Fatherhood VS the Mustang

AvalancheSVT

10 Year Member
Jun 12, 2005
573
38
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Hey guys, a couple months ago my mustang had its front end relocated by a nice lady in an AMG mercedes who thought it was an awesome idea to pull out in front of me whilst i was traveling on a very busy 4 lane road.

long story short, after we get in a new house (which we're trying to do currently) i'm going to need to replace the old girl.

here's the deal, we want between 2-4 kids so for a while i was thinking "it has to at least be a 4 door, preferably with a hatch" (a la WRX) but recently a buddy of mine basically informed me that his kids almost never ride in his car.

my wife obviously thinks the rear seat in the mustang is too small. i'm on the fence.

so here's the question:

is it really necessary to get a 4 door or is the mustang a viable option for when we have kids?
 
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As much as I like my Mustang, and my Camaro before that, they aren't very good for much in the back seat. My kids are 20 and 34, so I don't have that to worry about anymore but if they were young 'uns, I'd have me a 4 door... unless I could afford 2 cars.
 
As much as I like my Mustang, and my Camaro before that, they aren't very good for much in the back seat. My kids are 20 and 34, so I don't have that to worry about anymore but if they were young 'uns, I'd have me a 4 door... unless I could afford 2 cars.

we have a brand new 4 door civic that we are keeping. is that what you mean or 2 cars for myself (3 total)?
 
okay. yeah, see i live on the northeast side of houston and commute to the southwest side of houston every day. to me having something i like driving that gets good mpg (a 2013 v6 for around 20k) would be really nice but i want to know from real world dad's that have lived that.

i don't wanna hear what i wanna hear, keep em comin guys!
 
The back seat is pretty much just for show unless you have a very small person sitting back there. While the kids are young and in car seats it will put their feet right up against the front seats. That will be uncomfortable for both you and them. When they get a little older and are just out of car seats (age 5 -6) they will fit better back there. I have a daughter that is only 4' 9 and she can sit in the back seat with no problem but I wouldn't want to make any real long trips with her back there. For a quick jaunt into town or 30 min drive it isn't so bad though.
 
Keep the Mustang until the kids are too big for the back seat, but if you have a Civic already why are you having this debate? Keep the Mustang. :). If you decide to sell it though the 2013 Fusion will have an optional 240HP ecoboost 4cyl option as a sport package or if you have a bit bigger budget there is the new 2013 S.H.O. to choose from also.
 
CTS-V wagon problem solved...game over.
But like Sparta I'm confuse, You have the 4dr Civic so why is there and issue? The Mustang for you, the Civic for the family. If the issue is driving the Mustang to work everyday, I know it sucks using your baby like that but if I had to chose between daily driver Mustang vs no Mustang I'm taking daily driver time. As far as real world experience with a Mustang and kids. I have 2 kids 8 & 12. Even though we have a brand new Flex the kids love my car so more often then not the kids jam into the back of the Mustang. It looks tight to me but they say they are comfortable.
Keep the Mustang.
 
It's really a matter of how often you'd drive with the kids.

If your Wife is the one dropping and picking up the kids from daycare and you rarely have them,

there's no reason to not get a two door.
 
CTS-V wagon problem solved...game over.
But like Sparta I'm confuse, You have the 4dr Civic so why is there and issue? The Mustang for you, the Civic for the family. If the issue is driving the Mustang to work everyday, I know it sucks using your baby like that but if I had to chose between daily driver Mustang vs no Mustang I'm taking daily driver time. As far as real world experience with a Mustang and kids. I have 2 kids 8 & 12. Even though we have a brand new Flex the kids love my car so more often then not the kids jam into the back of the Mustang. It looks tight to me but they say they are comfortable.
Keep the Mustang.

there's no issue with driving the stang to work everyday. in fact, the new 30mpg V6 is the best daily driver options i can find (hence my current dilemma). the only question is "is it really necessary to have 2 4 door cars?

my logic is like this. if we're going to have 2 cars to fit the whole family and we have 3-4 kids we now need to be able to seat5-6 people in most vehicles. that means we'd need 2 suv's and that just isn't practical at all.

tinted - we aren't doing daycare or public school so that is something to think about.

i'm just trying to make a wise decision when the time comes so i definitely appreciate experienced guys chiming in. does anybody have more than 2 kids and own a mustang as their daily driver (with a second car for mom/kids)?
 
This is interesting. I have a mustang, and my wife has a civic. Our baby boy is a month old yesterday. My wife will not let me get rid of my stang because she knows with everything else going on in my life, it's like my "last bastion" of "manhood" lol. It's really not that dramatic, but she still won't let me get rid of it. However, she will not let my baby boy in my car for like the first year of his life.

Oh the compromises.

Instead I went out and bought me a cheap, good performing dd that isn't going to jack up my insurance and is good on gas. Found me a 1998 Contour SVT with 81k on the odo, about $2400 in suspension parts, and picked it up for what I consider next to nothing.

The moral, here: I'm not getting rid of my stang. :)
 
I have an 88 Mustang LX 5.0 with 357,000 miles and a 06 Mustang GT with about 120,000 miles. Bought both new. Have 4 kids, 3 are 7, 11 and 14. I took them all to or from daycare and on many outings in both cars. The 88 could seat 5 easier, the 06 is just fine with 4. When the whole family is going out, we take her car. Never considered anything else for me. Laugh when others say they need a bigger car. My kids and wife wouldn't let me sell either Mustang.
 
there's no issue with driving the stang to work everyday. in fact, the new 30mpg V6 is the best daily driver options i can find (hence my current dilemma). the only question is "is it really necessary to have 2 4 door cars?.....
(with a second car for mom/kids)?
In my opinion 2 4 doors cars are not necessary. You should manage just fine with the mustang and a family car, my wife and I do. You said you are planning on having 2 to 4 kids so I guess at this point you have none? So why worry now? It's gonna be a minimum of two years before you have 2 kids and are ready to decide on having more . At that point you will have lived with the Mustang and kids you will see first hand if it is workable or not and be in a better position make the decision that is best for you and your family. However if you end up with 4 kids you will need something bigger then a 4dr civic though, such as a 3 row SUV.
 
I had a kid back in the beginning of February. I was dead set I was going to have to sell my mustang and get a new 4 full door f150 due to space. Well, I still have the mustang so far. Get a car seat that releases from the base in the front and it's not bad. The doors are long enough to make gettin to the back not bad.
 
thanks for the feedback guys. i talked to my stepdad today and i think it really comes down to the fact that i'm going to be in it every day so i should probably get something that i like. i really just miss going for a drive and enjoying the drive itself or going to cruise ins. i just see a future that involves kids helping dad with car stuff and family outings to the track. it seems pretty darn reasonable to me.

for the record what i want is only a base model v6 2013 stang.
 
One family vehicle is all that is needed. And if your only planning on having two kids the mustang will cut it, easy. I take/pick my "2" kids up from school in my mustang with no problem, and there 6, and 8, oh yeah and let me add my 8 year only is 4' 8". For the most part, we never ride 4 ppl in the mustang put we do every know and again, especially in the wifes during the summertime since it is conv. We have 3 vehicles, my mustang, her mustang, and a family suv. Seems to work out good that way