Cancer, divorce, market crash and layoffs... you might never get to do what you want if you keep postponing it forever. Now, personally, I recommend getting a convertible sports car instead of luxury SUV.

 

Very uplifting, and the 2 seat convertible recommendation is certainly hard to argue for a family of 4.

 

That rather depends on the family!

 

Agreed, I have always owned impractical (non-minivan) vehicles even with a family, but the post is about a guy with a family of four comparing two vehicles out of utility/need. Maybe the better advice would have been 2 convertibles so everyone can at least go to the same place at the same time......in two different vehicles.......either way, this thread has gone off the rails in like 5 directions.

 

Yes, because we all know 2 kids and a wife must always follow you everywhere you go? Sure, some places, like living downtown of a large city, makes it impossible to own multiple cars. For the most people with a family, getting convertible means cleaning all the junk out of the garage so there is a room to park it.

A used Mazda Miata in a decent shape can be had for about 10K to 15K. Buy that, spend the rest on a minivan and you are good to go.

 

Which was exactly my point, the OP was looking for a suggestion for a family hauler - no one said everyone needs to go everywhere every time.

 

A well-used luxury SUV is a bad family hauler. It is expensive, not very reliable, has fine interior materials that are hard to clean from vomit, snot and dirt, and is not as roomy or comfortable due to performance goals.

 

I have a 2012 Jaguar XJL and a 2008 Porsche Cayenne S. The Porsche has cost me more in maintenance that what I paid for it. In fact, looking at my maitenance record I keep on an Excel spreadsheet, my Porsche maintenance cost is twice what I paid for it. Total cost is much less than what a new Porsche would have cost me, but still depressing. My Jaguar maintenance cost, although not "cheap", is still much less than the Porsche, both in dollar amount, as well as a percentage of the value of the car. In other word; don't buy a used Porsche, unless it is still under warranty.