2008 BMW M3: Daddy Driven

Now that there’s a little Thomas in the house, the wife and I are no longer DINKs so the way I look at cars I’m reviewing has changed. The addition of a child seat alters the entire framing of how I view the cars in our driveway and how I live with them. I routinely am the one to drop the little guy off for daycare in the morning, and if the test car can’t handle our seat — or I mistakenly leave the extra base in a different test car — my wife is not too happy. That frames the debate: What cars can a dad get away with owning? Obviously a big sedan or SUV will get the job done, but what about the cars dads lust over?

The shiny, white 2008 BMW M3 sedan sure looks like it can handle the task. But does it pass the test?

As you can see the rear-facing infant seat fits near perfectly in the back seat. I used the center position, placing it between the gap in the two front seats. It would not fit on either left or right side. And if I was a little taller and the driver’s seat a bit further back I’m not sure the fit would be as perfect.

Getting the seat in was surprisingly easy and didn’t require too much contortion of my now-always-sore back. The latch connectors have plastic covers that are supposed to flip up but broke off instead when I attached the base of the seat. No worries — they snap right back on.

The M3 has thicker front seats than a standard 3 Series sedan, so those should also pass this test in either 328 or 335 form. I highly recommend the 335’s engine if you don’t want to go all out for the M3.

Keep an eye out for the full review of the M3. For a mom’s take on all things cars, check out MotherProof.com.