pup73

hi guys,

my wife and i will be expecting in the spring, and need a new car. i'm not giving up any of my rides, so her accord is the car which is going to go...

i really prefer NOT to get an SUV (even a small crossover type thing). but we do concede that we need something with four doors, an automatic transmission, and more space than any of our current cars.

as a first time parent, i'm not quite sure how much room we will need, to shuttle around a child and all the gear associated with a child. most of our friends who are new parents just went ahead and bought SUVs. most people with kids drive SUVs/minivans.

wouldn't a small wagon suffice? what did families do before suv's/minivans? i'm heavily leaning towards an audi a4 avant or bmw 328ix wagon. in terms of suvs/crossovers, i'm looking at the audi q5 and the new volvo xc60.

i most likely will be leasing, so by the time our child outgrows this car, we can get into something bigger.

so all you dads (and moms) out there, what are you driving?

thanks for any info

-c

The Gasman

A small wagon would work fine for one child. Obviously the bigger the vehicle the easier it is on you. Consider that if you take any longer trips you'll have to potentially lug: a stroller, a playpen, a diaper bag, a breast pump, extra clothes and diapers, toys. It adds up.

Once we had our second child we got the Odyssey. It's the greatest family vehicle in the WORLD!

**Jay-V**

I have an 08 Pilot EX-L 4WD w/ Navi. No frills, but it gets the job done.

Like what Raj said, if you take ALOT of long distance road trips (even with one infant) an SUV/Mini-van makes a world of difference. Plus with the size of car seats nowadays (ie Britax Marathon), a large back seat is a must if you or mommy are gonna be sitting back there with them.

Boring as they may seem, you can't go wrong with a Pilot or an Odyssey.

**Jay-V**

BTW, cross the E91 328i off of your list if you're going to using the car for a lot of road trips. Back seat is small as hell (this is coming from an E92 owner).

pup73

i do realize things add up, and space quickly disappears....

my cousin has two children and they have a pilot. my aunt has a new odyssey. i admit, they come in VERY handy.

i'm just thinking for the short term, with one infant, a nice small wagon is a happy medium.

thanks

-c

hyperpm

I have an MS3 and bring my 3 year old and 6 month old(rear facing Britax carseat) in it to daycare daily. You'll do fine in MS3. Since newborn might need attention in the backseat, wife sits behind you and infant behind front passenger. For the most part, babies fall asleep in back due to car motion. No need for SUV or CUV, save your money. If 2 kids, that's when you'll need SUV to haul 2 strollers or stroller for 2 as well as kid's necessities especially on long trips. That's what my wife's 09 Pilot is for. We were able to fit 3 Britax car seats in the 2nd row, that's how wide the new Pilot is. I had an Outback and it had a deceivingly small 2nd row space since they have to make cargo area longer. IF you do end up getting wagon or 4 door sedan, bring rear facing carseat to dealer and check out space. Most common problem is front seats will have to be scooted too far forward to be comfortable. Not an issue with 1 child since they can be placed behind passenger front.

Onehots2k

I became an Uncle 9months ago. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. My issue is crawling into a car to take the child in and out.

pup73

yeah, i actually believe the ms3 will have enough space. thing is, all of our cars are manual transmissions. my wife is just plain tired of shifting...

besides, the ms3 is my daily and i like it too much to let her drive it everyday

it's time for the accord to go. it really won't serve a purpose once we have a child. it's a two door manual transmission car.


-c

The Gasman

Also, congrats on the up coming birth. Parenthood is not easy, but it's the greatest thing.

Malloric

Any normal family sedan should work.

If you decide not to keep the Accord make sure what ever you get has LATCH in the center position. Many cars don't... like the Accord (not positive about the newest model).

If you're going to want to sit in the back seat with the baby wider is better. The safest part of the car is the middle so unless you can fit the car seat there and still sit comfortably sit up front.