[stein_325i]

If you're going for one car to do it all I'd nominate a high performance wagon like the RS6 or E63S.

[dgoldenz]

If you can afford it, Ferrari FF...wow wow!

[Housekeeping]

X5M

[AlpineWhite_SJ]

Originally Posted by rommeeeezy

Mainly getting a new daily / split of suv and sports car since we just recently adopted a dog in the last few months and it's been challenging to try to baby the M3 with him (long trips, getting him inside a crate in the backseat, him being a little tense and pawing at some of the leather trim, etc).

Figured it could be best to just have an SUV where I can have a nearly permanent dog crate in there at all times. And still carry 4-5 people comfortably.

The M3 is also a little harsh on the ride. I'm actually fine with it, as I've driven on some type of performance / sport suspension my whole life, but my wife isn't a fan at all.

If you don’t mind the ride, X3M isn’t as bad in the back as the F80 per my wife who thinks my car is the limit of what she’ll tolerate in the back seat. Just did a road trip and it held enough luggage for a family of 4, plus extra gear with no problem. Passing power is insane. You could easily do a dog fence or crate in the back with the luggage cover retracted and there’s several trunk liner options to protect the floor. 4 adults is easily comfortable and it’s not bad for 1 adult in the back plus 2 kids for short hauls.

[Autobacs]

If you can afford it and is practical, I would have more than one car. A sports car, a luxury, sports sedan, and a luxury, sports SUV.

If I only can have one vehicle to do it all, I would pick an X5M.

[dsad1]

In your scenario you are going to be in the prius or whatever you get more often, wouldn't you want the "better" car to be the one you are in more often?

Personally, I would get a car you really enjoy to be in everyday, instead of having the car you enjoy sitting in the garage most of the time.

Now if you can afford two cars you really enjoy that's a different story.

[jmg]

If you can pull it off, two cars is better than one. There are a surprising amount of i3 drivers who also have M3/4s. One is efficient and comfortable and the other is sporty and fast.

Eventually the F80 will be a daily driver and the i3 will be replaced with something sportier like a 90's NSX, 981 CS, or 981 GT4. When the F80 lease is up, I'll probably get an electric SUV or something.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by dsad1

In your scenario you are going to be in the prius or whatever you get more often, wouldn't you want the "better" car to be the one you are in more often?

Personally, I would get a car you really enjoy to be in everyday, instead of having the car you enjoy sitting in the garage most of the time.

Now if you can afford two cars you really enjoy that's a different story.

No one believes me but I really do enjoy driving my clown car i3 every day.

[dsad1]

Originally Posted by jmg

No one believes me but I really do enjoy driving my clown car i3 every day.

The only thing that matters is your enjoyment. I had nice cars that were second or third cars and barely drove them because they were not practical for me at the time. I got no real joy out of them, it doesn't matter how "great" they were.

I then learned I am not much of a car guy and really just need one good car that I enjoy being in everyday.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by dsad1

The only thing that matters is your enjoyment. I had nice cars that were second or third cars and barely drove them because they were not practical for me at the time. I got no real joy out of them, it doesn't matter how "great" they were.

I then learned I am not much of a car guy and really just need one good car that I enjoy being in everyday.

Right now I have 3 cars not including my wife's. I don't ever drive my 3rd car, it's mostly a backup. 2 seems to be the sweet spot. One daily that I don't mind parking anywhere, that can handle steep driveways, and I don't mind going through an automatic car wash. One weekend that I kind of baby, has a low front end that needs finesse to make it over bumps and up driveways, but is fun and fast.

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by jmg

No one believes me but I really do enjoy driving my clown car i3 every day.

Didn't you get a ridiculous lease deal on your i3? I would def consider one if the price was right.

[New2Roundel]

Originally Posted by rommeeeezy

Yeah, parking a bunch of cars outside isn't fantastic. Which is the main reason for having just 1 car to do it all that much better

They're always in view, but yes, no driveway available. Never had a headache with parking the car on the street, and we live in a "lower" traffic area for downtown standards.

The problem to me is that the more cars you have, the greater the risk across the board. The more plain a car looks, the less attention it will receive. But if you get something normal and something sporty, I'd be afraid of people messing with the more special vehicle on the street. Unless you're always staring at your cars in the street, that's not helpful if someone wants to walk by and key it. Or if an inattentive driver hits the car in some way. That's the beauty of having at least a driveway. An M3 is probably as fancy as I'd be comfortable going if I was going to park the car on a street.

In your scenario, more cars just seems like a recipe for a bigger headache.

[GoneIn4Secs]

I would go with 2 cars over 1

I dont think putting on the high # of miles for a daily driver and the hard driving for a sportscar should be mixed into one car

There's only so much a car can take

[corn18]

I really wish we had just gotten the base X3 vs the M40i. My wife drives like a grandma and every time I get in and drive she keeps yelling "Jesus". I rarely drive her car by myself. If I want sporty, I drive the Z4. If I want to haul or tow stuff, I have my 2500HD pickup.

[MNR]

The more cars the better as there is no single car that will do everything. Having just one car takes a lot of the enjoyment out of it for me. I consider my M as a daily for the most part but having the ability to choose not to drive it and take the keys to the pickup truck is awesome. I've logged ~7k mikes this year alone on my F80.

Sometimes its nice to not drive it for a while. That way when you hop back in the seat you realize how good it really is.

[GenXer]

An X3 can't do this

[eluded]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

having more cars is always better. There is no one car that can do everything.

This. Keep the m and buy another.

[MJBO]

I contemplated selling my E90 M3 for an X5 M as my combined work and fun car. I’m a photographer and videographer so a larger SUV was on the cards.

Ultimately realised that I would constantly be worrying about it too much. I fill my work car with lots of equipment cases, have other people driving it, and put a lot of kms on it, so it would have been a bad decision.

Ended up getting a big, comfy SUV that’s good off road, loaded with the tech I wanted (carplay and radar cruise were must haves), and that I can just forget about.

Very pleased with the decision!

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by New2Roundel

The problem to me is that the more cars you have, the greater the risk across the board. The more plain a car looks, the less attention it will receive. But if you get something normal and something sporty, I'd be afraid of people messing with the more special vehicle on the street. Unless you're always staring at your cars in the street, that's not helpful if someone wants to walk by and key it. Or if an inattentive driver hits the car in some way. That's the beauty of having at least a driveway. An M3 is probably as fancy as I'd be comfortable going if I was going to park the car on a street.

In your scenario, more cars just seems like a recipe for a bigger headache.

I will say that after buying my dream car I exceeded my available parking but I would have gladly lived with street parking and put the least favoured car out there but the by-laws here don't permit it and visitor parking/neighbouring residential complex aren't permitted for this use so it forced me to move. I wanted a bigger house anyway but if buying an extra car forced me to move just for parking and nothing else gained I'd be mad at myself and would just have sold a car.

[jamesinaz]

My HOA doesn't allow making outdoors. Use the garage. I have space for 2 cars (and a golf cart). Wife has a car. Leaves me with only one space so I can't have a second toy.

IMO one can get an SUV that is also fun in the Porsche Macan. But it wasn't what I wanted in a daily driver so I got the Cayenne which is still kinda sporty.

Reality is no SUV will handle and thrill like a real performance car but you can get one that is better than a Jeep Waggoneer of old.

[gatorfast]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

My HOA doesn't allow making outdoors. Use the garage. I have space for 2 cars (and a golf cart). Wife has a car. Leaves me with only one space so I can't have a second toy.

IMO one can get an SUV that is also fun in the Porsche Macan. But it wasn't what I wanted in a daily driver so I got the Cayenne which is still kinda sporty.

Reality is no SUV will handle and thrill like a real performance car but you can get one that is better than a Jeep Waggoneer of old.

Wow no parking outside on the driveway? Never heard of an HOA mandating that. Most people seem to use their garages for storage rather than car parking. I would imagine not being able to park outside would turn away a lot of buyers no? What about for guests?

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

Wow no parking outside on the driveway? Never heard of an HOA mandating that. Most people seem to use their garages for storage rather than car parking. I would imagine not being able to park outside would turn away a lot of buyers no? What about for guests?

You can get a pass for guests and usually around the holidays when lots of guests are around there is little enforcement. But the place does look nicer with all the cars parked inside and off the streets.

As to turning away buyers we have almost no available houses right now. A condo reasonably priced came up last week and sold in a day. A nice house a block away from me sold in a week. The ones still on the market have all been on market a long time for various reasons such as location, a bad house or overpriced. Sometimes all 3.

I just wish my lot had room to expand the garage. Sadly, the only extra room I have is on the wrong side. The garage side is right up to the lot line.

Edited to add - this is Arizona. People really don't want to part outside anyway. Car turns into an oven and ages really fast.