Mrs FC saw something

[FC]

It was an innocent drive. A quick stop at a BMW dealership a little further out that had a 2018 M5 in Donington Grey. We saw it, she loved, and it is our #1 color choice. That ends that part of the story.

But, the M5 was just outside the showroom glass and in the showroom directly behind the M5 was one of these:

A "Seaside Edition" MCS that is loaded. To be fair, the car is night and day vs the MCS we had. Very nice leather, convertible, loads more features, etc.



Well, she L O V E D it . She kept talking about wanting to get one. The conversation started with, "yeah, sure, it's cute." To "but I REALLY want it." To "well, soon enough the kids would be driving the GTI all the time, so maybe it does make sense for Mrs FC to have her own car."

I had to very much be in, "whatever you want" mode because her birthday is very soon, next year is our 20th anniversary, she has been very patient recently with test drives, and by far most importantly, we will likely be spending A LOT within 12 months on two cars that primarily I will drive.

We left the dealership reminiscing about how much we loved the MCS we had, how the kids growing up is how we ended up moving to MK7 Golfs for size, and that we will look into getting one in the future. After all, in 3.5 years both kids are done with HS. Soon, if not already, the LR4 is a niche car for spot uses.

But then I see that this is a limited edition 500-unit build and that apparently this is the last model year before they move on to the next gen. Hadn't paid attention, but apparently this is effectively the same car since 2014, so it is pretty long in the tooth. Also, it was EXPENSIVE, at ~$47k.

Interestingly, used Mini convertibles seem to hold their value very well.

As mentioned, we lean towards waiting, seeing how the next-gen MCS looks, let our lives settle over the next couple of years and then reevaluate. Maybe she feels a particular way now because she primarily drives LR4. Once the M5 is added, she will primarily drive the GTI. Perhaps that will buy time and we can always look for a used Seaside MCS. It's cute, but clearly it is not some super-high demand model despite the limited edition.

Or should we should say F-it and go buy that car now. Honestly, for a split second, we almost considered that yesterday. It was was a weird mixed emotion of, as a car guy, seeing her so freakin' excited about a car, and feeling guilty about the cars I'm getting. It's a stupid car, but arguably less stupid than the BGTS (will be used MUCH more) and costs less than half as much.

[wdc330i]

I think it's high time for her to get something she wants...

That said, I think an electric version of an MCS convertible would be the perfect runabout car for town.

[Alan]

If my wife saw a car she fell in love with I would be at the dealer the next day buying it for her … I think it is really awesome she felt that way about a car and the amount of pleasure you will get out of buying it for her is going to be tremendous.

[FC]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

I think it's high time for her to get something she wants...

That said, I think an electric version of an MCS convertible would be the perfect runabout car for town.

Right. She has also been asking why we don't have an EV. This being her car, as an EV, would be perfect for in-town errands, driving to the train station, etc. - just as the eGolf was great for that.

The next gen Copper EV convertible (if they offer such a thing) could be perfect for her. It could also kill some of the fun and character of the MCS. But she is always welcome to the Boxster if that is an itch that needs to be scratched. She was even asking about getting a MT vs auto. She was torn about that. I think she is getting to a point where she doesn't really value the MT as much, in which case an EV version would be even less of compromise.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by FC

Right. She has also been asking why we don't have an EV. This being her car, as an EV, would be perfect for in-town errands, driving to the train station, etc. - just as the eGolf was great for that.

The next gen Copper EV convertible (if they offer such a thing) could be perfect for her. It could also kill some of the fun and character of the MCS. But she is always welcome to the Boxster if that is an itch that needs to be scratched. She was even asking about getting a MT vs auto. She was torn about that. I think she is getting to a point where she doesn't really value the MT as much, in which case an EV version would be even less of compromise.

Given that the MCS holds its value, you can always swap it for the next iteration in a few years.

[JST]

One way to do this would be to get the MCS and then replace the Land Rover with something that could do what the land rover does and also be a commuter for you. Like an X7? Or an X5 hybrid.

[FC]

Originally Posted by JST

One way to do this would be to get the MCS and then replace the Land Rover with something that could do what the land rover does and also be a commuter for you. Like an X7? Or an X5 hybrid.

It's a thought. But we do love our LR4 and few cars can do what it can do in terms of volume per vehicle length. I'd rather not drive an SUV everyday.

The future as of next year will be:

718: FC's toy car and basically useless
M5: FC's commuter and designated nice family/luxury car
GTI: Mrs FC's primary car and car for sons to drive as needed (Mrs FC commutes to train station 3x per week).
LR4: Backup car for Mrs FC's car or for sons to drive as needed. Also roadtrip/winter/utility vehicle.

So yeah, no need at all for a Mini unless there is a world where I am at work and both kids AND wife need to drive cars at the same time. This is very unlikely until maybe when oldest goes to college if he needs to take a car with him.

The plan next year is to simply leave the GTI outside. No sense in shoving a car next to the 718. The back garage fits two cars, but getting in and out requires care (this is largely due to having so many things back there). It's the kind of thing you reserve for winter storms or long-term situations like vacations and such.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by FC

It's a thought. But we do love our LR4 and few cars can do what it can do in terms of volume per vehicle length. I'd rather not drive an SUV everyday.

The future as of next year will be:

718: FC's toy car and basically useless
M5: FC's commuter and designated nice family/luxury car
GTI: Mrs FC's primary car and car for sons to drive as needed (Mrs FC commutes to train station 3x per week).
LR4: Backup car for Mrs FC's car or for sons to drive as needed. Also roadtrip/winter/utility vehicle.

So yeah, no need at all for a Mini unless there is a world where I am at work and both kids AND wife need to drive cars at the same time. This is very unlikely until maybe when oldest goes to college if he needs to take a car with him.

The plan next year is to simply leave the GTI outside. No sense in shoving a car next to the 718. The back garage fits two cars, but getting in and out requires care (this is largely due to having so many things back there). It's the kind of thing you reserve for winter storms or long-term situations like vacations and such.

Nothing in the mix for Mrs. FC to covet/love. Lots for you. This needs correction asap.

[FC]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

Nothing in the mix for Mrs. FC to covet/love. Lots for you. This needs correction asap.

Agreed. She is a VW fan and likes and pushed for the GTI, but not the same.

[JST]

I’d also say don’t underestimate the value of your kid using a car; it’s really nice to not have to drive them around. But that would suggest that it’s not insane for Mrs FC to have something to use to free up a car for the kid.