Ideal Daily Driver?

I have four kids and need a daily driver. There's no way I'm going to part with my 2002 C4S . So, given that, what would be your recommendation for the ideal daily driver. I'm thinking BMW 750i, Porsche Cayenne Turbo...

Given the examples you cited, my vote would be as follows.. 1. M5 2. X5 4.8 3. CTT ...or you could put a hitch on your p-car and pull them in a trailer ;-) -- M

Lease or purchase?

It also depends on what you needs are "hauling" things. For me, I had to rule out the M5, 7-series, etc. since I pull a trailer to the track as well make many trips to Lowe's and therefore........the Cayenne is the way I went. Never a regret and love the Cayenne.

I will probably lease. My wife drives an Infiniti QX56 (jumbo SUV) so my needs include the ability to haul a few kids around 3-4 times a week. I don't know why I didn't think of the M5...I do wonder, since it's quite a bit faster than the C4S, whether it would diminish my appreciation for my beloved Porsche.

Cayenne turbo would be awesome!

A Honda Accord. What you say? An Accord over a M5 or 750. Simple, I say, the C4S goes on trade for a 997 Turbo or GT3, depending on your preference. The daily driver is a completely "who cares?" type of car, which can be quite liberating.

I like the M5 or Cayenne TTS as well. It is a nice problem to have my friend. Actually I would buy a Saturn, it will make you love your Porsche even more when you drive it after getting out of a Saturn!

I just bought a pre-owned S500 as a daily driver and it is amazing. It is the perfect compliment to the Porsche. I would, however, also be happy with an M5, or BMW 545/550. We have an X5 and it's a great vehicle, but storage/hauling space is smaller than is ideal.

4 Kids and a Wife are going to fit in the vehicles you listed?

Exactly what I've got a Pilot for. It's basically an overgrown accord 6 banger. Brought home a load of drywall and some sakrete this weekend and could care less about the dust and other junk that the thing picked up along the way. Even got the rubber tray liner in the back so I can just hose out the dog vomit. Heck I'll even send it through the automated car wash while the kiddies eat ice cream cones.

As DC Porsche said, none of those cars you've mentioned seem to fit 6 people... I think your only real option is a van or a 7-seater wagon/suv/crossover vehicle. Think 07 BMW X5 7-passenger or possibly 07 Mercedes GL450?

We have an 8 seater already (Infiniti QX56). I want something that will allow me to haul a couple of the kids around 3-4 times a week and is an excellent commuter...something that's good to drive dynamically but perhaps not so fast (ie Mercedes E63 or BMW M5) it'll make the C4S feel slow . The Honda Accord idea is interesting...perhaps a BMW 3 series. Has anyone driven the 335i coupe? A Saturn?...very funny...your logic does make sense, however! A minivan?...now you go too far.

335i coop is a blast to drive. if the size works, the car is very nice.

We just got an Infiniti FX on a 1 year lease. That's right, a one year lease for a $41,000 car and it is $2K down and $299 a month. I figured it would be junk compared to the Range Rover (which I would HIGHLY recommend, if you don't mind the 12.5 mpg) but I actually like driving it. It has a great suspension, tight steering, AWD, and seats 4 easily or 5 (if 3 are kids). When we got the Rover, we looked also at the Cayenne, the X5, the LX, and the QX45. Not to bad mouth any of the others, but we liked the Rover the best. Plus, the automatic suspension is handy (the wife is 5'5") and the 560-watt HK stereo rocks. My buddy just sold his M5 after having his first child because getting the carseat in and out was too much hassle compared to the GX. If you have older kids, it may work for you.

Audi S8!! 10 cylinder Lamborgini motor, 450 hp, great handling, great looking!!! I just drove it and have one word...........Wow!!

There's an idea! Ray S, could you please give me some details on your impressions of the S8?

Audi RS4, BMW M5.

No problem. The interior is standard Audi.....awesome. Very tasteful, and the "MMI" is much more intuitive than the Mercedes "Command" or BMW "I-Drive" (I have driven them all). The Audi, drives much smaller than it's size. The ride is firm and controlled and the car corners very flat for a big sedan. However, the car still manages to have a very comfortable ride (not sure how Audi pulled this off with a car that rides w/ 265's on 20" wheels). The motor is just one huge well or torque. It pulls strongly at any RPM and it's not afraid to rev. Then there is the sound......Glorious!! Not quite as good as the 996 flat six (w/PSE) at full wail, but pretty darn good for a big sedan and I was impressed that Audi didn't try to make it too quiet. Finally, the tiptronic has paddles behind the steering wheel and it automatically rev matches on downshifts. It actually works much better and reacts more quickly than any Porsche tip I have ever driven. As a total package the car is VERY impressive!!

Upscale GMC Envoy,you can steal them !

Oh I see, get the 750i.

If you have 4 kids, you need 3 rows. Escalade or Suburban is the way to go because you need reliable, easy to service transport for the family.

Your kids old enough to drive (or will be soon)?

No. And Thanks Ray S. Ok, the BMW M5 keeps popping up. I'm going to ask the question to you all. Given that's it's faster than the C4S, do you think this will steal the C4S's thunder and result in less appreciation for the 911, or am I just concerned about a nonissue ?

Unless you need to tow, I would go Audi. Nothing beats them for a balance of style, comfort, performance and security. I still have a heavily modded 95 S6 that I use as my daily. Andrew

In my opinion the M5 is a big sedan (a fast big sedan, but still big). It will not steal sales from the Porsche C4S. However, there are several upcoming threats to the 911. Namely the new R8 and the rumored Dino. The Panamera will provide the real competition for the M5.

I'm sorry. What I meant was this: I plan to keep my C4S for the weekends and whenever I feel like it, and get a daily driver which is the topic of discussion. So my question is this: if I were to drive a BMW M5 as a daily driver, will I enjoy my 911 less given that the M5 is faster?

I've driven the new M5 (once for an hour or so) - it is obviously not the same experience as a 996 - that said, it is a beast - I think the M5 would be a great car if you could only drive one car. If you like the straight line speed of your Porsche, yes I believe the M5 would dilute your driving experience in the C4S.

I drove one at a BMW autocross event against a G35 coupe. Very impressive car, and bigger than you think it is. Big room in the back seat. A little difficult to get out of the back seat, but kids won't have a problem with it. Felt really quick. Turbo lag was there, but minimal. Really solid turn in, good brakes, and good balance. Handling is a little tame by 911 standards, but it is a really good driver's car.

Unless you have an a small "size wise" family, I can't see them being happy in the back seat of a 5 series.

M5 or Audi S6. I have a C4S as well, and I have an Audi S4 as a daily driver but I only have one child. Back seat would be too small for four kids, therefore I would go with an M5 or S6 for the bigger back seat.

A friend forced me to borrow his M5 for a weekend. This was a couple of years ago, so it was the prior generation M5. The car was great great fun. Fast, but you can feel the bulk. The new M5 should be the same, faster still but even more bulk. My view is that a 911 is unique because of its engine placement. It makes the car imperfect for handling, but very good and loads of fun to drive. Years ago, I declined to buy a M3 offered at a good price because the handling was so composed, it was boring to me. Great car, just not what I want. An M5, or other interesting car, will be fun in whole different way. I doubt it would take much, if anything, away from the 911 driving experience.

I agree. The 911 looks, feels, and sounds (especially with PSE) like no other car on the road today. My hesitation with a daily driver like the BMW M5 stems from my friend who has a Ferrari 575M. After upgrading his daily driver from a Mercedes-Benz E500 to the CLS55, he told me that the CLS55 felt faster than the 575M and as a result he found he didn't enjoy his 575M as much . Now his name is on the list for the Ferrari 599 with its Enzo sourced V12. The acceleration of the 911 is definitely part of its appeal, and I fear BlackCab996 may prove to be right. Does anyone else think this should matter? I'm sure many of you must have considered this as many 911s are second or third cars (ie not the daily driver).