Future family car / MCS waffling

[FC]

Originally Posted by John V

I still don't understand the need for an SUV. But if you guys want one that's cool.

Ok, for the final time,

-Unplowed roads
-Driving to reservations/state parks
-Hauling messy loads
-Towing messy loads
-Spare 4-door car
-Designated slushy car so none of the other have to be.
-There is more but I can't remember right now. The above is most of it.

[Sharp11]

Originally Posted by FC

I hate SUV's in the sense that I could never drive one everyday. The concept of an SUV is great.

Go drive an X3 or a prior gen X5 - they drive almost as nicely as any 5 series wagon and will offer much more utility - the X3's even lighter than the fiver wagon.

If the looks of the current x3 kill you, then the next one's right around the corner.

Ed

[equ]

I'm confused. You hate SUV's yet you NEED a pick-up truck while you expect to keep an awd wagon for the foreseeable future? Admit it, you just want a truck, I can't imagine you have the tiniest need for one in suburban Boston.

[ff]

Originally Posted by FC

Ok, for the final time,

-Unplowed roads
-Driving to reservations/state parks
-Hauling messy loads
-Towing messy loads
-Spare 4-door car
-Designated slushy car so none of the other have to be.
-There is more but I can't remember right now. The above is most of it.

- Ability to haul kids, wife, dog, and luggage without being jammed into the confined space of a wagon or sedan.

[FC]

Originally Posted by equ

I'm confused. You hate SUV's yet you NEED a pick-up truck while you expect to keep an awd wagon for the foreseeable future? Admit it, you just want a truck, I can't imagine you have the tiniest need for one in suburban Boston.

Can we please stop with the generic I hate SUV's? That comment is always being taken out of context and it's getting old. I just explained above why I feel we need one. It's not a big need - we're getting by without one, but if a few thousand opens the door to a much more desirable set of cars and features in them, then I think it is worthwhile.

There were lots of SUV options when we bought the V70R. Still we got the Volvo despite many annoying compromises. I spoke with my wallet. If I can help it, I won't buy an SUV if I have to drive it very often. I've never driven one that comes close to the V70R or the 525iT I drove. I'm Sure the BMW SUV's are better. The new X5 seems roomier and I will consider it, but I still doubt it is nearly as fun as a 5er (and not much cheaper after ED discount). I've read many reviews from X5 owners to back that up. The new MDX also looks pretty nice an will be considered in the interest of being thorough.

But you are right. I do like SUV's for what they are good at. I think a Wrangler is an awesome freakin' vehicle and I'd love to have one. I hope to use my mountain bike and head outdoors more often. When I did use it, I used to beat the crap out of the suspension of my 190E in getting to the trails and got stuck in mud a few times.

(Before anyone calls BS on the last one, FYI, I almost didn't buy my 190E because I wanted to buy a.... LR Discovery. This was in the pre-internet forum era, so sorry I cannot "document" this.)

[clyde]

if it feels good, do it

and fuck everyone else

[Aerials]

Originally Posted by clyde

if it feels good, do it

and fuck everyone else

+1

Couldn't have said it better.

[equ]

Sure he should get what he wants, I think the point is to determine that - through shrouds of semi-needs, rationalizations. Over-analyzing folks like ourselves (or at least some of us) have a really hard time making simple, gut decisions. Hence the persev. anon. forum, it allows us lie on the automotive couch and ruminate.

[JST]

Originally Posted by FC

Since my last waffling thread (I know, it seems like just yesterday), I did a lot of thinking and realized that a lot of the waffling is the result of trying to align short term cars, with a long term fleet goal. And key to the long term fleet is what happens to the family car - that is, what the V70R will be repaced with. Yes, this is 4-5 years down the road but it matters.

The key to my "troubles" is that the V70R fails to deliver as a car that is fun enough of me to drive everyday (mostly becasue of the slushy, but there are a list of other reasons too). I already have to drive it on weekends for shopping, etc and on long trips, so to also use it as a commuter really is too much. I'd wind up driving that car 95% of the time, and no, I definitely don't like it nearly that much. Despite this, the V70R is staying for the next few years. There is nothing out there right now to replace it, and if it existed, would cost as much as the V70R and ZHP are worth combined right now. So for now, it's a no brainer to keep what I have.

The long term solution stems from two choices:

1) We replace the V70R with a wagon that is fun enough for me to like driving most of the time without bitching. Here's where the 535xiT idea comes in. Of course, I'm thinking of next-gen 535xiT with a stickshift, or at the very least a very good Dual-Clutch tranny.

I'd also like to pick up either a used SUV, to fill the voids the sportswagon can't fill (blizzards, mild "offroading", dirty cargo mover, light towing, etc). BTW, as soon as we're sure we're getting another wagon, we would probably buy the SUV ahead of time, since the V70R currently has all the same shortcommings as the 5er would. SUV options would be a 4Runner V8, or a Yukon, or a Wrangelr Unltd (more on this later in another thread).

2) No sportwagon really pans out as something I'm willing to drive often, and so we move on to a nice SUV as the family vehicle. This seems more efficient, since we would have no wagon+SUV, but rather just an SUV. Trouble is, I would rather stab myself to death with a plastic spork than drive a (biggish, slushy) SUV most of the time, requiring a sedan. Nice SUV+reasonably nice sports sedan > 535xiT+used SUV.

The "development" is that yesterday I talked some sense into my wife to allow the next wagon to be MT. Since it would be coupled by a slushy SUV, she cannot say we don't have ONE atomatic (a steadfast req for her).

So, for comparison purposes, I looked up specs on the current 535xiT. At 4100lbs, it is no heavier than a regular CTS, G8, or AWD 3er class sedans. It's also a mid 5-sec 0-60 car, and if I were to need more power, there is always the Dinan upgrade. Basically, on paper this wagon in MT form should be a pretty fun daily driver/family car. If I hit the jackpot and a local dealer has a MT 535xiT I can test drive, I will do so just to get an idea. Another benefit is that this car woudl be a prime opportunity for ED as I'm sure I could save $6K+ on this wagon. It would probably still come in at ~$55K, but it would also be our primary vehicle, so I think it's ok to spend premium money on it.

That's it.

----------------------------

Well, not really. If the 535xiT works out (or say an S6 Avant works), it leaves the door wide open for the unnecessary toy cars. This is the fun part, and the part that reflects back to the near future.

This doesn't affect my sportscar purchase later this year/early next year, since by the time the V70R goes, I would probably look to upgrade that car too (with a 911 or another roadster - MT wagon opens both possibilities now).

An MCS as an extra (4th car) car is a remote possibility. While one could try to justify needing it, it would be a pretty weak argument. It would really be just a toy for my wife. Yes, the sportscar would be my toy car, but I would actually drive the sports car and it's not like my wife wouldn't like it (if we get a P-car). OTOH, if she gets an MCS, I can get whatever I want, but 4 cars, none of them a POS (except maybe the SUV being close to it) would get pretty pricey.

But if we swap the 330i for an MCS in a year or two, that would lead to 4 cars because I know we wouldn't sell the MCS, I would not be prevented from getting my sportscar, and we "need" the wagon and SUV.

Yes, I understand this an extremely spoiled scenario.

What about:

ML 320 CDI
JCW Cooper S Clubman (the "wagon")
03 Boxster S

As someone who drives a Cooper S non-Clubman almost exclusively on the weekends, I am fairly certain that the Clubman will do perfectly well for 90 percent of the driving that you do today. Maybe more. For those trips where you really, really need a bigger car (road trips to Canada, e.g.), the ML is likely to be big enough.

And the Boxster S is the cheap sports car.

[Biggins]

How big of an SUV do you need/want? Do you want a lux SUV or can it be more practical?

My mother has had a first-gen Honda CR-V for the past 8 years that is a great car for what it is. She lives in western MD (mountains) and loves the car. It is average in the snow (I like my 318 with snows better) and gets okay mileage (~22-25mpg). I like the 2nd-gen CR-V much better and it would be my choice for an SUV if I had to take the plunge.

I also like the Ridgeline if you wanted something bigger/truckish, but most people can't get over the styling (or lack thereof).