[CanyonCreek]

Hi everyone! It's been a few years between BMW ownership. I had a '74 2002 and then an '04 M3. Now I'm a grandpa and I'm looking at an X7 to haul the whole family around. I test drove the M60i a couple days ago and man do I love that engine.
We tend to keep our cars a long time and there is the chance that the family grows from 6 to 7. (Not that it's up to me, mind you.) My son thinks the captain's chairs will make it easier to get a baby and a toddler into the 3rd row. But in the event that one more grandkid shows up, we're over max capacity again.
How hard would it be to swap the captains chairs back out, for the bench? (Let's assume I can find a bench).

[Orient330iNYC]

Figure impossible as in it would be cheaper to trade it in and buy a new one with the bench. Retrofits are obscenely expensive. And with the state of coding on the lci, might not be possible. Theres not a huge space between the seats. Not sure how easy it will be to get a child into a seat and properly secure them without folding the second row forward.
I would not go into this assuming a retrofit will be possible. Assume it won't and be guided accordingly

[omnid00d]

I also wouldn’t count on trying to retrofit a bench. I also not sure if a kid can “easily” climb thru the captains chairs because they would need to hop over the arms as there’s about <1inch of space between the 2 chair arms. Moving the cap chairs back takes a bit of time and the opening isn’t that big if you need to go in there to put a baby in a 3rd row car seat. But a rear toddler car seat should work if they’re able to climb in themselves and you buckle them in.

I recommend you get a bench, it’s the most useful config because it also folds down and only way to handle 7 ppl. I regret not waiting out for a bench config myself.

[77SU]

Recommend this thread I found: https://g07.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1593456

Personally, this grandpa went with the bench to allow more flat, level storage area when we travel or need to haul "stuff."

Our daughter's family totals five, so that was also a driver for the decision to go to the bench. I've found the anchors in the bench seat to be much easier to manipulate for the <1 year old in a rear facing car seat. We can install the base and seat moves forward fine, although slowly for some, for the 8-year-old to climb in the back.

[XB7]

This was an easy choice for me as I only have one kid so I went with the captains chairs but if I had 3 or more kids I would absolutely get a bench.

Personally I just think the XB7 looks off with the bench.
The captains chairs make it more like an executive car in the back BUT if you need the ability for an extra person the bench is a must.

[turnem05]

I have three kids (well, 5 in total but 3 living at home) ages 11, 8, 7. I originally thought I wanted captain's chairs thinking that my 11 year old son could scoot between the seats to get back to the third row.

However, after looking at them, I realized that the opening between the two seats is too tight even for him to squeeze through.

So I opted for the bench seat because that option provides more flexibility and storage/hauling options.

Third row access is very easy - push a button and wait. The seat movement isn't the fastest thing ever but we use it nearly every day without issue.

[lloyd99]

Originally Posted by turnem05

However, after looking at them, I realized that the opening between the two seats is too tight even for him to squeeze through.

The space between the Captains Chairs is definitely narrower than my past vehicles.

[Brendon]

Originally Posted by lloyd99

The space between the Captains Chairs is definitely narrower than my past vehicles.

We have two young kids (1 and 4) and have captains chairs. I removed the center armrests on both seats and it is now much, much easier to climb into the third row. Not easy mind you, but much improved.

That said, it's pretty obvious to me that if you've got car seats, the bench is the way to go.

[jotoms]

This is the one drawback to X7 - we have 4 kids and a GLS450 which has plenty of room to walk between the seats. I don’t understand how BMW designed the X7 with no space - it completely negates the point of captains chairs (in the US market at least, competing with GMs, etc).

We can’t remove the armrests in the GLS so I’m glad to hear that might be possible with the X7, curious how that works (the GLS has metal arm sticking out that the armrest attaches to).

[Brendon]

Originally Posted by jotoms

We can’t remove the armrests in the GLS so I’m glad to hear that might be possible with the X7, curious how that works (the GLS has metal arm sticking out that the armrest attaches to).

It's quite easy luckily. Details can be had here: https://g07.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1610814

[omnid00d]

Originally Posted by jotoms

I don’t understand how BMW designed the X7 with no space - it completely negates the point of captains chairs (in the US market at least, competing with GMs, etc)

In parts of Asia, an X7 see heavy usage as a chauffeur driven car for execs/monied crowd and I'm pretty sure that's what they intended since that's probably a sizable market for BMW. They probably intended the bench setup for families.

That's not to say they couldn't have designed in more space since the GLS also caters to the same market. I could definitely use some more space in-between my cap chairs.

[Saejin]

I've owned two X7's, one with Captains Chairs and one now with the bench.
Think OPs question has been answered...you can't easily or maybe not even possible to switch back and forth.

The bench is the way to go. The captains chair's look great and provide that "individual" space in the second row, but like many have said you can't lay them flat in order to haul cargo. That was our issue as we no longer have young kids...all adults now. We wanted to haul more stuff and it just wouldn't fit.