Go for the BMW 1 series. The looks take a little getting used to but once your inside, they are fantastic cars. Rear parking sensors for the ladies ,very smooth and a pleasure to drive.

You didn't mention the Corolla, I think they look pretty cool, but have no idea on what they are like to drive.

 

My other half is in the same position, she really like the old shape A3 but not the new one and as for the mini, well they are very estate agent like in London but great little car.

I've come from a 147 2.0, 4 door. What a car - yes it had issues like the sat nav saying your driving through a field instead of down the M4, or turning itself off when it gets too hot, eating oil every week, the back box rusting to sh1te along with the brake calipers. But even after all that it was a hoot of a car and every car has it issues - get an extended warranty and your be grand.

 

If you can live with the small boot, I would say MINI Cooper. Alternatively why not consider a 2nd hand SEAT Leon Cupra R? I say 2nd hand as depreciation on SEATs is pretty horrific (though not quite to Alfa Romeo standards )


Ash

 

FYI

in the UK the civic isn't out until early 2006 (so it would be best to get an 06 reg obviously).

New clio is out in October...meant to be a huge step up in quality an increases internally in space.

no no no to the mini, unless she awaits the new one in September.

Vectra gets a facelift in October so hold on that also.

Yaris gets replaced in Early 2006 also so hold off on that.

Three real 'cool cars' are the Pug 107, Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 combo....meant to be ideal for the ladies..... Pug & Toyota in July the Cit later in the year.

 

RX8?

 

new civic is nice, is that the one where both the doors open from the 'B' post. there going to do an 'r' type one ( 2ltr i believe) just bought my wife a derv hrv. she loves it.
dave

 

Isn't the Skoda a Golf anyway?

 

It simple, just send her out to look and find what she likes!

 

I'd say the Focus..
I have Wreg 2000 2.0 (now on 50k) and never had any major niggles with it at all. Relaible drives well, cheap to run and lots of space. Also my girlfriend drives it (5'4") and she has no problem adapting the seating mirrors for a comfortable drive.
Mine is the saloon, but I'd reccommend the ST170 for the hatch as it has the extra poke.

(Anypne know when the new focus CC comes out next year? The vignale looks quite interesting for a 4 seater convertible)

Or the toyota Yaris vvti, they are great card to drive and nippy too.

 

Hi folks and thanks for all your input so far. Sorry was trying to do some work but I am now done and sitting in the garden with a cold one. No thunderstorms either.

Seat is a no no in her books and so is the Skoda, they are also not much different to the Golf anyway and selling an 8 month old car to get one of those is just not going to happen. TBH I really like the Golf, it drives really well and I can easily get comfortable it but I don't drive it that often.

Thanks for the info about the Alfa so that is now discounted too. I went by my local BMW dealer and jumped into the car. The strange this is that the premium brands seems to be introducing lower quality materials and the likes of Ford are improving their. Very strange. So I am not overly impressed with the interior but having said that the front is still better than the rear. You can not fit three people into the back, the leg room is hopeless and there are no air vents for the passengers. In fact I think the Golf is a far better car than the 1 series in every respect.

I also sat in the Mini and I really like the interior. Really looks well put together and quality workmanship but having heard the above post about the problems and having read the same on the other forum it is worrying me a lot. The space inside is amazingly spacious and the only niggle with the interior is that the rear foot space is too limited. With thin soled shoes on I managed to sit comfortably behind the seating position I had left on the drivers seat but moving my feet was next to impossible. Also having three of four people in the car really would mean no way would we be able to carry any reasonable luggage. I really need to research this car a bit more and the niggles everyone mentions.

In answer to Chilled I must apologise as I didn't mean the Vectra at all but rather the Astra. I too think it looks nice and I never thought I would say that about a Vauxhall.

I have looked at the Corolla and the Yaris the latter being horrible inside but the corolla isn't much better but still suitable. I think the new Civic is out in October.

I think Geeta must decide on the last remaining cars but I think these cars remain as an option only:
Mini
A3
Focus
New Civic
Astra
Corolla
There is one further possibility and that is to get another Golf with automatic DSG gearbox and rear sensors, why she never took these as options in the first place is beyond me. But hse mentions that she doesn't feel as though she is sitting square in the seat and that one side is higher than the other. I think she needs to get help.

Sometimes car hunting becomes a chore.