I currently drive an E90 M3 as my DD. Since it has four doors and it suits my needs well. However I've always wanted a 997 and considering trading my M3 for a 911. I love the performance of the M3 but I want a true sports car. The 911 is really catching my eye and might make the move. I would love to have both cars, but can only swing one for now. I have two children 1 y/o and 3 1/2 yo that I would need to drop off at school daily.

Would I be able to fit both kids comfortably in the 911? I would like to know how much of a pain it is to get them secured in the back seats and how cramped they would be? I'm 6' tall. Is this wishful thinking or should I just keep the 4 door M3 which is more practical?

 

Honestly, as much as I'd like to see you in a 911, it's not really practical. Have you seen the back seat close up? It's really not one. If your driving them daily it could be pretty rough.

 

I have an '08 Audi RS4 as my daily and an '07 911 targa 4S. My kids are 6 yo and 3 1/2 yo. I use the Recaro Vivo booster seats in both cars and they are perfect seats for both cars. Your 1 yo may be a bit small for the booster.

Overall it is much easier getting them in/out of the RS4 which is a similar size to your E90 M3. It is a bit of work getting them buckled in the 911 but it can be done with a bit of effort. My 6 yo can usually buckle himself in/out but I have to help my daughter. Keep in mind that the door of the 911 opesn much wider then your M3.

Honestly, if you have to drop them off every day, I'd say keep the M3 for a few more years until the kids are older. If you have a really short trip to their school, it probably won't be a big deal. My son's school is about 1/2 mile from our house so I usually don't use the booster or buckle him in (flamesuit on) if we take the 911 since we drive on the neighborhood streets to get there.

One more thing, the kids can see a lot more out of the RS4 and not so much in the 911 so sometimes they complain a little about that. Good luck with the decision! The M3 is a great car BTW!

 

I can tell you that the 3.5 year old will be easy. A Recaro Vivo Booster behind the driver's seat. The one year old will be tough because of the car seat requirements but if you're just dropping them off and you don't have a tall front seat passenger you'll be fine.

I'm a smidgen under 6 ft and my wife is 5'8" and in a proper seating position we take our 997 on road trips and it becomes the family car on weekends.
I have 5.5 year old twin girls and they've been piling in and out since they were 3 years old.

Will it be as easy as your four door M3... no!
Is it worth it anyways... absolutely!
Show them what a happy man looks like :-)

I won't lie... it's very intimate quarters but honestly, the car is so awesome to drive and my wife loves riding in it as much as I like driving it. The kids love when I gun it and row through the gears. It's just good clean family fun.

Get it.... if it doesn't work out... get a honda as a second beater.

First picture is my two kids in back with their 97 year old great grandmother who demanded we take the porsche.

Second is the girls in the back at 3 the day we got the car.

-HB

 

As much as I love 911 and also coming from a E90 M3, my opinion is don't do it if that will be your only car especially you have 2 kids sitting in the back. It won't be practical as others have mentioned and at some point you will be annoyed by that inpracticality. You don't want to that happen when owning a 911.

 

Honestly, look at those big smiles. I think you will find your answer there.

 

+1.

Proof that it is possible. My backseat was enough when my kids in the back were 1yr and 5 years (my 12 yr old sometimes rode back there). But now they are 5, 9, and 16. They still fit, but the 9 yr old girl doesn't like it for long trips. I think my youngest boy will ride with me as long as he can... He's a true car fan.

 

+1. We "Americans" are just used to more elbow room. When "just enough" will do most of the time. I do routinely carry kids in the back. I try not to, not because they don't fit, but after discovering scratches from their swinging backpacks, I take the minivan more often.

Honestly, the kids (14, 18 and 20) have more fun in the 911, they don't ever complain they are cramped.

 

Thanks for all of the replies. The M3 has been great with no complaints, but I want to drive something that is more special on a daily basis. I knew I would be able to fit my 3 1/2 y/o in the Recaro Booster but always wondered about my 1 y/o? It would be a 10 min trip to school so it's not unbearable. It just seems like I might get tired of reaching in the back seat trying to get them in and out of the car especially since it's so low to the ground.

I've also considered getting a beater but it would have to be fast! I spend 85% of my time driving during the week and would hate having the 997 sitting all week.

I know it's not it's not very practical but wondered how many dad's are pulling this off.

Thanks!

 

Our tall 10-yo daughter fits OK behind my wife if my wife keeps her seat relatively forward and not too inclined. But the rear seat isn't comfortable even if you have legroom because it's so vertical, so we only have her back there for local trips (under say 1.5 hours). She doesn't mind sitting back there because she thinks she looks cool in the car, especially with the top down (she's probably right ).

I suggest that you get the 911 and make it work with the kids. The car is that good.

 

Hey Manifold,

do you have a Cab? in the coupe they aren't vertical like that. Also, I took the seat cushions out and seat backs out. One because it bought a few inches here an there and Second, so they don't get damaged.

We have a few rules in papa's car...

1) don't ever touch the paint
2) no eating or drinking (long trip exceptions with approved treats)
3) shoes off on the way in

These are easy to implement and have helped keep the car in good shape.


-M

 

Yup, it's a cab, and I do now recall someone mentioning the seats being less vertical in the coupe. I'll check into removing the seat cushions and/or backs.

 

Two children are definitely possible. I do it almost everyday, but my kids are 5 and 8. I'm 6'2 and I can fit the 5.5yr old behind my seat, and the 8yr old behind my wife, while the four of us take a spin.

When it's just me and the kids, the 8yr old sits up front and the 5.5yr old behind him.

For you it's more difficult. I'm not sure how well an infant seat fits in the rear passenger side, my guess is it doesn't. Plus there are certain front seat positions that make the head rest hit the roof/sun visor as you flip it forward. You could try infant in the front, but those infant seats really mess up your leather. (Even flipping the front seat forward to let the rear passengers out causes the seat belt latch to dig into the seat and leave a dent.) Then your older kid would have to sit behind you which could work.

If you wait until both your kids are in boosters 3 and 5, everything gets much easier. BTW between my wife's Mercedes and the Porsche the kids pick the Porsche hands down everytime. They understand it's a special car and love riding in it almost as much as me.

 

been taking my kids around in the pcar since they were 3 and 6. Even to the beach - all summers since getting my 996 - Kids in the back, cooler in the front, beach chair and toys in the frunk. the 997's frunk is deeper and fits even more stuff, and my son who is 9 now gets to sit up front. You cannot imagine the smile on his face... its truly worth it.

 

I have 3 kids, roughly 5, 8 and 10. I bought my first 911 (1990 C4 Cab) 13 years ago and I've had the current car for 2 years. So I've had infants/toddlers/kids around almost the whole time.
IMHO, the 1.5 year old will be tough. I'm 6'1" and there is very little room behind my seat, if I have it where I want it. I use my car as a DD, and not just have boosters in the back. I can put the 5 year old behind me, but I still need to move the seat up to a point where it's not really comfortable.
I'd say that you could do this, but it's not going to be easy.
Also, my kids climb over the inside of the car all the time. I've had hockey bags in there and the interior shows it a bit. I try to keep it nice, but I know it's not possible to keep it perfect.
There was a guy on the board here with a nice blue/sand cab and he sold it bc his kids were driving him crazy. IIRC, he would get really upset and he was sick of being 'that guy' who went nuts about his car, and went nuts on his kids, so he sold the car.
For me, I obsess a bit - the kids are better than the wife about shutting the door with the handle to minimize fingerprints, but they still put their feet up by the glovebox, etc. I try to handle it in moderation.
Just keep that in mind, too...