[Beyu]

Your wife needs this:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=578923

[Bigmanny35]

For what it is worth...

I have a 2011 x3 35i and a seven passenger Mazda cx-9 (previously had 7 passenger Honda pilot and a 528xi). The 7 passenger vehicles are not all that they are cracked up to be and I have found it more of pain to use the 3rd row. Not to mention that it took 5 years to actually have a child self-sufficient enough to get back there.

Mike

[saulgoodman]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Happy to see many opinions.

After looking at the MDX and X5 with 3rd row...it doesn't seems to be practical for putting a car seat in the 3rd row...may be 5-10 year old kids can sit for short trips, not adult friendly. Once the 3rd row is up the cargo space is less than what you get in 2 seats sports car's trunk.

I am planning to buy a used mini van and park it in front of my house...at least that will make my wife to learn driving and start using the van...she doesn't like to waste money to buy something and not use it. I don't want her to practice driving in my X3 :P

Will keep you updated guys...

[saulgoodman]

Originally Posted by sbt007

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:-)

Well said sbt007, you can understand my situation. I did checked MDX and X5's 3rd row seat...they are not practical enough. May be good for few short trips but not enough cargo though...

My X3 has enough legroom for 2nd row but X5 and MDX don't...2nd row is pushed fwd to accommodate 3rd row. Mostly I will be buying a used mini-van and make my wife learn to drive the van.

[xDrive35i]

I know you're loyal to BMW, but maybe try a Q7? Third row is more spacious than in the X5. A friend of mine has a Q7 and she let her daughter do a road trip downstate with 7 girls in the car and they all got their duffel bags into the car with ease. Nobody complained.

[zlee11]

Keep the X3 for yourself and buy a minivan. Once you'll get past the stigma, you'll see that nothing beets a minivan when you have kids.