Germani Julius

Good morning, i'm from Spain and i'm new on this forum, and i'll explain you my question.

Now i've got an Audi A4 1.8TFSI from 2008, the last version, but i'm thinking about change it for an RX8.

I've found some people who would change his RX8 for my A4, because they need bigger dimensions because they have children.

The problem is that we would like to increase our family in next years, and i don't know if i can have the same problem that have the people who want to change his RX8 for my A4.

I supose that for interior dimensions there is no problem, at the end there are 4 real seats. But i don't know about the trunk... with children we'll need to put on the trunk a baby-car and more things.

I know that Audi's trunk is so much bigger than RX8 trunk, but i don't need to put on it bicycles or chairs, so i would like to know if RX8's trunk is sufficient or it would be a problem for us when we'll have children...

If one of you have little children i would like to explain me what you think about it.

Very thanks for your answers, and sorry for my english!!

DarkBrew

My two girls were past the stroller stage when I got my 8 but I think there's enough room for some gear in the trunk. You may have to get compact strollers and bags.
There's nothing like having a great sports car and still being a good family man!

Germani Julius

I supose. Once upon a time i talked with a man who had an RX8 and he told me that the problem was not on the stroller, that the problem was on the stroller's wheels!!!
I supose that we will be able to find one stroller that fits on the trunk, but before changing my car i would like to make it sure.
I like sports car, it's for this that i like RX8, 4 seats, good trunk (but with an small door, is what takes me crazy!), and a very unusual and exciting engine. I don't want it to go always fast, i've got another car for competition, but i think that it's not necessary to go fast to enjoy this car
Let's see if anyone else can post his experience, very thanks for your post DarkBrew

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

As a primary use family vehicle I would have to say no. While myself, my wife and my 6 year old can fit in my car, by the time you bring along a couple of the kid's toys and the wife's purse and other crap, you don't have much room.

Then if you happen to have to stop at the grocery store, it is all you can do to fit a weeks' worth of groceries in the back of the car and part of the other back seat (toilet paper, 2 liters, boxes of cereal, cases of can drinks, etc.). Not to mention that your milk, ice cream, and produce will become superheated within about 20 minutes of being in the trunk (because the muffler is right under) which can also become a problem.

And you put three people and 100lb+ of stuff in the car, while running the a/c that the woman demands, and it becomes a real slug too.

I've also found that due to the design of the doors, it's hard for the kid to get in and out of the car versus a regular car. If he is sitting behind me and we both get out at the same time, we find ourselves trapped between the two car doors and the car parked beside us. Then I have to attempt to back my body up and keep the front door from hitting the other car, to give him room to shut the small door. For those that might say, let him get out and shut his door before you get out...you don't want to let a little kid loose in a parking lot because they don't always listen or use common sense.

I like the rx8 but it would never be an adequate substitute for a daily driver family vehicle, these failings would be too annoying to suit me.

arghx7

Will this be your only car? Do you live in an urban area? Do you drive to work? If you are going to be doing stuff that RotaryResurrection is doing (he lives in Tennessee and I'm sure he has to drive everywhere) then he raises valid concerns. But if you take public transit most of the time and you won't be piling a bunch of people and stuff in the Rx-8 regularly then you have a different situation.

zoom44

i regularly carry 2 kids under 6 in my car and do grocery store runs all the time. Most of the time I have a compact umbrella stroller in the trunk and still can get the groceries in. We can go to the beach for the weekend and get all the things we need in the car.

But we have been using the Mazda 5 for that more often this year

Germani Julius

Thanks for your opinions at everybody!
The use i give to my car is ridiculous: about 6.000 miles at year!!! so i've no problem with this because i don't use it daily, only to go buying on weekend or to "take a walk" with the car.
Great this post!!!

Razz1

One kid up to 12 is fine. Then it may get a little small on long trips.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

You only live once. My .02.

chunbelievable

iTrader: (5)

Me, my wife and our two kids who are 12 and 10 fit just fine. But we really only use my car when the trip is around town and short. I would feel bad putting my kids in the back for a long road trip. If this is going to be your only car I would really vote against it. Now if your wife has an SUV or cross over, I really don't see why you can't have your 8

zoom44

my one kid is in school today. So me and the little one are taking a trip in the 8 over to a lumber yard to pick up some 6' lengths of cedar to build some new raised garden beds.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

Nice...... a month ago I had all 4 wheels, a new set a rotors and pads, my midpipe, & plugs/coils/wires all in it...... Oh yea, my trunk was full of stuff so that was all in the cabin

RotaryResurrection

iTrader: (3)

I bet your interior hates you. Mazda plastic interior breaks quick enough as it is. The console lids and latches are made of glass and the plastic trim on the lower side of the front seats pops off constantly as it is, without me piling **** on top of them.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

To be honest, I havent really had too many issues in the interior thus far. I always throw blankets down and that kind of thing, but Im not gentle with my interior by any means, especially when my car was my DD.

But it looks great, Ive had some little things break off though. Here's what Ive lost so far lol.

Little plastic covers under the seats that cover the rails
Glove box handle (passenger wasnt wearing seatbelt when I hit brakes, knee broke it)

Fuse Cover is being held on my double sided tape, literally fell off one day for no reason

Sides of my seats are dinged up mildly from shoes and larger objects being forced in the back.

Aside from that though, Between ikea furniture, transporting my nephews, to bringing my flatscreen to best buy, stuff like that; my interior looks great

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't think it would be a very good vehicle for that purpose. I would go with something that holds a little more cargo and is easier on fuel lol.

Haze

Tell me that the cedar went on a roof rack. If you got that in the car, I am not going to believe you.

Haze

I have a 7 month old, and this is the only car that we have been taking the baby in. I did have to take the optional spare out of the trunk, although the cross brace is still in there, but I can get the baby seat in the rear seat easily, I can put a folded up full size stroller in the trunk with his diaper bag and all that stuff. When he was younger we used to take a bassinet unfolded in the trunk without a problem. The small doors I think make it much easier to get the baby in and out much easier than a coupe without them. I also don't think that it is any harder than a regular sedan. I hear the comment about parking next to another car and getting boxed in by the doors. The only thing that I would say is that with the rear facing baby seat, which is necessary when the baby is very small, the person in the front has to be pretty small to move the seat up far enough for the baby seat. My wife is only five feet so it is something to think about if you have taller people in the front.

zoom44

yeah they went in the car. passenger seat moved all the way forward and then laid all the way down. blanket down, boards in, blanket wrapped around. 2 year old behind me.

Haze

Nice.

The funniest thing that I ever put in the car was a brand new in the box window AC unit. The guy who carried it out of sears swore that it wouldn't go in, but slid right in with the seat all the way down. It was kind of hard to shift, but the look on that guy's face was priceless.

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

I know it wasn't an 8, but the first thing i bought back from Iraq as a 56inch sony HDTV. We brought it back in my buddys hatch back focus. Had the hatch open, I was on one end facing backwords holding one side, my buddy rodriguez on the other. That was a very nervous and painstacking drive, but luckily it was only for a couple of miles on base.

loidokaar

Then you will probably be very ok. I have had the 8 for 5 years now, kids are now 7 and 5. Find a stroller that can be squeezed into the trunk (I did a snowboard test). If kids are small, some bags can be put behind the front seats, if really needed (have done even a few weekend trips).

But still, if the kid is in this smaller-type of cradle on the front seat (with seatbelts around the cradle), then it is not so easy to get on the back seat. But we somehow managed

Kaido