New shopping trolley for girly, you decide

[RichardCranium]

Why have one space when you can park badly in two?

I didn't realise the BMW X5 was even on the list of options.

(I have seen many X5s stationary but I've have never seen one parked. It is one of those 'cars' that made me conclude 4x4s are for people who cannot drive.)

[SueEllen]

I didn't realise the BMW X5 was even on the list of options.

(I have seen many X5s stationary but I've have never seen one parked. It is one of those 'cars' that made me conclude 4x4s are for people who cannot drive.)

I've seen one parked close to the curb.

I was surprised when I first saw it then remembered it was the road that HGVs and the like, like to squeeze up.

[RichardCranium]

I've seen one parked close to the curb.

And I'll bet it was on the zig-zags of a zebra crossing outside a school.

With the right indicator flashing.

And the fog lights and the handbrake on, as they had been since the day it was bought.

And when you say "close to the kerb", I take it you mean "with the wheels right up on the pavement, of course, but at least they were close to the kerb so pushchairs and wheel chairs could actually use the pavement, which makes a change".

[malvolio]

Mazda 2. Great to drive, decent sized bott, well equipped, way cheaper than the equivalent Fiesta and pretty stylish with it.

SWMBO has been through the same exercise with far more rigour than I would have applied. In a fight between the Mazda and the new Polo, the Mazda offered more car for around £3k less and is much prettier to look at.

That said, the new Polo is a seriously good piece of kit.

[wobbegong]

Set her a budget and let her choose her own - simples!

Agree with Churchy, let her choose her own, your choice will be wrong, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday.

Oh, and pop a dustpan and brush in the boot, so she can sweep up the broken glass after a shunt.

[cojak]

Love the idea of the Merc.

[threaded]

First attempt at doing the findings of:

Local 2nd hand car place:
1995 Audi A6, 26k on the clock, obviously some retiree bought it, spent all his time polishing it, then passed on. But girly says 'Too old'.
5 y.o. BMW 5, 46k on the clock. Spotted it had a broken front coil-spring just before taking it for a test drive.

Mercedes dealer:
Smart Car. Lovely, very economical, but only two seats.
Chatted as to why there weren't any RHDs in the showroom: apparently he doesn't sell so many cars to England now as he can't get cheap ones from Germany any longer.

Get to Citröen dealer:
They were having a special day, so there was a waiting list to test drive the C3 and C4, but we could try the C1 now... I like the C6, but 'Too big'.

Drive out to a big 2nd hand dealer just off the motorway:
Usually lots of choice, but where's all his stock gone? With the downturn has decided to bin it... yet has a,
Citröen Xsara Picasso.1.6 8v 2005 69k all the toys, certainly looks good. She likes!

What about a Mazda? So we pop in there.
Combined Ford, Mazda and Kia dealer. Dull, dull, dull. Lots of Ford Ka but not even a single Mazda MPS to droll over.

Getting fed up with looking at dull cars and drive to my local friendly BMW dealer:
I test drive a Ducati Desmo ST2. Grin maker certainly.
Ask nicely if whilst I'm out if he'll show her his special collection, which he does: 326, 501, 2002s, 3.0 CSL, M635CSI, M1. She's not against having a classic, but what's the reliability like? Well...

Over the parking lot to the Peug dealer.
Has an old rally car for sale. Ask about if he's willing to detune and make 'road legal'. Girly not impressed...

Ah ha, I know someone oop north that does older hi spec mercs, head up there.
Where's all the stock? Well, it's the downturn init. Can do me a special price on a full Brabus spec'ed Smart Car. Try it out. OMG! Paddle shifters on a shopping trolley. I want, I want! Girly can't do with driving it though, 'it's not normal'...

'Aren't all these a bit expensive?' So head over to Abduls, he's got the cheapest cars.
Lots of very cheap cars. Lots. Too rusty and banged up.

Heading back home. Spot a Citröen C4.
Never done business with the dealer so make a note to look it up on the net.

Stop off at the Toyota dealer. An attempt to do a compare and contrast with an IQ to the lovely beautiful sexy Brabus Smart Car, not that I was wanting to sway opinion.
He has a 1 year old Toyota Hilux 4 door on the lot. I want. Start talking on a deal for the farm. Girly not impressed: it's not a work day, and we're supposed to be looking for a car for her. Make a promise to reconvene on Monday. He says he'll do an extra special price if we take the Hilux and another car from him.

Get home, phone up to make an appointment to look at / test drive the Merc 190SL. I can hear in the guys voice he knows if he gets me in the car it'll be sold. Make sure it is clear that it's for girly. Lets slip he's also got a Ferrari 330 4,0 GT 2+2 skinned with a 250 body, looks a lot like #3757... Is this someone who's had a 330 modded or the real thing? Ooh this could be dangerous.

[SuperZ]

Fiat 500

Why hi-spec? For a shopping trolley it just needs to be capable of short journeys to the shops and back, sod the expensive addon toys. An engine, steering wheel, gearbox, capabable of forward and reversing....oh maybe aircon to stop girly minging.

[sasguru]

Frankly I'm not surprised you have to bribe the "girly" to stay looking the way you do.

HTH

[shaunbhoy]

Let her do the shopping online. That way she won't need a car, and all the attendant expenses that go with it. If she gets sniffy, buy her a new Ironing Board to win her over.

HTH