Dad cars - what else should be on my list?

[MoonieGT]

Looking for payments to be $400 or less with ~$2.5-3k down. I'm still a solid 6-8 months away but I think I'll start sneaking out of the house for test drives before too long... Requirements: must be able to put kiddo in the back seat, and most likely has to be rwd or awd.

List of cars I want to go test drive (new or used):

1) RX8
2) WRX Wagon (2006-2007)
3) WRX 5-Door (2009 or later, maybe lease a 2011?)
4) e46 BMW 3 series wagon (hard to find, expensive to maintain?)
4) Ralliart Sportback (I get stuck in traffic on 35 a lot, TC-SST might be good for that)
5) GTI (don't really want FWD, but it's always described as a "driver's car")
6) Audi A3 (not sure how I feel about this one, but I like wagons/hatches)

What have I forgotten?

[POS Racing]

Why would you want to add a $400 a month payment to the mix with a kid on the way?

What does your wife drive now??

[MoonieGT]

Kiddo is already here :). He just turned 1 three weeks ago.

My current payment is $450, but the lease is almost up. I'm hoping to drop down to ~$350-400 or so for the next car. If I can spend less/month, then I'm all for it.

My wife has a Honda Pilot, so we have a big family vehicle. There are times when he rides in my car. It would be nice to have 4 doors. I may end up driving the miata as my daily driver for a while, but then he can't go in my car at all... If I find the right car and the right deal I'll retire the miata to track/nice weather duty.

[CosmosMpower]

You can probably get an older 335i sedan for that price range, also E46 M3, E39 M5.

[Titus]

I have used a Miata as a daily driver for 10 years and it became a kiddo carrier as soon as the kid was in a forward facing car seat.

[MoonieGT]

E46 M3 was not built in a 4-door. E39 M5 would be interesting but I'm pretty sure maintenance would be prohibitively expensive right? I do seem to remember seeing E39 M5's for low $20's... 335i would be ok, but I'd also be happy with a 328/330 sedan (I really like the sound of a NA straight six).

[MoonieGT]

I have used a Miata as a daily driver for 10 years and it became a kiddo carrier as soon as the kid was in a forward facing car seat.

I think you can put a kid in a two seater but it's not the best of ideas. Whether it is or is not legal, my wife says it's not allowed and that's a battle I'm not going to fight :).

[CosmosMpower]

E46 M3 was not built in a 4-door. E39 M5 would be interesting but I'm pretty sure maintenance would be prohibitively expensive right? I do seem to remember seeing E39 M5's for low $20's... 335i would be ok, but I'd also be happy with a 328/330 sedan (I really like the sound of a NA straight six).

Didn't see anything about 4 doors, just a backseat, sorry.

E39 will be hard to find with under 100K miles these days. I think the maintenance isn't too bad but some items can get pricey (Cats etc).

You can definitely get a E90 3 series if you don't have to have the 335 motor. Also check out the E46 330i ZHP (performance package). If you can increase the budget a bit a E55 AMG would be a fun 4 door street rocket, seems like you can get one for mid 20's.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/ctd/2109697312.html

http://www.ecarlist.com/showroom/1468/photos/675845#06

[POS Racing]

I have used a Miata as a daily driver for 10 years and it became a kiddo carrier as soon as the kid was in a forward facing car seat.

+1! & my wife has never had a 4 door car all her cars have been 2 door cars.

For our current daily driver fleet we have a dedicated family truckster and the rest of the fleet is Miatas.

[MoonieGT]

I'll look into the ZHP, thanks for the suggestion. Ya, I may not have mentioned 4-doors. My OTM has 2-doors and a back seat, but it's annoying to get him in and out of the car. That's why I'd like to have 4 doors, or at least the suicide doors of the RX8.

[Titus]

I think you can put a kid in a two seater but it's not the best of ideas. Whether it is or is not legal, my wife says it's not allowed and that's a battle I'm not going to fight :).

Perfectly legal & safe (as long as the passenger side airbag is removed or disabled (or never existed as in my case). With that said, convincing the wife she is wrong (especially when it comes to her child's safety) is a can of worms I usually like to avoid as well.

[POS Racing]

My OTM has 2-doors and a back seat, but it's annoying to get him in and out of the car.

Hey just a heads up in case you didn't know your son will become more mobile as time passes after a while they can get in and out of a car without assistance and then you'll even hit a point where they will take your car and drive it on there own!

This is my daughter:

[Titus]

For our current daily driver fleet we have a dedicated family truckster and the rest of the fleet is Miatas.

Ditto... 2 Miatas and a Tahoe that gathers dust.

[MoonieGT]

I think the no-kid-in-the-miata rule is mostly based on the fact that the miata is a tiny car and not exactly an ideal place to be in the event of an accident (yes I know that argument applies to me as well). I agree that it is legal. But I'm ok with not driving him in the miata. Besides, I'm ok with having two cars to choose from :)

[CosmosMpower]

I'll look into the ZHP, thanks for the suggestion. Ya, I may not have mentioned 4-doors. My OTM has 2-doors and a back seat, but it's annoying to get him in and out of the car. That's why I'd like to have 4 doors, or at least the suicide doors of the RX8.

RX-8 isn't much easier to get out of than a coupe with seats that slide forward. Especially in a parking spot when you get out and then open the suicide door and both you and the kid end up stuck :)

[POS Racing]

Besides, I'm ok with having two cars to choose from :)

So really this has little to do with your kid and more to do with your desire to have another car.

[MoonieGT]

So really this has little to do with your kid and more to do with your desire to have another car.

Can't the two coexist?

[altiain]

RX-8 isn't much easier to get out of than a coupe with seats that slide forward. Especially in a parking spot when you get out and then open the suicide door and both you and the kid end up stuck :)

As someone who actually puts a kid with a rear facing child seat into an RX-8 every day, I heartily disagree. Having the rear suicide door makes getting the kid in and out of the backseat a breeze.

Of course, we have an SUV for primary family vehicle duty, so most of the time I'm taking him in or out of the car either in my driveway or the driveway of the day care. If you're constantly having to take him in and out of the car somwhere with a car parked right next to the passenger side it's going to be a PITA... but still less than a 2-door coupe, imho.

I'm assuming your wife has the primary family car, and you're looking for a daily driver that can do kid duty, not the primary family car, right? In that case an RX-8 isn't a bad choice. FWIW, mine will be back to stock and for sale in the next month or two.

[MoonieGT]

Yes, my wife has the family car so the 8 would do random kid duty.

Are you selling the 8 to get something with 4 doors? Or are you just moving to a different track/auto-x car? If so what?

If I get an 8 I'd be looking for an '06+ with ~40k miles or less but overall condition is more important than mileage obviously. I think Carmax has an '07 with 8k miles on it for $18.5k and an '06 Shinka with 33k miles for $17.9k

[Titus]

As someone who actually puts a kid with a rear facing child seat into an RX-8 every day, I heartily disagree. Having the rear suicide door makes getting the kid in and out of the backseat a breeze.

+1

When we were looking for a new car about 6 years ago (when kid was 18 months old) we headed down to the Mazda dealership with kid and car seat in hand. At the time, the wife was very interested in getting a 4 door Mazda 3. We put the car seat in the back of the 3 and she tried to put the kid in. It was harder to get the kid in it than if it had been a 2 door, due to the angle and short doors. While there, I had her try the same test in all of the other Mazda models. The RX8 was by far the easiest because the suicide door actually allows you to get a much better angle. I was ready to buy it right there until we went on a test drive. The test drive car was an auto and was a complete dog, so we walked. If I had known at the time that manual 8s were much more lively than auto 8s, I would have bought one.