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quavey

Active Member
Posts
551
Location
Lancaster
I'm going to admit this is not totally range rover related but it is partially...!

To cut a long story short I'm going to become a dad in a few months (August) and some attention to has turned to the automotive situation in the household. We currently have:

2013 Astravan (my work vehicle)
2008 BMW 116i SE (which is my other halfs car)
2006 BMW 650i (which is my car)
1999 P38 4.6 HSE (which is general utility machine etc)

The problem essentially comes from my other half having bought the most enormous silvercross pram she could find. It is astonishing any larger and I'd expect to need a flatbed for it. So the only vaguely useful vehicle we have is actually the range rover.

Astra isnt mine so has to stay (belongs to work), the 1 series shes only had for 6 months and doesn't want to sell it but she is panicking that she needs something bigger so we have been looking at Vaux Insignias. I've had my 650i for almost a year and actually its more practical than you would think, has ISOFIX and a massive boot, but having seem the pram I'm not sure it will go in now and a big coupe really isnt the machine for the job sadly.

So really I'm thinking I'm going to have to replace my P38 and the 650i with something and that's where I'm having a hard time my heart screams that I want a Supercharged L322 but then my head goes that's just financial, emotional and physical ruin and the massive annoyance that its nowhere near as fast as the 650i or as economical whilst being a bit nice for throwing rubbish in the back of and hooking a ratty old trailer up to go to the tip etc.

So I say keep the P38 and buy something else to replace the 650i but then I'm still running two cars (plus hers) and really I should be scaling back a bit and trying to save some money


Obviously any sensible person would say change the pram but having approached that subject its been "mentioned" that its not an option... However she has just text me saying she might like a "4x4 style" vehicle instead of the insignia...

So I'll open it the floor, what do I buy? and for that matter what does she buy? I've a budget of about 12k could maybe push that a bit if I have to and the other half has about 7k to spend again for the right machine we could push that a touch.
 
From personal experience, the Silvercross will last approximately 3-4 weeks before you/she realises it's a PITA to take out and you'll buy a smaller pram system that folds smaller and can take both the car seat, pram and a buggy attachment.

You'll retain the silvercross, but only for special occasions - it wont be used nearly as much as you originally thought :)
 
I suppose I could throw money at my p38 and make that into something a bit better. Some gentle restoration perhaps. Problem is you never get it back!
 
I can't quite recall in all honesty - that was almost 12 years ago (my Daughter is 12 next month... :O :O :O)

Anyway, yeah, she bought it and it didn't last long. They're a royal pain in the arse to keep taking out with you and the added stress just isn't worth it. We ended up getting a Mammas and Pappas 'system' where it all fit on the one chassis. Cost a bit less but was immeasurably better in every single way!
 
Presumably your first child? Congrats etc.

Welcome to the incredibly complicated world of child transportation . . .

I would suggest doing nothing until she's tried using the pram a few times.

Silver Cross prams were designed in/for a bygone age where people usually walked everywhere/had nannies.

All very stylish etc. but not really practical today. Look at the 'travel systems' where you can transfer the baby-holding bit to/from the in-car base to the pushchair bit - including the baby:). The pushchair bits fold down quite small and would probably fit in the 1 series.

I recount this from the perspective of grandparental duties involving an 8 yr old and 1 yr old, my daughter is very safety concious, (we've got more bloody car seats than Halfrauds, my P38, wife's car, daughter's car, her husband's car, in various colour co-ordinating choices).

Which brings me to isofix . . . the P38 doesn't have it. I spent quite some time looking at the possibility of retrofit without success.

The most recent addition to the seat fleet for the youngest one is a Hauck varioguard - Varioguard Black/Beige 60910 - Car seats and Accessories by hauck | hauck GmbH & Co KG - FUN FOR KIDS Sonnefeld

This can be fitted in using isofix or a 3 point belt, interestingly, it's much more stable/secure using the belt on the rangie than with the isofix in the other cars.

The travel systems can be quite expensive - up to £600 -700, but still a lot less than 12k for another car . . .

Best of luck.

Alastair
 
Last edited:
quavey said:
I suppose I could throw money at my p38 and make that into something a bit better. Some gentle restoration perhaps. Problem is you never get it back!
Click to expand...

Keeping an old one on the road can be alot cheaper than the depreciation on a newer one......depends on how reliable your P38 is. I havent yet got mine to the point I trust it enough......but my old 300tdi Disco is currently the preferred method of transport for child and dog!!!
 
I agree with the first reply. We did the same as you but soon realised a small fold up one is much better for days out in the car. even if you buy a car that is big enough to fit the pram in you'll still need the same again for all the other stuff.
Congrats on the dad bit.
 
mattlumley said:
Insignias are big but if it wont go in the 650 I'd be surprised if it went in the sigy
Click to expand...

Well the Insignia is a hatch so its got a far superior opening for the boot, the 650i is brilliant for the type but its a bit restricted

domino said:
I can't quite recall in all honesty - that was almost 12 years ago (my Daughter is 12 next month... :O :O :O)

Anyway, yeah, she bought it and it didn't last long. They're a royal pain in the arse to keep taking out with you and the added stress just isn't worth it. We ended up getting a Mammas and Pappas 'system' where it all fit on the one chassis. Cost a bit less but was immeasurably better in every single way!
Click to expand...

Hell fire mate 12! Well actually I've perhaps mislead people a bit here it is a Silvercross but its not a traditional one it is more of a modern travel system despite being massive! It has a seperate car seat, newborn seat/basket thing and then a pram although it does annoy me that it cant just be one, surely it wouldn't be difficult to design something that actually worked well!

odyssey said:
Presumably your first child? Congrats etc.

Welcome to the incredibly complicated world of child transportation . . .

I would suggest doing nothing until she's tried using the pram a few times.

Silver Cross prams were designed in/for a bygone age where people usually walked everywhere/had nannies.

All very stylish etc. but not really practical today. Look at the 'travel systems' where you can transfer the baby-holding bit to/from the in-car base to the pushchair bit - including the baby:). The pushchair bits fold down quite small and would probably fit in the 1 series.

I recount this from the perspective of grandparental duties involving an 8 yr old and 1 yr old, my daughter is very safety concious, (we've got more bloody car seats than Halfrauds, my P38, wife's car, daughter's car, her husband's car, in various colour co-ordinating choices).

Which brings me to isofix . . . the P38 doesn't have it. I spent quite some time looking at the possibility of retrofit without success.

The most recent addition to the seat fleet for the youngest one is a Hauck varioguard - Varioguard Black/Beige 60910 - Car seats and Accessories by hauck | hauck GmbH & Co KG - FUN FOR KIDS Sonnefeld

This can be fitted in using isofix or a 3 point belt, interestingly, it's much more stable/secure using the belt on the rangie than with the isofix in the other cars.

The travel systems can be quite expensive - up to £600 -700, but still a lot less than 12k for another car . . .

Best of luck.

Alastair
Click to expand...

Cheers yes it is our first! Hence being so clueless! As I said above we do have a travel system silvercross rather than a traditional one. I'm aware there is no ISOFIX in the P38 but its very interesting that you found the seats more secure. I passed a S/C L322 on the motorway today and the heart took a lead in the race but do I really want to do that!? Probably not haha. Is a D3 as bad? Really not a fan of them from the stories I've heard - same with the RR sport

ShaunPDisco said:
Keeping an old one on the road can be alot cheaper than the depreciation on a newer one......depends on how reliable your P38 is. I havent yet got mine to the point I trust it enough......but my old 300tdi Disco is currently the preferred method of transport for child and dog!!!
Click to expand...

Well I have to say my P38 is a third car for me but has never let me down other than a flat/dead battery. However I do occasionally do long journeys and she gives me no bother.
 
Datatek said:
Keep the P38 and get an L200 pick up for the pram:)
Click to expand...

You Joke, but I've actually discussed a pickup with her! haha... For one reason or another there was an F350 pickup sat at the Vauxhall dealer we were wondering round the other day... SWMBO was not to impressed with the idea!
 
I've had a look at D3's but they are so slow and quite expensive for what they are I think. Also had two friends with them and they had some alarming issues. Been chatting with a friend and I think it's maybe time I learnt a bit more about supercharged L322's... ;-)
 
quavey said:
You Joke, but I've actually discussed a pickup with her! haha... For one reason or another there was an F350 pickup sat at the Vauxhall dealer we were wondering round the other day... SWMBO was not to impressed with the idea!
Click to expand...

How about that Monaro yob-pickup? Cannot remember what it was called now.
 
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