Why no Estate cars in Ireland ?

keithclancy

Was wondering why does nobody in Ireland buy estate cars ?

They can double as a van when you are transporting stuff

They have more space for luggage.

If you go to a music festival you can just stick all the seats down and have a sleeping place the size of a double bed.

They can be high performance as well?

You see lots in the UK and on the Continent, but they seem to be pretty rare in Ireland.

Any idea why ?

Gwynplaine

Most of them look hideous.

They are a bit twee and middle class.

But still, infinitely less so than the people carriers that people rush off to buy once they have a child.

tomwaterford

Because they look like a hearse with seats

kneemos

Pointless.Plus most of them have bigger engines I'd imagine.

skinnie

So much room for activities!

the groutch

Because mothers need a 7-seater to collect their one child from school.

ednwireland

407 sportwagon parked outside

kneemos

ednwireland wrote: »

407 sportwagon parked outside

Who owns it?

ednwireland

kneemos wrote: »

Who owns it?

the other half, i have an octavia which is big enough to throw my bike in when i need to

Nodin

keithclancy wrote: »

Was wondering why does nobody in Ireland buy estate cars ?

Station wagon I always heard it called. I seem to remember there being a lot more of them about in the 80's.....maybe its a fashion thing?

the_syco

keithclancy wrote: »

Any idea why ?

Most driveways aren't made for them, and the market that used to buy them now probably drive SUV's.

delahuntv

BMW 5 series "touring" looks good, as did the old volvo v70

micks_address

Nodin wrote: »

Station wagon I always heard it called. I seem to remember there being a lot more of them about in the 80's.....maybe its a fashion thing?

We have a civic tourer.. The amount of luggage we packed in today was great.. Very practical.. Some might not like the looks but I don't mind it and I'm getting about 70mpg from the 1.6 diesel so happy enough

Mr_Muffin

They are just big enough to live in. You could sleep comfortable in the back and live in the front.

spurious

Skoda Roomster FTW - is it a car for a disabled person, is it a van, what the fiddle dee dee is it?
Spacious.
Eat my dust.

knird evol

Deleted User wrote: »

They are a bit twee and middle class.

That is the cover they maintain.
On closer inspection they are usually high-powered
audis driven by balding, middle aged, overly
aggressive drivers from a certain compass
point in europe.


Car's a 'sleeper.'

kneemos

Mr_Muffin wrote: »

They are just big enough to live in. You could sleep comfortable in the back and live in the front.

Dinner party's could be difficult.

ThisRegard

There's loads of them if you actually looked.

Samsgirl

There is def one because we have an Octavia Estate!!

biko

Plenty of people have estate cars.

Cienciano

They're way more popular on the continent than ireland. If I was getting a car now I'd either get an estate or a convertible. Massive boot or no boot

Fratton Fred

Loads of Audi A4 and BMW 3 and 5 series estates around my area.

xhoundx

kneemos wrote: »

Pointless.Plus most of them have bigger engines I'd imagine.

Nope

the_syco wrote: »

Most driveways aren't made for them, and the market that used to buy them now probably drive SUV's.

They are no longer than the saloon equivalent.

PowerToWait

I've an estate. Imo they look way better than most saloons, which are the epitome of safe and conservative, middle class Irish driving.

And I benefit from all the points made in the OP. I've it stuffed with hobby stuff of all kinds and still carry another 2 bodies to wherever. Sleep in it at festivals or pricey tourist towns the odd time.

But try selling it in Ireland. No chance.

ThisRegard

Yeah, I don't get the drive ways aren't built for them comment, it's bizarre.

PowerToWait

ThisRegard wrote: »

Yeah, I don't get the drive ways aren't built for them comment, it's bizarre.

Another ill informed Irish non-reason.

Del2005

The reason why there are so few estate cars is because most people buy the few square centimetres that stick to the front and back not a car, just look at the amount of people who bought new diesel cars since 08 even though they are completely unsuitable for their needs and cost them thousands of Euro to save a few hundred Euro per annum.

JupiterKid

There used to be a few estate cars about back in the 80s and 90s. People carriers and SUVs have pretty much taken over any market for estate cars.

Kiwi in IE

Both our cars are Estate models. I think in general estates look much better than ordinary sedans/hatchbacks and are more functional.

Look at the VW Passat. The estate model is 1000 x classier looking than the sedan.

Jawgap

My last three cars have been estates - current one is an A4 S-Line Avant, goes like dog snot and is eminently practical.

Started buying estates (although current one is a company car) when I outgrew my boy racer phase, ie, when the sprogs arrived - the rear deck of an estate is very convenient for changing nappies on

micks_address

Jawgap wrote: »

My last three cars have been estates - current one is an A4 S-Line Avant, goes like dog snot and is eminently practical.

Started buying estates (although current one is a company car) when I outgrew my boy racer phase, ie, when the sprogs arrived - the rear deck of an estate is very convenient for changing nappies on

Yeah the flat boot with virtually no boot lip makes its very handy... The A6 estate always caught my eye..

John_Rambo

Aside from a few sports cars I've always had hotish hatches, I now have an fairly high powered estate. It's got the same engine as Ford Focus ST... but not as tuned, the yearly tax is just as highly tuned unfortunately.

Contrary to popular beliefs estate cars are not slower, they handle just as well as saloons, they're not much bigger, they're not noisier and in some cases they're easier to park. The boot space practicality issue is a no brainer.

Irish people have traditionally gone with the saloon. It's just a conservative sheep cultural thing. It's changing slowly though. As mentioned before, Europe wide estates are more popular or obvious reasons. A lot of estate models are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye than their boring saloon stablemates. Particularly Audi, BMW, Skoda and of course Volvo. The VW Passat estate is so much nicer than the saloon version.

Harry Palmr

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Loads of Audi A4 and BMW 3 and 5 series estates around my area.

Posh bastard!

The % of the market that is estates is certainly lower here than other mature car markets. I think its a price thing, traditionally they were subject to a premium by importers and they had bigger engines as a rule. Suddenly you were driving something that cost a hefty wedge to tax (2000c+). They also tended to be associated with either Kildare farmers or posh types. Then the people carriers happened which transmuted into SUVs/mini SUVs for all. Horrid dumpy things they are as well. Something like a dark green W124 estate oozes understated class.

murpho999

Nodin wrote: »

Station wagon I always heard it called. I seem to remember there being a lot more of them about in the 80's.....maybe its a fashion thing?

I've never heard any Irish person call them a station wagon, only estate cars.

They are practical but fugly.

Jawgap

micks_address wrote: »

Yeah the flat boot with virtually no boot lip makes its very handy... The A6 estate always caught my eye..

As the kids got older the extra space was great for carrying travel cots and all the impedimentia associated with moving toddlers around.......then the football and rugby gear.....the longer roof is great for bike racks and roof boxes.......and when the time comes it's much easier to pack them off to uni in s single run with all their gear

ThisRegard

Jawgap wrote: »

the rear deck of an estate is very convenient for changing nappies on

Yeah, it's ideal, we always use it out and about. It should be a selling point used in ads.

micks_address

Jawgap wrote: »

As the kids got older the extra space was great for carrying travel cots and all the impedimentia associated with moving toddlers around.......then the football and rugby gear.....the longer roof is great for bike racks and roof boxes.......and when the time comes it's much easier to pack them off to uni in s single run with all their gear

You'll often find that due to the roof shape headroom is much better for back seat passengers also...

FMG

For me the estate is perfect , great for fishing weekends . I sometimes chuck the bike in and along with tent etc head away camping . Looking to upgrade at the minute .

Kiwi in IE

I can't think of one reason why a Sedan would be preferable to an Estate. Not a single one.

foggy_lad

I remember being in a mark 3 Cortina estate years ago, afaik it was a 2l xls estate, the auld fella was complaining about the petrol useage:D It was huge! looked like the big yank station wagons.

flended12

Always despised the Estates (pre 2005). I know own a Hyundai i40 tourer. 1.7ltr diesel, €75 to fill, this gets me 575 miles. Love it. Looks great as does the saloon model of same make. Camping, fishing, kayak up on top wife and kids all fit no problem

The Backwards Man

Everybody's Grandad drove an estate, wore a woolly cardigan and sucked Fisherman's Friends.

Oafley Jones

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Everybody's Grandad drove an estate, wore a woolly cardigan and sucked Fisherman's Friends.

Are you from Cornwall?

micks_address

flended12 wrote: »

Always despised the Estates (pre 2005). I know own a Hyundai i40 tourer. 1.7ltr diesel, €75 to fill, this gets me 575 miles. Love it. Looks great as does the saloon model of same make. Camping, fishing, kayak up on top wife and kids all fit no problem

I read the up on top of wife bit totally outta context...

wendell borton

The Irish car buyer is a bit schizophrenic alright, its either underpowered saloons or **** off SUV's neither of which are all that practical.

foggy_lad

Estate cars became much less popular when seat-belt laws started to be enforced and laws prohibiting 13 kids being carried in the back with another 2 or 3 in the front.

monkeysnapper

I think they're great. "................

........I have one sale if anyone's interested 😆

ringadingding

Last 2 cars and this one is an estate.
I'll be the first to admit they're not the sexiest looking.
But it saves me a load of hassle transporting stuff, and they feel more airy inside.

In fairness, the new shape Mercs, Passat and tourers are very aesthetic.

I have a 03 c200, looks a bit like the ghostbusters car

Filmer Paradise

There's plenty if you look around. Very popular with the Cops now, I notice.

Up till recently we had a Rover 75 estate. A very stylish & practical vehicle I must say.

A bit twee in a way though. Sometimes driving it I felt like a Scout Master going to a Jamboree.

Sh1tbag OToole

wendell borton wrote: »

The Irish car buyer is a bit schizophrenic alright, its either underpowered saloons or **** off SUV's neither of which are all that practical.

Even the SUV's are underpowered. A Hilux crew cab with a 1.0L 3 cylinder would probably sell here.

Have an octavia vrs estate meself, grand yoke but not many of them around - only 2 used ones on Donedeal at the minute.