MS3 as a kid-hauler?

[BillTheCat]

Took my MS3 over to a buddy's house today. He & his wife are expecting their first child soon, and he is having to part with his Z4 to get something that will haul the rugrat & accessories (stroller, diapers, etc.). He's been looking at MS3's, and enjoyed test driving mine today.

He & his wife were wondering how easily a stroller fits in the hatch. Anyone got pics, or at least a firsthand testimonial regarding hauling an infant/toddler and the usual accoutrements? How about child seats in the back? Easy in/out, etc.?

 

[KellyJoe]

That's exactly why I bought mine. I have yet to have any issue carrying anything needed. Even on weekend getaways where eveything gets jammed in the back. I did however place the child seat on the passenger side and padded it with a beach towel so as not to cut into my seats with it. Tell him to go for it and pack lightly. Hell you can over pack a Suburban if you want. (2thumbs)

 

[chief_wiggum]

No problems getting car seats in and out of the back seat and the hatch offers a surprising amount of room. I have no problem getting my 6 and 2 year old in the back (LATCH FTW!). However, if like most new parents, they get the giant fancy stroller, there won't be room for much else in the back.

Nothing like a family hauler that can really haul!

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Well to be completely honest it isnt the best hauler of goods but sure there is worse out there. I am a bigger guy, 6' 275 lbs and need the seat all the way back leaving ZERO room for anyone to be behind me easily. I also found that having the rear facing car seat makes you push the passenger seat forward more than I liked to get proper fitment and ease of putting the seat in the car and taking out of the car. If they are smaller people, like my wife who would have the seat moved forward anyway you will not have any problems. Cargo room however with a full size stroller gets tight. Once the stroller was in there was no room for anything else...

 

[RUMBLEFISH]

Tell them to get a honda mini van. They are the best things on the road if you have kids and even better when you go on vacations. Nothing beats having room and it really sucks when you need somthing you have to take all the s*** out to get at it because its so small. I have both and enjoy them but on long trips the little speed with a kid or kids would be a living ******* horror.

 

[JamesinIT]

I am that guy! I am not ready for a full on "station wagon" and don't want an SUV or crossover.

I am also considering the Audi A3 as well, but I am really torn having driven the Speed3 and hopefully tonight driving the Audi...

 

[chief_wiggum]

Well to be completely honest it isnt the best hauler of goods but sure there is worse out there. I am a bigger guy, 6' 275 lbs and need the seat all the way back leaving ZERO room for anyone to be behind me easily. I also found that having the rear facing car seat makes you push the passenger seat forward more than I liked to get proper fitment and ease of putting the seat in the car and taking out of the car. If they are smaller people, like my wife who would have the seat moved forward anyway you will not have any problems. Cargo room however with a full size stroller gets tight. Once the stroller was in there was no room for anything else...

Tell them to get a honda mini van. They are the best things on the road if you have kids and even better when you go on vacations. Nothing beats having room and it really sucks when you need somthing you have to take all the s*** out to get at it because its so small. I have both and enjoy them but on long trips the little speed with a kid or kids would be a living ******* horror.

I agree with both of these -- the MS3 is not our preferred mode of travel for long trips (we take the CR-V instead which I'll eventually replace with an Odyssey). Both my girls are now forward facing which doesn't eat up as much room. I'm ~5'10" and I do scoot my seat up a notch when I have the youngest behind me (mainly so she doesn't kick the seat).

 

[squidmotion]

it can be a bit hard to get the baby in the car seat sometimes, but no more than any other car... i think it works great, as a kid hauler.. for one, maybe two. two ten-year olds, and you are pushing it.

for road trips, i use my tundra crew-max.

 

[BillTheCat]

I am that guy! I am not ready for a full on "station wagon" and don't want an SUV or crossover.

I am also considering the Audi A3 as well, but I am really torn having driven the Speed3 and hopefully tonight driving the Audi...

Welcome to the forums, stranger!

 

[JingChuan]

Did anyone notice that he is getting rid of a Z4?? An Odessey etc. is too big of a change! I was in the same spot; I had to sell the TT to get a family friendly car, but wanted to still have a fun car. That was the primary motivation in getting the 'speed3: basically a grocery-getter/family car that still kicks a reasonable amount of ass. The 'speed3 fits the bill perfectly. There aren't that many other cars that fit in that category. There is the A3 as you mentioned, the GTI 4 door, the Caliber SRT4 and the HHR-SS. I ended up getting my '08 GT for a low $20,500, so that sealed the deal for us. I pick up my now 2 year old from daycare about 3 days a week, and we've taken the Mazda to our lakehouse a number of times already with no complaints. BTW, that was with two kids, all of our gear and supplies, and a kayak or kneeboard on the roof! So unless your buddy is pro-wrestler size (I'm assuming not with the Z4), the 'speed3 is a good choice.

That being said, we also have an A5 Jetta with the same turbo drivetrain available in the Audi A3 (and the GTI). I had it chipped at the dealer (still under warranty!) and it makes for a very enjoyable family car as well. Plenty fast and averaging 26+ combined mpg. The A3 does have a nicer interior and that all-important Audi cachet but coming from a non-supercar that arguably had one of the best interiors available, I can say that I hardly miss it, especially considering the value of the 3 vs. the Audi. Either would be a good call as a "compromise" car, but for raw driving excitement, the 'speed3 gets the nod.

 

[MaikuMS3]

if i were him and ready to pop the 1st baby, i would get something quieter. you dont your baby wakes up in the middle of the trip when you rev your engine high and make loud exhaust noise when you are happy? lol

you could get a regular 3...

 

[fastdreams]

eh it works ok but definitely a compromise.

As mentioned, with a rear-facing seat you have to push the front seat up quite a bit.

That's how we got around with my first kiddo and I really don't mind the compromise. I put the seat in the middle of our cars then (Audi A4 and a BMW 325xiT).

Now I have a 5 year old and a 6 month old. They also fit fine but I usually only carry my 5 year old with me in the Mazda. If all of us are going somewhere we will take the Honda CR-V.

The Mazda should work fine unless you try to take everything you own with you

 

[fastdreams]

if i were him and ready to pop the 1st baby, i would get something quieter. you dont your baby wakes up in the middle of the trip when you rev your engine high and make loud exhaust noise when you are happy? lol

you could get a regular 3...

I used to put my daughter to sleep for naps with my volvo that had a mustang 5.0 swap with custom exhaust - very loud and lopey with the cam it had.

Sometimes a noisy car is just what you need! (band)

 

[JamesinIT]

I like the MS3 a lot. I went and tested an A3...and like it a lot as well.

They are 2 different spectrum of cars for sure. At least I have some time as I still have to sell the Z4!

 

[chief_wiggum]

I used to put my daughter to sleep for naps with my volvo that had a mustang 5.0 swap with custom exhaust - very loud and lopey with the cam it had.

Sometimes a noisy car is just what you need! (band)

sounds similar to the 'volvette' as seen on youtube; good gravy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBu6STlhh8Q

 

[MikeHTally]

I'd recommend a mini-van. I love my Speed, but when we had rugrats, that Mercury Villager came in very handy. Our youngest is 23, so not much need for a mini-van anymore. Still, ya gotta meet the situation.

 

[08cosmic3]

I also have a Toyota Sienna minivan and love it on trips. We have a dvd player under the seat and a 12" LCD tv that pops down fron the ceilling. My daughter hooks her PS2 up and plays games for hours while we travel. Wife will love the room, saftey and ride of the minivan. That being said I drive a turbo wagon and the wife drives the mini, but we go out of town in the van.

 

[mortimersnerd]

I use my speed3 for hauling around my 2 year old fairly often. Works great, but would be tighter with a rear facing seat if anyone was sitting in the front passenger seat. Its great for shorter trips. We use our Honda Odyssey for almost anything that all of us go to. The speed is a great second car, but not something I'd use as a primary family hauler. Its better than most anything in that size class performance-wise, just annoying if you have to carry any quantity of stuff.

 

[paylew]

I used to put my daughter to sleep for naps with my volvo that had a mustang 5.0 swap with custom exhaust - very loud and lopey with the cam it had.

Sometimes a noisy car is just what you need! (band)

My son got so used to falling asleep to the exhaust in my car that if we put him in our Jeep he will not nap. I don't have any issues hauling him, or loading the car up with all his crap and the groceries. I got the MS3 because I wanted something fun and the GTI/GLI was too dang small. Can't go wrong with it, but there are better cars/vans out there for kids.

 

[BillTheCat]

Forgive my ignorance here, as I have never had kids... but why use a rear-facing car seat? Is it because you're more likely to hit someone/something yourself, resulting in an abrupt stop, snapping the kid's head forward like Dale Earnhardt without a HANS device?