What does your wife/partner drive?

Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2005
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4,796
Location
Manchester, UK
We share a 2016 Skoda Fabia Estate and a 2010 Ford Fiesta Zetec. She commutes in the skoda as it's comfier and more economical.

I lost interest in owning 'decent' cars over the years and just wanted reliability and a decent price. No plans to change the skoda anytime soon as it does everything we need for a small family estate.
 
Associate
Joined
1 Sep 2011
Posts
308
2005 Jeep Cherokee Limited 3.7 petrol. Got it cheap off a relative. Only 14 mpg but every MOT I expect it to fail but it walks it.

Should really get something more economical but she doesn't do many miles (thankfully) and it would be a false economy to replace all the time its going.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Oct 2002
Posts
8,234
Location
Near Cheltenham
I think it's taken a few years to get the MRS into larger/faster cars, I mainly get cars I like to drive so often are a bit over powered for her actual needs..

Here are her cars... I tended to have hot hatches or mile crunching machines.
- MKII Metro 1.0 HLE - A banger to get her around for 6 months after passing her test.. terrible car in many ways but it worked!
- MKIV Astra 1.8 SRi - A bargain end of lease car from my brothers work, but pokey enough and
- MKII Zafira 1.9 SRI CDTi - A family wagon, still 200BHP was way more, and the 'adaptive' suspension was just for the Lolz. We had it for 9 years and she still misses the practicality of the overhead storage.
- Fiat Stilo 1.9d - another car to fill in a gap for a few months for throw away money, but ended up keeping it for a year with zero reliability issues!
- VW Beetle Convertible - She thought she'd get something as girly as possible, she liked that and kept it for 3 years.
- Mini Countryman 1.6 Cooper - The first car she spec'd for herself, just that bit extra room for the kids/dog, OK to drive, just underpowered.
- Nissan X-Trail Tekna 1.6 DCi AWD - She didn't want anything this large, but with 360 cameras she actually really really liked it and preferred it over her mini (Way more standard kit like heated leather seats, pan roof, sat-nav, auto parking etc all standard)
- (Current) BMW X3 35d - Initially not sure about the power etc, but as we found one with the 360 cameras/adaptive suspension/auto parking and pan roof she didn't mind trying it (Her biggest requirement if driving an SUV is the 360 cameras)

She now likes SUVs, the space, convenience of getting everyone (including the dog) in / out and whilst the 360 cameras / auto parking etc can be viewed as not necessary, it's only the 360 cameras that she uses fairly often and gives her confidence (and me sometimes) when in very tight spaces..
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2003
Posts
15,875
Location
Norwich
My wife still drives her 2008 Punto that we bought at 18 months old. We were going to get rid at 10 years old, then it caught us out with a few repairs so we thought we may as well keep it for another year. Then her parents offered us their Polo when they bought a new one so we held on to it a bit longer not knowing they meant when they bought a new one... In a year's time! It gave us one final kick in the plums by needing a new alternator a couple of weeks back!

Still, new one is here and we'll make the swap when we get back from holiday. Her Punto is probably better bodywork wise and she'll be losing a couple of options like dual zone climate but I hope she'll find it an upgrade.

I've got a Leon ST company car and MK1 MX5. In the slim chance that I find another job before we shift the Punto I may just keep hold of that for myself.
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Dec 2011
Posts
5,683
An F56 2014 Mini Cooper S.

We've had just over three years now, bought it for £15k so a good chunk off new, and I think it's still worth £10k. Got it pretty much fully loaded, too. She's happy with it, that's what she wanted, so I helped as much as I could finding a decent, well spec'd one. Not worth trying to negotiate on that front as far as I'm aware.

Struggling to know what we'll replace it with, if at all, but the extended Mini warranty is £50 p/m which is high considering I had an M135i for £30 p/m, but it's depreciation curve is so low now it probably still isn't worth considering changing on that basis alone.

It'll be another Mini no doubt, but probably an auto - and definitely without those crap runflats...
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Jul 2004
Posts
3,268
Location
Thunderdome
2017 Seat Ateca 2.0T FR.

Coming from a 2007 Nissan Micra 1.2 that just wouldn't die (but was hemorrhaging in bills rapidly), this was a watershed moment. She didn't want anything bigger, wanted a manual and seemingly wasn't interested in any usability or comfort features.

I wanted space for the impending child and 4wd for winter (her parents live up the Cairngorms), but I also wanted something reasonably nice to drive as I'd have to drive it too. My picks were a Volvo XC 60 and a Tiguan but both were 'too big'. I was ready to give up until I spotted the Ateca at a local dealer. It had decent reviews but I knew the Samoan Orange colour would swing it. 20 minute test drive and she was smitten. Still is. I like it too, DSG and a has decent go when you need it.

She isn't insured to drive my Cayman and won't be, but she doesn't care now she has 'Nacho'.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
26 Dec 2003
Posts
30,838
Location
Shropshire
2010 Citroen C3, horrible little thing. She bought it as her first car without any real thought and it's just worn out and cramped if I end up in it.
Luckily she only really pootles round town, office is a 10 minute drive so it's fine for her use but she wants something bigger next.

She really wants something like a Ford Ranger but knows it's completely pointless for her use, she wouldn't fit it in the parking space and fuel costs would bankrupt her.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
3,179
Location
Frimley, Surrey or 38,000ft
My wife drives our BMW X3, 2ltr diesel. It’s our main run about car. She’s not even insured on either my M3 or Camaro.

Although we’re about to have a baby and it might be useful to have her at least be able drive another car. The only choice for that would be the M3, but she’s never driven a RWD car let alone one with 400hp so am a little concerned, as is she which I don’t know is a good or bad thing!
 
Soldato
Joined
28 May 2007
Posts
18,200
My wife drives our BMW X3, 2ltr diesel. It’s our main run about car. She’s not even insured on either my M3 or Camaro.

Although we’re about to have a baby and it might be useful to have her at least be able drive another car. The only choice for that would be the M3, but she’s never driven a RWD car let alone one with 400hp so am a little concerned, as is she which I don’t know is a good or bad thing!

I wouldn’t give the baby the X3 TBH.
 
Soldato
Joined
28 May 2007
Posts
18,200
He's not said that? He wants to give the M3 to the baby, but isnt sure if the baby will handle 400bhp and RWD or not

Ah that makes much more sense. I remember when I was a baby I really struggled with sill hight on the X3 and everyone took Mick when I asked for a lift.
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
33,073
I actually have an X3 and i can imagine your pain as a baby, i think i'd have struggled too. As a baby did you have experience with 400bhp and RWD though? I didnt get a car that powerful until i was in my 30s. I'd be a little worried about trusting a baby with it.
 
Soldato
Joined
28 May 2007
Posts
18,200
I actually have an X3 and i can imagine your pain as a baby, i think i'd have struggled too. As a baby did you have experience with 400bhp and RWD though? I didnt get a car that powerful until i was in my 30s. I'd be a little worried about trusting a baby with it.

I was actually lucky as I was born 35 inches tall so I could have had a 400bhp RWD car. Unfortunately in my area we have a by law that states only new mothers can drive cars of 400BHP. However they must be completely unfamiliar with a vehicle of this type and accompanied by a suitably distracting newborn of 20 inches or less at all times.

I got tired with the hight of X3 and quickly moved to motorcycles. This is our first home video of me picking it up.
 
Associate
Joined
10 Nov 2006
Posts
1,259
Wife now drives a Seat Arona diesel auto. She likes the higher driving position, and its big enough, without being too big. TBF, I quite like driving it.
Her car history is Ford Ka (Original), Ford Fiesta, Ford B-Max, Now the Arona.

She would have never even considered an auto, until she drove my DSG Leon ST.
 
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