3rd Row added weight
 

It just crossed my mind and having checked the specs I can see that adding 3rd row will add almost 100 lbs to the weight of the vehicle !...

As a result fuel consumption will be more......if we will not be using the 3rd row and having it in CASE of need, should we cancel this option????

it may come in handy one day...

having it and not using it is better than needing it and not having it

very true...!
But is it worth the extra fuel expense??? and for how long???..I think bmw designers were TOLD to fit a 3rd row but there hearts were not in it !

If you don't have a regular/consistent need for it, I'd say skip it... How many times in a year do you run into a situation when you really could have used those 2 extra seats?

I would never get the 3rd row. It isn't a practical third row, it is a third row for the marketing geniuses so they sell the vehicle to people who really need a minivan.

Lose it, and gain a storage compartment and a spare tire.

Reports are floating around about a stretched X5 (X7) with a real third row in the next few years, after the X6. There is also the V series on the drawing boards, more of a people-mover style than the X.

I have fit eight people and two dogs into my E53 (for a short drive). I say, skip it. It makes for a cleaner look, and it adds part of the seat cusion that is missing between the seats and the door that is absent on the 3rd row model. It should also recline.

eight people ?? so 6 people in the back??? Great feat !

Im confused now and dont know what to do !....such valuable feedback !
How about people WITH 3rd row give me their reasons and pros for getting it ??

It would save me close to $2k to spend on upgrading the wheels, and it puts on extra weight on vehicle....on the other hand, I have friends that may visit that have kids and it could be useful then, and I love the reclining feature !.....decisions decisions.....

By the way the 2nd row does NOT recline if you dont opt for 3rd row......
I will be driving this vehicle so I wont in anyway enjoy the reclining feature but is it more comfortable when reclined or not?...now I forget from my test drive and there are no demos around at the dealerships....all sold !!

Im going crazy here !!!!!!

Pretty easy decision, imo:
-Do you really carry more than 4 or 5 people with
any frequency?
-Do you really want to park you kids in the
way back, with only a footish of crush space?
-Do you really think someone is not gonna buy
your used E70 3 or 5 years from now, because
it doesn't have a third row for dogs, groceries, etc.?
-Do you feel the need for that 150 gallon Jacuzzi
we all have in our bathrooms, that no one has ever
been in, but we all say we "need" it for "resale"?
-Do you really care/believe what some yuppieAzz
sales guy at the STlr, is telling you?
-The E70 is already 400+ lbs and 7" bigger than
the E53; do you need more bulk?

If no, to most of the above, skip the option.

But, if a buyer really needs/wants it, it's
your ride and your pick.
GL,mD

I've said this before: if you really want a useful, roomy 3rd row seat, buy a minivan. Ditch the whole "coolness" thought of an SUV.........SUVs are not family carriers.

If you must get the third row, don't worry about the 100 lbs and the effect on fuel consumption. You lose the spare tire which is oh, about 30-40 lbs anyway. Therefore you get a bit of extra space and only have a net gain of 60 lbs. Happy? :)

Yes, you appear to be fretting quite a bit. Not healthy.

I have had a 3rd row on two different Expeditions. Much more room than the E70, but still, if I was going to use it regularly I would get a van. Not a mini-van, but a full size van. If you are going to carry 7 people, you may as well have the capability to carry nine. You don't need a bus license until you get past 12 seats in my province (and yes, I have a bus license as well).

No sense worrying about the weight. With a vehicle this heavy, the 60 lb difference is immaterial.

If your friends with kids visit, presumably they got to your house somehow. Have them ride in whatever they came in to town in.

When I bought my E53 I knew it sat 5 people. I figured out in advance how often I needed more seats. Once, we had to take two cars to a restaurant. Another time, a year later, we had friends from the UK, and there were seven of us (three small teenagers). We decided to tour the Rockies for a week. I rented a brand new Lincoln Navigator with DVD player, air-conditioned seats, and lots of other fun toys. We put a soft luggage carrier on the roof (because there is no luggage space even in an Expedition when the three rows are in use). It was a great touring vehicle. $60 per day. $360 for the week. How much did you say that the third row micro-seat cost?

The E70 isn't a bus. If you need a bus, buy one. Just don't pretend that the third row seat makes a reasonable vehicle into a reasonable bus.

Just my $0.02