F80 or F82 with small kids?

[DDS2015]

So my GF and soon to be fiancé/wife says that she has no problem with me getting the M car I've always wanted, but says that the 2 door is stupid because we'll have small kids in the near future. We'll have 3 cars at this point, she'll have an SUV and I'll keep my E90 for a winter car. I keep saying that by the time I'll actually be getting the car the first kid would probably be only in a booster seat and would be able to walk in/out of the car on their own. Thus my question... How many people out there with E92/F32/F82 had/have small kids that they put in the back seat?

Note that I want the M4.

[Real Deal]

Small kids sure, I sat back there and it was tight. Once you put the child seat back there leave it there, it will be a pain to remove it lol.

[Suave]

My 5 year old can't wait to go for a ride with Daddy! Why not there is tons of space for kids. Adults over 5-10 will have to duck and sit low but was not bad at all.

[Sir Loin]

It's been awhile, but I think infant under 30 pounds need to be facing backward in a car seat in the back seat. With a car seat mounted backward, you will need to move the front seat that is directly in front of the car seat up forward closer to the dash. The front passenger will lose some leg room. It also makes it a little difficult to put the baby into the car seat, especially with a 2-door coupe. Once the kid is over 30 pounds, you can mount the car seat facing forward, and that makes it a lot easy to put the kid in and buckle him/her up. Keep that in mind. Booster seat for older, larger kids should not be a problem.

[yemenmocha]

It would be a tougher decision if the M4 clearly looked better but the reverse is true. So, it's a no-brainer for me. Love my current 335i

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by DDS2015

So my GF and soon to be fiancé/wife says that she has no problem with me getting the M car I've always wanted, but says that the 2 door is stupid because we'll have small kids in the near future. We'll have 3 cars at this point, she'll have an SUV and I'll keep my E90 for a winter car. I keep saying that by the time I'll actually be getting the car the first kid would probably be only in a booster seat and would be able to walk in/out of the car on their own. Thus my question... How many people out there with E92/F32/F82 had/have small kids that they put in the back seat?

Note that I want the M4.

My brother-in-law puts an infant seat in the back of his E92 335i coupe. Like you, his wife has an SUV, so they use that most of the time. Any time they want to take his car, he handles the car seat situation.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by DDS2015

So my GF and soon to be fiancé/wife says that she has no problem with me getting the M car I've always wanted, but says that the 2 door is stupid because we'll have small kids in the near future. We'll have 3 cars at this point, she'll have an SUV and I'll keep my E90 for a winter car. I keep saying that by the time I'll actually be getting the car the first kid would probably be only in a booster seat and would be able to walk in/out of the car on their own. Thus my question... How many people out there with E92/F32/F82 had/have small kids that they put in the back seat?

Note that I want the M4.

Your post is confusing. Your post makes it out to be that you don't have kids yet, but you state that by the time you get the car your kid will probably be only in a booster seat and be able to walk in / out of the car on their own?

So, you're not planning on having kids for like 3 years? And even when they climb in, you'll have to reach in to buckle them until they are about 4 or 5.

[DDS2015]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Your post is confusing. Your post makes it out to be that you don't have kids yet, but you state that by the time you get the car your kid will probably be only in a booster seat and be able to walk in / out of the car on their own?

So, you're not planning on having kids for like 3 years? And even when they climb in, you'll have to reach in to buckle them until they are about 4 or 5.

Sorry for the confusion. No kids yet. Car is still a dream but I'll be buying one soon (for my timeline). But she takes a really long time to realize that I'm right about certain things. Thus, she needs proof that people out there own 2 door cars with small children, with either rear-facing infant seats or booster seats. I'm just trying to gauge how many people out there own or plan to own 2 door cars with small children.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by DDS2015

Sorry for the confusion. No kids yet. Car is still a dream but I'll be buying one soon (for my timeline). But she takes a really long time to realize that I'm right about certain things. Thus, she needs proof that people out there own 2 door cars with small children, with either rear-facing infant seats or booster seats. I'm just trying to gauge how many people out there own or plan to own 2 door cars with small children.

Well, there is possible and there is comfortable. Is it possible to put an infant or toddler in the back of an M4? Sure, people even put toddlers in the back of 911 Cabrios!

However, there is a certain comfort level with being able to get in the rear of the car without having to move the seats forward, etc. How much pain and inconvenience you're willing to put up with is entirely up to you.

Don't forget the smaller trunk.

[thai357sig]

Originally Posted by DDS2015

So my GF and soon to be fiancé/wife says that she has no problem with me getting the M car I've always wanted, but says that the 2 door is stupid because we'll have small kids in the near future. We'll have 3 cars at this point, she'll have an SUV and I'll keep my E90 for a winter car. I keep saying that by the time I'll actually be getting the car the first kid would probably be only in a booster seat and would be able to walk in/out of the car on their own. Thus my question... How many people out there with E92/F32/F82 had/have small kids that they put in the back seat?

Note that I want the M4.

I had two permanent car seats in my E90 for three of the five years I've had my M3. The M is so much fun to drive I rather take my family of four in it on a weekend trip to OCity rather than the Sienna. You will feel the same way about the new M. If you get the M4 you can't do it because of the smaller trunk and you will look selfish and stupid cramming your famy in a coupe for a three day weekend trip. Or you look like a guy who was selfish and blew all his money renting a M4 rather than spending that money on a vehicle that can fit his family.


Regardless your timeline is way off. By the time you get married and have kids that will require booster seats, it may be 7 years down the road. By then it will be all too late for the F8X.

I will be getting the F83 when it comes out assuming all goes will with the test drive and reports after everyone gets their F80/82. I plan on keeping my E90 M3 since it's paid off and the cabrio will be my daily driver.

[Rockette]

My father never drove anything with more than 2 doors. Don't let your kids get fat, and it shouldn't be a problem.

[aus]

Originally Posted by DDS2015

Sorry for the confusion. No kids yet. Car is still a dream but I'll be buying one soon (for my timeline). But she takes a really long time to realize that I'm right about certain things. Thus, she needs proof that people out there own 2 door cars with small children, with either rear-facing infant seats or booster seats. I'm just trying to gauge how many people out there own or plan to own 2 door cars with small children.

Not trying to be an ass, but you have no idea what you're talking about and it's good you came here first.
I could not fit a quality (Britax) rear facing seat in the back of a Lexus GS except in the center, and even then, it was TIGHT. I hightly doubt it'll fit in the back of a 3 series- sedan or coupe. It has to be installed PROPERLY- something like 90% of car seats are not installed properly. Go to your police or fire station and learn how to do it right. You should be sweating when you're done.

As for a "booster seat," your kid would have to be around 4-5 to get into one of those- they need to be a certain height. They say to keep them rear facing as long as possible since they're safer, then keep them in the front facing car seat as long as possible before getting into a booster.

.

[Sir Loin]

Originally Posted by aus

Not trying to be an ass, but you have no idea what you're talking about and it's good you came here first.
I could not fit a quality (Britax) rear facing seat in the back of a Lexus GS except in the center, and even then, it was TIGHT. I hightly doubt it'll fit in the back of a 3 series- sedan or coupe. It has to be installed PROPERLY- something like 90% of car seats are not installed properly. Go to your police or fire station and learn how to do it right. You should be sweating when you're done.

As for a "booster seat," your kid would have to be around 4-5 to get into one of those- they need to be a certain height. They say to keep them rear facing as long as possible since they're safer, then keep them in the front facing car seat as long as possible before getting into a booster.

.

^^^^
What he said. You want the car seat tied down as tight as possible. So much so that your car's seat is practically deformed. Oh, BTW, the coupe has no middle seat. So you are SOL. An M3 sedan would work better.

[thai357sig]

Originally Posted by aus

Not trying to be an ass, but you have no idea what you're talking about and it's good you came here first.
I could not fit a quality (Britax) rear facing seat in the back of a Lexus GS except in the center, and even then, it was TIGHT. I hightly doubt it'll fit in the back of a 3 series- sedan or coupe. It has to be installed PROPERLY- something like 90% of car seats are not installed properly. Go to your police or fire station and learn how to do it right. You should be sweating when you're done.

As for a "booster seat," your kid would have to be around 4-5 to get into one of those- they need to be a certain height. They say to keep them rear facing as long as possible since they're safer, then keep them in the front facing car seat as long as possible before getting into a booster.

.

That was until cars coming out with the anchor point on the rear dash behind each of the headrest. The M sedan actually had surprisingly a decent amount of space in the back seat. So much so that I had two really large top of the line Peg Perego seats that accommodates children Up to 80pounds. They were large and my kids are undersized for their age so the big seats gave them plenty of room to stash toys books,cupholers, snacks, and who knows what else my wife indulged them with. Just don't try to stick anyone else between the two carseats. It fit so well that the manager in the service department came out and took pictures to show other people how to fit and mount car seats in the back of he M3. He also wanted to show his wife whom he was trying to talk into getting the E90 M3.

Btw make sure you get seat back protectors. Because the kids shoes will ruin the back of the front seat in short order.

[Sir Loin]

Yes, front-facing car seats will work better. But for rear-facing car seats, it will be very tight, if not too tight, and it would be very difficult to put the kid into a rear-facing car seat in a coupe because you can't reach the car seat from the side of the car. You would have to go around the car seat.

[pkimM3r]

Get it. Put child in her car. Thats how ill roll. Lol.

Although it has to be a macan or cayenne at this point so i have an excuse to get my 991 too

[aus]

Originally Posted by thai357sig

That was until cars coming out with the anchor point on the rear dash behind each of the headrest. The M sedan actually had surprisingly a decent amount of space in the back seat. So much so that I had two really large top of the line Peg Perego seats that accommodates children Up to 80pounds. They were large and my kids are undersized for their age so the big seats gave them plenty of room to stash toys books,cupholers, snacks, and who knows what else my wife indulged them with. Just don't try to stick anyone else between the two carseats. It fit so well that the manager in the service department came out and took pictures to show other people how to fit and mount car seats in the back of he M3. He also wanted to show his wife whom he was trying to talk into getting the E90 M3.

Btw make sure you get seat back protectors. Because the kids shoes will ruin the back of the front seat in short order.

Your talking front facing, when I'm talking rear facing. Kids will be rear facing for at least the first year, and it's recommended to keep them that way as long as possible. OP was also talking about a coupe. It's NO FUN to crawl back there to buckle the kid in and then to unbuckle and take him/her out. Especially with the long doors the coupe has, you'd have to park WAY out there so you could open the door completely.

.

[thai357sig]

Aus,
Yous right! Yous right! Rear facing seats are a pain in the ass to In stall. It can be done though. If he installs it behind the front passenger side(right side) and move the front seat all the way forward and upright as possible. It should give plenty of room with his wife sitting directly behind the drivers side to tend to the little monkey.

My monkeys are 11 and 12 now and never had to transport for the first year in their in the M3. We used a camry then and a minivan.

[CanAutM3]

I am the only one that voted M4 so far...

My daughter is now 3 years old and I've had my E92 for 6 years now. The 2 doors have never been an issue. I was able to fit a Peg Perego rear facing seat when she was small and eventually switched to a Recaro child seat. I actually found it easier to maneuver the kids and seat in my 2 door M3 compared to my wife's 4 door S4. In the coupe, I can move the front seat forward and stand in front of the baby seat to make adjustments instead of having to bend and twist from the outside like with the 4 door.

I now also have a 3 week old son. So I have both the Recaro and Peg Perego fitted in the back of the E92 and it works fine thus far. We are planning a 3 week European Delivery trip with the 2 kids this summer to pick up the M4. I guess this will be the true test of the F82 practicallity...

I guess when the kids get older and are able to get in and out (including fastening seat belts) by themeselves, the 4 door comes in more handy. But in the meantime, if you fancy the coupe, don't let the small kid excuse get in the way.

[Sir Loin]

Congrats on you new born son! with your son in the peg Perego, is the Peg Perego rear facing or forward facing?

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Sir Loin

Congrats on you new born son! with your son in the peg Perego, is the Peg Perego rear facing or forward facing?

Thanks, very happy man here

Rear facing:

Peg Perego Primo Viaggio

[MarkY]

Here's the good news for you; it sounds like the M3/M4 purchase is not imminent so you will probably be able to get some answers pertaining to the F8x from owners dealing with the same situation. You should ask this question in the F30 forum since the interior space is essentially the same.

I've had my son (now 4-years old) in my E46 coupe since birth using top-of-the-line Britax seats without too much trouble but I'm willing to put up with a lot to drive a coupe. Rear-facing, which will be the first thing you deal with, is going to be the only tricky part. The F8X will have more interior room than the E46 but it's still going to be tight. However, I do not specifically remember any major challenges with the E46 so whatever issues I had, they were minimal. Forward-facing will be fine but by the time your child is big enough to sit forward-facing, you might not have the M3/M4.

Will your gf/wife have a larger vehicle? Will your child be in that vehicle more than the M3/M4? Will it be you (not your gf/wife) dealing with the ingress/egress of your child in the M3/M4? If "yes" to all of that then I think you'd be fine with an M4. One thing to note is that getting your child in/out of a car seat in a coupe is more of a challenge than a 4-door but if you like the coupe styling, it is an acceptable trade-off.