M3 E92 and babyseat. Can they live together?

[wilkoal]

Temptation is high for the coupe (don't like the sedan though) but I am afraid I am gonna regret it every single time I need to place my 2 years old son in the seat. I am interested to hear from anyone who had babyseat in the E46M3. Thanks

[bambam]

this is an e36 but the baby is loving it

[mkoesel]

I have a baby seat in my e46 M3 right now. However this is an infant seat, not a toddler seat.

It fits just fine with limited space for the occupant in front of the baby seat. My wife is 5'7" and can fit comfortably enough for reasonably short drives (a couple hours). At 6'4" I, however, cannot fit as a passenger. I can get in the car and close the door but my legs are folded up in an awkward way. My neck is also crooked from my head being too close to the headliner.

We also use the same seat in the wife's 335i. The interior space of the E92 coupe (and thus E92 M3 coupe) is noted to be very similar to that of the E90 sedan, so this should also be relevant. Here again, things work out, but this time there even more room for the person in front of the seat. I can manage ok in 335i as a front passenger. I would not want to be up there for long trips but its ok for normal around town driving. Having said that, unless I have had a little too much of the sauce , I am always the driver when we are both in the car with our infant son.

Formerly, when my other son was younger, I also had a toddler seat in the m3. This was even easier because the seat is forward facing and takes up little space. No problems here at all as far as fitment.

Regarding ingress and egress for the child and/or toddler, naturally that is tougher in a two-door than the sedan (in my case, actually, ingress is often a most trivial matter because I have a convertible and just drop the seat in easily before raising the top - but that is not relevant for the coupe). I would say that, if this will be your primary car for transporting the child, you may want to think seriously about the M3 sedan instead. It depends on your level of tolerance, and I suppose, how strong your back is. It can be very difficult and taxing to take a small child out of a two door, especially when they are sleeping. For example, your wife may not be able to do it comfortably.

[clubspec330i]

Do your son a favor and get the E92 M3!!!

When I bought my '05 ZCP, my son was 1 1/2 year old. Not only I dropped him off at the daycare center everyday but I had him in the car at Street of Willow on the parade lap (of course I was the last car out.) When I sold the car in preparation for new M3 or used E60 M5, he was more sadden than me. You know, there is not a day that goes by that he doesn't talk about HIS M3. I got E92 335i with Mtech body kit as a between car and that DIDN'T suffice him. So, once in a while my buddy comes by with his E46 M and take my son around so he can sit in the M3. Weird kid, I know.

To make you feel more comfortable, last week I just had my 3 1/2 years old son and his 1 1/2 year sister in my '07 Cooper S Works while mommy followed us in the E53 with strollers and stuffs. So, if two baby seats can fit in little Mini, E92 M3 can handle baby seat NO PROBLEM. However, I won't do it everyday though.

My suggestion to you is GO FOR IT.

[jpm3]

I had an E46 M3... The very first day he got out of the hospital when he was born, he rode at the backseat(passenger side so you can see him) with the his new carseat. You just have to get used to leaning over putting him at the back but I have no complains....

I just wish I still have the car since he loves the sound of my Borla Exhaust....

Anyway, he will hear the next gen sound eventually....

Having a kid, I always consider the "spacious" backseat in a sports car not just a 2+2... If I was single I would have consider Z06 and the new S5 or Nissan GTR. M3 was always my choice without a second thought.

[Keto]

My solution:

Me with the Coupe
Wife gets new car to drive to work, etc.
Save the SUV for family hauling, etc.

I have my baby seat mounted in the middle of my current M3 for excessive safety paranoia. It fits just fine.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Keto

I have my baby seat mounted in the middle of my current M3 for excessive safety paranoia. It fits just fine.

How did you manage that with the large hump and no seat belts?

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

How did you manage that with the large hump and no seat belts?

E46 has 3 belts in the rear and rear shelf tether attachemnt points.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

E46 has 3 belts in the rear and rear shelf tether attachemnt points.

Really? I honestly had no idea the coupe rear seat was that different from the convertible.

Hmm, now that I think about it though, I do remember a few people lamenting the fact that the E92 was now a true 2+2 vs. the old E46 coupe.

[Keto]

The 4 latch points in the back of the E46 are evenly spaced; you have 3 choices of carseat mounting location. There's also 3 points on the rear deck for the extra top of the seat mount.

Don't forget the "carseat pad" to save the leather..

As for the E92, yeah, my wife's first reaction to the pictures was "Why did they put all that plastic in the middle of the seat?"

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Keto

As for the E92, yeah, my wife's first reaction to the pictures was "Why did they put all that plastic in the middle of the seat?"

Will she argue for the sedan instead? Or will you move the child seat to the outside (something you'd have to do anyway if you have more kids)?

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Will she argue for the sedan instead? Or will you move the child seat to the outside (something you'd have to do anyway if you have more kids)?

Are rear side air bags standard in the M3?

[wilkoal]

Thanks to all for sharing your experience .........

BAMBAM your baby did enjoy the ride and the wind as well !!

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Are rear side air bags standard in the M3?

I'm pretty certain all E9X have six airbags, at least in the US. No rear side airbags, but there is a side curtain airbag. Not sure this is of much use for small children. The E90 has gotten good side impact scores, while the E93 got rather poor scores. This was for the NHTSA tests. I don't think the E92 has been tested.

[Keto]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Will she argue for the sedan instead? Or will you move the child seat to the outside (something you'd have to do anyway if you have more kids)?

Move the seat to the outside. 3rd car for the win. No matter which one of us has the kids, the SUV will always be available.

[InJapan]

Forget it. Although a child seat will mount in the back seat, unless your child can get into and strap himself in, the coupe is not for you.
I have a 3 month old and it is tolerable in the E46 M3 cab.
I tried to fit the infant seat into the back seat of a E92 M3 coupe... ( the Japanese dealers were looking at me funny)
it is not possible without MAJOR contortions.

I switched my order to a E90 M3 sedan the next day.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by InJapan

I tried to fit the infant seat into the back seat of a E92 M3 coupe... it is not possible without MAJOR contortions.

I wonder if you can be a little more specific? Seems a lot of folks have put infant seats in their E92s. See here:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84390

[eml]

Originally Posted by clubspec330i

When I sold the car in preparation for new M3 or used E60 M5, he was more sadden than me.

Two days ago leaving the house, my wife asked 3 year old whom he wanted to pick him up at daycare; he said, "Daddy."

So I picked him up, get out the door, and the first words out of his mouth -- "Where's your car?" Hmmm ...

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by eml

Two days ago leaving the house, my wife asked 3 year old whom he wanted to pick him up at daycare; he said, "Daddy."

So I picked him up, get out the door, and the first words out of his mouth -- "Where's your car?" Hmmm ...

Cute! He loves the ///M. It has it's way with people of all ages.

[ShinySteelRobot]

Originally Posted by bambam

this is an e36 but the baby is loving it

OMG the baby seat's belts in that video are WAY TOO LOOSE. When properly tightened, you should only be able to put one or two fingers between your baby and the belt.

[InJapan]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

I wonder if you can be a little more specific? Seems a lot of folks have put infant seats in their E92s. See here:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84390

It's getting the infant seat in the car. I use a Combi infant setup. The rear window doesn't go down and the front seat has to be moved ALL the way foward and the seat tilted before you can rotate and squeeze the infant seat aat an angle through the gap between the front seat back and the fixed rear window, hoping that you don't pinch a little hand in the process. All this in fast motion if it is raining.
The guys that put infant seats in the above thread use the passenger side with the passenger seat all the way foward all the time. My wife is not that short and when we take the baby out, we almost always go as a family. And it is much easier if the baby is on my side.... I get the baby, the wife gets the diaper bag.

It can be done. But a 4 door is soooo much easier. Ever since the baby, we drive the wife's car almost all the time. Ready to sell my car as soon as my E90 M3 goes into the build stage.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by InJapan

It can be done. But a 4 door is soooo much easier.

True enough. In my case, taking the wife's car when we go as a family is not a problem since I like to drive it. If the wife had something else, I would be giving the sedan much more thought. Although, the rear facing infant seat will only be required for a year. A child seat should not have the issues of being taken out of the car all the time.