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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:
Iwantabloodypizza · 29/01/2023 17:04

Oh and the boot in my C1 is tiny. Had to have a very compact pushchair and can’t go food shopping if it’s in there or if both you get children are in the car.

Floralnomad · 29/01/2023 17:06

I had a Toyota Hilux pick up , was a pain to park .

amidsummernightsdream · 29/01/2023 17:07

My Fiat 500 still going stong with a nearly 2 year old.
Just what I’m used to and I’ve found it fine.
Had to research a pram to fit boot (went with mamas and papas flip xt3, which is great) but that was it.
Even travelled on holiday with cot etc with us.
You would be fine, esp with a second car. If you want a new car but you certainly don’t need one

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DinosApple · 29/01/2023 17:08

I had a ford fiesta, DH had a ford focus. When she was a year old, and no 2 was on the way, we got a bigger car, a VW touran.

The umbrella fold buggy fitted best in my fiesta!
The Touran has been great though, especially for camping and holidays. We have had it 12 years now. The other two are long gone and not replaced.

MrsAvocet · 29/01/2023 17:25

A long time ago for me...1998. I drove a Peugeot 405 then, a fairly big 4 door saloon but soon after I had DD I swapped it for a Citroen Xantia hatchback. I didn't actually enjoy driving it as much as my 405 but I found a hatchback much easier to get the pushchair in and out of and it was my first car with air conditioning!
I don't think you necessarily need a huge car when you have a baby, but 4/5 doors is definitely a lot more convenient than 2/3, plus be sure to have decent luggage space so you dont strugggle to get your pushchair etc in. You'll probably be using a buggy or pushchair of some kind fairly regularly for at least 2 years so it could get pretty irritating if you can't get it in and out of your car easily.

icebearforpresident · 29/01/2023 17:48

I upgraded my 3 door Peugeot 107 to a 5 door Renault megane when I was about 6 months pregnant, we lived on a road with no off street parking and I just didn’t want to be dealing with getting a baby in and out a 3 door car when I would inevitably end up parked with the baby seat on the road side. Only got rid of the Megane last year after 7 years and two kids.

DoesItMakeYouFeelBetter · 29/01/2023 17:51

I had a very unreliable and ancient three-door Polo.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 29/01/2023 17:56

I had a 3 door seat Ibiza. I only have one though. I lived in London so it got sold more because of that really.

KindergartenKop · 29/01/2023 17:56

Shanks pony and the number 42 bus!

Herbie0987 · 29/01/2023 18:00

Had an original Mini Clubman, had to take the wheels off the pram chassis to fit in the boot. Didn’t have rear seat belts, strapped the baby into the carrycot which just fitted on the back seat.

Hoowhoowho · 29/01/2023 18:02

VW Polo but 5 door. Still have it now and kids are 6 and 4. It’s tiny, old but still going and we don’t have a car payment every month so keeping going for now.

TellerTuesday · 29/01/2023 18:05

I had a 3 door Volkswagen Sirrocco while pregnant, it had to go because I couldn't get in & out of it when my bump became larger. Insisted that we must have a 5 door car and have had an A3 and golf since DD was born which was totally pointless as she climbed over & got out of the front seat for about 7 years

WeWereInParis · 29/01/2023 18:05

Aygo. It's small, so finding a pram that fitted nicely in the boot was a pain, but it has 5 doors. It's our only car and we still have it now with 2 DC.

Rockbird · 29/01/2023 18:05

At the time a 6 yo Focus. Was perfect. By the time DD2 came along 4 years later we had a Vectra (hated it!) and we've had Focuses (Focii?) ever since.

YouBoggleMyMind · 29/01/2023 18:05

5 door Citroen c1. Still have it now with 2 kids in tow. DH did have a Ford Focus but now has a Renault Captur.

NoisyBrain · 29/01/2023 18:06

I upgraded from a Mini hatch to a Seat Leon 5-door. I say 'I upgraded' - both were company cars and the Leon driver left the business so I asked if I could swap to that. However, if my DP had had a 5-door at the time I probably would have kept the Mini as I bloody loved it <sob>

Iheartmysmart · 29/01/2023 18:07

Classic Mini Cooper. Had to get a very small fold up pushchair which fitted in behind the front seats. DS had a car seat in the front. No airbags or safety features at all. We had great fun.

03X · 29/01/2023 18:10

We had a 3 door Mazda 2 until DS was about 1.5 and I was pregnant with DS2. We had a spinny car seat and he was RF so it was fine, plus isofix first with the infant seat so it slotted in easily. 3 door will be fine for a few years!

WestBridgewater · 29/01/2023 18:12

DD was born 1999 and we had a 3 door 1992 Vauxhall Nova 1.4 Luxe

Defaultuser · 29/01/2023 18:13

Been through all the baby stages with a fiat 500 and hanging on till it gives up the ghost! Wee one almost 5 now. Not massive boot space and only room for 2 in the back but not been an issue. Soon he'll be able to buckle himself in. As others have said, you just manage whatever you have.

FT123456 · 29/01/2023 18:14

I had a 3dr Ford Fiesta. We had it up until my little boy was around 5/6 months. It was okay but to be fair really wanted a new car. Which is just as well and my second will be along soon and then we defo wouldn't have had the space :)

Blanketpolicy · 29/01/2023 18:14

It was in 2003 and we had a small 3 door citroen sporty thing, not bought with a baby in mind. Bright gold in colour, with fancy sports trim etc and very fast. Totally impractical when ds arrived but we managed and his mamas and papas 3-1 travel system fitted in the boot ok.

Changed to a boring mondeo when he was around 2ish.

corcaithecat · 29/01/2023 18:16

I swapped a Vauxhall Vectra for a Honda CRV back in 2008. A good friend said to buy a car that's a bit higher up so that you're not bending down getting the car seat in and out.

It was a great car, never failed an MOT and I had it over 10 years. It also came with a built in picnic table which we used loads of times and I kept hold of, after trading the car in for something else.
😂

tornadoinsideoutfig · 29/01/2023 18:19

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?

A 1991 Mitsubishi Lancer (5 door). Just had to buy a 'compact' 0-4 seat so it would fit rearfacing.

xogossipgirlxo · 29/01/2023 18:20

Tiguan, but it was never purchased with the thought of having a baby. Husband needed bigger car for work. It just happened that we are having this care while expecting a baby. Could do with golf or anything if it wasn’t for his work, but just baby.

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