New baby 3 under 5

MERFE

Thanks for all the replies, I knew this must affect a few people.

I have requested a multiplia but OH just refuses on its ugliness, he admits it would be very practical but is quite fussy about cars.

Our neighbour has a corsa and I think our car is slightly bigger than a corsa but it'll be a squeeze in the back so yeah for longer journeys I love the idea of hiring something bigger. We probably do 1 journey of 250 miles a year to visit family and 1 for camping (currently use a roof box but think with all the extra stuff we'll need it wont be enough space). Rest of the journeys are around 30 minutes for day trips out or to visit local family probably only once or twice a month. Sometimes at the mo we will all go food shopping but there is no need and I can go with one or 2 and leave dad at home with the other one.

I really love my car had it 3 years and hardly spent anything on it except normal stuff ie couple of tyres etc. I think we could sell it and get another car for the same price or even less but there would be much higher running costs that really put me off.

On a plus a 3 bed house we looked at to rent 6 months ago for 675 per month is back on at 650 per month so hopefully gonna go view it again, this wouldnt make too much of a dent into our dfd hopefully and the seperate lounge diner would really make a big difference.

izoomzoom

Having upgraded our car a year ago because #3 was on the way my advise would be to:

Use your own car and DH co car on weekends when you ALL need to go somewhere, then the rest of the week, you can get all three children in your own smaller car for local travelling ....

Our big car costs us £200 a month repayment, £220 a year insurance, £160 a year car tax, and we did less than 3000 miles with it in the last year. We haven't got much money, so I walk everywhere (though my elder two are 6 & 9), and even for the weekends when we could all go out as a family together, we invaribly don't because we can't afford the petrol (we don't go further than 20 miles away more than 1x in a month) ...

Of and I probably use the car once a week for shopping, and once a week for activities on the other side of town ...

Floxxie

Congratulations on the pregnancy..

I've been going through the same quandry. I have three but aged 7, 2 years and 8 weeks. My husband's company car is a Mondeo but it's not big enough for three car seats (or 2 car seats and the babys seat).
We went to look at the 7 seater Citreon C4 Grand Picasso which was beautiful, but I can't justify spending money we haven't got for a school run.

So we have decided that I shall walk everywhere with new double buggy, call my mother if I need help with the school pick up because it is raining (!), use the Mondeo for local trips when husband is around and if we go on holiday, rent a car as it will be cheaper that having one all year round.

I haven't been out very much so far!!

I'm just thinking what we are going to do if number 4 comes along!

P.S. I'm one of five and we used to sit in the back with no belts with a couple of the smaller ones sitting in the footwells!

Floxxie

RoxieW

Thanks everyone for the really really helpful advice. Maybe its doable afterall?

I didn't realise that it wasn't unlawful to have a child seatless if there isnt enough space.

We can turn off our airbag - although I'm now worried about the deactivation not working.

So... which would be the better option.

1)3 in the back with my eldest (6) in the middle with belt and one of those belt clips suggested in an earlier post.
Or -
2) eldest in the front with booster seat and airbag turned off (me crammed in back but my comfort doesnt matter lol!)

I dont use the car on a daily basis. I already walk everywhere as its cheaper and I prefer it as otherwise I'd be the size of a house! we'd all be in the car together probably once or twice a month. The suggestion to hire a car for long trips is a very good one - thank you. I will consider this.

It will be much better financial for us if there is a way around this as at the moment we live a happy life free of car maintenance, insurance costs etc.

Thanks again for all the good suggestions!

benood

I'd definitely be doing option 1. My comfort matters!

moo2moo

If you only make a couple of very long journeys then why not invest in a family railcard. Pack OH, all your gear and 1 or 2 children into the car and take the other(s) on the train as a treat.

There is another style of seat belt adjuster which would enable a n adult seat belt to be used for a child.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_158629_langId_-1_categoryId_129465

MRS_TO_BE_2

Another suggestion can you do weekly shop online? Might save you money in long run as you don't end up buying on impulse!!

heather38

the law on Seat belt adjusters: they are comfort devices and not safety devices (check what the manufacturer says about them and their intended use). Only if an adjuster is labelled that it has been approved (and therefore tested) to the UN ECE Regulation 44.03 type-approval standard can it used instead of a type-approved child seat/booster.

Nenen

benood wrote: »

I'm not sure that there aren't other ways you could set up the seat belts to be as safe in any case only about 15 years ago people used to merrily travel around with 4 children on the back seat and another couple in the boot

Yes and more than 50% extra deaths in road accidents per million vehicles on the road in 1993 compared with 2006 (153.5 deaths per million vehicles in 1993 compared to 101.6 in 2006) were the result of that level of attention to safety!

http://fiordiliji.sourceoecd.org/pdf/factbook2008/302008011e-11-04-02.pdf

LilacPixie

Mark 2 mondeos with take 2 recaro stage 1-3 seats and an infant carrier with base in the middle. I have had to do it on a few occasions.

In all honesty a mondeo is not a huge car to drive.

If you decide to stick with your 206 then i'd be going for option 2 but with the oldest in a full car seat not just booster. Childrens saftey comes first and I personally hate the idea of someone as young as 6 being restrained by an adult belt. a 5 point harness is the safest so try keep them in it for as long as possible.