Autocar - First for car news and reviews

I have a 2003 BMW 320d SE with 78k on the clock. In truth I've kept it longer than I imagined I would but I have enjoyed every minute driving it. I also still have a pretty much rust free 1996 Astra 1.4 merit automatic with 66k miles that used to be my late father's. Simple you might think - dump the Astra. It's slow, handles like a jelly, has no feel throught the steering, windows mist up all the time etc. But it swallows a wheelchair with ease, can carry bags of garden clippings to the dump and get me from A to B around the city as well as the BMW. The Astra is worth nothing but still has 2 or 3 years life at least - should I keep it, sell the Beemer and put the ££££ into my bank account towards a Boxster or something????

PS never seen another Astra quite like it for steaming its windows. It's non-aircon. Any solutions?

 

This is purely a personal preference but I think time to dump the Astra. However you mentioned that it swallows a wheelchair, suggesting you or a loved one is some way disabled so yes, a tricky one. Without understanding whether the beemer can in any way accomdate the wheelchair (collapsable I would have thought?) then hard one to answer... However the psychological pain and anguish of having to drive the Astra around constantly must be to much too bear. Putting the money from the beemer towards a Porsche is a beguing idea, but if you live in the city then what particular use would you get out of it anyway? How is this for an idea - buy a 2nd hand RS4 Avant - estate practicality and country lane thrills. I think I have contradicted myself about 5 times in this post, not bad.

Get rid of them both and get a 320d touring? If the Astra's not costing you too much to run and you find it useful why not keep both and continue to use the Astra as a skip on wheels?

That is a good suggestion niall. However, with my short history in Bangernomics, I suggest that for now you stick with the astra, and put the cash from the 3 series in a high interest account. With the way the economy is going, it may be better for you to run something cheap and reliable (fairly) and the fact that it is a small petrol only helps the argument.

In addition to this, as it is the summer, you may find it easier to flog the BMW for decent money. And as it is the summer, i don't think you'll see windows misting up. There are solutions for that mind you - a form of wax that halfords sell can be wiped on the inside of the glass which prevents the mist forming.

On the surface of it I would keep the Astra and get the money for the BMW. 

However....  how is the water level in the engine on the Astra and are you getting any smells on the interior?  The misting could be a leaking heater matrix.  Not too bigger problem if you are prepared to keep topping the engine up (and dealing with the steaming) but it may need repairing.  If that's the case and you aren't prepared to do it yourself then it will make keeping the car uneconomical.  It could also just be a leak (a seal or gromet that has expired), which would be easier and cheaper to repair.

If your ultimate goal is a Porsche however, bin both and take a foray in to the world of bangernomics.  There are tonnes of very good cars out there being sold for next to nothing, that would fulfill your needs, and you could run for a couple of years for no money at all.  I know, I've done it.

 Best of luck.

I was offered a 924s for £650 this week, which would have made an interesting experiment in bangernomics.

Buy wisely and it's possible to run something vaguely interesting for not too much money. The optimum outcome is selling the car for about what you paid for it without having spent too much money. Worst case the car's disposable. I wish I'd gone down that route instead of buying a modern car at precisely the wrong mileage!
 

Interesting ideas guys! The Astra is joyless to drive but betters the BMW by having a longer door opening for lifting my disabled mum in and out plus the sill to seat distance is less (and that saves her and my back much grief). The BMW's boot is surprisingly shallow and just takes a collapsable wheelchair and no more. The high interest account idea had crossed my mind given the state of the economy...but then the Audi RS4 idea is tempting.

Here's a though...what cars have a reasonably short outer sill to seat distance, good door length (for moving lower legs in and out) and a boot sufficent to take a collapable wheelchair???

The only cars i can think of are things like the vauxhall Zefera and mareva, or maybe some like a discovery? Theres also the Jag x-type touring, which has a bigger boot than than it's rivels like the C class tourning and the 3 series toruing. But then theres Volvo's which have always had decent size boots, and i know someone who has had 3 volvo's and he's told me that hes never had problems or complaints of interior or anything like that.

 The only thing i could suggest is go round a few dealers and take a look round them, and se ewhat you think then wittle it down to just a few maybe?

Renault Clio has a small sill-seat distance, and the boot easily eats a collapsible wheel chair. It's cheap as well, and an absolute hoot to drive. Also, the 3-door model has really wide-opening and long doors. If you're still humming and ah-ing between which car to sell, I'd KEEP the Astra if it's more use, and sell the BMW and use the money or save it up for something amazing.

I had an Xreg Renault that misted up like fog on the front inner screen. Tried all sorts but couldn't stop it. Found that B&Q sold some small sachets (bit like in shoes boxes) with absorbing chrystals inside. If you put it on top of the dash, it took all the moisture away. Totally sorted the Renault's problem. Should be something similar still on the market?

Many three door versions of cars have bigger doors that are ideal for your situation. I used to work for Motability Operations and we spent two or three years measuring every non-wheelchair-adapted vehicle in the UK for ease of entry. You could sell up and get a 3dr Golf for example which would provide you with the big boot like the Astra, ease of entry via big doors, plenty of room for wheelchair in boot, etc. Plus its a great drive. Alternatively, you could look at something like a second hand Ford Focus CarChair, manufactured by Constables: http://www.constablesmobility.com/newsite/range/carchairsystem/focus/focus.html If you want driving thrills, I can't see any reason why you couldn't fit the Constables system to a Focus ST!

 My 3dr Mk1 Focus has stupidly long doors, they're a pain! The seats are quite high though, everyone who sits in the passenger seat says it feels like a van/people carrier.