[2littledarlings]

Hi,

We are needing to get a 2nd car and have been looking at the Volkswagon golf. This would be my run around town car and not used for trips at all. The safety features and ANCAP rating is great along with the fuel efficiency. So we are pretty much decided on a golf.

BUT I have fallen in love with the convertible model haha typical I know. I have researched the safety and it still has a 5 star rating.

Would you do it? We have a 6 yr old and a 4.5 yr old and would prob have it about 5 yrs, so not when the kids were older and needed more room in backseat. The size is not a concern because we are looking at a very small, efficient car for town.

Both kids are in Safe and sound maxi riders ahr with the normal seat belt and anti sub clip. Both climb into their seats themselves and DS does his belt up, DD is starting too, I check them of course

Does anyone have a convertible with kids? It is just soooo cool

ETA link with some pics http://www.carshowroom.com.au/newcars/revi...et_First_Drive_

This post has been edited by 2littledarlings: 27/01/2013, 11:30 AM

[fifi-trixibelle]

No I wouldn't.

There's plenty of time for your 'cool' car when the kids have grown up.

[FiveAus]

I had an Astra convertible and I absolutely loved it. But my kids were 12 and 16 when I got it, and for the most part it was only the 12yo who came anywhere with me.

Drawback was no rear doors, don't under-estimate how much of a pita it is having to flip the front seats forward so someone can get in and out of the back seat.
Another drawback was how low slung the car was.......it's not very comfortable (or elegant) to climb in or out of.
They are also not terribly practical. There is little leg room in the back and hardly any boot space.

The advantage is it is so cool to drive. Top down on a balmy summer night, very, very sweet.

Would I have one again? No, but it was fun to have while I did and at least I had the experience.

[starboard]

I much prefer the normal Golf.

I'm not keen on convertibles anyway but especially with kids I'd like a complete hard shell over us.

[2littledarlings]

So FiveAus would you say it had less leg room than the normal 2 door Astra? Is it a convertible thing or car size thing?

Hmmm such hard decision! Will have a closer look at the size of backseat.

[FiveAus]

So FiveAus would you say it had less leg room than the normal 2 door Astra? Is it a convertible thing or car size thing?

Hmmm such hard decision! Will have a closer look at the size of backseat.

I traded a 4 door Astra sedan for the convertible. It definitely had a lot less leg and boot space than the sedan, but I've never been in a 2 door Astra hatch, so I couldn't compare that.
I tend to think it's a convertible thing. The chassis of a convertible needs to be stiffened to compensate for the lack of a roof, and I think the length of the car is less to also help compensate. They really are cars meant for two. The allocation of passenger space is more of an afterthought.

[roses99]

Nah. I wouldn't at this stage.

Actually, I wouldn't get the Golf at all. We seriously considered it but went for a Ford Focus instead. All the research we did pointed to the Golf having reliability issues. Which, considering we would have been buying it for reliability and safety, is pretty disappointing.

The Focus is cheaper, fits our family easily and is rated 5 star for safety with ANCAP and the European rating system (which is harder to get 5*).

There's no doubt about it, the Golf is still a good car, we just felt the Focus was a better buy and likely to be more reliable (not to mention, cheaper to service).

[ally4281]

I have a new model suzuki swift and DS is in a Infa Secure comfy crowne. Not sure how the size of these compares to a maxi rider ahr, but my point is more about vision from a small car with booster seats.

His seat makes it so difficult to see out the back window. It takes up nearly the whole window in the middle spot. I moved it to the side seat recently, but now he blocks my blind spot. Just something else to think about, just in case you hadn't taken that into account.

This post has been edited by ally4281: 27/01/2013, 04:47 PM

[*LucyE*]

MIL has a convertible and I have no issues with her taking the kids in it.

I wouldn't have it for my everyday car because the daily in and out would annoy the crap out of me. My kids trash my 4WD with side steps so I can only imagine the damage they would cause with the constant folding of seats back and forward.

I'm in QLD so so have issues with heat, sun protection and the fact I hate my hair blowing around. My kids have a lot of their school paraphernalia on the backseat which would get lost if we drove around with he hood down. DD has lost a hat in MIL's car due to the wind.

MIL's car is a hard top convertible and it takes seconds for the roof to go on or off automatically. The main problem with the roof down, is that there is limited boot space. It would barely fit the two kids' school bags.

Safety-wise, the head rest things are strengthened to compensate for the lack of roof. It's normally driven with windows up for better comfort and aerodynamics which also gives that bit of side protection. Late model cars are built with higher doors anyway for better side impact protection. The main concern would be for intrusions into the passenger space from above which would be rare and a risk you weigh up.

We used to have a Golf hatch back. It was a good run about car and something I would recommend if you are in the city. I needed something bigger for my needs. We had no reliability issue with either of our VWs but we did service them regularly and generally looked after them.

[vanessa71]

I wouldn't get it, I much prefer the normal Golf, but I don't like convertibles of any sort. I couldn't stand inhaling all the fumes from the other cars (I don't even like having a window down), not to mention having my hair blown around everywhere.

This post has been edited by vanessa71: 28/01/2013, 09:39 AM