Did you keep your sports car after having kids?

Slightly different situation as my car is an old mk1 MX5 which has bottomed out depreciation wise but I kept my one and 20 months on... it has been out 4 times. Admittedly there are other factors, like us moving into a temporary house while we sold ours and the car living at my parents a 10 minute walk away. We've just bought a new house with a better garage / drive setup so nipping out in the MX5 will no longer mean a three car shuffle to get to it plus it will be living inside so when I do get a chance to drive it the thing won't be caked in dust and pollen. My hope is that this will see it getting some use again.

I'm still thinking of getting rid of it though and replacing with something slightly more practical but still fun. We are a three car family as my wife has a Polo and I have to have a company car (no allowance option unfortunately) which is a Leon Estate. This means that "slightly more practical" simply means something that can seat all three of us and house a compact buggy. For an occasional summers day run to the beach I'll live with a three door back breaking, head banging load of the boy into his car seat. I'm thinking along the lines of a GT86 or maybe a 90's jap coupe if I can stomach the cost.

Last outing in the MX5 was to an OC meet and the guy who pulled up alongside me got his boy out who I'd guess was about 3. This instantly got me thinking I can do similar with runs out with my boy but it means my wife doesn't get to join the fun and she also has concerns about his safety in a roofless tin can in this world of 2 ton SUVs, which are probably valid if I'm being honest. She is also ultra paranoid about sun exposure, again a valid concern, which is part of the territory in a soft top without AC.
 
There's something gloriously fun about doing the nursery run in something that isn't a SUV. In the last two years mini-me has been chauffeured in a GR Yaris (rear facing on passenger seat with seatbelt), V8 Vantage (rear facing on passenger seat with seatbelt) & 911 (front facing in back with ISOFIX).

SWMBO had/has a Model 3/Y which was our family car.

Having a fun car has meant that I've been more inclined to go to a few car events as a day out with mini-me which I don't think I would have done if I just owned a normal car. I have ended up buying a old, high mileage 5-series as well for the nursery run as there are so many speed bumps that I felt bad abusing my 911 on a daily basis.
 
I was in a similar position when my first came along but glad I kept the GTO, though being a 2+2 makes it somewhat usable should our main car be off the road for any reason. Its one of the few things that doesn't revolve around kids and quite nice to get it out once in a while, and now the youngest is getting older and much like del lardo above mentions its a good reason to get out to car shows with the boy.
Admittedly the running costs/depreciation are so small that it wasn't a tough call to keep it, something I'm sure an f type doesn't share :)
 
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Gilbert89 said:
Cupar Estates are lovely, plus 4WD - So extra giggles when they are a little older shouting 3, 2, 1 go!

I mean be responsible and never do that, however much the child giggles.
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Looking at the Cupra Leon Estate at the moment. Been offered a very interesting deal from my local dealer for a new one. Ok, I'd have to wait 3-4 months, but it's turns out to be cheaper than a new one they have in stock at the moment. :confused: Plus can get it in the spec I would want. So Red, VZ3 with no sunroof or towbar.

Will be going to a drive in their in stock one tomorrow. See if I like it. Should be very different to the 2.0 Ecoboost Mondeo I've been driving as a temporary car for the last 5 years....

Did look again at the Golf R Estate. Sorry but... How much?! For a Golf? I specced one up and it was just about 56K. :eek: Audi have nothing in that size. Ford have the Focus ST Estate, which has a manual option. May have to find one of those to try out. Mercedes have the CLA35/45 Shooting Brake, and you can only buy pre-specced cars from them at the moment, so no options. Also really expensive.
 
nope. I sold my 350z for a 2012 nissan QQ . what really rubbed salt it was I had to also pay £5k for the privalege too :(

it was the right decision for us. It would have been used so rarely and we can't justify 3 cars.

now however he is 7....…... he doesnt get car sick and doesn't make *too* much of a mess so I am now looking again for a vehicle to bring a smile too my face and not just get me from A to B.

sadly won't be a 2 seater though. will still need to be practical. (ipace seems likely at this point)
 
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adidan said:
I don't have or want a two seater but if you can keep it, keep it. A happy dad will be a better dad so really you should do it for them.

Really, selling it would be selfish. :)
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that is some proper "man"logic.

a bit like how my man maths prove that an ipace makes obvious financial sense when we have a perfectly functional nissan QQ ;)
 
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I bought my Cayman just after our first daughter was born. I used to drop her off at nursery in it until she became too long and her feet were touching the dashboard (around 2+ yrs old).

Not ideal for family trips, but we had another car for that. In the end I upsized for more practicality (RS6) but it was too big and the extra practicality was mostly redundant due to having another family car. I've now got a 2+2 and two kids, I think that's a good balance for us.
 
My "Sportscars" are old Japanese 4 door saloons dressed up to look like their rally derived cousins. Kids get in and out just fine - when they're allowed :)
 
Nope, wife couldn't drive my Evo 8 so i sold this for a Honda Jazz. 8 Years later we still have the Jazz but recently picked up a FK8 Civic Type R as the family car for family days out
 
Since having kids I've had a e64 BMW 650i, F12 BMW 640i and a s550 Ford Mustang V8. Wife has had an Alfa Giulietta for the entire time as the sensible family car.
 
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