I recently spent a week's vacation driving a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T. It was my mount of choice for a family vacation that took me through New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania (it's near Tionesta and the Allegheny National Forest in the photo above).
Yes, you read right: a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T was my requested family car for a vacation. The same two-dour, Hemi-powered muscle coupe that is supposed to represent high-performance and heritage in the Dodge line-up.
Now why would I subject myself (and my family) to a week of pounding out hundreds of miles in a modern hot rod? For the same reason my wife drove a 1970 Plymouth GTX for over two years after we were married, and a 2002 Mini Cooper for 18 months when our kids were ages 2 and 4. Of course it's obvious -- I like torturing them.
No...wait, that's not it. It's because I refuse to go the tradition "family car" route when there are cooler-yet-fully-functional alternatives. For years I've said that few people actually need a full-size truck or SUV, but they buy far more vehicle than necessary "just in case" -- even when "just in case" happens two or less times a year. But because most coupes can handle four people (if two are kids) and because my wife and I would rather drive something with personality we have a history of transporting the family in non-family-friendly vehicles.
For instance, when my wife got pregnant with our son she was driving a 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier. The thought of a three-ton SUV (of which there were far too many in West L.A.) plowing into her sent shivers up my spine. So we sold the Cavalier and she started driving my 1970 Plymouth GTX. I didn't like the idea of that car getting mashed by a careless 20-something in an Explorer or Tahoe, either, but I knew she'd probably win such an encounter.
Beyond that, I genuinely got a major kick out of knowing she was transporting herself and my son in a classic American muscle car (it's also the first car he rode home in when leaving Cedars-Sinai Medical Center). A couple years later, when she was pregnant again, I relented and bought my first offical new car, a 2000 Honda Odyssey. Two kids in baby seats, both of which needed help being buckled in, was too much adversity for any mom to face without the benefit of big sliding doors.
The Odyssey got my son out of reverse-facing seats and to an age where he could climb in and buckle up all by himself. By then a revised 2002 Odyssey was on the way and I didn't want my residual to take a hit, so I sold it quickly for within $1,500 of what I originally paid.
From there my wife went into a brand new 2002 Mini Cooper, another theoretically non-family-friendly vehicle by most people's estimation, but plenty of car for her and two small children, ages 2 and 4. That car stayed with us for a year-and-a-half but, like the Odyssey, I knew I could sell it for about what I paid. I also knew the iron-clad residual wouldn't last forever, so I got out while I could and swapped her into our left over 2004 Chevrolet Malibu long termer.
The Malibu doesn't exactly live up to GTX or Mini cool, but it was cheap, has plenty of space and power, gets high crash-test scores and even returns good gas mileage. However, the new Dodge Challenger is calling to me and I figured a family vacation was probably the best short-term test I could put one through to see if it makes a realistic family car. We've got a Challenger in the long-term fleet, but I usually only commute in that vehicle by myself. And I have put my family in the LT Challenger just enough to know it would cover the basics for our trip needs. This was a chance to live in the car for a week as a family and see if we still liked it (or at least didn't hate it).
Well, the trip is over and we don't hate it. In fact my wife likes it better than before. And we all fit, including when the driver's seat is adjusted for me (the Mini was always fine if Stacie drove, but if I was driving the space behind me left zero room for legs -- even my three-year-old daughter's legs). Trunk space with all our (admittedly carry-on) luggage was more than adequate. I'm sure we could have had a couple checked bags and still been fine.
Road noise, ride quality (even with the 20-inch wheels) and seat comfort all got a thumbs up from the better half. It also managed just over 22 mpg in mixed driving. And of course I'm fully versed on the effective iPod/iPhone interface from my time with our long-term Challenger. About the only strike against the car is the lack of any quick-release system for the driver's seat. You basically have to use the power adjustments to move the seat up and back every time someone wants to get in behind it (the passenger seat's quick-release system works fine).
So now the wife's ready to pull the trigger, which leaves the prospect of having a monthly car payment as the only thing holding me back. Well, that and the possibility Dodge will add "Plum Crazy Purple" to the Challenger's color palette for 2010. Talk about a cool family car.
So am I the only one willing to forego bland in favor of grand for a family car, even if it means a drop in total cargo capacity or a little extra effort when getting into the back seat? Come on, somebody out there has to be using a 911 or S5 as a family car. Or am I the only on with such twisted thoughts?
By dougtheeng
on July 14, 2009
06:40 AM
Your thoughts are not twisted. Families are perfectly capable of operating with a less conventional vehicle, though it may require some sacrifice now and again.
By bepperb
on July 14, 2009
07:31 AM
If you can pull it off, I say go for it. On our last family vacation me, wife and two kids, and dog barely fit into our Highlander. So now I need to buy one of those shelves that fit into your receiver hitch for next time. We have an Accord sedan that didn't have a chance. But if I thought I could pull it off I would. So if you can, go for it.
On the other hand, every day at daycare I see a Z3 with a child seat on the passener side. There is a limit where you need to draw a line, but I don't think a large car like the Challenger is across it.
By 7driver
on July 14, 2009
08:01 AM
I once knew a guy who grew up in the back of a 911. His parents refused to drive anything else their entire lives. He's 6'2" BTW.
I also know a mom who drops her daughter off at preschool/kindergarten in a Miata. The dad drives a 3-series.
By guy1974
on July 14, 2009
08:02 AM
At my daughters daycare I regularly see a Ford Mustang with a rear facing car seat in the back!
By blueguydotcom
on July 14, 2009
08:02 AM
My mom always had sports cars when I was a kid. We survived. My wife's dad always had 911s and she was fine in it for multiple family transfers all over the country.
I had a Cooper S for my infant for several months but ended up ditching it when I found I had a helluva a time getting him in and out. The writing on the wall made it clear that I physically couldn't buckle him in when the day came. So the Cooper S went away and I'm stuck with a more sensible 335i sedan. The trunk is large for our needs, the space is massive inside and he's got a decent AC system to keep him cool in our warm weather. It'll work but I'm honestly anxious for him to grow up a bit more so he can buckle himself and I can get a 1 series.
By 06scooby
on July 14, 2009
08:06 AM
there is something to be said though for less space and packing less... you can get pretty effecient and you pack way less when your space is limited as opposed to when you have a ton of space and you just start chucking anything and everything in the car till it's full. When you are so used to such a big car it's amazing how little you can bring when you don't have the space for everything.
By blueguydotcom
on July 14, 2009
08:20 AM
06scooby, so true. We just took my son on a 4 day trip. Total bags for 2 adults and 1 kid: 4.
1 20 inch long duffle bag with baby clothes, diapers, miscellaneous. 1 upright that qualifies for carry-on. 1 bag for the car seat. 1 bag for his Baby Jogger City Mini stroller (which never got used and will not be going unless we're visiting a place with decent weather).
We checked the stroller, carseat and our bag. Carried on the overnight bag. I've seen my sister on the same type of trip - 8 or 9 bags.
By ocramida
on July 14, 2009
08:35 AM
Mazdaspeed 3 (me) and Mazda5 (wife) for my family. We had a Pilot but my wife missed having a 5 speed stick. She also HATED the Pilot's size and numb dynamics. Both Mazdas are practical and pretty fuel efficient considering their high performance. Everytime I drive a larger car/SUV I come back to find that the Mazdas offer the best balance of affordability, practicality and performance.
The MS3 hatch and the Mz5 sliding doors make family life with our two boys (4 and 9) extremely easy.
Now we zoom-zoom everywhere.
By carfreak8394
on July 14, 2009
09:18 AM
My uncle has a friend who drives his daughters to school in a M3 convertible and his wife drives a 99 911. I'm jealous.
By blueguydotcom
on July 14, 2009
10:27 AM
BTW, this weekend we had a "family car" as a rental. It was a Dodge Journey. OMG what a horrible, horrible vehicle. That thing did not feel safe. No power, no ability to change direction and really not that much space in the interior. I won't even get into all the faults in the ergonomics...
22k starting price on that car?! Seems like robbery.
By hankattol
on July 14, 2009
11:04 AM
When I was little, mom had a '68 or '69 AMX...no backseat (let alone seatbelts) in that puppy. Just some space behind the front seats for myself and friends. IIRC, 5 total was the most of us piled in there at once...fun memories. She had to get rid of it in '77 and laments it to this day
By estreka
on July 14, 2009
07:42 PM
When I was in my teens, Mom had a '95 Accord coupe 5speed and Dad had an '86 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce. We got around just fine.
I had a '97 Accord coupe that got me through several moves (once from Austin, TX to Santa Maria, CA). It was a tight fit (especially with that bumpin' stereo I had) but it did just fine.
By estreka
on July 14, 2009
07:44 PM
Oh! And now I only have my S2000. And I've made 2 moves already in that. I've also made countless trips to Sam's in it.
By scott65
on July 14, 2009
09:07 PM
Karl you are not alone....My dad always drove our family around in Coupe. A Demon, Satellite, and Caprice were the family cars and handled 4 people just fine. 4 doors is over rated...and always makes a car look worse in my opinion.
By ahightower
on July 17, 2009
10:02 AM
We had a couple of big coupes when I was little and there were "only" four kids in the family so far. A late 70's Lincoln Continental coupe, and then an early 80's Cadillac 2-door. Three kids in back, littlest one on the front bench with mom and dad. When babies 5 and 6 came along, we got an '85 Cutlass Cruiser wagon. Two boys in the third row barf bench, three girls in the middle, and baby up front on the split bench with mom and dad. We never though it was too small. 8 butts, 8 seats, what more do you need? Groceries under kids' feet sometimes, and a cargo carrier on the roof rack for vacations. No big deal.
People used to buy just enough car and no more. I will admit that I am one of those over-prepared Suburban drivers now. But we have three kids, and you cannot fit three modern car seats across a back seat of many vehicles. It had to be three rows. We tried minivan first but didn't like it much, so we moved up a size. I almost feel guilty having two empty seats and enough cargo space to bring it all without packing lightly or carefully. Don't judge too harshly though - the gas mileage is not far off of most minivans or CUV's in the city - 14-15 versus 16-17. And we do a lot of camping, and occasional towing. And, God willing, may have another baby or two in the coming years. Plus it's known to be a very reliable vehicle (unlike any of those GM's I grew up with). So, it's more car than we need every day, but what the heck. It's not like I have a DVD player in there or anything. I reckon my kids are spoiled enough by the leg room and rear air conditioning!