WTMFH is wrong with newer cars and the friggin back seats?

http://panamacity.craigslist.org/cto/2681888531.html

forester with spun bearing $800... :)

MrJoshua wrote: The point is that I keep thinking about cool cars and finding out the rear only fits two. Sucks! Used to be they shoved as many seats in every car as possible, not so anymore.

They stopped that when bench seats became "uncool".

As your youngest is 1, you also need one of those slots to be a seat right? I know some folks like boosters but the powers that be say rear facing until 2 and crash data from the last trauma conference I went to actually supports rear facing until 8!!! Oddly you could guess that nobody is pushing for that as cars would need the rear seats ripped out for little legs to point backwards.

With this being said and given your being ok with a car as small as a Mini or as large as a GTO, I forward a Pontiac G8 and a BMW E46 Wagon.

G8, A family mans American Badazz.

Next up the ever popular and slightly smaller but also cheaper to keep E46.

Of course Acura TL would suit your needs as well. We had one until it got crunched by texting driver. It was cool but I would go for one of the above with a nod to the BMW given your situation.

aussiesmg wrote: Try the Hyundai Elantra, be prepared for a big surprise, my 6'3" son rides fine in the rear, I have transported wheelchairs in the trunk and mine is a stick.

+1...with a twist. Elantra Touring (5-door). The back seat has a phenomonal amount of leg room. I am 6'6" with long legs. When I have my driver seat set for me, I can still sit behind me. I have 2 boys in booster seats--works great for them (and there is a middle seatbelt that goes unused too). The other bonus is that the Touring has significantly stiffer dampers/springs and a larger RSB than the (older style) Elantra Sedan. It also comes with a B&M shifter in the SE package. The brakes are some of the best I have driven on an 'economy' car.

I guarantee that it could be a formittable HS car in SOLO2.

As for utility, with the seats down it is just as big as a small SUV.

MrJoshua wrote: I want the option of something fun for the 95% of the time it is just her, and something we can survive when she hauls the kids.

Your math is weird.

I have the same math (with 3 bigger chillins), and find the MINI will work just fine.

As you said, 95% of the time it's just her. When she hauls the kids, you are still OK , because you are not in the car (that makes 4). Or, you can swap and she can drive your car.

For the times that it is all 5 of you, you can fit just fine in your car and leave the MINI at home.

Buy the MINI. That's what I'm gonna do ( as soon as I can find one in my budget).

SVreX wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: I want the option of something fun for the 95% of the time it is just her, and something we can survive when she hauls the kids.

Your math is weird. I have the same math (with 3 bigger chillins), and find the MINI will work just fine. As you said, 95% of the time it's just her. When she hauls the kids, you are still OK , because you are not in the car (that makes 4). Or, you can swap and she can drive your car. For the times that it is all 5 of you, you can fit just fine in your car and leave the MINI at home. Buy the MINI. That's what I'm gonna do ( as soon as I can find one in my budget).

I don't think a 6 year old can sit in the front seat of a MINI.

There seem to be some good values to be had on mid '00's Saab 9-5 wagons. Make mine a turbo w/ manual trans.
Samples:
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/2684592301.html
'02 w/ 60k miles, auto. asking $8500. Offer $7k

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/2682389722.html
'03 w/138k miles, auto asking $6,500

dyintorace wrote:

SVreX wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: I want the option of something fun for the 95% of the time it is just her, and something we can survive when she hauls the kids.

Your math is weird. I have the same math (with 3 bigger chillins), and find the MINI will work just fine. As you said, 95% of the time it's just her. When she hauls the kids, you are still OK , because you are not in the car (that makes 4). Or, you can swap and she can drive your car. For the times that it is all 5 of you, you can fit just fine in your car and leave the MINI at home. Buy the MINI. That's what I'm gonna do ( as soon as I can find one in my budget).

I don't think a 6 year old can sit in the front seat of a MINI.

That might be true, but it still works for 95% of the time, and the rest of the time they can switch vehicles.

It took me a while to realize that ALL of my vehicles did not have to seat ALL of my family. That's what enabled me to buy the Miata from you!

In reply to SVreX:

The factor I didn't include in my weird math is that her car is the reliable, more than $2k, less than 200k vehicle in the family. In a perfect world we could buy her a vehicle that will do everything for around $10k and I could own a 5 seater for hauling kids around and a project car for fun.

Understood. Just offering another approach.

someone said rear facing seats till 8y/o... so I give you this

In reply to donalson:

What is that last one? (I am fairly certain it isn't the pretty silver thing in the small box)

MrJoshua wrote: In reply to donalson: What is that last one? (I am fairly certain it isn't the pretty silver thing in the small box)

I believe it is that pretty silver thing. New Tesla methinks.

Can't be, because the rear shape is utterly wrong for that big of a hatch. Pretty silver thing would have the rear windshield slicing through the rear seats of the interior.

Google Image Search "Tesla Model S trunk seats".

It's them.

dyintorace wrote: Man, something like this would be perfect!

Soooo pretty. Remind me again why you're getting rid of it?

benzbaron wrote: Get a crown vic, two parents up front and three suspects in the back!

And still have room for 5 dead hookers in trunk

donalson wrote: someone said rear facing seats till 8y/o... so I give you this

the Caprice and Roadmaster wagons had the rear facing seats until 96..

the current E-class wagon has them, though they don't look comfortable for anyone with legs.