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Car seats

2 car seats in MIL's BMW 1 Series...

5 replies

Notquiteinsane · 13/05/2013 10:14

Just after any advice or experience of this scenario...(although do appreciate I may not find it as this is not really a child friendly car...!!)

My DD 2.5 is in a Britax FF car seat and my DS 10m is in a MaxiCosi cabriofix.
In mine and my husbands cars this poses no problem, however I am due back to work next week and for 1 afternoon a week the MIL will be collecting the kiddies from nursery, a 5 min drive from our house, and being with them til me or my Husband gets home.
She drives a convertible BMW 1 series... Hmm
Obviously the logical thing to do is to just try the car seats in her car, but I wanted to do some proper research 1st as I'm just not that happy about it all...she isn't the most practical of people and how she thinks she will get a stroppy and tired toddler and a clingy baby into the back of a 2 door car without some kind of incident is beyond me.
Apologies this is turning into a rant...clearly there are bigger issue than the car :)
Have googled it and haven't found anything that says it is 100% impossible, but similarly, all the evidence says they won't fit.

So just wondering if anyone else has managed it?

Thanks for reading :)

Ps my suggestion is that she uses my husbands car to pick the kids up, so I am offering a reasonable alternative, not just being a total cow, but I know she is taking offence to it.

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lagoonhaze · 13/05/2013 11:22

I agree. Husbands car is a much more sensible suggestion! Do you have a base you use or could borrow. Then its just a case of her doing up harness and putting handle in upright position. Less faffing for her.

Have you looked at the next stage? Extended Rearfacing is much more safer and I would imagine the arguement for using husbands car much more valid due to space they need.

Alternatively could she walk to nursery or could you pay extra to extend hours at nursery?

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Tournament · 13/05/2013 11:41

Hmm, well, yes I think possibly the other issues are clouding your view a bit.

If you know (after having tried) that it's unworkable, than that's the answer. To be criticising what your MIL wants to do without trying, does seem a bit off.

Whilst I agree, a 2 door car with young DC is not ideal, I think there are lots of families who have to work with it for financial reasons, rather than because they have a fancy car(e.g my neighbours)

If it's as difficult as you think it's going to be, then she'll only want to do it once anyway. The more fuss you make now, the more determined she's going to be that she can make it work Wink

If you/she try and you can't get the two seats in safely, then of course she can't do it.

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MegMogAndOwl · 13/05/2013 11:52

My dp used to have a coupe version of the 1 series, and although it was possible to get two kids in it was a nightmare, I am a bit impatient though!

Dd was in a mamas and papas infant carrier which I think was a bit bigger than the cabriofix but the front seats did not tilt forward enough to get it in without turning the car seat. Therefore you had to put the seat in and rest it sideways on the back seat, harness dd, then fix to the isofix base. I would imagine it would be even worse if trying to lean in to fasten the seat with a seat belt.

Ds was 5 and in a high back booster so he could start to get himself in.

Could you suggest she do a trial run a coupes of times and see if she finds it a problem. She may decide to take husbands car anyway once she's tried it.

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Notquiteinsane · 13/05/2013 19:32

Thanks so much for replies...didn't expect a response to something so boring so quickly :)
And I didn't mean for it to sound like such a bratty post, had just been a long weekend of awkward conversations!!
Consensus is that my husband will go over one evening this week to properly try car seats and take it from there.
And yes, the decision can then be out of my hands...although I suspect bloody mindedness may mean that struggling is better than taking my suggestion.
But my main concern is that the car seats fit correctly and are put in properly!

Thanks again!

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lagoonhaze · 13/05/2013 20:52

Make sure he reads up on buckle crunch first and also how to check a stage 1 car seat is fitted properly. It sounds basic but so may people just dont know about it.

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