I'd echo the thoughts in here that you need a Japanese minivan (or even a 2000's domestic minivan) as your baseline/backup vehicle. Mazda5, Odyssey, Sienna, etc.
You've got two sporty German cars and an AWD turbo luxury SUV. In my head that's three fun cars. Great fleet, sounds cool, except if you have 4 kids you need a reliable family hauler in the fleet so get one.
Im gonna go off a different branch and say what you need is a buick roadmaster with a rear facing 3rd row. Complete with woodgrain, flowmasters, and sweet wheels. (I have a want for one, let me vicariously see how it does for you!)
Dropkick the Audi, it will continue to cost you more and more headaches. I believe many warned you about them, but you didn't listen so now we're saying to get rid of it. Please listen this time. They just aren't good to own after their warranty is up, unless you can afford to take them to the dealer. Sad but true. Replace with something more reliable and can seat 4 like a Camry or one of its contemporaries.
The Flex? Its been reliable for the rep and while some of the stuff has been a pain to find/fix how much of it was critical to do? Suck it up and have a shop fix it for you and get back on the road again. Use that time to find something less expensive to own/repair that will be more reliable, like a minivan. There are lots of minivans coming up for sale from the rental agencies, etc. They aren't sexy (well maybe the Pacific is kinda sexy for a minivan), but they are a necessary evil when you have kids and kids stuff. Trade/sell the Flex for reliable family transport.
The Porsche? Just put tires on it and either pick away at its issues or move it along for something just as fun and not as frustrating to own/repair? If only there were an Answer for that.....
I'm hearing fix the Flex and give it a chance as the family hauler it was intended to be. I can do that.
I'm also hearing keep the Boxster and just put tires on it, as soon as I get literally any flipping money I will do that.
Pretty universal on dumping the Audi. What to replace it with? Needs to hold 2 adults and 2 kids in car seats/boosters, and have a real manual trans. She is enamored with German cars and luxury and was looking at the E92 BMW 328ix.
Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:Pretty universal on dumping the Audi. What to replace it with? Needs to hold 2 adults and 2 kids in car seats/boosters, and have a real manual trans. She is enamored with German cars and luxury and was looking at the E92 BMW 328ix.
Is there a Mazda 6 or (gasp!) even a Hyundai Sonata with manual available? Not quite as much status symbol, but if it's driving dynamics she's after, either are worth looking at...
G35/37 to replace audi?
In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
Dump the Audi, use some of proceeds to buy tires for Boxster, daily the Boxster? That leaves a two vehicle house with Flex for hauling and Boxster seeing daily use/autocross.
Or, Dump the Audi, use the money form the Audi sale/trade to buy cheap Japanese minivan, set Boxster aside until you can get tires for it. That means 3 vehicles, but each of you gets a vehicle capable of hauling the family (backup if either one is down) and you'd still have your fun car.
Audi replacement = what about a Kia Soul? Manual trans, good on gas, not made by VAG, lots around. Also Mazda6 as previously mentioned.
Seems like keeping the Boxster for another year makes sense; get your daily fleet under control.
Once a stable Audi replacement has happened then maybe think about Flex replacement but that seems lower priority.
I'm in the camp of keeping the flex. They are awesome vehicles and you have the only factory car with a refrigerator option. Seriously, if you keep the flex, it will only get cooler.
I'd cull the Audi. I'm also in the camp to get something Japanese, if you keep the flex at least. I do love having the miata in the fleet.
Dump it all and get a GX460/LX570/4 Runner/Sequoia/Land Cruiser. Doesnt matter which, they are all excellent. Pick the one in the style/options/price range you like.
Spend the rest of your money on rust preventative oil for your tools since they will start to rust.
In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
I commend the effort to pare down to:
In the attempt to have all these, its clear that you wanted each choice to have some "spirit" also; not just another appliance. In general, I am fine with the choices. We could all critique each choice and give you an opinion of something that would be "better" in the respectful classifications but "better" will mostly just come down to "different."
All cars have needs. Some more than others. Not many here will say that a high mile Audi is a "budget conscious" choice. So, the fact that the Audi is having needs is not the surprise. The unfortunate surprise is that everything is having needs at the same time. A streak of bad timing.
Written above, the suggestion of G35/G37 replacing the Audi seems like it could be a good choice. Though, a G35/G37 will have needs too. However, it does have some "spirit". Choose something with less spirit and you might then have less needs too...ala Camry, but what fun is that.
It's all a delicate balance while being somewhat of a juggling act. Good luck. You've got this!
Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:Pretty universal on dumping the Audi. What to replace it with? Needs to hold 2 adults and 2 kids in car seats/boosters, and have a real manual trans. She is enamored with German cars and luxury and was looking at the E92 BMW 328ix.
I remain convinced that Audi and BMW will always need some little thing - or some big thing like the audi rings, and you'll be back in the same boat soon. Can you point her to an Acura/Infiniti/Mazda to satisfy the 'luxury manual sedan' requirement?
If it were me and I loved the Audi/E92, I would just add a cheap high mile japanese appliance to serve as a backup vehicle.
Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:G35/37 to replace audi?
No Nissans or GM's, period. Way too much trauma from those (Hardbody input shaft, XTerra coolant/trans milkshake, Saturn everything, Grand Prix head gaskets)
Keep the Porsche, drop kick the Audi, sell the kids, and trade the Flex on a motorcycle.
tremm said:Answer why you put yourself in a position to owe $9500 on a 7 year old vehicle with a non-running porsche & audi in the driveway + apparently a family of 6 while you do it.
Because loan rates are stupid cheap right mow and I am making more money on the interest my cash earns than the the interest charges on the loan balance. At least until the market crashes.
RedGT said:Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:Pretty universal on dumping the Audi. What to replace it with? Needs to hold 2 adults and 2 kids in car seats/boosters, and have a real manual trans. She is enamored with German cars and luxury and was looking at the E92 BMW 328ix.
I remain convinced that Audi and BMW will always need some little thing - or some big thing like the audi rings, and you'll be back in the same boat soon. Can you point her to an Acura/Infiniti/Mazda to satisfy the 'luxury manual sedan' requirement?
If it were me and I loved the Audi/E92, I would just add a cheap high mile japanese appliance to serve as a backup vehicle.
She went from a Mazdaspeed6 GT to an XTerra (hated) to a Mazda3i commuter bubble to a B6 A4 Quattro 1.8T, to a B7 A4 Quattro 2.0T to the current B8 A4 Quattro 2.0T, all manual transmissions (except the X-Terra, which milkshaked it's trans). She wants a manual sedan that has some soul to drive. Speed6's are slim on the ground and a manual IS is stupid rare. I would love for there to be a Honda/Toyota/Mazda in the driveway again instead of something German.
OK, seriously...
The family hauler matters. I've got a 2012 Ecoboost, and its a great engine. It is also at the age when it needs work. I've replaced every coil one at a time, water pump, misc other things. At that age, your gonna have to spend some money on it, and the Ecoboost is NOT easy on the wallet for maintenance. However, once you get it sorted, it's a great engine. The AWD Ecoboost Flex should be a great ride.
Having said that, a Caravan really is the easy button. (I've got one of those too). If you don't have the patience for the Flex, trade it on a Caravan. (or minivan of your choice)
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:Keep the Porsche, drop kick the Audi, sell the kids, and trade the Flex on a motorcycle.
I like how you think Paul!
Sell the Audi and buy manual V70R?
https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ctd/d/portland-2004-volvo-v70-25l-turbo-awd/7169166582.html
A 2004 V70R? Is this a serious suggestion?
pres589 (djronnebaum) said:A 2004 V70R? Is this a serious suggestion?
Um, yes? Apparently I need a trustee to manage my automotive purchases. 
I'm like an automotive masochist.
You just need more cars. Three is hardly a fleet.
The Porsche and Audi can be parked until you can fix them yourself. Something boring and Japanese can be added that will always start. You also need a pickup and a boat.
This is GRM. Sell them all and buy three Miatas. Done.
Joking aside, I'm strongly in the "sell the Audi" camp. You need more Japanese cars and less German in your fleet. When you were singing the Audi's virtues, I was shaking my head.
I would never buy a V70 to replace it though. Sweden is too similar to Germany.
I feel less strongly about the Flex. I think it depends on how much it costs to fix. The thing is, who would want to buy a used Flex leaking coolant everywhere? I guess you could factor it into your selling price, but still. I think you might be pot committed on that car, but I could be wrong. I do like them, very few cars haul that much stuff/people and look kind of cool/are fast. My vote for the Flex is to find out the repair cost and go from there. It might be time to get a Japanese mini van again. You love Mazda 5s.
I love driving Porsche's, more the 911 than Boxster, but I hate to feed them. I'd sell that car and it's coolant smoking bull$hit flat 6 with the 7 (?) oil pumps and pick up a Miata.
We all need AT LEAST one car that is dead nuts reliable IMO. At one point I had a ratty E30 as my only car. It was insane. I hated my life until I sold that. I ended getting a Camry from a friend for dirt cheap. My life is so much better.
Javelin (Forum Supporter) said:I'm hearing fix the Flex and give it a chance as the family hauler it was intended to be. I can do that.
I'm also hearing keep the Boxster and just put tires on it, as soon as I get literally any flipping money I will do that.
Pretty universal on dumping the Audi. What to replace it with? Needs to hold 2 adults and 2 kids in car seats/boosters, and have a real manual trans. She is enamored with German cars and luxury and was looking at the E92 BMW 328ix.
I'm not meaning to be an ass, and maybe you're exaggerating but:
Not having any flipping money and needing a German luxury car just doesn't fit in the same garage. At the end of the day, getting to work in a Prius beats not getting to work in a sporty saloon.
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