a real boon, as is 35mpg from a fully loaded vehicle being driven at reasonable (Ahem!) speed.
I am really happy with this car! I would like a little more poke when accelerating from say 50mph to 70mph (or more), but it is certainly happy cruising at 80mph and has some breathe to spare.
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It's time you lot really got to know all about me and my calcified "love dart". Yes, I'm just a common or garden hermaphrodite snail.
:-D
www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/415.shtml
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Watch out! I've seen a thrush.
JH
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L'escargot - cause or result? - Manatee
