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      02-16-2012, 09:20 AM   #1
saulgoodman
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Upgrading to 2012 X5 35i from 2012 X3 28i - need help

Hello X3'ers,

Like all of you here I am one of the happiest and proud owner of 2012 X3 28i, it's my first BMW and really love it. After cross shopping (my budget was $40K-$43K range) MDX, Q5, GLK, EX35, XC60...finally decided on X3. Based on fun to drive factor only suv came close to X3 was MDX but I thought it's big for me, why in the world I wud need a 3rd row seat...it's going to be me, my wife and our 19 months old daughter...little family. Test drove the 2011 28i model, got impressed and booked the 2012 model on the same day. It was in Sep 2011 and there were no 2011 left in stock so the dealer placed a new order to 2012 model which was just starting its production line. Waited for a month and the car got delivered in Oct 2011.

It's been 4 months, 2400 happy miles, life was good...but things happen in life without plan...long story short...now we are expecting our 2nd child. We couldn't do much except being happy for this...my parents are joining me to take care of my wife and daughter, help during delivery time.

Problem is now I am forced to get a 7 or 8 seater, I can't have 2nd car as my wife doesn't drive. Mini Vans are not in the picture...I have only two options 2012 X5 with 3rd row or 2012 MDX. After driving X3 I don't want to look for other brand, it will be mostly X5 35i base with 3rd row & leather.

I paid $44K out of the showroom for my X3 28i including sales tax, registration, tire & wheel protection plan, exterior paint & interior stain protection coating. It's not a fully loaded model, it has only Conv pkg, Cold weather pkg, parking sensors & camera, satin alum roof rails.

Any X3 owners who had or has an X5, please advice me if it's worth upgrading now. I am really confused and months will go faster.
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      02-16-2012, 09:30 AM   #2
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Sorry, completely obtuse question (as a Mum or one child and hoping to conceive another one very soon - so my question does have relevence...), but why do you need a 3rd row of seats for a two child family? To carry around your parents as well?

QT
(Reading your thread I quickly worried "is the car that I ordered too small for a two child family!".... )
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      02-16-2012, 09:36 AM   #3
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Two quick points - why change yet? The second child is not even born yet, right? Wait a bit. Even then, 2 small kids in an new X3 should be OK.

And, if you do change within the first few years of ownership, be prepared to lose a fair piece of money. You will likely experience early years depn on the X3 of 20 -30%. A costly move.

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      02-16-2012, 09:41 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QTPie View Post
Sorry, completely obtuse question (as a Mum or one child and hoping to conceive another one very soon - so my question does have relevence...), but why do you need a 3rd row of seats for a two child family? To carry around your parents as well?

QT
(Reading your thread I quickly worried "is the car that I ordered too small for a two child family!".... )
Yes, to accommodate my parents as well. Right now I use front facing child seat for my daughter and It's occupies additional inch or two from the center section. I can't even pull down the center hand-rest, it's stuck behind the child seat's corner. Once the new baby arrives, we need to use a rear-facing child seat...combining both eventually will have no room for 5th passenger.

If I have 3rd row then I can move to daughter's seat to 3rd row so that 2nd row can accommodate two passengers. I can leave the 7th seat folded for extra cargo...
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      02-16-2012, 09:51 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tuco44 View Post
Two quick points - why change yet? The second child is not even born yet, right? Wait a bit. Even then, 2 small kids in an new X3 should be OK.
Your point is valid, but I need to accommodate my parents too as they are visiting us from outside US...they are not resident here but they visit every year or two and I can't expect them to drive alone...which they can't.
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      02-16-2012, 09:59 AM   #6
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I think you need a van then.
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      02-16-2012, 10:01 AM   #7
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hope BMW launches X7 with sliding doors :P
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      02-16-2012, 10:02 AM   #8
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Can you really use the 3rd row for a car seat in one these things? I seriously doubt it.

I'd rent a van once or twice a year. Hell, you can probably buy an old minivan for the depreciation hit your going to take.

Anyway, we looked at the mdx and I have no idea why people pay a price premium for that thing. Just get the Pilot or the Oddy.
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      02-16-2012, 10:07 AM   #9
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i think you need mini van if you need more space for cargo: babies bag and carriage plus 2 extra passengers & 2 car seats..

Quote:
Originally Posted by sivakumarbalu View Post
Your point is valid, but I need to accommodate my parents too as they are visiting us from outside US...they are not resident here but they visit every year or two and I can't expect them to drive alone...which they can't.
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      02-16-2012, 10:11 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bren View Post
Can you really use the 3rd row for a car seat in one these things? I seriously doubt it.

I'd rent a van once or twice a year. Hell, you can probably buy an old minivan for the depreciation hit your going to take.

Anyway, we looked at the mdx and I have no idea why people pay a price premium for that thing. Just get the Pilot or the Oddy.
This actually sounds like a great idea to me. If you only need the extra seats when your parents visit every other year just rent a Van when they come.
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      02-16-2012, 10:22 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by colson79 View Post
This actually sounds like a great idea to me. If you only need the extra seats when your parents visit every other year just rent a Van when they come.
Agreed.... If you are really happy with the X3 - and they only visit every year or two - then I would also rent when they are in town.

Longer term, has your wife thought of taking up driving (easier with school runs and play dates etc, unless you live in a very compact community)? Maybe get a second car?

I only have one child (just two) and would sturggle if I didn't drive (despite quite a lot of public transport in the UK), although it really depends what sort of area you live in.

QT
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      02-16-2012, 10:31 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QTPie View Post
Agreed.... If you are really happy with the X3 - and they only visit every year or two - then I would also rent when they are in town.
Thank you all for your suggestions.

I am really happy with my X3 and it's my wife who is pushing me for a 7 seater. Renting a mini van is the only good solution. I am forcing my wife to learn driving and she gets very nervous behind the wheels and she doesn't even have 1% of interest or motivation in driving.
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      02-16-2012, 10:36 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sivakumarbalu View Post
Thank you all for your suggestions.

I am really happy with my X3 and it's my wife who is pushing me for a 7 seater. Renting a mini van is the only good solution. I am forcing my wife to learn driving and she gets very nervous behind the wheels and she doesn't even have 1% of interest or motivation in driving.
Well rent and "see how it goes": hopefully that really will work out for you. I can see your wife's point of view (I like all of my ducks in a row too), but it seems like an impractical suggestion (although you could go back to your dealer and see what type of deal they could do you?).

No motivation to drive? In the US? The whole country seems to be made for the automobile and things are pretty difficult without one (unless you live right in the middle of a big city like New York). Pretty difficult to force someone to drive? Can you "encourage" motivation instead?

QT
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      02-16-2012, 10:52 AM   #14
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I agree with others, rent a van when your parents are here. No point to lose money on one vehicle and pay more money for a 7 or 8 seater. Besides I find the current X5 with 3rd row is a tight fit and cargo space is also very tight. Unless BMW makes a X7 it may be better to wait for the new gen X5 due next year as 2014 model (??).
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      02-16-2012, 10:53 AM   #15
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This is a job for a minivan.
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      02-16-2012, 11:07 AM   #16
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Your wife will have to learn driving otherwise your lives will be so inconvenient. When kids grow up, they will have so many activities and need parents to drive them everywhere. My 7-year old daughter has piano, martial arts, drawing, Ping Pong, swimming, and foreign language lessons every week besides regular school activities. She is so talented and she likes all of them. If my wife didn't drive, my life would be impossible. (We don't like to hire a nanny.) Not to mention, my 5-year old son is following his sister's steps.
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      02-16-2012, 01:54 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sivakumarbalu View Post

Renting a mini van is the only good solution. I am forcing my wife to learn driving and she gets very nervous behind the wheels and she doesn't even have 1% of interest or motivation in driving.
Are you planning to hire a driver too in future?
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      02-16-2012, 02:12 PM   #18
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Hmm, here is an option.

Raise the kids on your own and have the grandparents visit occasionally. Rent a van when they arrive.

Maybe it's a cultural thing but I didn't want my mother or in-laws around to 'help' raise my children.

...but I digress, I agree with Bren. Buy a 3yr old minivan for the same as the depreciated value of the X3.
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      02-16-2012, 06:43 PM   #19
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Stay home. Build a compound. Get your food delivered. Sell the X3 and buy a Z4. Make driving your "you time".



But seriously, getting little kids and babies out of car seats in the third row of an SUV is a major hassle.
Great when they can sit in withou a car seat and they do their own seat belts up, but until then, its just a world of pain.
Rent / Buy a cheap minivan.
For example: When I go off roading, I rent a heavy duty 4WD like a base model landcruiser. I dont want to risk a scratch or dent in my X3 or any of the other 4WD cars I have owned. I buy the luxury ones, they are great to own and drive (and sell), but not suitable for all tasks, even though they can do them if asked. Just because it has a 3rd row of seats doesn't mean all seats are created equal. They are not good for child seats.
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      02-17-2012, 12:25 PM   #20
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Do you have a full-time housekeeper/babysitter? If not, I suggest you get one. If she has a car, she can drive your kids around an your wife doesn't have to get behind the wheel. If she doesn't, get her something used and reliable, maybe an old RAV4 or something.
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      02-17-2012, 02:29 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iwinit View Post
Your wife will have to learn driving otherwise your lives will be so inconvenient. When kids grow up, they will have so many activities and need parents to drive them everywhere. My 7-year old daughter has piano, martial arts, drawing, Ping Pong, swimming, and foreign language lessons every week besides regular school activities. She is so talented and she likes all of them. If my wife didn't drive, my life would be impossible. (We don't like to hire a nanny.) Not to mention, my 5-year old son is following his sister's steps.
Ditto to this. You need two drivers in the family. Just think if your kid has an emergency at school and needs to be picked up half day. Get your wife something small, used and cheap that she can learn on (RAV4, Golf, etc).

For you in-laws visit, like others said, get/rent a mini-van. Stroller, diaper bags, and all the other junk will not fit in an X5 with 3rd row.

Cheers,
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      02-17-2012, 03:24 PM   #22
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Well Siva: I don't think this is exactly the right forum to ask this question, because I doubt anyone here knows how the South Asian system works:-) Parents will come in, they will stay for a few months at minimum. This could be repeated in alternate years. Repeat for in-laws. They will go many places with you (like the outlet mall, or on a weekend trip). Whether your wife drives or not is immaterial because you don't want to go in two different cars. Ideally, she needs to eventually drive, but that is not the current problem.

So, in your case: you need at least one bigger vehicle (even if your wife does drive eventually). You need to check out the X5 3rd row at a dealership and see if your child seat fits, and how much leg space is in front. Does your kid feel comfortable sitting in the amount of space available? Not sure if X5 seats can slide forward. If the occupants are of average height, it maybe enough. The X5 is quite a bit wider than X3, so the second rear-facing child seat will go to the middle, leaving lots of space on both sides. Entering the 3rd row might not be so hard for a kid (from the back, because access from the second row will probably not be possible). If it feels cramped, you need to research other 3-row SUVs (assuming you dont want a minivan). If your wife eventually drives, she might be able to drive that 3-row vehicle, and then you can get another x3 or whatever you like for your own.
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