[racer]

My wife's lease is up later this year and I've been assigned the task of narrowing her search for a new "daily driver". I was wondering what you guys drive (and why?) for daily drivers, particulary the "family" folks out there.

* If you drive any Porsche other than a Cayenne as a "DD" I consider you very lucky and try as I might, my wife doesn't want a 964/993/996 as her "DD", even though her mother-in-law looks at her in scorn wondering "If it was good enough for me, then why not you " *

Here is her current list of criteria:

1) Preferably a manual transmission
2) room for 2 (or more ) car seats
3) ideally room for 6 people (to allow for in-law visits/friends kids etc)
4) No minivans
5) Would like AWD (she got spoiler with her Quattro) but not required.

I'm sure the list will evolve, its just that this is all she's said so far.

[thomschoon]

Wife drives a MBZ C240, good on gas and rated top in class for safety, which is why she got it. Not my choice but it did come with "free" service for the first 50,000.

[jpnovak]

I drive a Volvo 850 wagon daily. Its 10 years old, still gets 26 mpg in town, hauls just about any load of crap I want to put inside, including me, ). It even tows the boat and I have hauled the 911 behind it too. OK so I have a light Al trailer, that helps.

I installed a set of HR springs and Bilsteins on each corner. Oh yeah, it turns VERY well. That's right its a sportwagon.

btw, cops don't give it a second look and it is by far the most comfortable car I have ever been in on long trips (or DC traffic). This would include the usual German equivilents and large bloaty American cars.

Fits your criteria except its an automatic (5sp is available) and its not AWD (can get that too). Worth a look. Wagon's rule! Sedan's Drool!

[cmartin]

I had several cars in mind until I read your room for 6 requirement. How often does the brady bunch take 1 car?

[michael lang]

Dave

If she can wait until mid-late April, MB is due to release its new ML. Supposed to be a real handler, seating for 6, & unlike the current ML give cargo room once there are car seats in the vehicle. Couldn't wait that long and once I had 2 car seats secured the current ML there was no cargo room. Other than that Japanese is the only way to go!


Mike

[87turbolook911]

Here's our 3 series wagon, boy is it fun to drive!



And here's our newest member of the fleet, '05 Ford Freestyle Limited (ours is Titanium Green though). It hauls up to 7, has all amenities and rides very well:

[KeithLambert7]

My wife always said 'no mini-vans...ever', and I couldn't have been happier about that. She's driving a BMW-X5 right now and hasn't had a single problem with it in years. It's AWD so it's great in the snow, seats 5 comfortably, and is available with a manual, though she prefers the tiptronic since we already have two other stick shifts in the garage. Has the definite German feel to it, though the steering isn't nearly as responsive as the BMW 330xi that preceeded it in our garage. Now THAT was a fun 5-speed to drive!! Too small for a growing family IMO though.

My only complaint about the BMW's we've owned is that my damn legs fall asleep after driving in them for more than an hour? Can't figure out why, but seems like they all seem to do it to me...must be something in the general seating position. Most comfortable seating position I've ever found was and still is the 356. Legs right out straight even for a 6ft'er like me, love it.

Keith

[targa911man]

Would I lie about this:

97 Jeep Wrangler Snowmobile
93 Buick Park Ave--Still your father's Buick
87 Caravan with Backfire Propulsion System

Daughter: 03 Mustang "cabriolet"

[Justin Fischer]

Our Acura MDX has been a great suv, but manual transmission is not an option. 7 passenger, 260hp, all wheel drive, great navigation system, tow package, and for an additional $2K they extended the entire factory warranty to 7yr/100,000mi with no deductible, and no drop in coverage.

Although originally we bought it for me, but my wife quickly took over as the true owner of it...

-Justin

[type954]

kia sedona