Coupe Dilemma

[tommy1394]

So I got married last year, and now have a beautiful wife, an 11yr old step son and a baby on the way. My wife loves our M Coupe and enjoys going to the BMW outings and car shows. We really hate not being able to go as a family in one car. So I have been debating selling the coupe and moving on to a new project. I found a 1970 E9 that is pretty sweet. It is has a turbo M30 motor putting out around 450whp, which is the same as my coupe by the way. This thing is sweet, fast, has back seats, is even turns more heads the M Coupe. Unfortunately it has no ABS, Airbags etc, but it would sure be a nice project to work on, and I am not sure that it wouldn't be more valuable in the Coupe 10 years down the road. Bottom line, I can only afford one fun car.

So I am seeking opinions from the group that has driven me to mod my coupe for the last 5 years.

-Tommy1394

[champignon]

Don't do it; you could put the 11 year old and the new infant in the hatch :-)

[KBH22102]

An E9 would not be a good family vehicle, have you SEEN how ridiculously bulky modern infant car seats are? That car has no LATCH anchors and securing an infant into a rear facing car seat in a two door car will throw out your back in a few weeks. Keep your coupe, man up and get a minivan with a DVD system, the best family vehicle ever made.

[Bcar]

AMG E class wagon with 3rd row rear facing seats.
E39 M5.
E9x M3 4 door.

...But we all know you should just keep the coupe! Sometimes it is GOOD to only have 2 seats

[amancuso]

So I got married last year, and now have a beautiful wife, an 11yr old step son and a baby on the way. My wife loves our M Coupe and enjoys going to the BMW outings and car shows. We really hate not being able to go as a family in one car. So I have been debating selling the coupe and moving on to a new project. I found a 1970 E9 that is pretty sweet. It is has a turbo M30 motor putting out around 450whp, which is the same as my coupe by the way. This thing is sweet, fast, has back seats, is even turns more heads the M Coupe. Unfortunately it has no ABS, Airbags etc, but it would sure be a nice project to work on, and I am not sure that it wouldn't be more valuable in the Coupe 10 years down the road. Bottom line, I can only afford one fun car. So I am seeking opinions from the group that has driven me to mod my coupe for the last 5 years. -Tommy1394

Best thing to do in a case like yours would be to keep the coupe and get an older cheap car for family outings. As boring as it is a Chevy Impala is big and inexpensive to buy and maintain.

[ADAz3M]

if it has nothing to do with safety for your family or reliability

I say the e9. That's a gorgeous car and looks to be well sorted.

[fmcfad01]

Best thing to do in a case like yours would be to keep the coupe and get an older cheap car for family outings. As boring as it is a Chevy Impala is big and inexpensive to buy and maintain.

This. I recommend a honda fit for transporting others.

[OnlyZ3]

the E9 has POOR back seats. I love the looks, but in term of practicality I don't think you're heading right there. i would aim to buy a cheap familiy car and keep the coupe...OR....sell the coupe, buy the E9, but you'll still need a cheap familiy car looking at those E9 back seats, and for any day that the E9 won't bother to start or will have any issue due to its age...

[tommy1394]

So I don't disagree that an E9 lacks in safety features and back seat space, I struggle to find a car that has character like an M Coupe or an E9. A new four door M3 is rather bland in my opinion. The other option I am considering is perhaps a muscle car like a 69 camaro.

[misterTT]

E39 M5? That should be able to baby without actively removing your testes.

[gmushial]

E39 M5? That should be able to baby without actively removing your testes.

I like that answer.

[Wertles]

Tough question. Beautiful E9. Glad I don't need to make that choice. You can't go wrong either way. There will always be another M Coupe ($$) but there will never be time for more memories with all the family together ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$). My family is now old enough that I take one kid this time, the other the next and the wife sometimes.

[tommy1394]

E39 M5? That should be able to baby without actively removing your testes.

We already own a 528 wagon with a 5 speed, coil overs, and M5 bumpers etc. The car just doesn't feel like a sportscar. I know a big V8 would probably change that but still.

[misterTT]

Awesome wagon!

In truth, I would find a way to keep the E9. Such a gorgeous automobile.

Then again, I saw a 3.0 coupe today, first coupe I've seen in the wild for years, and I couldn't stop staring. Tough choice, wish I had these kinds of problems.