which car shall i get boys?

[hecciesmum]

Male opinion need on new car choice. Would love an Aston, but hey ho - the budget doesn't stretch that far on our company car scheme!

SO...have narrowed it down to

1. ALfa romeo gt 2.0 litre
2. Mercedes baby C class
3. bog standard bmw 3 series

SHould also add that I do have 2 children, but that they won't be in it all that often and for holidays etc we will used daddy's volvo v50.

Just want something a bit fun, a bit sporty and a bit sexy....

any other ideas?

[Catbabydaddy]

Alfa GT - looks nice but will break down and rust to bits inside 6 months
C-Class - you mean the 3-door hatch thing? Utterly pointless and vastly expensive for something as big as a Golf
3-Series. Ugly but dependable.

Why not get a hot hatch?

[yeahinaminute]

Alfa - all the way - they DO NOT rust nowadays - that's a hangover from the Alfasud days of the eighties!!

The styling is superb - and as I've always said about my (at the last count) 6 alfa's they don't hug the road - more like shag it The handling is brilliant - the engines provide great torque - a real "drivers" car.... and they are just so goddamn sexy !!!

[yeahinaminute]

Oh and I'm not a bloke - just an alfa nut of many years standing !!

[DrDaddy]

Alfa sounds like the best bet. A colleague had one a few years ago and loved it.
Merc - don't know that model. I drive a Merc estate and I absolutely love it. Sounds like an old man's car, but I got the Sport Edition with AMG styling etc.
Beamer - yeuch!

What about Audi, or a Saab convertible?

[DrDaddy]

btw - I had a Saab conv 2.3T Aero previously. They're actually a lot roomier in the back than you think. And they go like the proverbial off a shovel....

[MrsBoo]

What about the Brera - my friend has one of those, and the roar from it is nearly as good as a TVR!

[bran]

I have a bmw 3 series, and it's very, very dull, but easy to handle.

[clerkKent]

As it is a company car, and you can (presumably) change it in 3 years - Alfa every time.

[hecciesmum]

Thanks for all the replies

I think the ALfa brera is abit out of the price range (cos i want enough money left over in the budget to have the leather seats etc). Don't "love" golf's and won't buy one. If VW still made the Corrado I would have one like a shot, as it was a proper drivers car - my mum drives a golf, so it is forever tarnished as the "car i learned to drive in". I know that these are more expensive options than something like a golf or a hot hatch, but I am after a bit of style.

I like the merc because I like driving the c class that my husband currently has until his volvo arrives- sits on the road like a tank, Quiet as a whisper and fast. I agree that the bmw is dull, but as you say it's dependable. Audi don't have much that i really like.

Had thought about the saab - might have to go test drive it as well.

I think it will be the alfa GT. We had an alfa spider (one of the new ones) a few years back before the children arrived and a 2 seater became utterly redundant and it was just gorgeous. Beautiful thing to drive, fast, sexy and was pretty reliable.

it is a company car, but under our policy I have to keep it for 5 years! Also bcaue i live in the netherlands the taxation is fairly horrendous as they take 25%of the value of the car new, add it onto your salary and tax you at 52% on it. Hence why I am not going up a class to a full sized c class or similar. Am currently a bit in lust with the new bmw 3 series coupe.......a colleague has just got one and it is seriously sleek - but cannot justify the expense.

thanks for the advice - will let you know how i go

[StrangeTown]

I've got the C Class Coupe at the moment and can't wait to change it tbh. It's more hatchback than Coupe and it crap to handle in bad weather owing to rear wheel drive. I live in north in hilly area though, so am assuming it won't be a problem for you in NL . I am about to change and do like the CLK looks wise, but 2 doors has not been very practical. I am looking at the Audis at moment, not sure myself, but DH loves them. All the car mags say go for new BMW 3 in this compact exec category...so am in a dilemma too.

Let us know what you get and if it's any good.

[HappyDaddy]

Alfa mmmmmm.

Audi TT or A4 cabriolet?

[Catbabymummy]

My Ops Director has an Alpha Brera, it spends half his time in the garage getting fixed.

[Iota]

HappyDaddy - you sound like my dh

[Iota]

saw a very nice RS4 cabriolet in the Audi garage yesterday

[cazza6]

just make sure the boot is as big as a rhino's arse

[Broon313]

Have had 2 saabs and a TT, now have X5 due to mountains of baby tat! (cue howls of outraged tree huggers!) TT fun, but saabs only little less fun and very practical. Also saab dealers imo cant do enough for you, much better than teutonic counterparts.Or you could just say f**k it and get a boxter!

[Pann]

Broon313 - bollocks matey. You don't have to be tree-hugger to know that choosing to drive an X-5 is the act of a selfish bastard. And please don't blame your kids for your selfishness. Double-whammy for them isn't it? "I'll help to fuck up the planet for your life-time, AND, I'll put the blame for it on..erm...you." Very thoughtful.

[Broon313]

Have I just been scolded by MN!?! Sorry about the Tree Hugger comment, a bit flippant and I didn't mean to offend, but in all honesty, I dont get it. I sympathise with the arguments against 4x4s in built up urban areas where they add to congestion, but I live in rural Scotland. I also don't accept the arguments about the enviromental impact, cars are only a very small % of carbon emissions anyway, and mine has the same engine and emissions as a 3 series saloon, would you ban them? However, I was just trying to help, and I did say I've had two Saabs, does that not balance it out!?!...{blush]

[McDreamy]

I've got a SAAB and I love it, even with the 2 kids in the back

[hecciesmum]

WEll - I did it. I bought the alfa GT 2 litre....am in love!!!

[clerkKent]

I think this may be the first time that anyone has ever done what I suggested on MN! Great choice.

[hecciesmum]

now i have to wait 12 weeks for it to arrive...{sigh}. Only gripe about it was/is that the view out ofd the rear windscreen is pretty cr*ppy....as such thought that a rear parking sensor was probably sensible.

it's pure vanity, but i did SO enjoy all the double takes I got at traffic lights in when I was test driving it.

ds (4) has been proudly telling everyone "my mummy's new car is very fast and I'm going to go very fast in it with her"....bless him.