Advice needed - baby car seat questions (merged)

Minimum_Wage_2

does it have to be a GSI or a VXR zafira?

there are many other 7 seater cars or even just a normal zafira

cazscoob

we have the Ford Galaxy and have the integrated car seats which means that there is no faffing about with putting seats in and out esp when you want to have adults in the back! just pull the child seat part out and push booster up and you have a safe seat! there is a lot of room and i can fit a phil and teds pram in the boot without any problems! it is a 7 seater but the back 2 seats can be removed and on a lazy day the pram can be pushed in without even being folded!!! as for being young we are only 25 and 26 and decided to go for the 2.3, its great when out and about alone as its so fast and puts boy racers to shame (we also have our own fun cars which helps us manage the thought of a people carrier!!)

Janepig

I've got a Grand Scenic and it's got the two fold down seats in the boot, but even with them up you've got a fair bit of boot space - plus you don't have to have both up if you're only putting one person in the back. Plus the normal back seats slide forward a bit to give a bit more leg room for the person in the occasional seats - although they are still more suited to children . I was a bit worried when DD travelled on the folding seat because she has been known to be car sick and I thought her view might not be too good from the very back, but I could see her head in the rear view mirror as she was really high up and could see really well.

I've always driven small cars previously but I love my "bus" and can't imagine going back to anything smaller!

Jxx

Julieg

Hi, Whatever you do decide to buy I'd go along with your carseats and try them first. I've got a Chrysler PT Cruiser and I can get 3 cars seats in the back but I have to be a contortionist to get the seatbelts clipped in! Mine's also got 3 isofix fittings but my manual says only to use 2 at any time.

Mummy_Jo

We have a SAAB 95 (hubby's car) and although it is a large car we can not fit 3 seats in the back. I drive a citroen C4 grand picasso we bought it second hand earlier this year and although it is a tall car it is shorter than the SAAB, cheaper to run than than my old VW GOLF and only about £80 more to insure a year. We looked at the zafira but thought we got better value for money with the picasso. The Ford Galaxy was nice inside but you pay a lot more for it. We can easily fit three seats in the middle and if needed we can convert the boot space for extra seats. We usually only do this when we pick up my parents at the airport etc...

The suggestion of taking your car seats with you is a good one although in the scheme of things if you find a car cheap enough it might actually work out cheaper to replace the car seats if they don't fit into a new one.

Its all about mindset though. I'm happy to drive whatever car I need to if it fits my needs. There are some nice looking "buses" out there and I quite like the extra toys that I have in the picasso.

Hope you find something!

HRV

We are trying to sort out this nightmare too. We are planning on having a baby soon (god willing) and need to order a new company car. My OH has 2 dd from prvious marriage and we have them alot so need a car they can all get in. We have a BMW 3 series estate and there is no way we can get 3 seats in (dd now 5 and 3 but v small). Our prob is that many of the cars suggested just won't stand up to the 50 k miles a year my OH drives and many of the 7 seaters emmisions are horrendous therefore putting up company car tax massively ( we saved over 100 quid a month having the BMW rather than the corolla verso we used to have).
We are seriously considering the volvo v70- unless anyone has anyother ideas???? (not renault, citroen or pegeout through- company won't let us)

Mummy_Jo

HRV wrote: »

We are trying to sort out this nightmare too. We are planning on having a baby soon (god willing) and need to order a new company car. My OH has 2 dd from prvious marriage and we have them alot so need a car they can all get in. We have a BMW 3 series estate and there is no way we can get 3 seats in (dd now 5 and 3 but v small). Our prob is that many of the cars suggested just won't stand up to the 50 k miles a year my OH drives and many of the 7 seaters emmisions are horrendous therefore putting up company car tax massively ( we saved over 100 quid a month having the BMW rather than the corolla verso we used to have).
We are seriously considering the volvo v70- unless anyone has anyother ideas???? (not renault, citroen or pegeout through- company won't let us)

What about the VW 7 seater? Build quality of the VW's are normally good so you should be able to do the business miles as well.

Ford S Max? (think that is the big one)

Apart from the companies that you have mentioned can you get any car?

Savvy_Sue

bylromarha wrote: »

And the head room means you can even give birth on the passenger seat as we found out in July 2006 Again, don't knock it til you've tried it!!!!!

:rotfl: at the thought of Alias giving birth ANYWHERE! :rotfl:

Alias_Omega wrote: »

But im trying to convince myself that i should still remain young.

My guide to the stages of motherhood: when I had young children I was a young mother. When the youngest hit secondary school I was a teenage mother. Now I am a student mother, (even though one has graduated and another is still in 6th form). I am not sure what comes next, because being a young grandmother doesn't look to be on the cards. But I'm sure this can be applied to fatherhood too.

mum26 wrote: »

better to go for something slightly bigger and not have to change again for a while.

Very good advice, unless you like car shopping, which it doesn't sound as if you do.

So, firmly back on topic, did you look on the Honest John site? I found this, but it's not exactly what you need, I don't think.

My sister has a Merc, the one which is very similar to a Honda Jazz. Hers don't need car seats, but it seems very roomy so may be worth a look.

bank_of_slate

I would go for a vasectomy! :whistle:
...Linda xx

Spendless

We have the S-Max. Previously we had a Touran. I'd like to re-jig the cars and take bits of each.;) The Touran had a 'tunnel' on the floor of the 2nd row of seats, which made it akward to sit if your legs were long enough too touch the floor (ie if you were an adult or older child as you had to put your legs either side) The Touran had very little boot space once all 7 seats were up, the S-Max is better for boot space and doesn't have the 'tunnel' but the Touran had better 'cubby holes'. The S Max has a 'triangle' on the front windscreen by the driver door (I'm not explaining well I know, but a pic might make you see whaat I'm trying to describe) and when we 1st got the car I found it difficult as I couldn't see in this bit. The touran doesn't have this.
In the 2nd row of the S-max there are 3 full sized seats, though in both cars I would say the 3rd row is only suitable for kids or small adults (or short journeys)

Do you have to go to a 7 seater to get 3 car seats in though? What about looking at the opposite side- who does narrower car seats?