Crazy Bimmer

We all know my mind can justify anything but this is the first time I want the help of AZ to tell me that my thought process is idiotic.

So I still have the 2008 Mazda3. Gave it to my mom but she never drove it so I took it back and gave it to my wife. It currently has 15k miles on it after 3 years. Runs great and no issues with it at all.

Now end of this year we will start banging to make a baby jesal.

Heres how my thought process works..

Should i dump the Mazda3 now and get something bigger since its holding value? I guess its worth $14k currently, I think i paid around $18k new. I'd like a head start on paying off the next car before the baby bills come into play.

Then again I suppose the Mazda3 can handle a babyseat and maybe even fit a stroller in the trunk but not sure.

Sarlacc

One baby...the 3 can handle all that.

I handle 2 with all the trimming in a Prius for christ sake.

charliemike

My brother has a 4th Gen Jetta Wagon and an Accord sedan and manages.

The 3 is smaller than the Accord but that Jetta is tiny.

I don't think you need an RV for one kid

madcaps

iTrader: (1)

I would think the 3 would be spacious enough. We've considered selling the Accord before our baby comes in July and replacing it with a 3.

Brandon24pdx

Funny, I didn't take you for the married type. I'd say a Mazda is a fine baby hauler. Then again, A CTS-V would really haul baby

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

Mazda 3?? Are you kidding?? It's fking small for a baby!

Get out and get the CTS-V right now.

Moog-Type-S

Mazda 3 is fine for one baby.....not to mention when gas hits $6/gal you are gonna be mighty happy with the Mazda 3 versus some minivan/SUV

Infamous425

the 3 can handle 1 child but i say if you can afford to upgrade then go for it

chill_dog

Keep the 3 and save the gas money/car payment for when you need it (ie. baby Jesal #2).

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

Or you should just save your money because maybe the baby jesal #1 will change his/her car more often than you do.

Crazy Bimmer

Yep im leaning towards keeping it. Car is pretty amazing for the price. Had i known i would be keeping it this long then i would have gotten the one with leather and navi. No biggie though.

Baby seat shouldnt be an issue with getting in and out. The rear doors have surprisingly wide openings. My 20s with tires fit through them.

Sure I would like a bigger/safer car for the family...er oops there i go justifying a new car again.

Mazda stays. Need to take it in for a power steering recall though. IBleavingdealerwithaCX9.

Scrib

Keep. I hauled my son around in my 335.

neuronbob

I can't believe I'm saying this to you, but here goes: Keep it. The 3 can handle one baby seat. You don't need a dedicated family hauler otherwise.

Street Spirit

Know a few families with two kids who do just fine in the 3 and also know many more families with two kids who do alright with the Pontiac Vibe as their only vehicle....2 cars seats, rear-facing and forward-facing.

If you're not even going to start trying for a baby for another 8 months and then have to go through the pregnancy, you don't even need to worry about this for almost two years. No point in getting a huge car for one person and no baby two years early.

See how it goes after a few months of having baby around, but I think you'll be just fine.

05TLdcc

what about the M :P

achenator

wait, what? when did u get married?

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

And who married you, you automobile schizoid?

Best thing you can do is borrow a infant carrier from someone and put it in the back. Remember, the baby faces backwards in the car. We had an 03 Altima and I had trouble with the car seat behind the drier's seat.

phee

iTrader: (5)

im sure a baby seat fits in the M3

Crazy Bimmer

I hear ya on the almost 2 years thing but then again thats not set in stone, could be sooner if theres an "oops" on my part.

But thats why the question popped in my head now. Why not dump the mazda while its still holding value. By two years i can have the next car almost paid off before the baby comes. One less added expense.

Of course I would rather keep the paid off mazda3 and haul the baby around in it. That be the best financial move but i also want the wife and kid to be comfy, not just "fine". Which is why im asking the question if the Mazda3 can handle being a family hauler. I know we have tons of parents on the forum and i wanted to hear their experiences with smaller cars and their kid.

What do you have to drive your little one in?

Over a year ago. I dont really post about my personal life on car forums much these days. I keep it strictly about cars.

Should be ok if the wife is driving. She has her seat pulled up pretty close to the steering wheel.

Does the baby seat have to be behind the drivers seat or can it go behind the passenger seat?

It does and will be pulling baby duty when I need it to. Just the wifey wont be touching it.

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

Try and find someone with an infant seat as well as someone with a convertible seat and place it in the middle rear facing. Then position you and Mrs. Jesal's seats and see if that is suitable. When we had our first child- the infant seat in the rear facing position in the middle of the backseat (05 TL) was fine. When we put the convertible seat in the rear facing position in the middle of the backseat- it wasn't pretty and it just wouldnt work for us.

I heard recently that 'studies' show to try and keep the seat rear facing up until the age of 2. I would assume that putting a child in the middle of the backseat is the safest spot but I could be wrong. As it is right now, when we are in the TL, my soon to be 4 year old is behind me and my 1 year old is behind the passenger seat. We use Britax Marathon convertible seats. When it's time for my 1 year old to move out of her infant seat she too will be going in the Marathon.

achenator

Well, congrats.

And this totally explains why you have kept the M3 as long as you have.

Street Spirit

Most people with only one child have the infant seat behind the passenger. Why? Then you are always taking them out at the curb-side of the road and not into traffic. Also, it's easier for passengers to sacrifice some front leg room if you need to make extra space for the infant seat behind it. Is much harder for a driver to still sit comfortable and safe while being in a proper driving position if they have to make too many seat adjustments. Many people put the infant seat in the middle, which is by far the safest but some find it too annoying to reach in to put the seat in and take it out.

Not sure if you plan on using an infant bucket seat or going straight to a convertible car seat....but plan on having either them rear-facing until baby hit the minimum weight limit to turn them around. It has been proven safest to have baby rear-facing for as long as possible or as close to 2 years old as possible but a lot of parents take the 1 year/minimum weight 'suggestion' more as a 'rule' and switch to forward-facing ASAP!

As I mentioned, I've worked with over a hundred families each year - and see their cars every day. Some families make it work with any car and every car between compact and a van, whereas some jump right to an SUV or van right off the bat. All of them do just fine and I've never really heard any of them with the smaller cars say they wish they had something else. I know a family with three kids who have them all in one row of a Mazda 5 -- all in car seats! The models these families drive -- most are new enough to show that they either got the car no earlier than a year or two prior to having kids or even since having kids, so they obviously made the conscious choice to use that vehicle + babies/kids.

Even if you have an "ooops" or baby comes sooner than the end of the year, that still leaves you tons of time to worry about it. I think you're trying really hard to justify getting out of the Mazda 3... You want the next car to be paid off before baby bills, but also mention the 3 is paid off. I know you see logically that no payment>starting all over, but emotionally you want something else. I guess it will all depend on which side of your brain you listen to. You tend to follow emotional, so I can see you in a new car by the end of next week regardless of what anyone here has to say. If you're going to do it, just do it - but if you're asking for opinions on whether or not you NEED to get something bigger for just one baby that's not even conceived yet -- the answer is 'no'.

Street Spirit

And for what it's worth, different car seats fit differently. One might not work as well as another. Some are meant for smaller cars, etc. There are lots of options and everyone find one that works for their cars. I know of a few friends who had to try out 2 or 3 models at the store with their cars to see which one would work best and obviously, there's always one.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

me thinks u need to trade up to the CTS-V wagon... that is what i will do one day...

CCColtsicehockey

Keep 3 for now and save for CTS-V wagon for when you need more space with 2 kids

Crazy Bimmer

I used to be emotional with purchases but that has come to a stop now that i have someone else relying on me.

As you recall i never really used to ask the forum for advice, i would just go out and get something and then post pictures after the fact.

Anyways, thanks for all the info. Keeping the mazda3 for now. Wife and myself love the thing and i havent even really started to think what i would replace it with. Nothing worth trading in for at least.

This gives me now two years of car shopping to do. In the meantime i will start putting money on the side for the next car purchase. Or at least focus on paying off the M3.

Street Spirit

Invest (future) car payment money each month and you'll come out way on top than even if you get a new car now and start paying it off before baby. By the time you need/want something else, you'll have earned money and then will have a new car + extra cash.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

Crazy, Keep the 3.

Moog-Type-S

Crazy is all growsed up!...and he's all growsed up!

majin ssj eric

Our IS350 is barely bigger (if any) than a Mazda 3 and it works just fine for our baby....

10splaya22

You will be fine. It has enough space for one

vwong

I agree with most everyone here. One baby...the Mazda 3 is enough. My wife and I have twins last year, and they are perfectly fine in both my cars. A lot of my friends and families had been suggesting that I should get a mini van or SUV. Why? The infant car seats fit perfectly in my cars, the double stroller fits fine in the trunk of both my cars, and I usually put the diaper bag on the floor behind the driver seat. They also said that with a mini van or SUV, it's easier to get the babies in and out of the car. Well, we've gone out to dinner as a friends reunion. After dinner, among those of us who have kids, I'm usually the first one to drive off. My wife and I have already developed a quick and safe way to strap the twins in the car seats, so it's piece of cake for us.

stangg172004

Hilarious. Keep it. Makes sense... But if youre gonna be impulsive... Jetta Wagon TDI...

Brandon24pdx

I'd do this. I know lots of guys around our age who's wives were pretty cool with their husband's "toys", at least until the baby came. At that point they tend to get a little less understanding and tolerant. If it's paid off you can always play the "honey don't be ridiculous, it's paid off. Trading it in for a new minivan would be a horrible financial decision!"

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

I can sell you a slightly used Infiniti I35.

cM3go

What a waste of time! gawd!

Crazy Bimmer

So the Mazda3 needed gas...........





















































So i filled it up.

Costco

Pfft. Would have been a new thread for sure

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

My wife it due next month so I sold my Accord coupe for this very reaason; more room for a baby seat.

I came soooooo close to buying a '10 Mazdaspeed3. Reason I didn't buy it? I couldn't fit comfortably behind the wheel with a baby seat in the back. Although the 3 is larger than some other compacts, it was not enough room for a rear facing baby seat in the middle of the back seat and the drivers seat in a comfortable position for me. Granted I'm 6'3" so I have to have my seat all the way back to be comfortable, so it might not be the case for the average hight driver.

Rear facing baby seats are freaking huge. We had one of the smaller ones on the market, but I returned it anyway and got another one that's supposed to be a tad bit smaller to try and fit it in the MS3 because I really wanted the car. Went back to the dealership and tried it again and no luck, it was still too tight. I even tried a '09 MS3 (first gen) to see if it had a hair more room than the current gen and it was still too tight.

Next on the list is mid-sized cars since compacts just won't work.

Fibonacci

Yep, I missed the desi mail order bride thread too.


But seriously, and trust me when I say this since I have experience in this area. When you bring your first baby home from the hospital:

You will drive more carefully than your grandma.
You will obey all traffic signals.
You will use your turn signal always.
You will actually drive the speed limit for the first time since a driving instructor was sitting next to you.

And most importantly, your significant other will want the most amount of high-strength steel between your precious cargo and the fucktard infested roads we have to share with. This is why teh wifey want from a perfectly adequate 05 CRV RT-AWD to the MDX.

Also, you might as well take advantage of the high residual values of used cars (especially frugal ones) and beat up a dealer on a big fat porker SUV/Crossover which is burning a whole in his floorplan.