Help me pick a "Cool Dad" car....

David S. Wallens wrote: Semi-related, sorta on-topic comment: At SEMA I saw a friend of ours who works in the industry. I asked if there was anything we could do to help. "Please, please make minivans cool," he begged. He now has a little one and realizes that a minivan is the answer. He's just not sure if he can make that leap. So, here's to making minivans cool.

Was your industry guy willing to throw any money at sponsoring The Challenge and this years upcoming Minivan Class?
Our goals are the same.

Getting my 1972 VW Camper pretty much instantly propelled me into celebrity status with my children and their friends' families and their school.

I voted with my wallet, IS300 sportcross

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Here's a little bit of hooning on track before the build happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhBXiaigjRw

That's with the e-shift tranny /\ (pre manual swap)

The newly announced CX-9 is getting a 2.5L turbocharged motor. The rumor is that the motor is going to be what makes it into the new Mazdaspeed models ala CX-7.

There may be some interchangeability of go fast bits which has the potential to build a pretty quick 3 row soft roader. That's a bit out though.

In reply to qdseeker:

As it should

NickD wrote: 2014-2016 Chevrolet SS.

I've been looking, and I can't find one for less than $35k unless it already has a billion miles on it.

GTO, with plenty of cash to spare

Gently used SHO

Regal GS

Too bad there aren't used ATS-Vs available yet

I'm planning on being in a similar situation in the spring when we replace the Taurus with an Expedition. I love my truck, but we don't need two big gas-suckers, and I want something fun for a DD. My budget is around $30k, but lower is obviously much better. Here's my current list:

2013+ Taurus SHO: This has the better brakes and interior. Big, comfy, AWD, fast, and they respond well to tuning.
Chevy SS: If I can find one I can afford, this is almost a slam-dunk. Stealthy, really fast, LS powered, all the modern comforts and options.
Pontiac G8 GT: Not as fast or modern as the SS, but the same basic car, and WAY cheaper.
BMW E90 335i: The last of the "good handling" 3-series, sweet 300hp turbo six, proper dual-clutch automatic. Pretty plain styling, though, and it's scary to own a newer German car out of warranty.
Audi B8 S4: I know, I'm just asking for trouble here. But, fast, looks great, spectacular interior, AWD, torque vectoring diff, yada yada....
Charger/300C: I rented one of these recently and really liked it, but I'd almost have to go new to get the ZF 8-speed.

pinchvalve wrote: Done

I know that this is a minivan. But it looks lower and meaner than any I've seen in the flesh. What is it, and what was done to it?

I'll most likely be getting rid of my '05 OBXT next summer/fall and am looking seriously at a late model 4 door G37x. On paper it's my perfect daily driver, though I haven't actually driven one yet.

Dusterbd13 wrote:

pinchvalve wrote: Done

I know that this is a minivan. But it looks lower and meaner than any I've seen in the flesh. What is it, and what was done to it?

2015 Toyota Sienna SE Premium. It's bone-stock.

We have a Sienna XLE. The SE adds a nice black interior, stiffer shocks/springs, recalibrated electric steering, 19" wheels, LED tail lights, and the body treatments. It's still a 4500 pound vehicle but the SE is a lot less nautical in the handling department.

When we bought ours the SE couldn't be had with a full leather interior and the black seats clashed with the ivory dash. Given my wife's affinity for parking by Braille I knew I'd become intimately familiar with SE part numbers.

If I was driving it all the time I'd consider the SE but the isolation of the XLE is nice at times.

Personally I'll let my wife have the monstervan and get something fun for myself. I'm thinking in about 18 months I'll look for a Golf R, GTI with the performance package, or a Chevy SS.

I read the thread title and the first 2 sentences of the OP, then scrolled down to post that when I was a kid in the 70's my dad had an Impala wagon, a 73 Monte Carlo, and a 1930 Model A 5 window with a Buick nailhead backed by whatever Buick called their version of the powerglide..

Anything similar would be badass..

JohnRW1621 wrote:

David S. Wallens wrote: Semi-related, sorta on-topic comment: At SEMA I saw a friend of ours who works in the industry. I asked if there was anything we could do to help. "Please, please make minivans cool," he begged. He now has a little one and realizes that a minivan is the answer. He's just not sure if he can make that leap. So, here's to making minivans cool.

Was your industry guy willing to throw any money at sponsoring The Challenge and this years upcoming Minivan Class? Our goals are the same.

I should run that by him. Good idea.

I am personally loving my new to me 2011 E350 Bluetec Mercedes more and more as I spend time with it. Huge trunk, super comfy, surprisingly agile, plenty of torque and good power. Combined fuel economy over the past 10,000 miles since I got it has been just over 30 which is great for such a big powerful car. I think it makes 210hp factory but close to 450+ tq maybe closer to 500 so it scoots. I really could not ask for a better daily/family car. I have the miata for when I want to autocross. I paid 26,500 for mine 2011 with 28,000 miles

As a side note we barely drive our minivan now and whenever possible my wife takes the benz as well. We have 2 girls 5 and 2

My votes:

1. Coolest dad ever - Maserati Quattroporte
   This thing is just sexy for a 4 door and depreciation works. My uncle has one and it's been more reliable than your typical modern BMW.
   

2. Cadillac CTS-V
   

3. Pontiac G8
   

4. Jaguar XF
   

5. Infiniti G37 or M37 - Coolish cars but lack the style and substance of the above

We have two little ones. We have a 14 Forester that a lease is about to run out on. The wife wants bigger so she can fit both kids, sister, and mom in there for shopping and other things that could facilitate two cars rather than one giant. I want something to tow at least a small boat/car with. We've been looking at the new pilots and the are fitting the bill. I'm looking at older Pilot Touring with all the bells and whistles as well and not bad. Not performance at all but great family hauling. To get to the point of minivan talk....the salesman talked my wife who hates minivans to get into the Odyssey and she loved it and wanted that instead. I gave her the look and she goes "you had one as your desktop background for the longest time".......

RX8 with LS1 (auto )

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/5347062610.html

To help with that pesky commute:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/cto/5334934543.html

DirtyBird222 wrote: We have two little ones. We have a 14 Forester that a lease is about to run out on. The wife wants bigger so she can fit both kids, sister, and mom in there for shopping and other things that could facilitate two cars rather than one giant. I want something to tow at least a small boat/car with. We've been looking at the new pilots and the are fitting the bill. I'm looking at older Pilot Touring with all the bells and whistles as well and not bad. Not performance at all but great family hauling. To get to the point of minivan talk....the salesman talked my wife who hates minivans to get into the Odyssey and she loved it and wanted that instead. I gave her the look and she goes "you had one as your desktop background for the longest time".......

Well if you ever say Matt Farah's test of the 1000hp turbo odyssey it looked pretty fun :)

Everyone's talking about cars, but you didn't mention any autocrossing or track days, or even good mileage.

What about a 100 series Land Cruiser? With a slight lift and some 33" tires, it'd be solidly in the "cool dad" category, stupid useful, and reliable as an anvil.

Sounds like your posts were more against crossovers than actual SUVs... Is that not the case?

Stefan, congrats on the little one!! We just had our first a year ago, and went through similar work trying to find the right car. We have a pair of Lexus GS sedans and with the right car seat they work fine inside, but once you start loading up baby stuff it's shocking how much room you need. The SUV (Stroller Utility Vehicle) we got 100% filled the trunk of the GS, and even at that had to have one of the wheels popped off to even fit in the trunk.

We ended up with a Mazda6 wagon - v6 and 5-speed! - but they stopped bringing those to the US around 2007. It's fun to drive and fits the baby stuff great.

Enjoy the adventure with the kiddo. It's a ton of work but also really rewarding and a ton of fun.

Thanks!

Yeah, as much as I'd love a CTS-V or Masi, I find more and more than having a hatchback or a wagon makes more sense for the types of things I do (random projects in the wood shop, hauling car parts, etc.) and I'd hate to ruin a great car like the Masi or CTS-V by hauling 2x4's in it.

Unfortunately that doesn't leave a lot of choices in the market since the CTS-V Wagon's are expensive still (and finding a non-black one is nearly impossible anyway). The Masi requires a clutch change every 10-20K for the flappy paddle gearbox which is a 10K hit at the shop. The later cars with the automatic are better, but more expensive. No wagons or hatchbacks either.

After much soul searching, the Chevy Volt is really were I'm headed, the wife can drive it while I use her Highlander so we can save money on gas and it gets her out of the car with the highest mileage and will require the most maintenance soon. I just need to get the 924 repaired and driveable again so I can drive that more often than not.

Stefan (Not Bruce) wrote: After much soul searching, the Chevy Volt is really were I'm headed

Current Volt, or next gen 2016?

In reply to STM317:

Current gen. They are reasonably priced and since we may be looking at buying a larger house in the near future, the ability to pay it off fairly quickly is a huge plus.

If you lower a SUV is it still an SUV? How about a six speed lowered BMW X3?