Americans tend to like it. Nuff said.

 

Thanks for the comments, all.

Sounds like the E90 330 is worth considering, if I can persuade Jenny it's not too big for her....

 

The E46 doesn't feel like a big car to drive, so I'd assume that the E90 would be similar...

 

Agreed it doesnt feel big, my other half drove mine for the first time on a long journey - Derby to Southampton and really rates it.

 

My wife was the same when we bought our family car, ended up with a Skoda Octavia Sport which was the right size for her. After 2 years of driving it, she's quite comfortable with yet larger cars (Volvo XC90 etc was no problem).

Just as a suggestion perhaps it's worth considering something smaller and lower value for a year or so to ease Jenny into driving a larger car before you get what you want? Saloon boots are a paint in the bum when loading kids stuff in/out but I'm quite sure the bmw boot is big enough, the main issue is access as you find you tend to scuff the bumber more loading all the heaps and heaps of stuff it seems Babies MUST have with them at all times .

 

Good point, get a silver or white car

 

What about venture taping the 'drop' in the bumper?

 

Mark, a couple of suggestions, one silly and the other not so silly

1. I was thinking M5 along the lines of Gad's machine. But then I thought...

2. Seriously good value 1 - 2 year old Subaru Forester estates well in your budget, they just brought out a new model (or you can still get the odd brand-new 'old' model top of the range variants from some dealers at

 

My neighbour is an environmental consultant and she decided that her 3l mercedes wasn't projecting the right image so she traded it in for a Civic diesel. When she pitched up at school she got ask "oh is business not doing very well?" so they sold it a week later and bought a 3 series.

Some people would rather be thought of as a wanker than poor

Sorry thought it was amusing.

 

I think this may actually be more of an issue for Jenny than the fact that it's a bigger car than she would like - she subscribes to the general stereotype that all BMW drivers are w*****s

Still, not to worry - the school is walking distance, and she doesn't have a lot of time for all the mothers who insist on dropping off their little darlings rather than walking them there, so probably not too much of an issue

(Had we been keeping two cars, the M5 is probably the direction I would have gone)