How bad an idea is this?

[Da Peach]

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/3%20S...howcpo=ShowCPO

It sure looks like a good idea... But I'm guessing I'd live to regret it eventually.

Nothing imminent, but this lies in the realm of my post-Dakar car purchase budget. I loved my WRX, but packing it up with stuff for our kid and us (strollers are such a PITA!) required too much tetris thinking.

I'm definitely going to be looking at something bigger.

Opinions? It's a slow day on site...

[Da Peach]

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/BMW/5%20S...howcpo=ShowCPO

Or this!

[stevew]

i doubt the three series wagon would be much bigger than your wrx was interior wise....

but i'm biased...i've always preferred the five series bmw's.

[Yeti]

A friend of mine has a 3 series wagon diesel. We were able to throw 2 enduro bikes, bike repair stand, tools and tons of gear in there with room to spare. Boot is big enough imo. Have absolutely NO experience with strollers. The 5 series is bigger though. Haven't driven the 5 series, but from the passenger seat it felt a bit heavier than the 3 series.

[Nick]

I love me a nice wagon, get them both!


I prefer the S4 ...

[dan-o]

I find the 3 series pretty small, but I'm 6'4 and we have two kids.
There's just no rear seat leg or headroom and the cargo area (with seat up) is pinner.
They are a blast to drive (MIL has a 6sp wagon) and the baby/stroller phase is short lived (at least for us, we just got sick of dragging all that **** around and went straight to diaper in back pocket)

For us, the ideal wagon size is an e-class merc which can handle the family and our two german sheps.
My mom's volvo v70 is also a nice sized car for a family. Driving experience is 'meh' at best though.
I wish I still had our passat tdi wagon; that was a great car.

[Toshi]

If you buy a BMW get a normally aspirated I-6 one. I think both of the ones from the original post would be fine, but as many have pointed out the 3 series isn't that big at all. Strollers and car seats are huge.

[Yeti]

I think I might have underestimated the size of a stroller...come on! Those things can't be bigger than bikes can they??

[Wumpus]

I think I might have underestimated the size of a stroller...come on! Those things can't be bigger than bikes can they??

Depends on what stroller it is.

[SkaredShtles]

[Da Peach]

strollermonkey...

They're big. Anything "jogger" style is massive. Can't fold down the seatbacks due to kid in child seat... the WRX was just *this* much to narrow to fit the stroller in flat across the back of the hatch. It had to be up on a weird angle... The Mazda3 hatch is slightly wider, but still a bit of a PITA.

I think I'll have a look at the 3 series wagon and see... I'm not a fan of wood on my dash. I guess I could adapt...

[sstalder5]

I'm not a fan of wood on my dash. I guess I could adapt...

#firstworldproblems

[CBJ]

Biggest problem is the rear facing child seats which take up a huge amount of space. I have a Volvo XC70 which has more space and a much much bigger booth. I have two boys to fill up the car.

[eric strt6]

you might want to check out the Jetta Sportwagen TDI. Fully loaded it was 25k brand new and we are getting 40mpg combined city /hwy and 50mpg on straight fwy trips. It has tons of room

[AngryMetalsmith]

Just get a mini van and be done with it. You can haul ridiculous amounts of gear and kids. Make sure to get one that has tinted windows and no bike stickers so park rangers will not suspect that you're riding somewhere you're not supposed to.