X5 or X7 with two kids

[avantegardestyle]

Originally Posted by AEG

That’s one of the reasons I’m leaning towards the x7, rather have the extra space and not use it than to need it and not have it. I plan on keeping both long term.

Toyota 4runner limited with 3rows of seat.
best car purchase ive ever made......

[ShocknAwe]

Adult riders in my cars has never been a consideration. Don't like it? Rent a car or call a cab, I'm not your Uber driver.

Only adult that matters is my wife. Kids don't get a vote either.

All things said though. Never had any complaints from a friend or colleague hitching a ride in the X5. Back seat is plenty big for your average sized adult.

[AEG]

Originally Posted by avantegardestyle

Toyota 4runner limited with 3rows of seat.
best car purchase ive ever made......

After my Durango getting totaled I don’t see myself buying a car that isn’t a BMW due to safety concerns.

[AEG]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You're not putting grown adults in the back of an X7, lol.

If your wife has an X3, you're going to be disappointed by X5. It's just that little bit bigger, but much nicer. For me, I went in looking at X3M, and couldn't fit the kids behind me at all.

Fair point, my plan was to get an X7 and upgrade my wife to the X5. But she fits both car seats well in her X3 and doesn’t use it for greocery runs or road trips. We took my Durango for that. If I can fit a stroller and suitcase back there for road trips I’ll most likely end up getting the X5.

[TboneS54]

2 kids here. We love love love our x7. It never seems too big or feels too big. The x5s always look tiny to me.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by AEG

Fair point, my plan was to get an X7 and upgrade my wife to the X5. But she fits both car seats well in her X3 and doesn’t use it for greocery runs or road trips. We took my Durango for that. If I can fit a stroller and suitcase back there for road trips I’ll most likely end up getting the X5.

It will depend on the stroller. My double umbrella fits with plenty of space for other stuff. Our double fullsize stroller, not as much unless you like funky stacking.

I can't recommend looking at the domestic full-sizes enough. From a safety perspective, from a space perspective, from a cost perspective, from a reliability and upkeep perspective... Our Expedition is a freaking tank. My wife had a Corolla slide into the side of our expedition. It destroyed the front of the Corolla, it hit the wheel of the expedition and just scuffed the wheel a little.

X5s are plenty safe, but the domestic full-sizes are just beasts.

[AEG]

Originally Posted by TboneS54

2 kids here. We love love love our x7. It never seems too big or feels too big. The x5s always look tiny to me.

Appreciate the response. How’s the space with 2 car seats in the back ? Trunk space good enough for strollers, luggage, Costco runs etc ?
have you had any reliability issues with it ? I’ve heard mixed things about the air suspension.
For the X7 I had planned taking the xDrive40 just haven’t found any with the things I want with less than 40k miles. Don’t feel comfortable getting high mileage even though I’ve heard the B58 is a great engine.

[TboneS54]

Originally Posted by AEG

Appreciate the response. How’s the space with 2 car seats in the back ? Trunk space good enough for strollers, luggage, Costco runs etc ?
have you had any reliability issues with it ? I’ve heard mixed things about the air suspension.
For the X7 I had planned taking the xDrive40 just haven’t found any with the things I want with less than 40k miles. Don’t feel comfortable getting high mileage even though I’ve heard the B58 is a great engine.

2 car seats in the middle and you can still squeeze a thin or young person in between so transport up to 5 and still have the entire back which fits everything so far.

b58 is great. the air suspension is pretty great. I'm used to stiff 3 series, so it does feel a bit floaty and wanderous to me, but still quite agile and responsive for a big SUV.

[infinitekidM2C]

X9 for the win.

[osteome]

Originally Posted by AEG

That’s my main concern too since we usually take road trips from AZ to CA. But day to day I wouldn’t need the 3rd row. Was the trunk in the x5 enough for you for strollers, luggage, Costco trips etc ?

We find our X5 to be a little "tight" at times, but it would likely depend on your overall perspective and intent for use.

Our kids are in college, but when we have travelled with them for a long weekend out of town, the X5 is relatively cramped for luggage for 4 (or 5 when a friend tags along). We have only done this once or twice, when AWD was preferred.

When my wife and I are the only occupants, then the X5 is a supremely comfortable car and our first choice for road trips, with my G83 M4 getting a lesser share.

My wife picked up the X5 after driving a Toyota Sienna for years. While the X5 is about 8 inches shorter (as I recall), nothing can beat the packaging of a minivan.

We still have the Sienna as a spare car for the kids to use it is our primary car for Costco, Home Depot/Lowes, airport runs. We can seat 7 very comfortably with a fair amount of cargo room retained. Not a "sexy" option, but it is still a practical, relatively luxurious "workhorse" vehicle. It also still pulls primary duty for road trips with the kids on board

[wtwo3]

This is a very relevant question to my situation. We have 2 kids (now 6 and 2). We previously had an X5 and now have an X7. From purely a practicality standpoint, the X7 offers very little over the X5 as we rarely use the 3rd row.

But beyond practicality, I find the X7 to be superior in terms of luxury and features. We specced our X7 with DHP which offers rear wheel steering, and it actually drives smaller than our X5 did. So it's easier to maneuver and handles extremely well. We found the ride to be a bit smoother as well with the longer wheelbase.

[BMWbiker]

To be honest, I’d probably get a minivan for the family. Then, if practical, I’d get something like a 3-series for me. You might be able to get both for the cost of an X7.

[AEG]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

This is a very relevant question to my situation. We have 2 kids (now 6 and 2). We previously had an X5 and now have an X7. From purely a practicality standpoint, the X7 offers very little over the X5 as we rarely use the 3rd row.

But beyond practicality, I find the X7 to be superior in terms of luxury and features. We specced our X7 with DHP which offers rear wheel steering, and it actually drives smaller than our X5 did. So it's easier to maneuver and handles extremely well. We found the ride to be a bit smoother as well with the longer wheelbase.

Appreciate the response.
When it comes to the X7’s should I steer clear from the ones with 40k miles and up ?

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by AEG

Appreciate the response.
When it comes to the X7’s should I steer clear from the ones with 40k miles and up ?

Hard for me to say as my own X7 only has 24k miles, but it's been a trouble free 24k miles.

I do know these cars have a LOT of tech so depending on how many miles and how long you plan to keep it, you may want to look for low mileage and well maintained ones if purchasing pre-owned. Things like air suspension, complicated mild-hybrid systems, etc. would make me nervous over the long run. I don't plan to keep my X7 beyond 65-70k miles.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by AEG

Appreciate the response.
When it comes to the X7’s should I steer clear from the ones with 40k miles and up ?

There's an old saying, cars depreciate, upkeep, repairs,and insurance don't.

If to get what you want you're looking at cars with 50k miles or so, the upkeep on that car is going to eat you alive.

If you can swing one with 10-20k miles and you're just not finding them locally or something like that, that's different.

[AEG]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

There's an old saying, cars depreciate, upkeep, repairs,and insurance don't.

If to get what you want you're looking at cars with 50k miles or so, the upkeep on that car is going to eat you alive.

If you can swing one with 10-20k miles and you're just not finding them locally or something like that, that's different.

Locally can’t find any, there’s a few a couple states away that are 10-20k miles. But for upkeep and longevity purposes I’m on the fence since I plan on keeping it for a while, might end up going X5 to not have to worry about some of the things the X7 has.

[AEG]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

Hard for me to say as my own X7 only has 24k miles, but it's been a trouble free 24k miles.

I do know these cars have a LOT of tech so depending on how many miles and how long you plan to keep it, you may want to look for low mileage and well maintained ones if purchasing pre-owned. Things like air suspension, complicated mild-hybrid systems, etc. would make me nervous over the long run. I don't plan to keep my X7 beyond 65-70k miles.

Makes sense honestly, I’d have to travel a few states over to get one with 10-20k miles. Since I do plan on keeping it for a while might end up going with the X5.

[Ricochet48]

M340ix should be fine. Why do you need it raise up so much? If you absolutely needed storage space a X3 is plenty big (just get the older model as the new ones look yikes)

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You're not putting grown adults in the back of an X7, lol.

If your wife has an X3, you're going to be disappointed by X5. It's just that little bit bigger, but much nicer. For me, I went in looking at X3M, and couldn't fit the kids behind me at all.

Adults can easily fit into the back of an X7. I had a group of 6 of us buddies, some over 6 feet, all get into my X7 for a 40 minute ride and everyone was supremely comfortable. As long as you move the middle seats forward, the 3rd row seats are plenty spacious.

On top of that, having its own climate controls as well as its own sunroof truly helps the 3rd row feel extremely comfortable.

[tracer bullet]

How is parking where you live? One reason I own an X3 is that it'd easier to maneuver around. To me, an X7 would feel like driving a school bus.

Also I'll predict that it's a decade before you're hauling around your kid's friends and actually using a 3rd row. But you'll have to make your own prediction there.

[IanH]

You can park anything with 360 camera. I put my mdx in compact car spots with ease.

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by IanH

You can park anything with 360 camera. I put my mdx in compact car spots with ease.

The camera helps, but I'm talking about how many times you might have to go forward / reverse to get into a spot, round a corner, parallel park, and so on. Also how much you care about door dings and whatever else when things get tighter. Cameras help a lot, but even with one an X7 and an X3 aren't necessarily the same. Simply depends where you live, hence the question / recommendation to consider it. The vast plains of North Dakota or somewhere like NYC.