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Car seats

Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here. For Mumsnetter-approved essentials, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails here.

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Original poster

3 car seats - what car do you drive?

46 replies

jemart · 03/12/2009 21:18

We need a new car.
Ds about to outgrow his baby car seat and move up to forward facing. We can't fit all 3 of our DC car seats into our ancient rustbucket rover 420 as it only has a lap belt for the middle backseat.

DH feeling down about changing the car because he doesn't want a people carrier.

Just trying to scope out some options, do you all drive a Picasso or similar? what else might be big enough to fit us all in but not too expensive?

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oooggs · 04/12/2009 20:55

In our Picasso we had 2 rear facing & a britax isofix forward facing

then ...... 1 rear facing, britax isofix and a maxi cosi rodi

then ...... 2 britax isofix and a maxi cosi rodi

then ....... ds3 arrived and we bought a C8

loved the Picasso and had it 10 years - sad to see it go but couldn't fit 4 dcs and dh in it!

ronshar · 04/12/2009 21:02

I had an Alfa 147 which could have fitted three seats in and DH had a Volvo V40 which could only just safely fit in three seat, but we were downsizing to one car and so we bought a Volvo XC90. Bloody brilliant car.
I know it makes me one of the hated but is is better than running two cars.
I love it.

Original poster

jemart · 04/12/2009 23:14

multimac looks really good - it would be rather inflexible though, couldn't just whip the seat out so an adult could ride in the back. Definitely a consideration if we ever go for dc number 4.

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fuckaduck · 05/12/2009 19:04

sorry for the fright purpleduck, haven't changed my AF dbacle name yet - off to do it now ....

fuckaduck · 05/12/2009 19:06

but before I do - who would you put in the middle seat with 3 - the baby in the infant carrier or the oldest in the booster?

thisisyesterday · 05/12/2009 19:10

depends if you take the infant seat out each time

we used to leave ours in the car and just put baby in and out, and it was marginally easier with him in the middle, becuase otherwise ds1 (in the booster) would have had to climb over a car seat, or between the front seats to get in

but if you usually take the whole infant carrier out each time then i would put booster seat in the middle and infant carrier on the outside

FourArms · 05/12/2009 19:26

We've got a VW Sharan. I know your DH doesn't want a people carrier (this is a 7 seater), but you can take the 6th and 7th seats out completely (not just collapse them). All passenger seats come out independently, and all are full adult size seats. I think 4 have isofix, and in ours, 2 have built in child seats (stage 2 or 3, so 5 point harness or booster). Fab fab fab. Love it.

purpleduckUnderTheMistletoe · 05/12/2009 21:36

Oh its you AF - aw'right then

fuckaduck · 05/12/2009 23:24

no, somebody else, but from that thread

BikeRunSki · 05/12/2009 23:38

If the central lap belt is the main problem, then we have a Britax Eclipse because it will work with lapbelt (not -"we can bodge it to work with a lapbelt", but that it is designed legitimately to work with a lapbelt). We occasionaly drive a van, which only has a lapbelt in the middle seat. (Middle seat is really too small for a full grown adult with long legs!).

MrsGokWan · 06/12/2009 10:27

We have a Renault Grand Espace, which is the best car we have ever had. It's a dream. We can fit our 3 children plus another 2 adults or children (great for play dates or taking grandparents with you on a day out.) Thr is still heaps of space for shopping and pushchairs with all seats in. With the back seats out you have a mini van and with all seats out it is a proper van. It can take us five and all our camping stuff for the week.

It is a very versatile car.

anchovies · 06/12/2009 10:36

We have a Ford S-max which I absolutely love, loads of space in the back, 3 full sized seats so pretty much any combination of 3 seats will fit. We currently have 2 maxi cosi high back boosters and a rear facing stage 1 - still loads of room for doing up seatbelts. Seats 6 and 7 fold completely flat and give a massive boot. Chose it really though because it looks least like a mpv (imo).

Another to consider would be the Peugeot 308SW, not an mpv so your dh may prefer it.

We had a Renault Scenic before this and it was the worst car we've ever had, badly made and so many electrical faults etc it cost a fortune. Plus 3 carseats were a pain to fasten in.

Original poster

jemart · 06/12/2009 12:11

I'm liking the look of the Ford S-max, just emailed some pics of one to DH, not sure how it will compare to his current favourite - Audi A6. We could probably afford a very nearly new Ford as opposed to a 3-4 year old Audi.

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tassisssss · 06/12/2009 14:32

MrsGW - I think we might go look at a Scenic Grande...I do miss our scenic but really do need 7 seats...

Adventuredad · 06/12/2009 19:53

Driving a Volvo V70 where I can get 3 rear facing Swedish car seats to fit plus of course on up front if needed (airbag deactivated)

hollypocks · 06/12/2009 19:57

Have a peugeot 807, fab with automatic doors, not just the fold down seats but solid seat. Performs very well on safety tests

nicm · 06/12/2009 22:12

i would steer clear of the grand scenic, have just got rid of mine bought from new and cost me a fortune in electrical, turbo and window faults!

Hulababy · 06/12/2009 22:15

I can fit three car seats in the back of a Golf R32 in these configs:

2 highback boosters and a booster cushion
3 booster cushions
1 highback booster and 2 booster cushions

However I can't do it with a second stage car seat.

squiby2004 · 13/12/2009 18:12

I am a Childminder and so need to have 3 car seats across the back seat as H doesn't want a people carrier any more (had a new shape galaxy) so we got a BMW X5 which fits them all in with room to spare and keeps H happy.

lou031205 · 13/12/2009 18:59

Ford Mondeo '96 plate, fits 3x Britax Prince across.

Original poster

jemart · 20/12/2009 21:22

Have seen a nice BMW X5 local to us, DH liked very much but it is very expensive at 16k. He still likes the Audi allroad best, anyone got one of those?

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