Why no Estate cars in Ireland ?

micks_address · 16-08-2015 10:17PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:18PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:18PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:20PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:21PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:23PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:32PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:35PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:37PM

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

foggy_lad · 16-08-2015 10:48PM

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 · 16-08-2015 10:50PM

Always despised the Estates (pre 2005). I know own a Hyundai i40 tourer. 1.7ltr diesel, â‚¬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 · 16-08-2015 11:08PM

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

Oafley Jones · 16-08-2015 11:10PM

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 · 16-08-2015 11:26PM

flended12 wrote: »

Always despised the Estates (pre 2005). I know own a Hyundai i40 tourer. 1.7ltr diesel, â‚¬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 · 16-08-2015 11:37PM

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 · 16-08-2015 11:46PM

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 · 16-08-2015 11:48PM

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

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

ringadingding · 16-08-2015 11:54PM

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 · 17-08-2015 12:18AM

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 · 17-08-2015 12:37AM

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.

Filmer Paradise · 17-08-2015 12:44AM

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

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.

The boot is big enough in the Octavia. The're famous for it!

The estate must be like a Black Hole!

It must suck in light!:D

foggy_lad · 17-08-2015 12:44AM

Filmer Paradise wrote: »

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.

Those are not estate cars they are glorified hatchbacks, you need to get the 13 kids a bale of straw and 2 St Bernard's in the back to call them an estate car.

KungPao · 17-08-2015 01:45AM

They are still quite popular with the dogging crowd.

foggy_lad · 17-08-2015 01:48AM

KungPao wrote: »

They are still quite popular with the dogging crowd.

Do you mean breeders?

17-08-2015 02:21AM

A bit of dream of mine to drive around Europe in a nice Audi estate.. Think they should be more popular but realistically, if most people bought practical, more small cars would be sold.

justchecked · 17-08-2015 02:26AM

Deleted User wrote: »

A bit of dream of mine to drive around Europe in a nice Audi estate.. Think they should be more popular but realistically, if most people bought practical, more small cars would be sold.

yeah i was thinking the same but would it not get boring after a while.

also if you were sleeping in it someone might break in and bum you.

Filmer Paradise · 17-08-2015 02:47AM

justchecked wrote: »

yeah i was thinking the same but would it not get boring after a while.

also if you were sleeping in it someone might break in and bum you.

This might seem odd, but this never occurred to me when buying a car.

Imagine saying this to a car salesman as an issue...

justchecked · 17-08-2015 02:57AM

Filmer Paradise wrote: »

This might seem odd, but this never occurred to me when buying a car.

Imagine saying this to a car salesman as an issue...

car sales men are usually extremely knowledgeable about bumming you.

he'd probably have a brochure on it.

Filmer Paradise · 17-08-2015 03:02AM

justchecked wrote: »

car sales men are usually extremely knowledgeable about bumming you.

he'd probably have a brochure on it.

Oh in the money dept yes. But in the breaking into your car for an anal sex issue, I can't say if Iv'e ever heard of it.

ToddyDoody · 17-08-2015 04:33AM

"Das Boot... of the car."

Why no Estate cars in Ireland ?

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