Car seat for Mini... help!

[BatsInTheSnowglobe]

I have a new model (2008) Mini One and I'm expecting our first baby in May... I knew I might have trouble finding a pram to fit in the boot, but today a shop assistant told me that no car seats or prams exist that fit in the new model Mini due to the seat shape!!
Is this true? Surely not every Mini owner has had to sell their car when a baby comes along?!

Which car seats have other Mini owners used? I thought the isofix fittings meant any car seat with these fittings would fit?!

I'd appreciate any help and advice, thanks.

After googleing (fed up like the chalenge) found this mini car seat But if you go on the britax website and look at the fit list for the issofix base it looks like your car is in that.

Have you looked in your car manual it often says in there which seat they recommend. You could also phone britax or maxi cosy to ask them sometimes they have information that is not on the web.
Might be a good idea to go to a different shop sometimes mothercare are not that helpful

Hope this helps good luck with the baby

My friend had a 58 plate Mini Cooper. They have a Maxi Cosi cabrio fix and I think use an easy base 2(if thats the non isofix one) isofix bases didnt fit. They have also had my Britax baby safe in it too.

Pushchair. They use a Quinny Zap extra. I know the frame deff fits in the boot but im not sure if they put the seat in there as well or just slot it behind the driver seat.
The Baby jogger city mini folds down quite small so might be worth a shot(try taking wheels off if a bit tight). I would take your car to a baby shop and just try everything that looks like it might fit untill you find one that does.

• my britax was fitted with belt only as the base was in DHs car so dont know if that would fit or not. The Maxi Cosi also fits ok with just belt as well.

Thank you for your replies and help.

I spent ages on google too... found the Britax site but unfortunately non of the isofix seats fit into the Minis isofix fittings apparently, which seems stupid to bother putting isofix into a car that can't actually be used!! Thanks for the mini website link, i searched that site and failed to find the car seat, it kept crashing on me! Pricey car seat but cheaper than new car!

Think that's what we'll have to do just try and fit everything in until we find both prams and chairs that fit!

Thanks again

Give these guys a ring. They are FANTASTIC and very knowlegable about car seats. Ive ran for advise before and they were so helpful. They may well have fitted one in your make of car before and will be able to advise you. (they cant help with the pushchair issue though)

My friend had a maxi cosi base (not sure which one) with a Pebble seat, and some sort of iCandy pushchair (frame only) in the boot. By the time her daughter was too big/wriggly to put in and out of the car they had got so fed up that they swapped her car.

It was too complicated putting the baby in the back in a rear facing seat after a few months, so they swapped for a bigger car. She was nowhere near being forward facing (and you'd never get an extended rf in a mini) and they didn't want her in the front as you'd have to disable the air bags.

Hi - The i candy cherry frame fits in the boot of a Mini Cooper (57 Plate). After getting confused re car seats we took the Mini to Halfords who were very helpful and discovered the following:
Maxi cosi Cabriofix fits in mini with Easy Fix base and was very secure with no movement.
Family fix fits in and is secure but moves around a bit - although it is secure - this one fits the Pebble and the pearl for when they get older.
I felt alot better after going to Halfords and they were happy to let us try all the different types in the car.
Not sure about the Britax ones though as I had set my mind on wanting a Maxi cosi.
Hope this is helpful.

I have a mini cooper s, 57 plate. I did not want to sell my car as I love it. The silvercross surf fits in the boot. You have to remove the wheels (quick and easy to do) frame and pushchair or pram will both fit in the boot. Can be done with parcel shelf on but easier without. We use the silver cross Ventura plus which fits the pushchair but after faffing about putting it in the car for the last 7 months I would recommend an isofix base and car seat I believe maxi cosi adapters can be brought for this travel system.

I am currently looking at the isofix family fix base for his next car seat with the pearl, on the maxi cosi fit checker on their website it says it's not suitable but I'm wondering how true this is as I really like the seat.

Hope this helps and if anyone has advice for size 2 car seats it would be much appreciated. Thanks

57 plate is the new shape is the new shape mini so silver cross surf will be fine.

We are looking for a forward facing car seat for my husbands 55 plate mini. Anyone any advice or suggestions which ones fit? Thanks

We had the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix with an Easyfix base in our 11 plate Cooper with Chili pack seats. It was sturdy and secure. It's not listed as a match on the Maxi Cosi website, but I was told that's because there are too many variants in seat design and construction so they can't guarantee it will fit.

The iCandy Cherry frame fits in the boot if you remove the parcel shelf and have one rear seat in the more upright position. The carry cot fits in on the rear seat, or behind the drivers seat if you can be bothered with the faff of collapsing it. When you move onto the pushchair set up, the seat unit folds totally flat and can go in the boot with the frame.

Check out Recaro seats too - I think they fit the mini.

For the next stage seat we bought the Mini approved one - had it couriered from a dealership somewhere in the North West as it was over £100 cheaper than my local dealership.

We love our Mini. It's actually the best way of shopping for a baby - we have had to research the necessity of every purchase and only buy what fits in our tiny car (and at the time our tiny house). It really helped keep our spending under control.

Not sure about infant car seats as my children are 5 & 3 but I've got a '13 plate Cooper and I have the Britax Evolva 123 and Maxi Cosi high back booster (Ferofix? I think it is) in mine. The Maxi Cosi is an Isofix seat and fits the Isofix points fine.

For pushchairs, you will fit a Bugaboo Bee in the boot, a Baby Jogger City Mini and a Quinny Zapp Extra without having to remove wheels etc. I'm sure you'd fit plenty of others in too but would need to remove wheels/pram part but its very easy to do (I've had lots of small cars and lots of pushchairs haha!).

Best thing you can do is go to a baby shop and just try everything, Halfords are great for fitting car seats and I would avoid Mothercare as I've yet to find anyone in one who knows much at all tbh. Independent shops are best.

The problem with the mini is that the back seat is designed for two adults, not three, meaning that the isofix points are aligned closer to the centre of the car. We found the problem with isofix was the stability leg because where it goes to the floor the floor is curved and the curved footwell doesn't line up with the isofix points / seat. We found one side of the leg hit the floor before the other side, leaving one side of the leg 'floating'. This is despite the website for our car seat stating that a mini was compatible :( check with the real things - we wanted to buy the car so took our exsisting car seat with us (ERF so we'll be using it for a few years yet)

I don't know about the baby seats in them but the kiddy car seat (next stage) fits really well and snuggles into instead of on the seat. At the time when I got mine the kiddy non isofix was safer then the isofix seats of other makes.
Fab car seats in so many ways, can't recommend enough. They now do some baby seats so worth investigating.

Thanks will look into those. We only need to fit a car seat in as have my car for outings etc it is just for the times my husband has to pick our son up from childcare. Thanks again

Hello, I found this thread when googling about car seats. I have bought a Silver Cross surf and ventura carseat. I haven't yet purchased the isofix base. I drive a 2008 mini so was wondering what base/seat Mariza had used or if anyone could advise whether I should go ahead and buy the isofix base? Many Thanks!

I sold my beloved Mini one Seven due having my first baby

Hey! I have a mini one and am trying to find a car seat for my baby to move into the next stage, what car seat fits in minis?

You will fit a baby jogger your pushchair in the boot.

I have an 06 (3 door) mini one and 2 kids. One in maxi cosi and the other (4year old) in axkid move (fitted by a professionalseat fitter). My 6ft 3 DH can just fit in the passenger seat (short distances only). The brilliant yoyo pushchair fits in the boot easily (takes up half), or in the passenger footwell