[SchwartzBlack]

I have a 325Ci and I'll be a new parent early next year. Seems like reaching for the baby in the back seat on a 2-door is gonna get tiresome real fast.

What should I do? I love my car, its as tight as a drum, I'm afraid if I get another Bimmer it might not be as trouble free.

 

[JPinTO]

There's a tendency to jump the gun when you hear about the little ones coming. You still have a year before you have to make a choice. Why decide now?

 

[ChrisTO]

I have a 325Ci and I'll be a new parent early next year. Seems like reaching for the baby in the back seat on a 2-door is gonna get tiresome real fast.

What should I do? I love my car, its as tight as a drum, I'm afraid if I get another Bimmer it might not be as trouble free.

i'll trade your coupe for my 4 door. rims included.

 

[PhilH]

I had a '95 Probe GT when we had our daughter nearly 3 years ago. I loved the great Mazda 24V V-6, flat handling and the looks. However, after trying to fit a rear facing infant seat in the back, I knew I needed a four door, so I bought my 5-series. Get a car seat and a bag of flour and try it out in your car to see what you think.

I'm looking forward to a couple years from now when my daughter will be 5 years old and should be able to buckle her own seatbelt. I'll be getting another coupe as my next car, maybe the redesigned 3-series in 2005 or 2006.

 

[Guest]

For the record, we've never had any problem getting our daughter (now 2) into the back of my wife's E36 convertible or my E36 sedan.

 

[CD-55]

Keep it and give it a try. If you find that it does not work out for you then trade cars later.

 

[SchwartzBlack]

The reason I'm thinking about it now is that my wife mumbled something about the difficulty she'll have getting into the coupe's relatively lower slung seats over the next few months. She's the primary driver, commuting to work each day. I travel in my job and I only get to drive it on weekends. So I was thinking of getting something more comfortable for her.

TD, did you get a detachable infant seat or a fixed one? Once they can walk it shouldn't be a problem, I'm only concerned about the first year or so.

CD-55, you're right, this car is so close to perfect that I shouldn't let it go. At most I'll buy a cheap 4 door sedan and sell it after a year when the kid is more mobile.

 

[Guest]

TD, did you get a detachable infant seat or a fixed one? Once they can walk it shouldn't be a problem, I'm only concerned about the first year or so.

Initially, we used the carrier that had separate bases in each car. Later, when she outgrew that, we went to "convertible" carseats (meaning they can be installed either rear or forward facing). We did not have a seat in the convertible during the rear-facing phase of the convertible seat. My wife just exclusively used my sedan for a few months (BTW, at that time I still had my E46 330i - driving her E36 convertible everyday is part of why I can to detest my E46 when I did drive it). I suspect that this phase would be the only period of time you'd have some difficulty getting back there in your coupe. The carrier-phase is easy and the forward-facing phase is easy. The rear-facing is a bit tricky.

But it only lasts a few months. It would be a shame to ditch a car you love to skip a few months hassle.

 

[JPinTO]

The reason I'm thinking about it now is that my wife mumbled something about the difficulty she'll have getting into the coupe's relatively lower slung seats over the next few months. She's the primary driver, commuting to work each day. I travel in my job and I only get to drive it on weekends. So I was thinking of getting something more comfortable for her.

TD, did you get a detachable infant seat or a fixed one? Once they can walk it shouldn't be a problem, I'm only concerned about the first year or so.

CD-55, you're right, this car is so close to perfect that I shouldn't let it go. At most I'll buy a cheap 4 door sedan and sell it after a year when the kid is more mobile.

That's true... my wife hasn't been in my car for months. It's a big pain to get in and out of and she needs my help. We haven't bothered.

 

[Dan]

Your dilemna brings back vivid memories of our situation a number of years ago: my wife had a Ford Probe and I had a Lincoln Mark VII LSC when our first child was born. We liked both cars, but getting our baby in and out of the back seats was awful - between the rear-facing infant seat and the lack of rear doors, it became torture on our backs. We got rid of both cars for four door models shortly thereafter.