My RX-7 Is Too Cramped For The Kids! What Car Should I Buy?

Thomas lives in Denver Colorado, and really loves his 1993 Mazda RX-7. Unfortunately, the rotary-powered sports car is not ideal for running errands with two kids in car seats. He wants something a bit more practical, but doesn't want to give up the enjoyment. With a budget up to $50,000, what car should he buy?

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Here is the scenario.

I have the classic dad conundrum, with a twist.

I have 2 young kids, oldest is 4, and I'm looking for something fun to drive that can handle a family of 4 (and hopefully 5, to future-proof). Here's the twist – I currently have a '93 RX-7 that I able to take the 4 year old in a front-facing car seat, and I've had this car for 19 years. It's required very little maintenance, believe it or not, and at 70k miles feels like there's still a good bit of life in it, albeit slightly more rattly than it once was. I know the obvious answer is to keep the Mazda and take twice as many fun drives, but that's not feasible for things like picking kids up from daycare. I can't pick up one, leave him home alone, and then go pick up the other one.

So I'm looking for something that can handle 2 car seats, and preferably 2+ a booster, in case there's a third kid in the future. The biggest requirement is that I don't want to regret trading it out for the RX-7 TOO MUCH. Here I'm thinking something like a BRZ/FRS/86 would just make me depressed because it's kind of in the same vein, but will never measure up. I'm also looking for it not to obviously stand out, but at the same time, not be completely anonymous in a relatively well-off suburb. Yes, the RX-7 screams different to us here at Jalopnik, but most people just think it's some Corvette they don't remember (depressing but absolutely true statement, I've been asked on many occasions what year my Corvette was) until they read the emblems. So for someone who knows what it is, they're interested, but for those who don't, it more or less blends in with the C7 that's probably within view in some direction. So something like a WRX, GTI, FiST, Tesla that are everywhere on one side, and something like a Citroen DS, GTR, i8 where you can't leave the house without someone bothering you on the other I'm not particularly interested in.

My other cars are a GLS550 and a Grand Cherokee, so this one doesn't need to handle any adverse weather, be a daily driver, or anything like that, but it would be great if it could do both of those things. As for budget, I'd love to stay closer to $30k, but I could go up to $50,000.

I'm in no hurry to make the change, because I know the trade is likely going to be rough for me, and RX-7 prices seem to be moving up, so I'm unlikely to lose money sitting on it longer. Is there anything you'd recommend, even if it's not for sale now, that I can keep an eye out for and make a move sometime in the next 18 or so months? New or used doesn't particularly matter, but I'd probably lean toward used, just in case it is something that I decide I don't like and end up being a person that switches cars every 6 or 12 months chasing the dragon, and don't get killed on depreciation.

Needs: 2 car seats, fun to drive, reasonably quiet on interstate (85-90mph) for potentially sleeping kids

Wants: 3 rear seats, unusual but not too much, low maintenance, car form factor – no truck/SUV/CUV, small enough to fit in a third garage bay with 2 SUVs while having space for all the other garage stuff

Bonus points: AWD/4WD, convertible, could hold a running stroller and/or bags for a weekend trip with people, automatic (so wife can also drive)

Quick Facts:

Budget: ideally near $30,000 could go up to $50,000

Location: Denver, Colorado

Daily Driver: Sort of

Wants: Fun, room for car seats, reasonably sized

Doesn't want: Something over the top that attracts attention

My friend with the same name, giving up that '93 RX-7 isn't going to be easy. However, the good news is that if you do decide to sell it, the market for Radwood era sports cars is still strong, so you will probably get some good money for it. Since your rotary powered car was forward thinking technology of the time, perhaps moving to something more futuristic would be the way to go.

The BMW i4 is a fantastic car to drive despite the absence of a straight six or a clucth pedal. While the styling is a tad polarizing, they do look better in person. The "Gran Coupe" body style means reasonable rear seat space for the kids and a spacious hatchback opening in the rear. While new units are beyond your budget, thanks to EV depreciation you can score a heck of a deal in the used market. Here is 2022 fully loaded M50 model with under 20,000 miles for just under $40,000. Original retail price on this car was over $80,000 and while you might be used to winding up the rotary on the RX, the M50 is going to give you 536 hp and a 0-60 time under four-seconds.

First off, Thomas, let me know if you need to get rid of that RX-7. I can offer $40 and the knowledge that you'll see it pop up in plenty of blogs on this esteemed website. To replace it, though, I think Tom's in the right area but not quite on the mark. Your list of wants and needs points me in a single direction: The BMW M4.You want a fun convertible with a usable back seat? The M4's got you. You want an automatic that's still fun to drive when you pop it into manual mode? The M4 has you there too. You want reliability? Listen, everything comes with compromises. At least I didn't recommend you the V8-powered E93 generation car.

Here's a 2020 M4 convertible for $45,000 — the higher end of your budget, for sure, but within your extended range. If you really want a practical, do-it-all convertible that's as usable on the daily as it is fun on a twisty mountain road, this is the place to look. A 911 won't fit a stroller, and a Panamera won't put the wind in your hair. Get the Beemer. (edited)

I'll be honest, Thomas, I don't know how many automatic convertibles out there offer the practicality of a crossover and handling that rivals the RX-7, but I get it. You want a fun, sporty car, and yet, you still have all these responsibilities at home and don't feel like you can justify buying something that will really only work for you. And the fact that you're thinking about your family when replacing a third, fun car should be commended.

The bad news is, I don't know if I can find a car for you that ticks every single one of the boxes you listed out, but I do think we can find you something that will make you very happy, even if it isn't a V8-powered, five-seat Miata. At least as long as you're willing to compromise on the "convertible" part of your wishlist. What it sounds like you need is a nice, gently used Porsche Panamera. Specifically, I'm talking about this 2018 Porsche Panamera 4 with 61,344 miles on it, which is currently listed for sale over in Boulder for $36,500.

Odds are, you weren't thinking about the Panamera, because most people don't think about the Panamera, but there should be room in the back for your kids, the handling should be impressive enough that you won't miss your RX-7 too terribly much, its V6 makes plenty of power, your wife will be able to drive it thanks to the automatic transmission, the liftback should add some practicality, and while maintenance won't be cheap, it should generally be pretty reliable. It's just too bad Porsche doesn't sell a Panamera Cabriolet.