Best new "dad car?"

Chevy SS may be a bit out of your budget but would be a good idea.

Buick Regal GS Performance Manual.

Base 3 series BMW, think I read the slightly optioned 2015/6 3series is the equal of the e46 performance numbers, feel is another thing.

Mazda 6

My personal #1 would be a new WRX. And I am an Evo fan since the IV. The WRX seems to have enough edge now that I wouldn't miss the Evo sharpnrss.

The Evo X never felt right to me.

Cayenne Turbo S. Easily attained in your budget, does everything. Tows ~8000lbs, hauls people, pets and kicks lots of ass. You don't drive enough to consider MPG's as a factor, get something fun! I love mine!

If I were in your shoes, I would find a clean E90 sedan with the N52 motor. Really smooth six-cylinder and great steering feel; these are the two things lost in the transition to the F30. Great balance, plenty of power. I know the track isn't on your agenda, but these are capable HPDE cars with nothing more than tires and brake pads. Way under your $35k budget. We have a 2006, and professional maintenance runs about $2.5k a year (it's my daughter's car and my wife is not comfortable with me doing the work on it, beyond brakes and suspension).

My wife also has the 2 series, which is a great car. But the back seat is smaller, and it's a coupe, which makes child safety seats very, very tedious. Unless you're already to the booster-with-a-3-point stage, in which case it's not a problem.

If you buy a new BMW, I would urge you to get an extended warranty just before the 4-year BMW warranty runs out, after which warranty prices step up quite a bit. USAA sells them, using the same warranty company BMW does (Assurant Solutions). You can often pick up five years more coverage for about $3,500 - which you can easily spend on repairs in a bad year.

I am anticipating being in your shoes in the next 18-24 months, currently running an 06 MazdaSPEED 6 and man these is not alot out there thats comperable, i just want an updated version of this car: AWD, 6 speed manual, turbo, fits 4 easily, can be very tame with wife in tow, can be very fun solo.... I have gone over and over it in my mind and this group came to the same conclusions i did: WRX or 335i (maybe 235i if you dont mind door). The biggest ? for me is whats the maintenece on the BWM gonna be like? Used you can get a 70k mile car for low 20's, and then have 10k to play with! That being said the 2014 WRX hatch back has got a ton going for it as well....

Newer body Mazda 6 with stick or cpo Mazda CX-5.

In your boat with 10x the mileage, I picked a 2014 Mazda6. If I were to trade it on anything right now, it's probably a 15+ Legacy but the AWD is really handy up here.

Hey, I am a dad waiting to pick my oldest up from soccer right now. In my 911 targa. Family plus luggage took it to the beach this weekend, 2 hours each way. It is so great I won't even start in on how great it is. You could do a used turbo for that kind of money. Jcamper

78 Trans Am!

Jcamper wrote: Hey, I am a dad waiting to pick my oldest up from soccer right now. In my 911 targa. Family plus luggage took it to the beach this weekend, 2 hours each way. It is so great I won't even start in on how great it is. You could do a used turbo for that kind of money. Jcamper

Not going to argue with that. Lucky kids. Besides that BMW or WRX. I am on my 5th WRX/STi and the 2015 versions are light years ahead of the previous ones.........and they were pretty good. Not quite at German interior levels but the rest is pretty darn close. A 911 is on my short list. I feel the pull.

I was going to say Regal GS. It seems to hit the right buttons, but I have not driven one yet.

Thank you for all of the insight and recommendations. I think at this point I am the most excited about the prospect of a WRX, never done the AWD turbo thing before. Thanks again.