BMW F12 6 series convertible - children in the back?

BMW F12 6 series convertible - children in the back?

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varsas

Original Poster:

4,042 posts

209 months

Monday 6th March 2023
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Hi. Sorry, I know this has come up before but it's difficult to get a straight answer (or I'm not getting the answer I want...)

I have an S2000 and 2 children (3.5 and 0.5 years old), which obviously doesn't work, especially as we also have a Stag so we have two cars which aren't practical, taking up space etc. I also have a Mondeo as a practical shed, my wife also has a Nissan Note which, surprisingly, is big enough for all of us, even for a week away during Christmas.

The thought is to swap the S2000 & Mondeo for something that is still fun but we can all go in. I do love a convertible, and either the F12 6 series or E class cab seem to be the largest/most practical (I can't afford a RR Dawn or S-class Cab), unless anyone knows different? Just to clarify, the children would only be in the car a few times a month, the rest of the time it'll be me or just us two. I am 6 foot, the missus is 5' 7''

I am thinking the baby would go behind my wife, facing backwards in the 360 spin isofix chair, and the toddler would go behind me in the seatbelt secured seat (which is a fixed, forward facing seat). Will this work? I am fully aware it will be tricky to get the baby out. The toddler can jump in/out by themselves, so less worried about that. Happy to get specific seats, maybe a seat which is fixed backwards to take up less space etc. Finally this won't work if we can't get the pushchair in the boot, the brochure says the 'vert has 350 litres, which seems pretty good and should be enough? The pushchair is a Graco EVO, which splits in two.

Really appreciate replies from anyone who can advise, I don't want to sell my wonderful S2000, get an F12 and then find out I'm no further forward but have lost my Honda Thanks!

Collectingbrass

2,393 posts

202 months

Monday 6th March 2023
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My kids really struggled in an E36 with the roof down.

varsas

Original Poster:

4,042 posts

209 months

Monday 6th March 2023
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Ah, I wasn't planning on having the roof down with the children in it, should have said that.

cerb4.5lee

33,689 posts

187 months

Tuesday 7th March 2023
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I think you'll really struggle to honest. I had a F13 640d Coupe, and with my youngest in the babyseat on an isofix base behind the passenger seat I could barely get in the front passenger seat at only 5'8".

Even in my normal driving position you'd struggle to get anyone to sit behind me either. The F1x 6 series are properly reverse tardis, and they are massive on the outside, but tiny on the inside sadly. They are best treated as a 2 seater imo.

varsas

Original Poster:

4,042 posts

209 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
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Thanks for the reply. It seems so silly when BMW have the Z4 and the 2 & 4 series why doesn't the 6 series have proper space in the back. It's not like the boot is huge either. It seems like there is no more room than in my Stag, a small car by modern standards and especially co pared to an F13.

cerb4.5lee

33,689 posts

187 months

Wednesday 8th March 2023
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varsas said:
Thanks for the reply. It seems so silly when BMW have the Z4 and the 2 & 4 series why doesn't the 6 series have proper space in the back. It's not like the boot is huge either. It seems like there is no more room than in my Stag, a small car by modern standards and especially co pared to an F13.
Completely agree. I've had/have both a E92 M3 and F82 M4 and both of them are a lot bigger in the rear seats(adults can sit comfortably). I didn't think the boot was too bad in size in the 640d Coupe to be fair, however you couldn't fold down the rear seats like you can in the M3/M4 though.

river_rat

705 posts

210 months

Thursday 9th March 2023
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Varsas - you should probably go and sit in one - see how much space there is when set up for your driving position.

Whilst I agree that rear space is small/tiny, there is so much space in the front that you can adapt for occasional journeys to accomodate the need for rear seat passengers.

I'm in a coupe but I'm also 6 foot 6 - my normal postion is seat right back touching the front of the rear seat but......if needed I can pull my seat forward enough to drive fine and fit my 9 year old (tall) daughter behind me. OK, she probably doesn't thank me for it, but it's manageable for the rare occasions we need to use the 640d as a family of 4.

A couple of years ago we managed a 4 hour trip from London to Peak Districk in it.

varsas

Original Poster:

4,042 posts

209 months

Thursday 9th March 2023
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Ok, that's really helpful. Yes I think I will have to go and see one, the nearest is an hour away but well worth it to check.

paradigital

976 posts

159 months

Thursday 9th March 2023
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I manage to get a 2 year old and a 5 year old in the back of my F33 440i, they love the roof down under about 40mph also, beyond that and it's too blustery for them.

I'm only 5'10" though and the wife is a short-ass biggrin

oldaudi

1,411 posts

165 months

Friday 10th March 2023
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I’ve got a 640i Coupe and the rear is terrible, possibly worse than the e63 630 I had alongside it. My children struggle to climb into the rear. The front seats have an electric move forward button that takes an age so we push them forward manually , the head rest then gets stuck under the sun visors and I have to lower the seat to fix that. They climb all over the door sill to get in and the rear seats are like little bucket seats that they then find difficult to climb out of. The door has to be opened fully to get out and like most coupes it’s a long door which needs a lot of space to open. Once the blood has returned to their legs after being crushed by my seat they moan about the return journey. I’m a family of three now so one always sits in the front or we take my Polo!

Your child is obviously smaller but it won’t be long until you struggle. I also can’t fold the rear seats, not sure if that was an option

Go and check one out, great cars but they are very small at the rear. The front is great though, my left arm struggles to reach the volume knob on the stereo.

Edited by oldaudi on Friday 10th March 07:14

G-wiz

2,588 posts

33 months

Sunday 12th March 2023
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Is baffling how much space the 6 series takes up on the road, and yet can be cramped inside.

Still, lovely cars, nonetheless.

JW911

911 posts

202 months

Monday 13th March 2023
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There is a solution….



Handles better as well.

jimmydash

282 posts

128 months

Friday 17th March 2023
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We have 4 adults in my F12 640i convertible every now and then, sure it's tight but manageable. It's my fifth 6 in a row following my 1998 E31 which I still miss. Drive the F12 and then decide. I think they are unbeatable - obvs.