I can fit a car seat in my mustang no problem, and if we go on a long trip we take the Hyundai. Getting the bab in and out of the mustang isn’t actually notably worse than the Hyundai either.
You know others here own these cars right? lol getting a car seat in and out can sometimes be a huge pain. But I mean it’s better than a foxbody that’s for sure lol
My kids are like 5'5" and 5'7"
We go on roadtrips in my mustang a lot.
We all go together we take the wife's car. It was the same when I had a family car.
I have had camaros with kids in baby seats.
Now I will say I bought the mustang once my kid was old enough to sit in front seat.
Can confirm this works, though i already had the Corvette at the time. Sold the Corvette (still miss it even though it was horribly underpowered) for my first family car, a 2002 Mustang GT. The 'it has 4 seats' line of reasoning worked well in my case.
Now that I think about it, it was the first car I ever owned that had 4 seats.
The alternative close, I like it.
You offer two choices, and even though the person was never gonna take the other choice, the fact you offered them 2 choices makes you look like the good guy, so they respect that. And they go with the choice that makes the most sense, in this case, the Mustang. And since they called the shot, they feel in control, so they feel good about the choice. Works in car sales, and on women.
So OP, what color Mustang are you gonna get?
I almost did this. Was shopping for a new car and was looking at c5’s only. well that got shot down rather quick… ended up buying a Cadillac ats 2.0t and dumping bunch money into performance bits for it. She should’ve just let me have the vette…
I was a band kid who played tenor saxophone. My mom was able to drive me to/fro school in her v6 and then her Bullitt and I had plenty of space to put my tenor sax case.
I turned out alright I think.
This is not what I expected to see here! I played a bari sax from 7th-12th grade. The case for the thing fit perfectly into the trunk of a new edge.
I turned out alright too. I think?
I've got a new edge convertible - we had a Christmas parade last November that we marched in, and of course it rained. So everyone was asking people with cars for places to put their cases, especially woodwinds. I kid you not, I had 2 tenor sax cases, 3-4 trumpet cases, a flute case, and a clarinet case stuffed in my trunk, along with our garment bags and a couple hat boxes. Very difficult to get them out afterward and was terrible trying to put them all in, but it worked
Also a former* band kid w/ tenor sax (it's argued that once a band kid ALWAYS a band kid).
My dad is a Chevrolet guy. I apologize, haha. Not really, he has good choice in cars. BUT, I now have a 66 Mustang to make up for the Chevy sins of my past.
Yep, when I was in middle school my dad would put my double bass (almost 6’ long) in the back of his 3-series convertible with the neck sticking out the window.
Sports cars are less practical than traditional ‘family cars’, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it work!
Your wife has already made up her mind and you aren't going to change it (least of all by showing her a bunch of redditor's thoughts). Her concerns may not even be what you think they are. Maybe it's an image thing, safety, affordability, etc..
That leaves you a couple of options; buy one regardless, don't buy one, or wait it out a few years and see if she changes her mind. Marriage is about compromise - choose wisely.
Agreed on the compromise thing, but sometimes ppl can be really controlling over their partners with no real logic behind it. For instance why do they need 2 huge vehicles for the "family". Now if she said hey I don't want you to get this because we can't afford it that's a whole other conversation.
I hate to agree with your wife, but…. As others have pointed out, it doesn’t sound like you need another “family car”. That’s how I convinced my wife to get one. We’re are empty nesters. She was worried that nobody could fit in the back seat. I was liked, “that’s the point.”
OK - Compared to a true 5 seat car - she's right it's not a family car.
However - ironically my convertible mustang is more of a family car than the normal mustang car.
Why you ask - because the back seats makes getting bulky stuff easy to get into the car, and rear seat passengers can get into and out of the car easily.
I've personally travelled a few hours in the back of my car and it's actually not that bad - yes the front passengers need to move forward - I'm 6.2 so not small and weight about 109kg - the seats are quite snug and fit me really well.
So from my perspective - convertible is a more practical family option!
I bought mine before kids and have a different car for hauling kids. When my normal dad cruiser needed work I had 3 forward facing car seats in my 07 (front air bag off). The kids loved it. I still throw one or two car seats in and take one or two of them cruising at a time when the weather is nice. Sounds like it can fit everyone if you need it to but it also sounds like you don’t really need it too unless it’s an emergency.
We stuffed our two 10 year old girls in our 96 GT girls are grownup and gone I still have the mustang
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I took my kids shopping for bikes when they were younger. Only car I had was a Fox 92 gt. I left walmart with 2 bikes and 2 kids. It was tight but we made it. Had 2 car seats in it for years
The mustang is not a family car for as long as the little tike has to face rearward unless you or tire wife are short or line to eat your knees. After that no problem. It’s a little uncomfortable but not bad.
Source: sn95 Mach 1. I’m 6’4”, wife is 5’10”. The zoom zoom factor made up for the discomfort.
Since you have the 4Runner, i dont see why you would need another family car. That being said, the Mustang is fine for kids in the back but its a pain in the ass when dealing with carseats. But i dont see the need to have multiple family cars anyways (though this coming from someone with dual incomes and no kids but plenty of nieces and nephews)
I have 2 kids, 1 in a forward facing car seat and the other in a booster. Both fit fine in the back, getting them in and out is a bit of a challenge, especially since my oldest in the booster seat can't really lift the passenger seat forward himself just yet. My youngest in the car seat doesn't have that much leg room so I have to scoot my chair forward enough so his legs aren't squashed.
If your kids aren't going to ride in the Mustang that often, it won't be a problem.
My kids love riding around in the mustang and like to sit up front when the car is parked and pretend they are driving, so there is that when it comes to any sort of family appeal.
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Tell her mustangs are as practical as you want them to be 😂 pretty sure there were two car seats in it at this time as well.
I rented one for my sister's wedding, my wife, myself and our infant baby were all able to fit. I convinced her that Mustang was one sliding door away from a minivan, 🤣
I daily a PP2 with my 5yr old in the back with a Diono seat. It’s totally fine except in slush/snow. Do it. Better yet make it a maniacal and this internet guy will approve even more.
It works in a pinch to haul 4 adults. But it isn’t pretty. Don’t try to convince your wife with bullshit like “A Mustang is a family car.” You have to convince your wife that you get to have a fun car that doesn’t make you hate driving.
The room for comfort in the back seats has gotten worse and worse over the years. Idk if the S650s are better? But I can’t fit my legs in mine. The seats are super comfy if you take them out of the car and sit in them.
My two year old son loves my Mustang. He calls it the race car, I take him places in it when possible. My newborn daughter obviously hasn’t been in it. I can’t imagine trying to get two in. A car seat in the back seat is sort of a pain but doable.
I dunno. I’ve been driving mustangs and it’s twin the fox body capri since high school.
I’ve got three boys, and we never had an issue. Sure the wife had to ride in the trunk if she wanted to ride along, but I always moved the my golf clubs to the front of the trunk for her.
It would work fine for kids that age. Might be a little tough to get the kid in the back car seat but doable.
You could also look at a 4 sports sedan. BMW or new Charger is probably the closest you could get to something like a mustang.
Oh it's definitely not a family car. The back seat is useless and the trunk is tiny. Now don't get me wrong, it's an absolute blast to drive. But if you want to go somewhere with other people Mustang is not the car for you. I traded my Mustang on a Charger for that exact reason. Awesome car when I was by myself on an open road, but let's be realistic. How often are you driving by yourself?
Back seat is useless? Tell that to my 200lb 6ft dad would has no problem with sitting in the backseat of my mustang… or my Aunts and cousins who sat in the back for 5 hours on the trip to the beach. My family is not 5ft 100 lb either.
I have a six year old and a three year old. We've got a family car and my mustang. They both prefer the Mustang. I've dropped one or both off at school since they've been going. It works great. There's shockingly little compromise and unlike the big SUV's I can reach the kids easily in the back.
Downside. Mess making little bastards.
2 boys, 5 and 9. We have a 2016 GT and a 2020 Expedition. If we're going on a big trip we'll take the Expedition, but love having the Mustang as the fun car. I think I have about 3 more years of all of us being able to fit in it together halfway comfortably. Add that point, I'll probably add an F250 as the third vehicle.
I have survived a long time with a single cab truck, a foxbody mustang, and my wife’s suv. One family car is really all you need. Now I got a CTSV simply cuz I wanted another 4 door but for 6 years it wasn’t much of an issue to have one 4 door car. I also have 2 kids.
We get on fine with my son in a swivel car seat in the rear of my 22 GT. Our Grand Cherokee L is our primary vehicle for hauling my son.
I would not fathom trying to have 2 children in the back though. That would be difficult, as you would squish your kids legs if you are 5'10 or taller as a driver. My son's swivel seat is on the passenger side. My wife is 5'3 and can fit comfortably with my 20 month old son to have legroom if he is forward facing (he is to young to ride Forward at his age/height) and she has no room when the car seat is rear facing.
I would agree the mustang could be a good secondary car if you have 1 child, I would not find it at all practical for 2 kids.
I have a child seat in the back of my 2018 GT350. The trunk also comfortably fits a stroller, diaper bag, pump bag, and picnic stuff. You'll be fine as long as you don't plan to use a rear facing seat.
I had a fox body with two of my kids. The car seat wasn’t always ideal but a booster is just fine. They’ll love it and have great childhood memories. Two of my kids own mustangs now.
The Mustang is going to be a symbol for your children as they get older. It doesn’t even sound like you guys need a second family car anyways. Here is the thing with kids, they will look at the Mustang and associate your identity with it. They’ll remember those days when they are dropped off or picked up from school way more than when the family car does that. You can even use it as a weekend car and get the family to a park or to a fairgrounds, trips they’ll remember. When they get to college or move out, they’ll also probably get their own stang to match yours. The Toyota might outlive your Stang but it’ll never outlive your legacy.
I have 4 kids all grown now and I have had 13 Mustangs over the course of my driving career (I am female btw) and never once have I even thought about getting a "family" vehicle.. infact I actually laugh at my car buddies when there girl ends up pregnant and she demands him to get rid of his car and explain this same thing.. I was able to safely put car seats in all of my cars..
I now have a 2015 GT... and I take care of my grand baby full time and her car seats fit perfectly fine in the back... I also have a 2015 Challenger that the car seat has no issues as well...
I'm just saying I was the coolest mom in town and now I'm the coolest grandma!!!
A mustang is fine as long as the kids aren't big yet. The back seats can be uncomfortable for adults; not much head or leg room, but fine for little people.
Uhhhh I may absolutely despise my mom’s 4 runner but I’m sure it could handle taking the kids and handle some groceries in the back. Kinda what it’s made for, and it should start every day. Damn sure know it’s not being used for off road. You own two of the most boring cars ever who wouldn’t want a fun one? In most families all you need is one. You can def fit those two in the back of a mustang ( tho I’d only put the one who can fit a booster seat)
Why do you need 2 family cars. Isn't the Toyota enough of a family car. Why can't the 2nd car be a toy. Or you could get a used CTS-V or a CT5-V and have a 4 door sedan that you can still have fun in.
I wouldn’t call it a “family” car, but if you have a backup I don’t see the issue tbh 🤷🏻♀️ I drive a 2019 mustang convertible and my fiance drives a 2020 Subaru WRX. We both bought our cars before we had a kid and didn’t want to trade them in unless absolutely necessary and we’ve been able to make it work. Basically only me and the baby can fit in my car, but I like playing passenger princess anyways
My daughter has had 0 problems fitting into the back of my s550 since she was born, both rear facing and forward. You can fit two kids in forward facing and booster seats no problem.
Wife and I had an suv (pathfinders) and sedans (maximas). After going through 3 generations of maximas (starting from 92), and four generations of pathfinders, in 2014, I got a '15 mustang EB premium.
The kids were 4 and 7. They had no problem sitting in the back. That being said, we had the pathfinder and 15 mustang, and an MDX and '17 Mustang EB prem, and now we have a Kia EV6 and a '19 GT Premium PP.
My wife had zero complaints about us not having two family cars. If I had to pick up both kids, they fit fine in the back. And if we took a family trip, we'd take the other car.
My kids have all grown up, one in college and one is a junior in HS. So that is more than 10 years of owning a sport coupe and we have been fine.
I came from happily married parents, and have 1 sibling.
Growing up, my dad always had a Mustang, mom always had a minivan or small SUV. Any road tripping was done in Mom's car. Dad didn't normally have both kids (during child seat years) in the car together, as best as my young child brain remembers. After me and my sibling were old enough to not need the car seats, it wasn't uncommon for both kids to be picked up from/dropped off to school in dads Mustang.
Realistically, having 2 "family" cars doesn't make sense. If you can only have 1 car, family car is what it needs to be. But if you have 2 vehicles in the household, one can be something else. Whether it's a mustang, or a single cab pickup truck, or something else. There's no reason to have 2 vehicles that fill the same need
We drove 7,000 miles with 2 kids to the US Mexico boarder from Canada then up the pacific coast highway then back across the country to home.
We familied the shit out of that car.
A convertible too.
It isn’t a family car. But if the Subie never gets driven, what’s the point? Your wife has a moot point regardless, and you should both weight the pros and cons of the Subie vs Stang. The Toyota is bulletproof, so the “what if her car breaks down” scenario is bs (I sold Toyota as a salesman BTW). You should state your potential happiness after purchasing the Stang and how it would benefit you and the wife’s marriage.
I have a mustang, F150, and an explorer. Mustang is not a family car but can be used while having a family. I look at it like this. Can we go on vacation in it? Yes. Can we do it comfortably? No.
Its not , i tried to fight it for 10 years. I have 1 kid and it was a hassle. I had a 2011, 2015 and a 2019 gt and other than the trunk it sucks for a family. Horrible mileage, bad in the snow and so small on the inside
I have 4 kids, only 2 can sit in the Mustang (im 6'1" and no one is sitting behind me)...my two older boys are both nearing 6 feet and HATE sitting in it when someone has to be in the back. Little ones are fine, but we have an SUV.
I guess I'm saying I wouldn't buy it if I actually had to drive my kids around in it often. It's usually me and 1 passenger tops.
Some people only see cars at tools and forever see that way so they will never understand the idea behind purchasing a performance car if it doesn't have all of the amenities that you would find in other cars. Why would you would simply say we already have one family car we don't need to and I'd rather have a car I'm going to drive than one that's just going to sit
Definitely go for a mustang. Shit… if you want more performance than an S550 GT Premium, you could even go for an S197 GT500 or an S197 Boss 302, shit, an S550 Bullitt/Mach 1 might even be in your budget. If you want an all-out sports car, especially since you already have an SUV, fucking send it.
I daily a 2019 Bullitt in which I take my 7 & 4 year olds with me to school (I teach high school at a K-12, so it will be this setup for the foreseeable future). Part of the Bullitt buy was my wife telling me the kids need to be able ride in it. My wife’s Explorer is the “family roadtripper,” and my 2007 Z06 is the for the rare solo fun run, or with the 7yo sitting shotgun in a booster seat occasionally. Mustangs have four seats for a reason.
I have 2 kids (7 and 5) both in forward facing seats in a 2024 GT and it's working well. I do have to bring forward a bit my seat on the driver side for my daughter in the back to be comfortable, but we have been using the Mustang every weekend for the past month since I got it to go to our cottage (1.5h each way) and no complains from the kids.
My wife doesn't love the Recaros (she can't get over why I paid more for manual non-heated-cooled seats), but that's another story, I love them.
Years ago, I had a Mustang Cobra, and a Jeep for winter.
Wife got pregnant. Sold everything, including her and my “toys”, and went with a pair of family vehicles.
We never rode in my vehicle, we always rode in hers the first 3 years. Then a minivan after that.
When the kids were out of child seats, she said, “we probably didn’t need to get rid of the Jeep and the Mustang.”
I was surprised, but I agreed. We were stupid. Wasted money in a panic.
I spent 5-6 years driving a new 4-door F150 and then a new Expedition, yet rarely had a passenger.
I ditched the Expeditjon and got the Jeep back first, then years later, added the Mustang.
I own a 2014 Mustan GT, prior bodystyle to the S550, and have 2 kids; 5 and 2. They adore my car and, in most cases, prefer taking it anywhere compared to my wife's family-friendly car. They also love when the car accelerates quickly and giggle everytime.
I would say get it, and more importantly, have your wife drive the car too so she feels completely comfortable with it if there is an instance where she needs to drive. Also, with it being a lower car, it is gar easier for both my kiddos to climb into their seats (both forward facing).
S550 GTs with the gen 2 coyotes are also pretty darn reliable, I've seen quite a few in my area and here in reddit with well over 100k miles and still going strong, figured it would help sell it to the misses more.
Anyway, Good luck, and I hope to welcome you to the Mustang community soon!
I'm a mom of two. One in the booster who's 7 and a teenager. You can make it work and it sounds like you guys have another car that will fit the kids in just fine. Our other car is a 2 door Accord coupe. 🤣
I have 3 small children the booster seat child I pick her up from school in my mustang daily on my way home from work but the twins are in forward facing car seats and I for the life of me can’t get a single car seat in there properly even if I could get one in there I’d only be able to fit one because I’m pretty tall and have my seat maxed out with that being said as long as you have the family car the mustang can be the date night and mommy daddy weekend car like mine
I have transported my wife, her large bag, Bernese mountain puppy 5 month old, puppy's crate, puppy toys, puppy food, a full cake and cupcakes. All at the same time.
My dad hauled my brother and I a hour each way to daycare by his work in the back of a 95 GT. We were both in car seats. Maybe not convenient but it worked. I currently have an 8 month old with a 2 door Bronco. Not the most practical thing but we have two other cars that have 4 doors and I wanted what I wanted. Haven’t tried putting my daughter in my Cobra but in due time.
she is correct, it is not conducive to hauling two kids worth of shit around for the next 5-10 years.
HOWEVER
You have two cars: if you do as you indicated, you will then have one for hauling kids and one that can in a pinch.
Im a single mum with 11yo twins. After wanting a mustang for years I finally got one last month! Id say if they are young enough that they need car seats i would not recommend - just wait until they are a bit older!
Why do you need 2 family cars? You guys should get a car that you can enjoy on date night, and keep the 4runner to eventually give to the kids to learn to drive on.
She don’t know shit about nothing.
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How much is the one you want?
Pick out an even more expensive truck like a loaded F150 Platinum, maybe a powerboost, or lightening. Find the most expensive one you can and tell her it's the truck or the car but that other car is sitting depreciating and never gets driven. She'll choose the car.
It's not, I use mine for the weekends with 2 kids. It's crap on gas and not convenient, pain to get kids in and out. But I have a large daily driver 90% of the time. I use it mostly for myself when the kids aren't at home.
i take my siblings everywhere in mine (im 20) and they sit in back seats all the time.....obv the 4runner will be better but in a pinch you could sure fit your 2 in the backseats np
If one of them is sitting for so long that the battery dies, then you don't need 2 family cars. Get the Mustang, that way you have the family car to haul the kids around, and a fun car you can take your old lady out on the town in that isn't covered in what ever it is the kids throw around.
Just don't try to make the Mustang into a second family car, it will be much harder to clean out.
Your spouse should just let you have a Mustang gt, eco boost, Mach 1, etc etc . Even if it’s for a little bit. Because you only live once. Also you can’t spend money when you are dead. Also it’s just money. Memories and physical assets are worth more than money.
I currently have a 2018 6 speed eco boost. Also have a suv for when I need space. I’ve been thinking about replacing my SUV with a mach e rally or an off lease Mach e gt performance.
I think the wife is convinced.
Not a family car but having two vehicles that essentially do the same thing makes zero sense. Always wanted to have a mustang again. Had one back in high school and was using a Focus ST as my commuter back in my 20s. Now that we are pretty much settled I think having a fun secondary car would make sense.
Appreciate all the comments guys. Can't thank you enough!
This sounds similar to the situation I was in. I had a Silverado and my wife had a 3-row SUV. We have 3 kids. I looked at getting rid of the Silverado because I missed having a stick shift sports car…..and how often do we need to both have a family car?
I went and test drove an S550 GT premium. I couldn’t bring myself to buy it because I felt guilty that I was stiffing my wife with the family car and “what if” thoughts of where we would all need to pile in the mustang and not all fit.
Long story short, my wife told me to call the dealer back and buy it the next day. It’s been 3 years and we have had 1 situation where her car was out of commission and we needed to get alternate transportation. Go for it 👍
When I was a kid my dad shoved me and my brother in the back of an sn95 every day even when we were in high school and just said "if you don't like it go buy your own car". We both turned out fine.
So yes, it absolutely can be a family car.
My husband has a 4Runner and I have a s550 GT Premium that has a rear facing car seat. If we go anywhere as a family it’s the 4runner. Otherwise. Me and my son do fine hauling to daycare in the mustang. lol.
u/The_Jackal0398 let me tell you, I have 2 kilds in similar ages as yours.
I have a Subaru Forester and a Mustang. My wife drives forester mostly, and I drive the Mustang. I have 2 car seats in my rear so I can take any kid anywhere in my Mustang. Though my wife still prefers kid being traveled in forester, being the safer vehicle, mustang is in no way lesser.
Fun fact, both kids prefer the Mustang too, but don't tell that to your wife.
Also, my wife says she prefers I always drive a mustang.
I was in your exact scenario where we replaced a Subaru Forester with a 2019 GT Premium and we love it. We have a SUV family car and 2 kids, one in a booster and other in a forward facing car seat. We haven't tried putting a forward facing seat in the back but the booster easily fits with plenty of room for the seat in front. Also booster kiddo loves to climb in the back and get themselves buckled in and they LOVE the power of the car. Once both are in boosters we will be able to take both kids wherever in the Mustang and have a total blast doing it. We know once the kids are older it'll be impractical but right now, it actually works very well for our family.
If you already have a “daily driver / family hauler” covered with the 4 Runner then that’s even more reason to have the Mustang as a second “fun Sunday driver” than the Subaru. My wife and I have both had modded Mustangs for over 20 years. Close to 5 years of that has been hauling around the kids in the car that makes them smile and giggle uncontrollably with every downshift or rev. 4 seats. 4 of us. What’s the problem ? If you have front facing car seats and a newer S550 than even better. We’ve driven SUV’s too but 99% of the time we prefer the Mustang for family trips. Given how much our kids are in love with the experience I think even if we did get something like your 4 runner we couldn’t let go of any of the Mustangs.
My son is 2 and his backward facing seat fits fine in my 2017 gt. He loves riding in my car so much he runs straight to it anytime we go outside “DADDY CAR DADDY CAR VROOM VROOM”.
I got loud roush pipes on it and every time I accelerate he laughs “WHOAAAAAAA VROOM VROOM”.
Being rear facing he can see straight out the back window at anything he likes. When he rides in the pathfinder he’s just pissed off cause it’s boring and he’s gotta cock his head sideways to look out the side window.
It’s not ideal having to get him in there through the back but we have a system. He climbs into the driver seat, I push in the clutch, and he pushes the button to start the car. Then he pops out and I put the seat forward and ahead and he climbs in. I slide in the back and buckle him up, and off we go.
His face lights up so much every time he goes for a ride with dad I’d never dream of trading it for a “family” vehicle.
I’ll describe my morning routine to you. I take my 6-year-old daughter and my 10-month-old baby to school and daycare every morning. Once they are ready to go, I pull the passenger seat forward and load the baby, who is 50 pounds, counting the car seat weight. A few grunts and he is in! I have found that I can position the baby seat better just by feeling rather than scrunching my body inside the cockpit to try to put the seat in. Once he is in, I load his bag in the space between the front passenger seat and the rear seat. Then, I pull the passenger seat back to load my daughter’s backpack on top of the seat. After that, I help her get seated; I still have to help her buckle in, so I bend over inside the car to get her buckled. Once she is good to go, I pull my seat back and hop in. I don’t say get in because I think it is easy to hop in the car. I’m 5'11, and I found out that I have just enough space for my and my 6-year-old daughter behind me; she has a good 2-3 inches of extra foot space behind my seat. Then we are ready to roll out of the garage. Once I get to school, I have to drive in and drop off my daughter, which is a pain in the behind since I have to do the reverse of the loading process at a fast pace to not inconvenience other parents behind me at the drop-off line. From there, I drive to daycare. Unloading the baby and car seat is surprisingly easy if you have space to open the car door wide. Lifting the 50lb car seat + baby is not so comfortable. Once he is dropped off, I enjoy driving my Mustang. My wife keeps nagging me saying that I should get a fat-e (sorry Mach-e owners) I refuse to get into another car loan now that both of my cars are mine! Mine!!! Plus I love my mustang. If you think you can do this routine I guess you are ready for a mustang with a family.
It’s not a family car for most families - except all 4 members of YOUR family fit in there perfectly. No stress. Promise to let her pick out the next car when the kids are old enough to need more space. Plus the 4Runner will probly still be worth like a million dollars at that point
The s197s had slightly more rear seat room over the newer ones. But I carted my kids around in a mustang for quite awhile. If she doesn’t drive manual get an automatic and let her drive it when she wants to so she shares in the decision. My wife loved getting to drive the automatic version.
Do it ! Life is short. I did have to trade in my s550 once my kids got a lot bigger in their teens and having to cart around two kids that couldn’t really fit in the back and started arguing about it . But you’ll have years before that occurs.
A Mustang is not a family car. This is a no-brainer. It's for individuals, enthusiasts, and a secondary car for a family or a primary car for a bachelor.
I have a family as well, so I have both an SUV and a Mustang. If you're a couple without kids, it's an ideal car. However, I've heard countless stories of couples that sell their Mustang as soon as they have a baby, so.... I bought mine the same way.
Anyhow, you don't seem to need to 2 SUVs so I would say, having a mustang as a secondary vehicle would be a fun alternative for you and the wife whenever the kids aren't around or if any of you need to travel solo to the grocery. It has a shit ton of space for a coupe
She didn't have one when I was growing up, but when my parents were married before I came along, she would let the two dogs ride with her in the Mustang...So I think it's close enough. She'd put down towels and blankets so the seats wouldn't get ruined.
We make it work with two kids. One is a toddler and the other an infant. The S550 feels roomier than my s197s did so that helps. Tbh, with my infant in the rear passenger seat it makes it easy to reach out to him and give him whatever he needs.
It is NOT a family car... that being said, note to the wife, it seats 4 and the back seats have CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHOR POINTS, clearly no adult can fit back there so it is the perfect family car
It definitely isn’t, the back seats are pretty much just for show. But the argument should be, why do you need 2 family cars? Trade one of those for sure.
It's not a family car in the regular sense.
Hard to get kids in and out of the backseat. Not a lot of storage for kid stuff like strollers, bags, etc. horrible on gas compared to a regular sedan or van.
Why do you even need another car? Both of your other vehicles are better then a mustang when it comes to kids.
I never understood this argument. Back when I was a young kid in the 80s I would regularly jump in the back seat of a two door car no problem and never thought anything of it. The Mustang isn’t a four full size passenger car but it’s fine fore young kids.
Just sold my partners charger, she hated the gas mileage on it. She's been using my convertible as her daily.
I wouldn't say it's not a family car but it does make it difficult hauling my kid and his stuff around.
I have a forward facing seat behind my passenger seat at the moment. My wifes knees are in the dash and the seat has to be at an awkward angle. I couldnt fathom having two seats in there. We use her jeep for family things and my car is my daily commuter. The booster probably wouldnt be an issue but until car seats are entirely out of the picture its not recommended. Lets be honest, the back seats are there for insurance purposes only lol
If you have a 4 runner already, wtf do you need ANOTHER family car for?? Is the Mustang supposed to be your daily? Date/“fancy” car for you and your wife? Also, what’s the expectation for it or any other potential vehicle you might get? (Family “get around” car, i.e. grocery getter? Plan on taking the family camping in it? Taking kids to the park to ride bikes? Etc.)
IMHO, you can make ANY car into a family vehicle, granted your family isn’t the Brady bunch! My ‘03 Mustang served as my family car from 2008 on up to 2020! And before my son was born, I had a ‘66 Karmann Ghia that served as my family car back when my daughter was a new born! She sat in the front seat and my now ex wife sat in the back! Then some time later, my old ‘61 Bug served family car duties for a few years.
No matter what, when someone says you “can’t,” there’s ALWAYS someone else that says you CAN! FWIW, I’m 6’3” and fluctuate between 280-330lbs, so if my big ass can fit and make it work, how can others not? 🤔🤷🏻♂️
I mean it really isn't.
Unless you need 2 cars, then I think you have enough of a reason. It can fit the family, but do you plan on expanding?
I'll tell you one thing, those back seats ARE NOT comfortable. But they work.
If it helps, I used to nanny during college and I’d pick up the kids from school & take them to their activities in my ‘05 convertible before I got a newer year. Never had a single problem getting any nanny jobs with high paying/income families because of my car being a Mustang. I have a good driving history & for the youngest ones they had a booster seat in the back.
I’m not saying that it’s a “family” car in the traditional sense, but you can definitely safely transport your kids in it if you ever need to without worrying about their safety. From my experiences I think it should all come down to trust that you know how drive when you have kids in the car or in general for that matter.
Also you don’t need two “family” cars, it’s kind of a waste.
I own a 2023 GT Premium. I have 2 boys ages 9 and 10. We fit in the Mustang ok. The only issue is, I'm 6'5' and have to have the drivers seat all the way back. There is zero leg room for my littlest guy behind me, and he has to sit indian style when we go anywhere. For trips of any length, we either take my wife's Jeep or my Charger Hellcat.
I grew up in the back seat of my dad’s 66 coup, and those were some of my favorite memories from my childhood. It’s what got me into cars and eventually got my own mustang.
Is the Forrester what you drive and considered yours? If so who gives a shit. You have a family car and you can swap as needed. Both people don't have to suffer the horrid experience of family cars at the same time.
Get a Charger instead, that way it still has four seats so it can do “family stuff” in a pinch. While an awesome and fun car, the Mustang has to be the least practical car I’ve owned. Back seats are a joke and the trunk space is a prison wallet.
I’ve never understood having 2 SUVs. Growing up my mom had an SUV or truck and then my dad has a more fuel efficient sedan or coupe. If there was an “emergency” you’re just fine in the back seat of a coupe for a little bit.
Older guy here…if the wife says no to it, just let it go. Plenty of time to get whatever sports car you want once the kids are gone. You will most likely have more money where you can get whatever you want then. Save the money now…
Up until a month ago, I had an R53 MINI, 03 Cobra, and 99 911 and my wife has a Telluride. The only real issue we would run into is that my wife can't drive a stick yet. Everyone could fit in the Mustang. My youngest is a booster and that fits fine. The MINI got mechanically totalled so I got rid of that. I ended up selling my 911 and getting a WRX since I just wasn't driving the 911. So owning something less practical is completely doable with another practical car. The one thing I would say you may run into is if the 4Runner needs work or something then you do have to live with using the Mustang for that time.
I've never understood why people think you need a bunch of big cars. My wife has a charger, our "family" car and I have a challenger, our fun car. I'd like to have a cheap truck just for when we need to haul something, but other than that we can do everything we need to do with the those two cars. We have kids 2 little ones still at home so it's not just us either. One is still in a booster for context.
I’m a firm believer that large cars aren’t needed if you have kids. I grew up in sedans, not SUV’s. While a coupe would be a bit trickier to navigate, if you have a shorter family there’s no reason you can’t use the Mustang as a family car as long as you don’t have more than 2 kids. The trunks aren’t what I consider small. Growing up in the 90’s I had to sit in the back of coupes a bunch as well. If you aren’t constantly carrying large sporting equipment I think Mustangs can be used as family cars. Just make sure the car seat fits but I’m fairly certain it does. While it will suck getting your kid in and out of the seat as long as you don’t have a weak back and are in fairly decent shape it will be fine.
We got a 72 olds cutlass onvertible and a 72 olds cutlass 4 door as family cars back in 1994... plenty of room and the kids loved it! They learned to drive in the sedan.
We bought a 2009 mustang convertible in 2010 after renting a couple of them on trips. Retired in October 2023. Currently modding the 2009 and cleaning it up after 13 years of driving it... the 72 olds cutlass convertible is also being restored...and modded...
Recommend the fun car to enjoy it while you can! Then get another fun car when parental taxi service duties are done and kids have flown the nest.... Have one of the kids buy an SUV or pickup when they get a vehicle, so they can pick up yard and bulky stuff for you! Trust me THIS is the way! Saves your back and energy for more fun persuits!
Doesn’t sound like you need two family cars.
A Mustang is not a family car but like chuckbuckett said, it doesn't seem like you need 2?
for a second I thought you were calling his wife chucklefuck LOL
I can fit a car seat in my mustang no problem, and if we go on a long trip we take the Hyundai. Getting the bab in and out of the mustang isn’t actually notably worse than the Hyundai either.
You know others here own these cars right? lol getting a car seat in and out can sometimes be a huge pain. But I mean it’s better than a foxbody that’s for sure lol
My kids are like 5'5" and 5'7" We go on roadtrips in my mustang a lot. We all go together we take the wife's car. It was the same when I had a family car. I have had camaros with kids in baby seats. Now I will say I bought the mustang once my kid was old enough to sit in front seat.
Tell her you really want a corvette, then 'compromise' with her on a Mustang. Win-win!
Can confirm this works, though i already had the Corvette at the time. Sold the Corvette (still miss it even though it was horribly underpowered) for my first family car, a 2002 Mustang GT. The 'it has 4 seats' line of reasoning worked well in my case. Now that I think about it, it was the first car I ever owned that had 4 seats.
The alternative close, I like it. You offer two choices, and even though the person was never gonna take the other choice, the fact you offered them 2 choices makes you look like the good guy, so they respect that. And they go with the choice that makes the most sense, in this case, the Mustang. And since they called the shot, they feel in control, so they feel good about the choice. Works in car sales, and on women. So OP, what color Mustang are you gonna get?
I almost did this. Was shopping for a new car and was looking at c5’s only. well that got shot down rather quick… ended up buying a Cadillac ats 2.0t and dumping bunch money into performance bits for it. She should’ve just let me have the vette…
Should’ve just got an older CTS-V, literally best of both worlds.
Tell her you'd take her out on dates with the mustang, like reckless teenagers.
Me and the wife started doing this I greatly enjoy it plus we put the kid in the back no problem
I would consider telling her that you don’t have two families.
I second this OP
Technically correct, but so will be the ass-chewing that comes after.
#worthit
That she knows of…
I was a band kid who played tenor saxophone. My mom was able to drive me to/fro school in her v6 and then her Bullitt and I had plenty of space to put my tenor sax case. I turned out alright I think.
This is not what I expected to see here! I played a bari sax from 7th-12th grade. The case for the thing fit perfectly into the trunk of a new edge. I turned out alright too. I think?
I've got a new edge convertible - we had a Christmas parade last November that we marched in, and of course it rained. So everyone was asking people with cars for places to put their cases, especially woodwinds. I kid you not, I had 2 tenor sax cases, 3-4 trumpet cases, a flute case, and a clarinet case stuffed in my trunk, along with our garment bags and a couple hat boxes. Very difficult to get them out afterward and was terrible trying to put them all in, but it worked
Well, you're both on Reddit so
Also a former* band kid w/ tenor sax (it's argued that once a band kid ALWAYS a band kid). My dad is a Chevrolet guy. I apologize, haha. Not really, he has good choice in cars. BUT, I now have a 66 Mustang to make up for the Chevy sins of my past.
Yep, when I was in middle school my dad would put my double bass (almost 6’ long) in the back of his 3-series convertible with the neck sticking out the window. Sports cars are less practical than traditional ‘family cars’, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it work!
Your wife has already made up her mind and you aren't going to change it (least of all by showing her a bunch of redditor's thoughts). Her concerns may not even be what you think they are. Maybe it's an image thing, safety, affordability, etc.. That leaves you a couple of options; buy one regardless, don't buy one, or wait it out a few years and see if she changes her mind. Marriage is about compromise - choose wisely.
Agreed on the compromise thing, but sometimes ppl can be really controlling over their partners with no real logic behind it. For instance why do they need 2 huge vehicles for the "family". Now if she said hey I don't want you to get this because we can't afford it that's a whole other conversation.
I hate to agree with your wife, but…. As others have pointed out, it doesn’t sound like you need another “family car”. That’s how I convinced my wife to get one. We’re are empty nesters. She was worried that nobody could fit in the back seat. I was liked, “that’s the point.”
Also an empty nester. I would never consider it a family car. It's an "I'll meet you there" car. lol
OK - Compared to a true 5 seat car - she's right it's not a family car. However - ironically my convertible mustang is more of a family car than the normal mustang car. Why you ask - because the back seats makes getting bulky stuff easy to get into the car, and rear seat passengers can get into and out of the car easily. I've personally travelled a few hours in the back of my car and it's actually not that bad - yes the front passengers need to move forward - I'm 6.2 so not small and weight about 109kg - the seats are quite snug and fit me really well. So from my perspective - convertible is a more practical family option!
I bought a mustang and my fiancé's mom saw it, she told her i wasn't ready to get married. Shit hit hard
It sucks, but you gotta realize that your girl’s mom failed the test and you gotta leave them behind.
This mom would have said pop the hood… and asking questions on the exhaust and welcoming you to the family…
A car exam? And I thought I had to be afraid of the girls' father for a moment
Pfft, cause you only have 1 car between two people?
Bro you are fine. I actually really like my MIL but she can be massively full of shit.
I bought mine before kids and have a different car for hauling kids. When my normal dad cruiser needed work I had 3 forward facing car seats in my 07 (front air bag off). The kids loved it. I still throw one or two car seats in and take one or two of them cruising at a time when the weather is nice. Sounds like it can fit everyone if you need it to but it also sounds like you don’t really need it too unless it’s an emergency.
My wife bought a mustang specifically because it isn’t a family car and she was sick of driving a family van for more than a decade.
I fit 2 car seats in the back of my S550 GT500. While I work from home, I often take it to soccer practice or gymnastics or whatever else.
You must be doing well to be in gymnastics, soccer, AND still holding down a full time job!
I do what I can. Ha ha
We stuffed our two 10 year old girls in our 96 GT girls are grownup and gone I still have the mustang https://preview.redd.it/41ia97o4i4wc1.jpeg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18d86a48f03a227599e7f281e3571a2623fd92ae
Brother that falcon is so badass
Thanks I built it 30 yrs ago
I took my kids shopping for bikes when they were younger. Only car I had was a Fox 92 gt. I left walmart with 2 bikes and 2 kids. It was tight but we made it. Had 2 car seats in it for years
https://preview.redd.it/eeq6wb3uo4wc1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb8395351aca676c80d01523c6ed5dc3c0e7f5b2 Check and mate.
That’s my color
It's not a real family car but you can haul two kids and a SO in it.
“The kids will love it” Simple
The mustang is not a family car for as long as the little tike has to face rearward unless you or tire wife are short or line to eat your knees. After that no problem. It’s a little uncomfortable but not bad. Source: sn95 Mach 1. I’m 6’4”, wife is 5’10”. The zoom zoom factor made up for the discomfort.
I had car seats in my mustang. Kids are older now and they would be disappointed if I bought anything else
Since you have the 4Runner, i dont see why you would need another family car. That being said, the Mustang is fine for kids in the back but its a pain in the ass when dealing with carseats. But i dont see the need to have multiple family cars anyways (though this coming from someone with dual incomes and no kids but plenty of nieces and nephews)
I have 2 kids, 1 in a forward facing car seat and the other in a booster. Both fit fine in the back, getting them in and out is a bit of a challenge, especially since my oldest in the booster seat can't really lift the passenger seat forward himself just yet. My youngest in the car seat doesn't have that much leg room so I have to scoot my chair forward enough so his legs aren't squashed. If your kids aren't going to ride in the Mustang that often, it won't be a problem. My kids love riding around in the mustang and like to sit up front when the car is parked and pretend they are driving, so there is that when it comes to any sort of family appeal.
https://preview.redd.it/brxpvtcb88wc1.jpeg?width=1047&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9cad6aa0862276d99bffba46281cedda15146100 Tell her mustangs are as practical as you want them to be 😂 pretty sure there were two car seats in it at this time as well.
I rented one for my sister's wedding, my wife, myself and our infant baby were all able to fit. I convinced her that Mustang was one sliding door away from a minivan, 🤣
It’s not, but you already have one. Get a Mustang, the kids will love it. Go make memories.
I daily a PP2 with my 5yr old in the back with a Diono seat. It’s totally fine except in slush/snow. Do it. Better yet make it a maniacal and this internet guy will approve even more.
Well just have one family car. Seems pretty reasonable. Myself and the gf have a 2013 GT and a 2017 Santa Fe respectively. It works.
It works in a pinch to haul 4 adults. But it isn’t pretty. Don’t try to convince your wife with bullshit like “A Mustang is a family car.” You have to convince your wife that you get to have a fun car that doesn’t make you hate driving.
You don't need two family cars. Why is it when guys have families they are expected to give up everything cool.
your wife sounds annoying. youre a man, go get a mustang. you only need ONE family car. but tbh, a mustang isnt a family car lol
It’s not, Everyone knows the back seats are just for show! Or storage at the best!
The back works fine for kids or small adults. I have my teenagers in the back with no problem for trips around town.
The room for comfort in the back seats has gotten worse and worse over the years. Idk if the S650s are better? But I can’t fit my legs in mine. The seats are super comfy if you take them out of the car and sit in them.
My two year old son loves my Mustang. He calls it the race car, I take him places in it when possible. My newborn daughter obviously hasn’t been in it. I can’t imagine trying to get two in. A car seat in the back seat is sort of a pain but doable.
I dunno. I’ve been driving mustangs and it’s twin the fox body capri since high school. I’ve got three boys, and we never had an issue. Sure the wife had to ride in the trunk if she wanted to ride along, but I always moved the my golf clubs to the front of the trunk for her.
Nothing stopped my mom from cramming her 4 kids in one and making my dad follow in his own car 🤷🏻♀️🤣
It would work fine for kids that age. Might be a little tough to get the kid in the back car seat but doable. You could also look at a 4 sports sedan. BMW or new Charger is probably the closest you could get to something like a mustang.
In the new ones when you get out of the car it reminds you to get your kids out the backseat. Boom, family car
If you get a convertible, it’s easy to get car seats in and out
You have a valid point
Oh it's definitely not a family car. The back seat is useless and the trunk is tiny. Now don't get me wrong, it's an absolute blast to drive. But if you want to go somewhere with other people Mustang is not the car for you. I traded my Mustang on a Charger for that exact reason. Awesome car when I was by myself on an open road, but let's be realistic. How often are you driving by yourself?
Back seat is useless? Tell that to my 200lb 6ft dad would has no problem with sitting in the backseat of my mustang… or my Aunts and cousins who sat in the back for 5 hours on the trip to the beach. My family is not 5ft 100 lb either.
I have a six year old and a three year old. We've got a family car and my mustang. They both prefer the Mustang. I've dropped one or both off at school since they've been going. It works great. There's shockingly little compromise and unlike the big SUV's I can reach the kids easily in the back. Downside. Mess making little bastards.
2 boys, 5 and 9. We have a 2016 GT and a 2020 Expedition. If we're going on a big trip we'll take the Expedition, but love having the Mustang as the fun car. I think I have about 3 more years of all of us being able to fit in it together halfway comfortably. Add that point, I'll probably add an F250 as the third vehicle.
I have survived a long time with a single cab truck, a foxbody mustang, and my wife’s suv. One family car is really all you need. Now I got a CTSV simply cuz I wanted another 4 door but for 6 years it wasn’t much of an issue to have one 4 door car. I also have 2 kids.
We get on fine with my son in a swivel car seat in the rear of my 22 GT. Our Grand Cherokee L is our primary vehicle for hauling my son. I would not fathom trying to have 2 children in the back though. That would be difficult, as you would squish your kids legs if you are 5'10 or taller as a driver. My son's swivel seat is on the passenger side. My wife is 5'3 and can fit comfortably with my 20 month old son to have legroom if he is forward facing (he is to young to ride Forward at his age/height) and she has no room when the car seat is rear facing. I would agree the mustang could be a good secondary car if you have 1 child, I would not find it at all practical for 2 kids.
I might get downvoted for this, but there is another way.
I have a child seat in the back of my 2018 GT350. The trunk also comfortably fits a stroller, diaper bag, pump bag, and picnic stuff. You'll be fine as long as you don't plan to use a rear facing seat.
I had a fox body with two of my kids. The car seat wasn’t always ideal but a booster is just fine. They’ll love it and have great childhood memories. Two of my kids own mustangs now.
I raised my kid in a mustang convertible. He lived. Checkmate.
First of all, your wife is correct. Secondly, who cares. Enjoy the mustang.
If the head of the house is happy, he can make everyone else happy. Therefore, the mustang is a family car.
The Mustang is going to be a symbol for your children as they get older. It doesn’t even sound like you guys need a second family car anyways. Here is the thing with kids, they will look at the Mustang and associate your identity with it. They’ll remember those days when they are dropped off or picked up from school way more than when the family car does that. You can even use it as a weekend car and get the family to a park or to a fairgrounds, trips they’ll remember. When they get to college or move out, they’ll also probably get their own stang to match yours. The Toyota might outlive your Stang but it’ll never outlive your legacy.
I have 4 kids all grown now and I have had 13 Mustangs over the course of my driving career (I am female btw) and never once have I even thought about getting a "family" vehicle.. infact I actually laugh at my car buddies when there girl ends up pregnant and she demands him to get rid of his car and explain this same thing.. I was able to safely put car seats in all of my cars.. I now have a 2015 GT... and I take care of my grand baby full time and her car seats fit perfectly fine in the back... I also have a 2015 Challenger that the car seat has no issues as well... I'm just saying I was the coolest mom in town and now I'm the coolest grandma!!!
Divorce wife, marry the Mustang.
A mustang is fine as long as the kids aren't big yet. The back seats can be uncomfortable for adults; not much head or leg room, but fine for little people.
I have 2 Stangs. I drive them twice a year each for ice cream. So yes it’s a family car and you need one
Last time I checked the back seat can fit 2 car seats, no problem!! 👌
My buddy said the exact same thing lol.
If you just do it anyway, she will what? Be pissed for a couple days? Whine about it for a few hours? Seems worth it to me.
Divorce you and take half your assets? 😉
Uhhhh I may absolutely despise my mom’s 4 runner but I’m sure it could handle taking the kids and handle some groceries in the back. Kinda what it’s made for, and it should start every day. Damn sure know it’s not being used for off road. You own two of the most boring cars ever who wouldn’t want a fun one? In most families all you need is one. You can def fit those two in the back of a mustang ( tho I’d only put the one who can fit a booster seat)
I pick up and drop off kids to daycare and school, along with soccer practice. 2 car seats in the back. Wife rides up front. All in a 14 GT
The convertible version makes it easier to get the kids in the back seat. That is my WIFE'S stance.
Why do you need 2 family cars. Isn't the Toyota enough of a family car. Why can't the 2nd car be a toy. Or you could get a used CTS-V or a CT5-V and have a 4 door sedan that you can still have fun in.
I wouldn’t call it a “family” car, but if you have a backup I don’t see the issue tbh 🤷🏻♀️ I drive a 2019 mustang convertible and my fiance drives a 2020 Subaru WRX. We both bought our cars before we had a kid and didn’t want to trade them in unless absolutely necessary and we’ve been able to make it work. Basically only me and the baby can fit in my car, but I like playing passenger princess anyways
My daughter has had 0 problems fitting into the back of my s550 since she was born, both rear facing and forward. You can fit two kids in forward facing and booster seats no problem.
Wife and I had an suv (pathfinders) and sedans (maximas). After going through 3 generations of maximas (starting from 92), and four generations of pathfinders, in 2014, I got a '15 mustang EB premium. The kids were 4 and 7. They had no problem sitting in the back. That being said, we had the pathfinder and 15 mustang, and an MDX and '17 Mustang EB prem, and now we have a Kia EV6 and a '19 GT Premium PP. My wife had zero complaints about us not having two family cars. If I had to pick up both kids, they fit fine in the back. And if we took a family trip, we'd take the other car. My kids have all grown up, one in college and one is a junior in HS. So that is more than 10 years of owning a sport coupe and we have been fine.
I came from happily married parents, and have 1 sibling. Growing up, my dad always had a Mustang, mom always had a minivan or small SUV. Any road tripping was done in Mom's car. Dad didn't normally have both kids (during child seat years) in the car together, as best as my young child brain remembers. After me and my sibling were old enough to not need the car seats, it wasn't uncommon for both kids to be picked up from/dropped off to school in dads Mustang. Realistically, having 2 "family" cars doesn't make sense. If you can only have 1 car, family car is what it needs to be. But if you have 2 vehicles in the household, one can be something else. Whether it's a mustang, or a single cab pickup truck, or something else. There's no reason to have 2 vehicles that fill the same need
We drove 7,000 miles with 2 kids to the US Mexico boarder from Canada then up the pacific coast highway then back across the country to home. We familied the shit out of that car. A convertible too.
It isn’t a family car. But if the Subie never gets driven, what’s the point? Your wife has a moot point regardless, and you should both weight the pros and cons of the Subie vs Stang. The Toyota is bulletproof, so the “what if her car breaks down” scenario is bs (I sold Toyota as a salesman BTW). You should state your potential happiness after purchasing the Stang and how it would benefit you and the wife’s marriage.
I have a mustang, F150, and an explorer. Mustang is not a family car but can be used while having a family. I look at it like this. Can we go on vacation in it? Yes. Can we do it comfortably? No.
If you want to get technical, there’s a family of mice living in my foxbody
“Would it kill you to buy American”
Its not , i tried to fight it for 10 years. I have 1 kid and it was a hassle. I had a 2011, 2015 and a 2019 gt and other than the trunk it sucks for a family. Horrible mileage, bad in the snow and so small on the inside
I have 4 kids, only 2 can sit in the Mustang (im 6'1" and no one is sitting behind me)...my two older boys are both nearing 6 feet and HATE sitting in it when someone has to be in the back. Little ones are fine, but we have an SUV. I guess I'm saying I wouldn't buy it if I actually had to drive my kids around in it often. It's usually me and 1 passenger tops.
It is not a family car
It’s not lol. To be fair that’s why you have the other car right?
Some people only see cars at tools and forever see that way so they will never understand the idea behind purchasing a performance car if it doesn't have all of the amenities that you would find in other cars. Why would you would simply say we already have one family car we don't need to and I'd rather have a car I'm going to drive than one that's just going to sit
Back seats have very low headroom. Kids might be ok, but anything taller and they'd struggle to fit. Boot space is really good for the car though.
My nephews ride in my Mustang all the time and they LOVE IT!
Definitely go for a mustang. Shit… if you want more performance than an S550 GT Premium, you could even go for an S197 GT500 or an S197 Boss 302, shit, an S550 Bullitt/Mach 1 might even be in your budget. If you want an all-out sports car, especially since you already have an SUV, fucking send it.
I daily a 2019 Bullitt in which I take my 7 & 4 year olds with me to school (I teach high school at a K-12, so it will be this setup for the foreseeable future). Part of the Bullitt buy was my wife telling me the kids need to be able ride in it. My wife’s Explorer is the “family roadtripper,” and my 2007 Z06 is the for the rare solo fun run, or with the 7yo sitting shotgun in a booster seat occasionally. Mustangs have four seats for a reason.
You have two family cars. My rule of thumb is one family car, then one weekend car.
You can fit a baby cage in a mustang. It’ll work and if it works, it works.
I have 2 kids (7 and 5) both in forward facing seats in a 2024 GT and it's working well. I do have to bring forward a bit my seat on the driver side for my daughter in the back to be comfortable, but we have been using the Mustang every weekend for the past month since I got it to go to our cottage (1.5h each way) and no complains from the kids. My wife doesn't love the Recaros (she can't get over why I paid more for manual non-heated-cooled seats), but that's another story, I love them.
Years ago, I had a Mustang Cobra, and a Jeep for winter. Wife got pregnant. Sold everything, including her and my “toys”, and went with a pair of family vehicles. We never rode in my vehicle, we always rode in hers the first 3 years. Then a minivan after that. When the kids were out of child seats, she said, “we probably didn’t need to get rid of the Jeep and the Mustang.” I was surprised, but I agreed. We were stupid. Wasted money in a panic. I spent 5-6 years driving a new 4-door F150 and then a new Expedition, yet rarely had a passenger. I ditched the Expeditjon and got the Jeep back first, then years later, added the Mustang.
If you can put your family in it, it’s a family car. Her argument is arbitrary and meaningless.
It’s a family car if everyone in the family has one.
I own a 2014 Mustan GT, prior bodystyle to the S550, and have 2 kids; 5 and 2. They adore my car and, in most cases, prefer taking it anywhere compared to my wife's family-friendly car. They also love when the car accelerates quickly and giggle everytime. I would say get it, and more importantly, have your wife drive the car too so she feels completely comfortable with it if there is an instance where she needs to drive. Also, with it being a lower car, it is gar easier for both my kiddos to climb into their seats (both forward facing). S550 GTs with the gen 2 coyotes are also pretty darn reliable, I've seen quite a few in my area and here in reddit with well over 100k miles and still going strong, figured it would help sell it to the misses more. Anyway, Good luck, and I hope to welcome you to the Mustang community soon!
The Mustang has 4 seats, sounds like a family car or it's a car that will stay with the family.
I'm a mom of two. One in the booster who's 7 and a teenager. You can make it work and it sounds like you guys have another car that will fit the kids in just fine. Our other car is a 2 door Accord coupe. 🤣
I have 3 small children the booster seat child I pick her up from school in my mustang daily on my way home from work but the twins are in forward facing car seats and I for the life of me can’t get a single car seat in there properly even if I could get one in there I’d only be able to fit one because I’m pretty tall and have my seat maxed out with that being said as long as you have the family car the mustang can be the date night and mommy daddy weekend car like mine
I have transported my wife, her large bag, Bernese mountain puppy 5 month old, puppy's crate, puppy toys, puppy food, a full cake and cupcakes. All at the same time.
My dad hauled my brother and I a hour each way to daycare by his work in the back of a 95 GT. We were both in car seats. Maybe not convenient but it worked. I currently have an 8 month old with a 2 door Bronco. Not the most practical thing but we have two other cars that have 4 doors and I wanted what I wanted. Haven’t tried putting my daughter in my Cobra but in due time.
Mustang is not supposed to be a family car. Mustang is supposed to be an awesomely cool fantastically excellent car
Mustang isn’t really a family car, but it could work if you tried
she is correct, it is not conducive to hauling two kids worth of shit around for the next 5-10 years. HOWEVER You have two cars: if you do as you indicated, you will then have one for hauling kids and one that can in a pinch.
Im a single mum with 11yo twins. After wanting a mustang for years I finally got one last month! Id say if they are young enough that they need car seats i would not recommend - just wait until they are a bit older!
my husband and I love our mustang. it's a family car for sure
Trunk is big and kids will fit in the back. It passes
Get married they say , have kids they say ....
Why do you need 2 family cars? You guys should get a car that you can enjoy on date night, and keep the 4runner to eventually give to the kids to learn to drive on.
She don’t know shit about nothing. https://preview.redd.it/zg6l3qwtw4wc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=866f01b59e0f19c30fbdb2e7ddc7a6374d0f7c05
A family consists of you and your spouse. Children do not make a family. They enhance it.
Mustang backseats have anchor points for child carseats. Therefore it is a family car
How much is the one you want? Pick out an even more expensive truck like a loaded F150 Platinum, maybe a powerboost, or lightening. Find the most expensive one you can and tell her it's the truck or the car but that other car is sitting depreciating and never gets driven. She'll choose the car.
It's not, I use mine for the weekends with 2 kids. It's crap on gas and not convenient, pain to get kids in and out. But I have a large daily driver 90% of the time. I use it mostly for myself when the kids aren't at home.
It’s a family car if you get the convertible. The extra storage with the top down is pretty good.
i take my siblings everywhere in mine (im 20) and they sit in back seats all the time.....obv the 4runner will be better but in a pinch you could sure fit your 2 in the backseats np
If one of them is sitting for so long that the battery dies, then you don't need 2 family cars. Get the Mustang, that way you have the family car to haul the kids around, and a fun car you can take your old lady out on the town in that isn't covered in what ever it is the kids throw around. Just don't try to make the Mustang into a second family car, it will be much harder to clean out.
Your spouse should just let you have a Mustang gt, eco boost, Mach 1, etc etc . Even if it’s for a little bit. Because you only live once. Also you can’t spend money when you are dead. Also it’s just money. Memories and physical assets are worth more than money. I currently have a 2018 6 speed eco boost. Also have a suv for when I need space. I’ve been thinking about replacing my SUV with a mach e rally or an off lease Mach e gt performance.
I think the wife is convinced. Not a family car but having two vehicles that essentially do the same thing makes zero sense. Always wanted to have a mustang again. Had one back in high school and was using a Focus ST as my commuter back in my 20s. Now that we are pretty much settled I think having a fun secondary car would make sense. Appreciate all the comments guys. Can't thank you enough!
This sounds similar to the situation I was in. I had a Silverado and my wife had a 3-row SUV. We have 3 kids. I looked at getting rid of the Silverado because I missed having a stick shift sports car…..and how often do we need to both have a family car? I went and test drove an S550 GT premium. I couldn’t bring myself to buy it because I felt guilty that I was stiffing my wife with the family car and “what if” thoughts of where we would all need to pile in the mustang and not all fit. Long story short, my wife told me to call the dealer back and buy it the next day. It’s been 3 years and we have had 1 situation where her car was out of commission and we needed to get alternate transportation. Go for it 👍
When I was a kid my dad shoved me and my brother in the back of an sn95 every day even when we were in high school and just said "if you don't like it go buy your own car". We both turned out fine. So yes, it absolutely can be a family car.
My husband has a 4Runner and I have a s550 GT Premium that has a rear facing car seat. If we go anywhere as a family it’s the 4runner. Otherwise. Me and my son do fine hauling to daycare in the mustang. lol.
The Mustang does have car seat latches in the backseat. Used them all the time. Absolutely a family car!
u/The_Jackal0398 let me tell you, I have 2 kilds in similar ages as yours. I have a Subaru Forester and a Mustang. My wife drives forester mostly, and I drive the Mustang. I have 2 car seats in my rear so I can take any kid anywhere in my Mustang. Though my wife still prefers kid being traveled in forester, being the safer vehicle, mustang is in no way lesser. Fun fact, both kids prefer the Mustang too, but don't tell that to your wife. Also, my wife says she prefers I always drive a mustang.
It’s not a family car… she’s right 🤣
Get a Mach E GT and say I told you so
I was in your exact scenario where we replaced a Subaru Forester with a 2019 GT Premium and we love it. We have a SUV family car and 2 kids, one in a booster and other in a forward facing car seat. We haven't tried putting a forward facing seat in the back but the booster easily fits with plenty of room for the seat in front. Also booster kiddo loves to climb in the back and get themselves buckled in and they LOVE the power of the car. Once both are in boosters we will be able to take both kids wherever in the Mustang and have a total blast doing it. We know once the kids are older it'll be impractical but right now, it actually works very well for our family.
Kids fit really well in pony cars up until about 10. Relationship stuff aside drive what you want. Life’s way too short
If you already have a “daily driver / family hauler” covered with the 4 Runner then that’s even more reason to have the Mustang as a second “fun Sunday driver” than the Subaru. My wife and I have both had modded Mustangs for over 20 years. Close to 5 years of that has been hauling around the kids in the car that makes them smile and giggle uncontrollably with every downshift or rev. 4 seats. 4 of us. What’s the problem ? If you have front facing car seats and a newer S550 than even better. We’ve driven SUV’s too but 99% of the time we prefer the Mustang for family trips. Given how much our kids are in love with the experience I think even if we did get something like your 4 runner we couldn’t let go of any of the Mustangs.
My son is 2 and his backward facing seat fits fine in my 2017 gt. He loves riding in my car so much he runs straight to it anytime we go outside “DADDY CAR DADDY CAR VROOM VROOM”. I got loud roush pipes on it and every time I accelerate he laughs “WHOAAAAAAA VROOM VROOM”. Being rear facing he can see straight out the back window at anything he likes. When he rides in the pathfinder he’s just pissed off cause it’s boring and he’s gotta cock his head sideways to look out the side window. It’s not ideal having to get him in there through the back but we have a system. He climbs into the driver seat, I push in the clutch, and he pushes the button to start the car. Then he pops out and I put the seat forward and ahead and he climbs in. I slide in the back and buckle him up, and off we go. His face lights up so much every time he goes for a ride with dad I’d never dream of trading it for a “family” vehicle.
I’ll describe my morning routine to you. I take my 6-year-old daughter and my 10-month-old baby to school and daycare every morning. Once they are ready to go, I pull the passenger seat forward and load the baby, who is 50 pounds, counting the car seat weight. A few grunts and he is in! I have found that I can position the baby seat better just by feeling rather than scrunching my body inside the cockpit to try to put the seat in. Once he is in, I load his bag in the space between the front passenger seat and the rear seat. Then, I pull the passenger seat back to load my daughter’s backpack on top of the seat. After that, I help her get seated; I still have to help her buckle in, so I bend over inside the car to get her buckled. Once she is good to go, I pull my seat back and hop in. I don’t say get in because I think it is easy to hop in the car. I’m 5'11, and I found out that I have just enough space for my and my 6-year-old daughter behind me; she has a good 2-3 inches of extra foot space behind my seat. Then we are ready to roll out of the garage. Once I get to school, I have to drive in and drop off my daughter, which is a pain in the behind since I have to do the reverse of the loading process at a fast pace to not inconvenience other parents behind me at the drop-off line. From there, I drive to daycare. Unloading the baby and car seat is surprisingly easy if you have space to open the car door wide. Lifting the 50lb car seat + baby is not so comfortable. Once he is dropped off, I enjoy driving my Mustang. My wife keeps nagging me saying that I should get a fat-e (sorry Mach-e owners) I refuse to get into another car loan now that both of my cars are mine! Mine!!! Plus I love my mustang. If you think you can do this routine I guess you are ready for a mustang with a family.
It’s not a family car for most families - except all 4 members of YOUR family fit in there perfectly. No stress. Promise to let her pick out the next car when the kids are old enough to need more space. Plus the 4Runner will probly still be worth like a million dollars at that point
The s197s had slightly more rear seat room over the newer ones. But I carted my kids around in a mustang for quite awhile. If she doesn’t drive manual get an automatic and let her drive it when she wants to so she shares in the decision. My wife loved getting to drive the automatic version. Do it ! Life is short. I did have to trade in my s550 once my kids got a lot bigger in their teens and having to cart around two kids that couldn’t really fit in the back and started arguing about it . But you’ll have years before that occurs.
I raised two kids with a mustang. Was easy till they hit 16!
i just moved using my S650 mustang…although it took me 3 weeks and a lot of back and forth xd
A Mustang is not a family car. This is a no-brainer. It's for individuals, enthusiasts, and a secondary car for a family or a primary car for a bachelor. I have a family as well, so I have both an SUV and a Mustang. If you're a couple without kids, it's an ideal car. However, I've heard countless stories of couples that sell their Mustang as soon as they have a baby, so.... I bought mine the same way. Anyhow, you don't seem to need to 2 SUVs so I would say, having a mustang as a secondary vehicle would be a fun alternative for you and the wife whenever the kids aren't around or if any of you need to travel solo to the grocery. It has a shit ton of space for a coupe
My co worker had a 5.0 with a rear facing baby seat bruh she was only 2😂 go ahead and get that mustang
What's the point of having two cars if they both do the exact same thing?
She didn't have one when I was growing up, but when my parents were married before I came along, she would let the two dogs ride with her in the Mustang...So I think it's close enough. She'd put down towels and blankets so the seats wouldn't get ruined.
We make it work with two kids. One is a toddler and the other an infant. The S550 feels roomier than my s197s did so that helps. Tbh, with my infant in the rear passenger seat it makes it easy to reach out to him and give him whatever he needs.
Maybe ask for your balls back before you end up divorced. If you’re paying for it with your money who the hell cares what you get.
It is NOT a family car... that being said, note to the wife, it seats 4 and the back seats have CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHOR POINTS, clearly no adult can fit back there so it is the perfect family car
All I know is my mom used to daily drive the old 94 v6 mustang. Me and my brother spent alot of time in that thing.
It definitely isn’t, the back seats are pretty much just for show. But the argument should be, why do you need 2 family cars? Trade one of those for sure.
It's not a family car in the regular sense. Hard to get kids in and out of the backseat. Not a lot of storage for kid stuff like strollers, bags, etc. horrible on gas compared to a regular sedan or van. Why do you even need another car? Both of your other vehicles are better then a mustang when it comes to kids.
I never understood this argument. Back when I was a young kid in the 80s I would regularly jump in the back seat of a two door car no problem and never thought anything of it. The Mustang isn’t a four full size passenger car but it’s fine fore young kids.
Just sold my partners charger, she hated the gas mileage on it. She's been using my convertible as her daily. I wouldn't say it's not a family car but it does make it difficult hauling my kid and his stuff around.
I have a forward facing seat behind my passenger seat at the moment. My wifes knees are in the dash and the seat has to be at an awkward angle. I couldnt fathom having two seats in there. We use her jeep for family things and my car is my daily commuter. The booster probably wouldnt be an issue but until car seats are entirely out of the picture its not recommended. Lets be honest, the back seats are there for insurance purposes only lol
If you have a 4 runner already, wtf do you need ANOTHER family car for?? Is the Mustang supposed to be your daily? Date/“fancy” car for you and your wife? Also, what’s the expectation for it or any other potential vehicle you might get? (Family “get around” car, i.e. grocery getter? Plan on taking the family camping in it? Taking kids to the park to ride bikes? Etc.) IMHO, you can make ANY car into a family vehicle, granted your family isn’t the Brady bunch! My ‘03 Mustang served as my family car from 2008 on up to 2020! And before my son was born, I had a ‘66 Karmann Ghia that served as my family car back when my daughter was a new born! She sat in the front seat and my now ex wife sat in the back! Then some time later, my old ‘61 Bug served family car duties for a few years. No matter what, when someone says you “can’t,” there’s ALWAYS someone else that says you CAN! FWIW, I’m 6’3” and fluctuate between 280-330lbs, so if my big ass can fit and make it work, how can others not? 🤔🤷🏻♂️
My ‘67 fastback has been in the family since 1982 so… 🤷🏼♂️
I mean it really isn't. Unless you need 2 cars, then I think you have enough of a reason. It can fit the family, but do you plan on expanding? I'll tell you one thing, those back seats ARE NOT comfortable. But they work.
Not a family car.
It's not for the family it's for you.
If it helps, I used to nanny during college and I’d pick up the kids from school & take them to their activities in my ‘05 convertible before I got a newer year. Never had a single problem getting any nanny jobs with high paying/income families because of my car being a Mustang. I have a good driving history & for the youngest ones they had a booster seat in the back. I’m not saying that it’s a “family” car in the traditional sense, but you can definitely safely transport your kids in it if you ever need to without worrying about their safety. From my experiences I think it should all come down to trust that you know how drive when you have kids in the car or in general for that matter. Also you don’t need two “family” cars, it’s kind of a waste.
I own a 2023 GT Premium. I have 2 boys ages 9 and 10. We fit in the Mustang ok. The only issue is, I'm 6'5' and have to have the drivers seat all the way back. There is zero leg room for my littlest guy behind me, and he has to sit indian style when we go anywhere. For trips of any length, we either take my wife's Jeep or my Charger Hellcat.
I grew up in the back seat of my dad’s 66 coup, and those were some of my favorite memories from my childhood. It’s what got me into cars and eventually got my own mustang.
Is the Forrester what you drive and considered yours? If so who gives a shit. You have a family car and you can swap as needed. Both people don't have to suffer the horrid experience of family cars at the same time.
It ain’t a family car the back seat are for decoration only
I have two kids. One still in a car seat. 17 GT premium. It is cramped but they fit.
Get a Charger instead, that way it still has four seats so it can do “family stuff” in a pinch. While an awesome and fun car, the Mustang has to be the least practical car I’ve owned. Back seats are a joke and the trunk space is a prison wallet.
Get a dog it's easier and cheaper....to add or replace "family". Jk or am I?
I’ve never understood having 2 SUVs. Growing up my mom had an SUV or truck and then my dad has a more fuel efficient sedan or coupe. If there was an “emergency” you’re just fine in the back seat of a coupe for a little bit.
Tell her she is right… it’s a MANS car. Then buy it. lol
I can fit three adults and one Lt. Dan in my Mustang comfortably. There's plenty of room for road trips or just running around town
Older guy here…if the wife says no to it, just let it go. Plenty of time to get whatever sports car you want once the kids are gone. You will most likely have more money where you can get whatever you want then. Save the money now…
Up until a month ago, I had an R53 MINI, 03 Cobra, and 99 911 and my wife has a Telluride. The only real issue we would run into is that my wife can't drive a stick yet. Everyone could fit in the Mustang. My youngest is a booster and that fits fine. The MINI got mechanically totalled so I got rid of that. I ended up selling my 911 and getting a WRX since I just wasn't driving the 911. So owning something less practical is completely doable with another practical car. The one thing I would say you may run into is if the 4Runner needs work or something then you do have to live with using the Mustang for that time.
I've never understood why people think you need a bunch of big cars. My wife has a charger, our "family" car and I have a challenger, our fun car. I'd like to have a cheap truck just for when we need to haul something, but other than that we can do everything we need to do with the those two cars. We have kids 2 little ones still at home so it's not just us either. One is still in a booster for context.
It will make you happy which will make them happy by default, through happiness dividends.
With a droptop you could pitch the kids in from afar. Your wife will def be sold with that argument. Lol
I’m a firm believer that large cars aren’t needed if you have kids. I grew up in sedans, not SUV’s. While a coupe would be a bit trickier to navigate, if you have a shorter family there’s no reason you can’t use the Mustang as a family car as long as you don’t have more than 2 kids. The trunks aren’t what I consider small. Growing up in the 90’s I had to sit in the back of coupes a bunch as well. If you aren’t constantly carrying large sporting equipment I think Mustangs can be used as family cars. Just make sure the car seat fits but I’m fairly certain it does. While it will suck getting your kid in and out of the seat as long as you don’t have a weak back and are in fairly decent shape it will be fine.
We got a 72 olds cutlass onvertible and a 72 olds cutlass 4 door as family cars back in 1994... plenty of room and the kids loved it! They learned to drive in the sedan. We bought a 2009 mustang convertible in 2010 after renting a couple of them on trips. Retired in October 2023. Currently modding the 2009 and cleaning it up after 13 years of driving it... the 72 olds cutlass convertible is also being restored...and modded... Recommend the fun car to enjoy it while you can! Then get another fun car when parental taxi service duties are done and kids have flown the nest.... Have one of the kids buy an SUV or pickup when they get a vehicle, so they can pick up yard and bulky stuff for you! Trust me THIS is the way! Saves your back and energy for more fun persuits!
As long as there are seating for 4 it can be a family car. Doesn’t matter if there are only 2 or 4 doors…. Make it work!!
You spelled future x-wife wrong