Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What car did you have when you had your first baby?

81 replies

daisytumble · 29/01/2023 16:32

We are (extremely lucky) to have 2 cars, DH has a 5 door estate and I have a 3 door Fiat 500. both insured for both cars.

My car hasn’t yet done 40k miles despite being 10 years old, which I’m very happy with. Currently used frequently for commuting so miles will soon add up.

We aren’t TTC just yet but it’s hopefully in the near future. I was curious to know how many people thought ahead and upgraded their small car before having a baby with the view that they’d need more space immediately. I can’t imagine a 3 door car is practical with a little one but love my car, so if I can make it work for more years (especially in this cost of living crisis) I certainly will!

What car did/do you drive at the baby stage?

OP posts:
RandomMess · 29/01/2023 16:35

Had a Fiat Seicento until we had DC #4 as our only car

Sure a small 3 door car is a pain but we managed.

shamoola · 29/01/2023 16:38

I had a 3 door Renault Clio and it was fine! Never got a bigger style of the car but did eventually get a 5 door which made life a bit easier. I am now in fact about to sell the car altogether as I just don't use it enough to warrant the expense. (Child is 14 now though) .

Sugarplumfairy65 · 29/01/2023 16:38

A ford Capri. It didn't have seatbelts in the back so I had some fitted so that I could use a car seat.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Itisbetter · 29/01/2023 16:40

We had a fiat 500 till my eldest was 2 and we had another. We had a dog too so at that point needed a bigger car. It was never a problem and I loved my little 500. Cheap practical and I could reach dd in the back to pass a drink/snack/blankly. I really don’t see why you’d need a bigger car for one baby, they’re no bigger than a rucksack in their car seats.

SpringIntoChaos · 29/01/2023 16:41

A 15 year old mini metro...this was 33 years ago and it was a great little car 😍

ReamsOfCheese · 29/01/2023 16:42

We had a convertible Renault Megane with only 2 back seats, electrical gremlins, 2 doors, and the roof leaked despite being a hardtop convertible! It was struck down with electrical faults about 1 month postpartum and we got a Golf which we still had when we had DC2.

redspottedmug · 29/01/2023 16:42

A little hatchback (Renault Clio) when DC1 arrived.
We upgraded to a Ford Mondeo estate, then Ford SMAX, with various second cars used by the parent not ferrying DC.
No need to get rid of your Fiat 500, if you're both happy to share cars according to need.

00100001 · 29/01/2023 16:42

3 door Toyota Yaris. Had it for years until he was about 12.

FuckabethFuckor · 29/01/2023 16:43

SIL had a Fiat 500, she traded it for a 500L a few weeks before the baby was born.

00100001 · 29/01/2023 16:44

You just get on with things with s all cars.

Added bonus if rarely having to cart kids round ha ha... Can't be taking all 4 mates to football it whatever when there's only room for 2 in the back 😁

FlounderingFruitcake · 29/01/2023 16:44

VW Tiguan but that’s more because I wanted AWD to deal with snowy weather (not in the UK) rather than the baby!

I’ve rented a 500 on holiday and we couldn’t fit a car seat behind DH. I don’t remember the 3 door thing being too painful though and our pram is a tiny YoYo so no issue there either. You could probably make do when it’s you and baby but plan to use your DH’s car for family trips.

prampushingdownthehighst · 29/01/2023 16:45

A huge great tank of a Saab, it was perfect as prams where massive back then

Paturday · 29/01/2023 16:45

We bought a 3 door Nissan Note while I was pregnant (well, not bought but did a 3 year lease thing).

Then when DS2 came along when our lease ran out we outright bought a Citroen C4 Picssso Grand as we knew we wanted 3 kids and it takes 3 car seats along the back.

Then got another of the same car as we liked it so much (first one died through no fault of its own)

watchingpullimgepisode6 · 29/01/2023 16:45

I Clio 5 door but I've never bought anything bigger. Clio, Fiesta all cats around this size

Paturday · 29/01/2023 16:46

sorry FIVE door Nissan note, I mean 🙄

JumpingSpider · 29/01/2023 16:46

Datsun 120y. Tiny boot, no rear seatbelts and no kiddy locks. Couldn’t fit the travel system in the boot!

DRS1970 · 29/01/2023 16:50

Lancia Dedra here.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 29/01/2023 16:51

We had a 3 door Vauxhall Corsa when DS was born , then got a 5 door Suzuki Wagon when I was pregnant with DD

MajorCarolDanvers · 29/01/2023 16:53

Skoda Octavia which was brilliant - best boot space could hold everything

and 3 door fiesta which I hated.

Have insisted of 5 door cars ever since.

LBOCS2 · 29/01/2023 16:55

A 3 door Nissan Micra (mk2). Great little car, but a bit of a pain with the big car seat, and our buggy didn't fit into the boot (also an important consideration when looking at cars), so the chassis had to be slid into the footwell of the other rear seat in the car.

Ten years and two more children later, and I now drive a Volvo XC90 😂

FunnyItWorkedLastTime · 29/01/2023 16:56

We bought a Vauxhall Corsa when I was pregnant with DC1. It did the job perfectly well, but if we went away for a week on holiday with a travel cot and a pushchair then we needed to put some extra luggage on the back seat, hence we upgraded to a Ford Focus hatchback when I had DC2. Still have a Ford Focus hatchback fifteen years later: it's perfectly fine for four adults/teens and their luggage for a week and there's room for an extra person on the back seat if necessary.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 29/01/2023 16:58

A 3 door Clio when ds1 was born but changed it to a 5 door Skoda fabia estate once he went forward facing and ds2 was born. That was a great car but as they got bigger and both wanted friends over, and we were lift sharing for activities we got a peugeot 5008 which has been an absolute workhorse - ideal for extra kids, large amounts of instruments and sports kit and very reliable.

MrsTerryPratchett · 29/01/2023 16:59

We had a three-door Golf which we did upgrade because I didn't like the idea of an accident with her in the back.

Can't whoever has the baby use the 5 door in your house?

FlipFlopBattle · 29/01/2023 16:59

Had a Ford Focus, and had done all the research that we could fit the buggy/pram combo that we wanted into the boot easily.

Within a few weeks of being parents, realised that although the buggy fitted in the boot, it left little room for all the other crap we needed when we went to stay with friends or relatives!

Happened to live near a Skoda garage, dashed there in-between feeds, asked to see their model with the biggest boot, and barely glanced at the rest of the car - my husband just opened the boot, said (for some reason..) "Wow, you could lay an entire dead body out flat in there if you needed to", and we swapped our Focus there and then for an Octavia (still going strong over a decade later).

The sales guy seemed a bit freaked out but seemed to realise we were sleep-deprived new parents, not potential murderers...

Iwantabloodypizza · 29/01/2023 17:02

I had a 3 door corsa when my first was born 20 years ago. It was a pain in the arse getting a car seat in.

Second and third children the same tiny Citroen C1 that we’ve had for the last 12 years. Four doors though so at least car seats are easier.

Since the youngest was born 3 years ago, we can’t all fit in it at the same time though, which has been a pain, but we are broke so will have to run this old car into the ground.

Swipe left for the next trending thread