Help me pick a "Cool Dad" car....

This was our family car when I was young in the 70s:

This is my family car and I have three kids:

You could get one of each for $35K. We have a minivan for times when all five of us need to go somewhere. Otherwise, I can carry all the kids for when the need arises.

oldtin wrote: You have plenty of reliable transportation options. You want to be the cool dad. I'll put it out there , Maserati quattroporte. $35k easily gets you to 2006+ so clutch packs are off the table.

You're an evil man.

Thank you.

Stick shift Mazda 5.

Nothing says cool dad like an FD RX-7. Especially since it meets none of your criteria.

CONGRATULATIONS! I remember that you and your wife were considering reproducing. Due in July means you guys just found out, right? Best of luck to you and your wife through the pregnancy.

Regarding the car situation, don't believe the hype about hatchbacks and small cars suiting kids fine - While less than ideal for a primary car, loading a kid into the back seat of a two door car a few times a week is NOT a big deal. I did it in my 900, and it wasn't that big of a hassle. You do have to be considerate about the child seats you buy because some of them are the size of a life raft.

Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote:

oldtin wrote: You have plenty of reliable transportation options. You want to be the cool dad. I'll put it out there , Maserati quattroporte. $35k easily gets you to 2006+ so clutch packs are off the table.

You're an evil man. Thank you.

I second the Quattroporte movement. I know someone who picked up an 07 and says it doesn't cost much more to maintain than an SRT8 JGC.

your kid could grow up with this sound etched in their impressionable little head

When I was growing up, for a family of 4, we had one of these:

And one of these...

In those colors.

You just had to make more trips or take both cars!

In your shoes, I'd probably look for a 300 SRT8. I drove one around Barber once, awesome big car.

In reply to G_Body_Man:

And the FX, while fragile, can even go offroading

The second gen CTS-V really is glorious to drive with the six speed. The wagon is cooler but the sedan is in your price range. They suck gas like a camel three weeks out from an oasis, but, well, they're awesome.

Best memory ever, my 3-yr old daughter in the car seat yelling...."Drive Curly Daddy!!! Drive Curly!!!"

Oh yes. That.

Space you THINK you need:

Space you ACTUALLY need:

Done

Minivan van Hell!!!

pointofdeparture wrote: In your shoes I would be looking at a - stay with me here - CPO VW GTI or Golf R, so you get an extended warranty and a great deal (since VWs are worthless right now). Then, in two or three years, you trade it in on the Focus RS you really want; before the VW warranty runs out but after the bad PR passes and values come back, and after RS values have stabilized and all their teething issues are worked out.

I wish Golf R's were worthless right now! I've been looking for a Mk7 and the only one around is $2K over MSRP. I wouldn't be surprised if VW cancels the R as part of the cost cutting needed to survive. Who knows where R resale values are going to go then.

I want to buy the Focus RS but when it comes down to it I need a nice DD more than another raw race car.

AMC Hornet Sportabout with a built & injected 304 and a T-5. Swap the rear axle to an 8.8 before it gets blowed up from the power. Extra points if you paint it up and such like this two-door sedan;

The Sienna's no slouch.

http://autoweek.com/article/sema-show/toyota-claims-its-sema-sienna-can-beat-camaro-ss

Congrats! We just had our first a month ago.

I'll just get it out of the way that infant seats are huge and I don't see how one can possibly properly fit in a small car. It barely fits in my 9-3, and that is with the seat in front of it pushed way up. It will be fine for the limited amount of infant taxi work in my future; we have so far used my wife's LS430 for all outings.

I know a guy that got a Cayenne Turbo. It is a sweet dad car that he also tows his race car with.

pinchvalve wrote: Done

Looks like a reliable hatchback to me. Hot V6 as well. Too bad Mrs. Not Bruce already has a Highlander.. No need for a van.

Already has a Porsche.

G37 seems like a good choice.

E60 M5. E63 AMG.

E63 AMG Wagon.

Congratulations.

I suggest a turbo minivan or a hellcat charger.

Semi-related, sorta on-topic comment:

At SEMA I saw a friend of ours who works in the industry. I asked if there was anything we could do to help.

"Please, please make minivans cool," he begged. He now has a little one and realizes that a minivan is the answer. He's just not sure if he can make that leap.

So, here's to making minivans cool.

wearymicrobe wrote: SRT-8 Magnum Wagon!!

This is my vote, though i'd get one of the v6 models and LS swap it. probably cheaper, and probably faster.

G_Body_Man wrote: it doesn't cost much more to maintain than an SRT8 JGC.

This is true of every car ever.