Or get something like this and don't make them the laughing stock of the school. Plus doubles as an evac vehicle when the zombie apocalypse hits.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3836/...baee3afe_b.jpg

Navigator. Car seats and equipment eat too much real estate. E53 won't cut it, except in an emergency...if you can get the car seats to fit widthwise.

That is a horrifying game of Tetris unto itself.

Don't let them trick you (or your wife) into a minivan...front wheel drive, no fording ability, can't hop curbs...sounds terrible. Most of them cost close to an Expedition and get nearly as bad mileage anyway.

Our two standard poodles and gear almost take as room as the kids used to, so unless I'm taking the boat with us, we use a hitch platform and cargo tote on the back. The roof box - the "streamlined" Thule none the less - really knocks the fuel mileage down when I use it.

2002 X5 3.0 304,150 miles
2014 428i 19,000 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

1970 Firebird - Under restoration

Not a fan of the hitch tray but let's talk, as I was about to look into OE rails with a Thule Box !


Doesn't help that the freaking 75 qt cooler dimensionally is almost the same as a cheap 120qt cooler. Sometime we resort to a soft bag cooler - polar bear as in means on gaining some inches :-)

Kinda late with that advice.
:rofl:

Greatest thing ever that happened !

I would never imagine I would 5 years ago, and yes, I've got season passes to Sesame Place.

Roof cargo box works great for me. Load car with 4 people 2 sometimes 3 dogs with us... go to river or dirt roads between and under trees and it is great with pleanty of room to hold everything uptop so theres room for us with the dogs...
Only thing i forgot or wasnt thinking bout it and got stuck under a parking space overhang...
Went straight under but couldnt get out without taking it off then putting it back on.
That was the only time i hit something haha but it was my fault completly not a flaw with a cargo box...

http://i.imgur.com/4izpMQq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1mBzvNj.jpg

Struggling with a similar utility question....going 1 of 2 ways:
- buying a small utility trailer to tow with x5
- selling x5 and buying a truck (if I can find one at the right price)

Come on, guys, cut JSoto some slack! I have used mine to pull a UHaul trailer to move kids, etc., apartments. If I needed regular use, I'd go for the low profile cross bars and an aerodynamic roof box [since I'm tall enough to reach it .....] and save the hitch for bike racks, etc. On the mini van issue - some funny TV ads for the Chrysler Pacifica these days featuring a very funny guy, actor/comedian Jim ?, who we have seen in comedy clubs. Can never remember his last name.