Should I get the MCS?

[FC]

A throw-back, FC waffling thread. You know you missed them.

Here was the previous plan:

1) Buy a new E90 M3 in Summer/Fall of 2011 or used E90 M3 in Spring of 2012. Sell V70R. If not the M3 then as cool a sports sedan as I can get a hold of.

2) In mid-late 2012, replace JGC with newer SUV (newish JGC, used 4R, used X5d, used GL-d).

3) Wait until kids go to grade school (~4 years if we don't have a 3rd) and pick up used 987.2S/spyder.

This plan was agreed upon before the 987S was sold. However, there were always two "toy" cars we liked: an MCS and a Wrangler 4-door.

It's no secret that the MCS is my wife's dream car. It also makes for nice little econmic/compact car to take into the city, use as a spare car, have fun errands in less than great weather (if I end up with say, a spyder), and generally use when just the two of us are going somewhere sans kids - nevermind if my wife ever takes a job that requires her to drive often or all the time.

A new one is simply too much money for the marginal duties it performs. But JST's used one makes the decision a little easier. Also, it would actually get me a bona fide fun/MT car for several months (or more) until I get a performance sedan.

So how does it fit? Well, no doubt it is just more money for an additional car since long-term it is not replaceing anything.

But, in the mean time it fits reasonably well.

A) Buy MCS. Sell V70R. From a 300 mile search, the low miles (32K), thousands in nice accessories, 7-year Volvo warranty, etc, I think asking 24K is reasonble. Many dealers are asking 25k+ for worse samples, often with no warranty. So I should net a few thousand out of the move.

This means that the 9yo, 130K mile JGC is the only real family car - something that cannot hold for very long. OTOH, if I decide to buy a used M3, having the MCS around as a fun car will make me more willing to wait until the next year for a sedan, allowing for a potential JGC replacement late this year.

B) Acquire sports sedan and JGC replacement by then end of 2012. This was going to happen anyway, but now it is happening in addition to the MCS. This may unfortunately mean that a new M3 would no longer be an option.

C) The MCS may be a huge obstacle in the long-term to getting a 987 - even though by then the MCS wouldn't be worth that much. I hope that buying the MCS gets me enough brownie points to make my wife more open-minded to a 4-car fleet.

OT: If we go through with the FR/garage/deck extension, my 3 garages would be 30' deep (one of them 15' wide). I wonder if I can fit a 987S and a MCS front to back (if the 987 gets stored for the winter)? [EDIT] 12'3" & 14'3", so 26.5 feet. With careful parking, that should work!

JST's of course, happens to be as good a used copy in terms of miles, history and options as I will find.

Thoughts?

[JST]

Yes.

[FC]

Question to you: With the full undersatnding that this would only happen in emergency/pinch situations, how painful would it be to fit a roundabout and a Boulevard? My wife is short 5'3" and I am 5'10", but sit close to the steering wheel.

[John V]

This one is brainless to me. Sell the V70R. Whenever you talk about cars you mention how generally unsatisfying it is. Pick up an MCS. They are awesome, and your wife likes them. Double win.

See if that scratches the itch. If not, pick up a nice sports sedan. Maybe an E46 ZHP? I hear those are nice.

[RMR]

Originally Posted by John V

This one is brainless to me. Sell the V70R. Whenever you talk about cars you mention how generally unsatisfying it is. Pick up an MCS. They are awesome, and your wife likes them. Double win.

See if that scratches the itch. If not, pick up a nice sports sedan. Maybe an E46 ZHP? I hear those are nice.

+1

[FC]

Originally Posted by John V

This one is brainless to me. Sell the V70R. Whenever you talk about cars you mention how generally unsatisfying it is. Pick up an MCS. They are awesome, and your wife likes them. Double win.

See if that scratches the itch. If not, pick up a nice sports sedan. Maybe an E46 ZHP? I hear those are nice.

True, but the V70R is gone in about a year regardless.

But yes, I am not a fan except strictly as a family car. And I've had it officially over 4 years now. Under any sort of regular use, it starts to bother me. Great vehicle for the right person though. And great trip car.

And I have heard that about ZHP's.

[JST]

Originally Posted by FC

Question to you: With the full undersatnding that this would only happen in emergency/pinch situations, how painful would it be to fit a roundabout and a Boulevard? My wife is short 5'3" and I am 5'10", but sit close to the steering wheel.

Honestly, I don't know--I don't have a Boulevard, so I don't have a feel for how big they are. The biggest issue would be whether you could position the driver's seat in a way that was workable to drive. I have a couple of Roundabouts, which I could put back there if that visual would help. Forward or rear facing? One of each?

[rumatt]

Originally Posted by JST

Yes.

[JST]

Here are some threads on North American Motoring that might help:

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...with-kids.html


http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...ild-seats.html (in particular http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...26-post10.html)


http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...car-seats.html

[FC]

Originally Posted by JST

Honestly, I don't know--I don't have a Boulevard, so I don't have a feel for how big they are. The biggest issue would be whether you could position the driver's seat in a way that was workable to drive. I have a couple of Roundabouts, which I could put back there if that visual would help. Forward or rear facing? One of each?

One of each, both FF, the roundabout would be behind me, of course.