Three kids and car seats?

Newnoel

We currently have 2 kids (one at coming up to 3 years, and the other just gone one), with another on the way.

My question is about car seats.

Our main car is a BMW x3, which is now about 5 years old so probably needs replacing.

Do I need to go out and buy a SUV to accommodate 3 car seats, or is there a way around this?

JGB1955

I've seen these mentioned:

https://www.multimac.com/p/multimac_1000_3_seater

pinkshoes

Newnoel said:

We currently have 2 kids (one at coming up to 3 years, and the other just gone one), with another on the way.

My question is about car seats.

Our main car is a BMW x3, which is now about 5 years old so probably needs replacing.

Do I need to go out and buy a SUV to accommodate 3 car seats, or is there a way around this?

Ok, so you will have a newborn, a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old. 

The newborn will need to rear-face, the 1.5 year old will be in a stage 1 harness seat, and the 3.5 year old will almost be in a stage 3 seat.

I have a 9 year old and 4.5 year old twins and we are just having this same dilemma. Choose the car seats VERY carefully, as some of the stage 2/3 ones that offer the best side protection are VERY wide. 

My DH sold his van and wanted to buy a BMW X3, but with the two stage 2/3 car seats in, our 9 year old would struggle to fit in the middle!

We are now looking at a 5 series estate.

rach_k

pinkshoes said:

Ok, so you will have a newborn, a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old. 

The newborn will need to rear-face, the 1.5 year old will be in a stage 1 harness seat, and the 3.5 year old will almost be in a stage 3 seat.

Crikey, not in our case!  We opted for the safest seats, which are rear facing for as long as possible.  That was 5.5 years for us (two seats in a Golf).  I personally wouldn't consider any child under three forward facing.  

OP, see if there is an independent shop near you that offers a range of seats and go and try them out.  If you are interested in extended rear-facing seats and there's nowhere nearby, Hakan at carseat.se is very knowledgeable about what seats will fit in which cars.  Yes, it's a Swedish shop but the cars and seats are the same and Hakan's English is perfect.  

Rambosmum

SUVs can be deceptive - nissan qashqai  and duke for example you cannot get 3 across. I don't know many SUVs where you can unless they are the huge BMW ones, even then, it isn't as easy as you would think.

Most infant seats are the same width. It is much easier to get 3 seats across if you don't use isofix. Take the seats with you when you buy a car. Be prepared to buy new seats. I would advise an axkid move for the eldest, an axkid minikid for the 18month old and a joie igemm or maxi cosi pebble/ cabrio fix for the baby -NO BASE. 

ALWAYS check that the car manual allows you to have a child seat in the middle seat, not all of them do  (for example vauxhall zafiras from 2014 onwards). 

Cars you can definitely fit 3 across - VW Touran, Citroen picasso C4, honda jazz, ford s max, kia carens, grand picasso, VW Tiguan, VW Sharan, Skoda Kodiaq, Ford C max, Vauhall Insignia, Renault Scenic, Peugot 5008, Toyota Verso, Audi Q7, Skoda Octavia, Volvo XC60, Citroen C8, Land Rover discovery (only certain models), Seat alhambra, Audi Avant, Vauxhall Mokka, Skoda Superb, Kia Sorrento, Land rover freelander (but quite difficult), Hyundai i40, 

Rambosmum

rach_k said:

pinkshoes said:

Ok, so you will have a newborn, a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old. 

The newborn will need to rear-face, the 1.5 year old will be in a stage 1 harness seat, and the 3.5 year old will almost be in a stage 3 seat.

Crikey, not in our case!  We opted for the safest seats, which are rear facing for as long as possible.  That was 5.5 years for us (two seats in a Golf).  I personally wouldn't consider any child under three forward facing.  

OP, see if there is an independent shop near you that offers a range of seats and go and try them out.  If you are interested in extended rear-facing seats and there's nowhere nearby, Hakan at carseat.se is very knowledgeable about what seats will fit in which cars.  Yes, it's a Swedish shop but the cars and seats are the same and Hakan's English is perfect.  

Yes, we rear face our 4.5 yo. IIn a two way elite. Bought from a Finnish shop online. 

For and English shop good with carseat, including getting 3 to fit then try the in car safety centre - in Milton Keynes but they do telephone support. 

Avoid the multimac.

sweetsand

Hi
Our son considered a Ford S mask - the newer ones are quiet safe, curtain airbags etc and excellent crash ratings and can take 3 seats a lot easier than most, even larger SUV.s
Please do you own checks and why not give your local Ford a quick visit. If you want a biger car - Ford galaxy but its a bit like a van.
The S Max drives like a car and a cross between a car and suv - our son did not buy it he got an X5 higher ride but not as versatile as the S Max
x

ratechaser

I was genuinely impressed with the S-Max we had (bought from new in 2012, ended up keeping it for nearly 7 years, way longer than any other car we've had).

not only do you get 3 independent seats in the first passenger row (we didn't need lots of car seats but 3 would definitely fit across), but it actually looks like a car rather than an SUV. Even with all 7 seats up it had boot space for a good few shopping bags.

Plus relative to the Disco we were looking at, it was CHEAP - went for a top end model and did the usual play around with finance to get the extra contribution (before paying it off a month later). Huge potential to haggle back then, even though residuals are strong on this model.

It's a beast of a car but handled well, was fast, and pretty quiet. I like the higher driving position you get with 4x4s (got another Disco now...) but otherwise would absolutely recommend it as a family workhorse.

pinkshoes

Rambosmum said:

SUVs can be deceptive - nissan qashqai  and duke for example you cannot get 3 across. I don't know many SUVs where you can unless they are the huge BMW ones, even then, it isn't as easy as you would think.

Most infant seats are the same width. It is much easier to get 3 seats across if you don't use isofix. Take the seats with you when you buy a car. Be prepared to buy new seats. I would advise an axkid move for the eldest, an axkid minikid for the 18month old and a joie igemm or maxi cosi pebble/ cabrio fix for the baby -NO BASE. 

ALWAYS check that the car manual allows you to have a child seat in the middle seat, not all of them do  (for example vauxhall zafiras from 2014 onwards). 

Cars you can definitely fit 3 across - VW Touran, Citroen picasso C4, honda jazz, ford s max, kia carens, grand picasso, VW Tiguan, VW Sharan, Skoda Kodiaq, Ford C max, Vauhall Insignia, Renault Scenic, Peugot 5008, Toyota Verso, Audi Q7, Skoda Octavia, Volvo XC60, Citroen C8, Land Rover discovery (only certain models), Seat alhambra, Audi Avant, Vauxhall Mokka, Skoda Superb, Kia Sorrento, Land rover freelander (but quite difficult), Hyundai i40, 

Where is this data from?? I have a Mokka and no way can you fit 3 car seats across the back!!! I cannot even squeeze my 9 year old between the two seats. Also struggled in the CMax!

ElephantBoy57

pinkshoes said:

I have a 9 year old and 4.5 year old twins and we are just having this same dilemma.

A 9/10-year-old will likely be above the legal height that requires a car seat, which is 135cm

In some short, unplanned journies a car seat is not a legal requirement.

sweetsand

ratechaser said:

I was genuinely impressed with the S-Max we had (bought from new in 2012, ended up keeping it for nearly 7 years, way longer than any other car we've had).

not only do you get 3 independent seats in the first passenger row (we didn't need lots of car seats but 3 would definitely fit across), but it actually looks like a car rather than an SUV. Even with all 7 seats up it had boot space for a good few shopping bags.

Plus relative to the Disco we were looking at, it was CHEAP - went for a top end model and did the usual play around with finance to get the extra contribution (before paying it off a month later). Huge potential to haggle back then, even though residuals are strong on this model.

It's a beast of a car but handled well, was fast, and pretty quiet. I like the higher driving position you get with 4x4s (got another Disco now...) but otherwise would absolutely recommend it as a family workhorse.

Good post and I think it was in response to my recommdation. "Beast of a car" just want to say its more than a car its a stepping stone between car to SUV.
Our son look at the Viganle or whatever its called top range top spec, plus feel close to the mercs and landrovers we have but its a Ford as my son and I though but one of the best ones out there - why our son did not buy it was he already had a big SUV and he felt low in it when compared to his regualr drive so decided for go for another suv, disco the new ones that is really a best of a car but cost him more than double the price  - btw what made us lol is how the sale rep rpounced the name viagle, it has an italan speech flair to it.  - best car for three child seats imo