Going from a truck to a small car..... (thoughts)

MsFacetious

New member
I have been driving a 2005 Dodge Ram for several months now. It was cheaper than insuring my van seperately. However, with visiting family, more appointments and everything else we are doing... the gas is killing us. We are going through about a tank a week. Sometimes I can make it stretch for 1.5 - 2 weeks. It's $85 to fill it up.

So.... there is a little car that was originally bought for me to drive... but then it wasn't fixed so I didn't drive it. (It has a name - Wobbles. The front end was pretty shakey and it needed new brakes.)

My first car was a 1988 BMW... this is pretty much the same car just with 4 doors instead of 2. However I am still finding myself a little nervous about going from a big truck to a small car.

I was rear ended in my BMW while I was pregnant with my oldest, by someone going 50+ mph... barely scratched my bumper while his Hyundai was totalled.

I have the utmost faith in the older BMW's to protect us. I wouldn't agree to drive a small car unless I was confident in it. The trunk is huge (big enough for a couple of bodies :whistle: ) so the stroller would still fit along with any other projectiles... after we take care of the tether anchor issue there really is no reason it wouldn't be perfectly safe.

However....there is that false sense of security that comes with being bigger than most of the other vehicles on the road. Knowing that if I got rear ended on the freeway (one of my biggest fears, getting rear ended at a stop by someone going freeway speeds) that there would be the whole bed of the truck before it would get to the kids. Also that the truck is designed to break in half... bed seperating from cab. I love that I have the whole bed to put things in so I don't have to have any projectiles at all in the cab. (We have a lid on the bed.)

Then there was that one accident on Christmas where a Honda was totalled and our truck didn't even have a scratch. :whistle:

My girl's have Regent's. I have put them in a few older BMW's without an issue. Oh but crap...that was long belt path. Now they are "supposed" to use short belt path. Luckily mine are pre advisory Regents so if I HAVE to I can use long belt path....

However, just in case there is one... I also need to have a backup plan. It will likely be the Nautilus. It wouldn't be awful to have spare seats anyway. For flying and things like that. If someone needs the truck, I have another set of seats in another vehicle. If we do fly we can drive the truck to the airport with the Regents and take the Nautilus' with us. No uninstalling at the airport and reinstalling when we get home... That would be awesome.

I'm just wondering if there would be a safety difference. In going to a smaller car... Regent or Nautilus? I really don't think the SIP would be a big deal because my girl's would have their heads out around the wings 90% of the time anyway. But I wonder if there is something else I'm missing....

(Anything more expensive wouldn't be an option. It would have to either be Apex or Nautilus. Swinging either of those would be hard enough, anything more just isn't possible for another several months.)

Thanks for any thoughts you might have.... :thumbsup:
 
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Auntie2Avi

New member
I don't know about the safety issue going from a truck to a small car, but it was hard on my back going from the van to my corolla. I don't know if you have problems bending because of your medical issues but that might be something to take into consideration, especially if it is a 2-door car. I don't feel there is an issue going from a Regent to a GN, especially because the GN has those SIP wings for the BPB. I don't know how I would feel about using the GN as a BPB but as a seat with a 5-pt harness I have no issue.
 

MsFacetious

New member
Actually right now my biggest issue is lifting the kids into the truck. Bending wouldn't be a problem because I wouldn't do it. lol The way that the seatbelts are in these older BMW's is really weird. There is like 4 inches between the door and the Regent...where I could sit next to it to buckle. They mostly buckle themselves anyway, but when they need help I can just sit next to them to do it.

Now, installing the seats would be a total pain... which is why I would be getting the Nautilus eventually for the truck and for spares. That way I never have to move the Regent's...

The van would be ideal, but I don't think insuring it is an option. It's just too expensive to insure me seperately. The van is in my name, none of the other cars are. Otherwise, I'd be driving the van... maybe when I turn 25 and the insurance rates drop then we can look at that.

I just hope there isn't an issue with the Nautilus' going in the truck. Or the Regent's going in the BMW. If there is then I'm in trouble.
 

Morganthe

New member
I read that your first beemer was a 1988 model, is this any newer?

Seriously, you would not even get me as a passenger in an older BMW.... Anything older than about 1994 and depending on its size too. I consider them a step above an unmodified Pinto. :thumbsdown:

My earliest experiences were rather horrific, so you can take my opinion with a serious grain of salt. When I was stationed in Germany my first go-around, 1990-1993, those things were considered death traps.

They might not be the same models as the ones exported to the US, but old memories of 2 good friends dying + responding to several fatal accidents (within such a short period of time) where the military members killed, were in 1970s- 1980s model BMWs takes a toll on any confidence of a brand.

When DH and I returned to the States, we honestly thought anyone praising BMW were on drugs. Even now, I don't get the worshipful attitude.

Give me a Volkswagen or Mercedes any day. They might have mechanical issues. I"ve owned representatives of each brand. Far from perfect, but I don't know of anyone who died in those just by hitting a tree going approx. 25-30 mph. My friend was headed to work. She was in a coma for 2 weeks, then her husband of 6 months, had to turn off the machine because she was brain dead. She was only 24 years old. If I had picked her up to go to work, she'd still be alive. I was driving a patrol car on my shift at the time. :( We were always providing rides to our own people.

So no, you won't get me in an older BMW, nor put my children in there.:thumbsdown:

As for going from a Truck to a smaller car, that just takes adjustment. Pretty quick too. For me it was easy to ditch the Dakota in favor of a 1992 Passat. It actually felt roomier in that car, than cramped in the cab. When dd came along, I could have probably kept the sedan, but it was easier to switch up to a Passat wagon where I could do diaper changes in the back and picnic too.

anyway, jmho for what it's worth :shrug-shoulders:
 

wildeyes

New member
i went from a pathfinder to an elantra. it was more of an adjustment from a driving standpoint, but i got used to it. i do miss the storage space, and the easy carseat installs. it is tricky to install in a little car, you're gonna have to move the front seats all the way up, and squeeze yourself in there, but it's totally do-able. (not sure how the regent will fit) i can get dd1'as apex in the elantra in about 1 minuite, including the top tether.
 

MsFacetious

New member
I read that your first beemer was a 1988 model, is this any newer?

Very interesting, all of our experiences have been good ones with the older BMW's. My ex had a 1995 and it didn't hold up NEARLY as well as my 1988. (Both 3 series.) Both in accidents and maintenance. He was rear ended at 30 MPH and there was damage, I was rear ended at more than that with no damage.

My Dad is *slightly* obsessed with german cars in general. He's owned 15 1980's BMW's (yes 15) over the last several years. (11 of them he still has though half are parts cars he's parting out to make money from them. And yes, I will provide photographic proof if anyone doesn't believe me.)

7 series, (4 of those right now) 6 series, (1 of those) 5 series (2 of those) and 3 series (3 of those). He had an M6 for a while but that was too expensive to maintain. My Dad, does not have the best driving record. He's been in many accidents...(the only car he hasn't crashed is mine!) but even the serious ones the damage has been minor. We have a crashed 3 series in our garage now that is newer... 93 I think. It was hit at 30 MPH and totalled. My 3 hit at 30MPH didn't have a scratch. My Dad was hit in one of the 7's by someone going 40 MPH (twice) and there was minimal damage both times. Once was frontal offset and the other was rear offset.

So we have had rear end accidents, t bones, head ons, offsets. lol I think we've pretty much seen it all.

So yeah, definitely interesting. I will have to look into whether they are the same or not. I thought they were, but anything is possible.

Another thing to note, when we got my 325 on October 2001 it already had 150 thousand miles on it. It now has almost 350 thousand miles on it. We've replaced the clutch twice, the shock mounts twice and the brakes. That's it... nothing major. It is more the reliability that I go for. My Dad and brother work on them, so the additional cost of labor isn't an issue. (As long as we are not talking about M3's or M6's, those things are outrageous.)

I will have to look into that more. Unfortunately BMW cars are my only option. We don't have other cars. :whistle:
 

vamom

New member
Last year I went from a chevy silverado ext cab truck to a toyota prius. I had been a truck driving girl for 19 years. I like my car now. Still have teh truck, still drive it some, but don't really miss it. I like finding parking spots, turning on a dime, not climbing to get in my vehicle. My truck had 3 doors, my car 4, much easier with ds. I do worry about being smaller on teh road, but my car has alot more safety features then my truck. Oh yeah - I really like driving past the gas station, filling my car up for 3/4 less, and did I mention that I get 48 mpg rather then 14!!!! My insurance did go up though.
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
If the van is paid for, could you 'sell' it to whoever is carrying the insurance on the Beemer and truck so it would be in their name?
 

MsFacetious

New member
Nope it's not paid for, which is another reason we aren't going to keep it. lol It's the only vehicle that isn't paid off (even the house is paid off). When we have 4 drivers and 4 working vehicles...it makes no sense to keep the van. (It's been parked for almost a year now.)

So we did decide for sure today to get rid of it. I'm going to talk to my MIL first, to make sure that she doesn't want to take over the payments of it. If she wants to so that her son will have something to drive, then she is more than welcome to do that too. But I'm sure she will say no. They were going to give him a truck they have anyway. (My BIL is in jail, he doesn't have a vehicle when he gets out.)

The insurance, I have a 17 year old brother who is driving my old 325. So he and I are on that car but we are going to put my Dad on instead of me when we renew it in June.

The rest of the vehicles are insured for anyone who drives them. That way we don't have to put me on their specifically since I don't drive a lot. It's just too expensive to have 2 under 25 drivers on there.
 

natysr

New member
I know this doesn't answer the actual question asked. But I just wanted to comment on something that stuck out to me.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but the amount of body damage to a vehicle after an accident does not directly correlate to the safety of the vehicle. A car may certainly look horrible after an accident, but that may be just because the crumple zone did its job. As long as there is not intrusion into the cab, that it is good to go. Cars these days are practically designed to be "totaled" after an accident. It is a sacrifice of the car for the safety of the passengers.
 

MsFacetious

New member
Absolutely, I agree. However, I am also thrilled if there is minimum damage because that does mean minimum intrusion. Since I have two kids and they will be outboard, this is a concern of mine. One of the reasons I love the truck, is that it would have to be something of equal size to damage high enough up to hurt the kids, if that makes sense. If we get t boned by a car, it isn't tall enough to cause intrusion that would hurt the kids seriously. If we got t boned by a dump truck that's another story. I just feel more vulnerable in a car, because everything is big enough to cause more damage.

Like I said, it is probably a false sense of security. My anxiety level is so high about car accidents as it is. I will take anything I can as reassurance that we will be okay if we are in one.

There was an accident here not too long ago. A lady was behind a semi, rear ended by a semi. She was pinned between the two. She was in an older model (late 80's or early 90's) car. The car was practically gone, but it did it's job. The passenger compartment stayed intact and she was okay. She had to be cut out and had broken bones, but was okay.

(The reason we have older BMW's isn't just because of the safety or reliability. It's because we can't afford new ones. lol)
 

Melanie

New member
Your age comment struck me. Does your insurance company know you have children? I ask because a lot of companies will rate and under 25 driver with kids the same as a married driver, which is usually the same as the over 25 rate.
 

MsFacetious

New member
My Dad says it has something to do with my driving record. But, my driving record is clean. :confused: So I'm not sure. I just know that he's priced it out. My Uncle is our insurance agent so I would HOPE he knows I have kids! :whistle:

I will ask him to find out for sure why exactly it is. He told me once but I totally forget now exactly what he said. :rolleyes:
 

southpawboston

New member
im assuming you are talking about a 3-series?

the thing about comparing that car with any new car is that there is a difference of 20 years. it's not fair to say the BNW is safe or unsafe unless you are comparing it to whatever else was available at the time. in 1988, BMW was probably quite safe compared to all the other 80s japanese and american cars! however, if you compare a 1988 BMW with a 2008 toyota corolla or a 2008 honda civic, there's simply no comparison... newer car wins, hands down, regardless of class. there's simply better technology in the newer cars and better structural design.

personally, from a safety perspective, i'd stick with the 2005 dodge ram. but i realize there is a money issue. any chance you can pick up a mid-90s volvo ('94 or newer 850) for a grand or two? infinitely more safe than a late 80s BMW, and even comparable to 2008 cars that perform well.
 

MsFacetious

New member
any chance you can pick up a mid-90s volvo ('94 or newer 850) for a grand or two? infinitely more safe than a late 80s BMW, and even comparable to 2008 cars that perform well.

I will definitely look into it. Usually the deals we get are on BMW's because my Dad has so many friends with them. But I will look.

I will still be driving the truck from about November - March or so. Anytime there is snow my Dad will not let a BMW be driven if it can be avoided. Also on any long trips to the Cabin or to Idaho I will take the truck. The 3 series is only for around town stuff. :rolleyes:

Which is precisely why I *must* have a second set of sets. Moving the Regent's at all is just not practical, much less on a rather regular basis. (We go to the cabin/Idaho/somewhere at least once a month.)
 

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