RE:<E30 M3> Is this car practical with a baby?

[Ron Milliet <milliet@xxxxxxxxx>]

I have an 87 325is and a Baby...11 months old now...both can be seen here:
http://www.telapex.com/~milliet/bmwpics/index.htm

It has not been easy, but it is not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  We
have the added pleasure of a Baby that is in the 95 percentile on his growth
chart with (50 being average).  This directly corresponds to lower back pain for
my Wife since she is not the Xena warrior princess type.

Loading said chap in and out of the bimmer is the primary issue.  When new born,
the rear facing seat requires you to climb back there to buckle them in.  After
about 6 months, they will be sturdy enough to use the patented "Daddy lift and
chunk" which I can do while standing outside the car.  This can only be done
with the car seat now turned to face the front which is determined by the
child's weight.

The E30 is blessed with copious amounts of trunk space which you will need EVERY
cubic inch as well as ALL unused cockpit space.

****NOTE: If you keep the E30, you MUST buy a car seat that has the 5 point
harness, not the 3 point with a bar.  You need all the cockpit room you can get,
this seat will help.  There are dozens of models to choose, but we are very
pleased with ours.  I can provide you with the make/model if you wish.

Remember, he/she will not be a baby for very long, and before you know it, they
will be running around all over the place and eventually will become "self
loading" in the backseat of the bimmer.  I feel the E30 is a safe car for its
size and age.  Especially if you have ABS brakes. No passenger air bags is also
a big plus for the little ones if you want them to ride in the front when they
out grow the car seat.

Good luck and congrats!!

Ron Milliet
McComb, MS
http://www.telapex.com/~milliet/bmwpics/index.htm

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