To buy a silly car

[SummerToad]

We need a new car. I have been on maternity leave for a year but now am returning to work and will need my own car.

I want a Mazda MX5, I've always wanted one, and they are cheap, and fun.

We have a sensible 'family' car for when we all need to travel together.

I will only be using the new car to get to work and back, a boring 30 min commute, but will also need to drop DS (1 year) off at nursery. His seat will fit in it, although it does only have 2 seats.

Am i being silly? should i get a dull dull dull proper car?

YANBU to want a fun car, but I'd go for a sporty 4/5 seater.
The reason being is you're not supposed to put a childs car seat in a seat with an airbag. Yes, you can switch them off, but no car manufacturer will guarantee that it won't go off in the case of an accident.

A girl I work with recently had to sell her sporty two seater that she loved because when she had the wee ones seat in the front and he reached about 14/15 months he kept kicking the gear stick and knocking it into neutral, really dangerous and nearly caused a few accidents, she now has a sporty 4 seater which she likes but not loves but at least everyone is safe.

I had a mark 1 one - the one with the pop up headlights - for six years and absolutely loved it but would have concerns for safety for a child- as well as you - in the event of a crash as they are not exacty built with safety in mind- unlike some other cars . I dont have children so this was not an issue for me - the later versions mark 2 and 3 are more substantial - other than that you will absolutely love it !

YANBU, I am planning to do almost the same thing except with a Mazda RX-8. That's got 4 seats and the ones in the back can take an isofix carseat. It only does 25 to the gallon but we have a cheap to run but boring hatchback to do all the commuting stuff so it will be purely for having fun in.

I love MX-5's too but the fact that its a two-seater put me off. And they aren't as quick as an RX-8

fiveisanetc, i can't afford a sporty 4 seater, mx5's are pretty cheap!

dragonbear i want a pop up headlihght one, that's one of the things that attract me.

i'm looking at a 1997 R reg, would they have airbags? and are airbags bad with a forward facing seat? see i knew you can't have a rear facing seat with an airbag but didn;t realise forward facing, stage 1 or whichever it is, were not meant to be used with airbags too?

I think after 1994, the MX-5 came with dual airbags. Not sure if they can be turned off though.

The thing with putting kids in a seat with airbags is that they go off with enough force to snap a childs neck. The neck muscles and bones don't reach sufficient strength to withstand an airbag impact until about 12 years old IIRC.

You can turn the airbags off in the mark 2.5 at least - there's a lock in the glove box. They are BRILLIANT fun.

ant3nna Thanks for that good info. An air bag will come out with enough force to reach a stage 1 seat, also they use an incendary to start the deployment. Only way to get it out quick enough. a friend of mine was in an accident when her airbag went off, it burnt her arm!
As I've said before, car munufacturers won't usually put it in writting that the airbag won't go off in the case of an accident even if switched off.
I fit child car seats as part of my job, trained by Britax, and IMHO, I just wouldn't risk it with my childs life.
If you can't afford a sporty 4-5 seater, please get a normal car. Hope you find a nice one.

My son always from a teenager wanted an MX5. He finally got a silver japanese import with pop up lights and is in seventh heaven, so I can see where you are coming from. If it was just you I would say go for it, but they appear quite flimsy and small inside, I'm sorry I wouldn't risk a small child in one. My son's is a second car which he fetches out in the summer and its top off and away!