The ideal 'do it all multi-car' garage - which vehicles

So, I'm sure I'm not alone, but my nights are spent pretend shopping for the next car.  I love the thrill of the hunt and it's actually fun researching random cars and imagining.  

Years ago, I owned 8 cars which sounds good, but honestly, it was kind of a pain.   Some would sit, moving them around was annoying and then that left less cash to mod since it was tied up in so many cars.   I'm a big fan of used and keeping cars around.  Plus I want to smile when I open my garage and see what's in there. 

So, what cars would you own for the following:  

1.  Back road hooning and general fun:   I have a turbo NA miata that covers that.  But I don't take it out of town because I'm spoiled and want to be comfy on highway trips.

2.  Out of town family car.   I have a 200k lexus GS that is and has been flawless for this duty.   Reliable. Quiet.  Good gas mileage.  Comfy.  Safe.  

3.  Trailer hauler and big stuff carrier.   I have a 100 series land cruiser with 200k miles.  Flawless for this role.  8 passenger if I need it.  Bad weather go anywhere friendly.  Safe.  Actually comfy as well.  Reliable.  

So it would seem i have all covered.  But I'm still missing something:   the ooh factor car.  The car i drive alone if i go out of town and want to have fun in the drive. 

But then another car would sit and that is what I'm afraid of.   

So, do I add one?  Do I replace one? (Not the miata:  that one i have a 22 year history with).   Or do I just continue pretend shopping and enjoy that hobby?

Working realistically, I think I can get it done in 3 cars...........4 depending on how serious I get with NC Miata I'm picking up next week. 

'06 Miata, AutoX/HPDE/DD for now. It will stay how it is for awhile. It will still be civilized enough to take to brunch on Sundays or for a drive on a nice day.

Put my girlfriend in like new 4dr Tacoma. That would be her DD and then our camping and towing vehicle. A Miata + aluminum trailer = no need for a full-size. This would be if the Miata gets to the point of track-only.  

Then something like an STi or something for my everyday car, or maybe a Mustang GT, something of that nature. 

Another option might be for me to drive the truck everyday and get an EV for her that we use as an around town vehicle.

My wife and I are narrowing down from 4 cars to 3, and I think all 4 criteria are met. Non street legal track cars don't count, and I still need to sell my MG that I never drive.  
 

1. fun and ooh factor:  NSX

2. trips and whatnot: e400 wagon, activity shopping for this one now to replace both my CLS63(sold) and her Mazda3 (convert to race car once e400 gets here)

3. Suburban 2500.   A wonderful tool, not much fun to drive when not hauling/towing/snowing but so good at those things.  

Sounds like your garage is already set. If the turbo NA Miata isn't doing it for you, maybe sell it and try something else that will tickle your fancy. 

I've thought about getting rid of all 5 cars of mine and going down to just a Raptor and my S2000 to suit all my needs. 

What I own right now mostly fits into those categories as well:

1) back road hooning (used to double as track car):  turbo NB

2) "presentable" family car:  Audi S6

3) trailer & other stuff hauler:  Silverado LBZ Duramax

4) ooh factor:  93 FD RX-7 mostly stock.

But I'll also add:

5) track car: caged/etc E46 M3

1 and 4 could probably be combined if I really wanted to.  I tried combining 1 and 5 and decided that I didn't like the compromises necessary to keep a track car streetable.

In reply to Sonic :

The nsx is my original dream car and high on my list.

currently own 4,  could downsize to 3 a few ways.

1:  the fun car.  1978 LS/T56 swapped Chevy Implala Wagon.  Big, ugly, but faster than it should be for what it is.    this is also the roadtrip car,  why I built it.

2. the Mundane DD:  2008 Cadillac STS.  comfy, but nothing special.   

3.  Truck:   2005 GMC 2500HD.  I have to have a truck,  in fact i've never, not had a truck since i have been driving.  8.1 Big Block makes it a decent amount of fun to drive even unloaded

4.  Wifes DD:  2010 Ford escape.    point A to B is all she is concerned with.  typically our weekend runaround car for errands and such.

The truck sits 99% of the time, but it is a rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it sort of deal.   I drive it once a month or so just to keep fluids moving.  Its paid for,  so no need to sell.

In a perfect world,  I would sell the Truck and the Caddy and buy a large SUV/crew cab truck to take over DD/towing duty.  still get the job done, can haul more people and tow when needed but 1 less vehicle to keep around.   Most likely won't  happen.  selling my caddy and truck won't buy much of an SUV cash now a days.  

In reply to codrus :

I love your garage - Fd is timeless sexy.  

In reply to Caprigrip :

Could the "ooh" factor car just be a rental?  You get a greater variety of experiences without the headaches of ownership.

I think the simplest one to replace for more "ooh" factor is probably the Lexus- maybe a newer, higher performance Lexus since it has served you so well?

My garage is similar and for similar reasons.

DD and all weather hooning car is the VR6 Passat.  Road trips for 4 or fewer, seems to do everything competently.

Tow pig and hauler of up to 8 is the QS Suburban.  Nothing else out there does the job quite as well as a Suburban.

My new autocross toy (the Zoomboni) has bumped the "too nice for me" Miata off my list because I never drive it.  (new owner coming to pick it up soon)  

Tiger Mom has the unicorn Jaag.  (stick shift, big motor X-Type) that we take out occasionally for evenings out to dinner.

I may see about copying Ashyukun soon and find a BMW convertible for short money to have a summertime toy.  But I've done 5 Miatai now and I think it's time to change that up.

Why not have your out of town/roadtrip vehicle and trailer hauler be the same vehicle? 

I have two right now but three would be my right answer

1) fun/autox/HPDE/TT car: E36 328i. Does it all and I don't plan on modding it more or getting rid of it. Adding more to it for HPDE/TT would make it less streetable and that is a compromise I don't want to make.

2) daily driver/road trip car: Chevy Colorado diesel. 6ft bed for truck stuff and 30 mpg on the highway for daily use.

Add a third car which I think is needed:

3) dedicated HPDE/TT car with a cage: E46 330i. Still simple to work on and when ready to jump to W2W, SE46 is right there.

I am happy with what I have now.

DD R8 Spyder. (Had a 911 before the 911 was better as a DD) 

Weekend Car 55 Thunderbird 

Track Car 2010 Viper ACR 

Even this is a bit much. Honestly I could sell the thunderbird and the viper and get a small F400 or something like it for track work and be very very happy. Also I miss having a truck as a DD.

KyAllroad (Jeremy) said:

My garage is similar and for similar reasons.

DD and all weather hooning car is the VR6 Passat.  Road trips for 4 or fewer, seems to do everything competently.

Tow pig and hauler of up to 8 is the QS Suburban.  Nothing else out there does the job quite as well as a Suburban.

My new autocross toy (the Zoomboni) has bumped the "too nice for me" Miata off my list because I never drive it.  (new owner coming to pick it up soon)  

Tiger Mom has the unicorn Jaag.  (stick shift, big motor X-Type) that we take out occasionally for evenings out to dinner.

I may see about copying Ashyukun soon and find a BMW convertible for short money to have a summertime toy.  But I've done 5 Miatai now and I think it's time to change that up.

What do you mean by “too nice for me Miata”?

In reply to Tactical Penguin :

That's a good idea and I should look into it.  Turo right?   Something in my brain loves the idea of owning and living with a car for a while but a GTR rental with no transmission worries could be a fun weekend :)

In reply to yupididit :

Another great idea.   It definitely can be - my wife loves SUVs - I prefer the seating position of a car on road trips but I could sacrifice.  Get one newer Land Cruiser as a do it all could make sense.  And then replace Lexus with a fun everyday car.  

For me the ideal quiver would be late model F150, clean Cayman S, and caged Miata track ho. I'm 2/3 of the way there with the Cayman and the Miata.  Also have a Sienna van which is amazing but not great for towing. 

In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :

That's always on my radar - makes total sense.   Not 'ooh' factor but very nice place to be daily.  

In reply to P3PPY :

In my personal algebra of depreciation vs capital tied up vs frequency of use the Miata is a depreciating asset that has 5 figures of cash tied up in a car that I only drive a very little bit.  It's over my comfortable "walk away from" if it got bent at the track limit.

So it's too nice for me.  I'm more a $2,000 toy car guy, this place has rubbed off on me.

In reply to Caprigrip :

Since you love the NA, how about putting some effort into it so it can have some "Ooooh factor"

For me, I'd be happy with three

1) Daily driver

2) Pickup truck

3) Toy

Currently I have my 93 Civic as a toy (which is waiting for me to finish house projects so I can get it up and going again and get the suspension rebuilt) and a my pickup which is also my daily driver currently but I hate daily driving a pickup.

See signature. 

Seriously, though. I love my Fusion as a DD. It's quick, pretty good on gas, comfortable, has all the gadgets that I love, and it looks cool. It's even reasonably practical.

The Expedition is my wife's daily, and it's a workhorse. Need to haul 8 kids to soccer practice? Got it. Need to pull our travel trailer all over the country? No problem. Need to pull out a stump in the backyard? You're covered. Need to drag my daughter's broken-down Focus home so I can fix it and get it back on the road for her? Easy-peasy. It's a great do-it-all vehicle. It's only downside is abysmal fuel mileage.

And for the toy, I've had a revolving cast, but the 944 is Rad, it's good-looking, it's analog, and it needs lots of work, so it keeps me busy.

yupididit said:

Why not have your out of town/roadtrip vehicle and trailer hauler be the same vehicle? 

This.  Every time we pack the family up I wish we combined the beater F150 and nice Sorento into one (nice) vehicle.

Interesting that no one yet has mentioned a garage and driveway full of dilapidated, non running projects.  Strange...