Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

CARS THAT TAKE 3 CAR SEATS IN THE BACK?!

82 replies

jinxed · 29/06/2007 17:59

Currently we have a Rover 620, nice car, reliable etc. Doubt we can really afford to get a new car once baby is born either, but if needs must!

So, what cars take 3 car seats in the back?

I will have a 3yr old, 2yr old and a newborn.

HELP!

OP posts:
LadyVictoriaOfCake · 01/07/2007 18:23

nissan tino.

have dd1+2 on high back boosters either side, and dd3 in the middle in a 9months-4yrs seat.

Nbg · 01/07/2007 18:23

You'd have to check goverment website. Cant remember if its age or weight or both lol.

Our plan is dd to go in the middle on a booster with ds and new baby at the sides. But dd will have just turned 4 by Nov.

JARM · 01/07/2007 18:28

Have just seen that over 3's have to use seatbelt, so guess a booster would be ok.

Will have to see how she is first! She is a bit of a wriggler and she would probably squirm her way out!

I really dont need the expense of another car, especially as we are skint anyway!

Loopymumsy · 01/07/2007 18:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Nbg · 01/07/2007 18:31

I would have a drive to Mothercare, turn your high back booster into just the booster section, click in your baby car seat and ask a member of staff to try a another high back in with the other 2.

This is what we plan to do just to make sure but I am quite confident that they'll fit.
I started a thread asking if people had managed it with our make of car and I got a few positive replies.

JARM · 01/07/2007 18:34

DD1 is a chunky monkey, so sure the weight wont be an issue! She must be AT LEAST over 35lbs.

anyone got a link to the weight thing? all i can find is children under 3 to be restrained with a child seat, and over 3 with seatbelts!

Loopymumsy · 01/07/2007 18:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

sweetkitty · 02/07/2007 08:55

I hvae to buy another car as we have a Clio just now so no chance of getting 3 in the back

I will have 3.8yo DD1, 2.2yo DD2 both of which are in Britax Renaissance 9m-4y seats. My plan was to have the baby in the middle in a newborn seat then when it's 9months+ it can have DD1's seat and she could have a booster seat. She is teeny though so probably could stay in her seat until she is about 5.

Anyone got a Scenic or a C-Max???

LIZS · 02/07/2007 09:04

15kg minimum for a highback booster(around age 4), and 22kg (around age 6)for a booster cushion. Weight is the decisive factor and it is better to keep them in a harness until max weight limit , usually 18kg, especially foi on the younger side.

JARM if it is the same seat then using a harness might work better otherwise you risk undoing the buckle of the wrong seat without realising if you release an adult belt each time (newer cars often seem to have the buckles sunk too low to see easily between adjacent seats). Alternativley site those which stay in the car or will be released each time adjacent.

sweetkitty · 02/07/2007 09:08

I would be very surprised if my DD1 was anyway near 15 kgs at age 4.

morocco · 02/07/2007 09:09

i had a rover 620 - ahem i think it was - and we fitted 3 in the back. you need a seat that takes lap belt only, we put youngest in this rear facing in middle seat, then other seats either side, one behind drivers with seatbelt/booster and other side a group2 seat
hth

NannyL · 02/07/2007 10:02

sweetKitty I can get 3 car seats in the back of my clio

JARM · 02/07/2007 18:18

thanks morocco - very positive. Want to keep DD1 in the harness as long as possible really! THinking i might get the same seat for DD2 as is suitable from 9mnths and she will be 2 when baby born.

Hopefully that will leave enough room for the baby seat in the middle, but i do worry with it only being a lap belt

hatrick · 02/07/2007 18:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

LIZS · 02/07/2007 18:24

Don't think many car seats sue a lap belt only, not any infant carriers or boosters. The Britax Freeway (9kg-18kg) is one of few which can use just a lap belt , now rebadged as the Fisher Price Safe Voyage (Tesco and Boots have it), also has a narrow base width.

NannyL · 02/07/2007 18:32

yes i have 3 proper seat belts in the back of my clio

cameroonmama · 02/07/2007 20:10

I have a Focus c-max with a newborn car seat, 2 high back boosters (ds3 and dd5) and plenty of space in the boot for bikes and buggy. 3 proper seat belts, dd goes in the middle to keep an eye on the baby

sweetkitty · 02/07/2007 21:35

NannyL - I'm not saying you can't get 3 in your Clio but I have 3 proper seatbelts and by the time I have the 2 Britax seats in there must be about 6 inches between the DDs (maybe a wee bit more) but not enough for another seat, maybe the Britax's are too bulky.

Is a highback booster the follow on seat from the 9m-4y one then? So do you think I could get 2 Britax's and a newborn in a CMax then a highback booster and 2 Britax's.

This is so confusing.............

imnot27 · 02/07/2007 21:49

Hi, yes you could get those in a C-MAX. I bought a Zafira when I was expecting my third, but I wish I'd gone for C-Max or Almera Tino now..... This is v interesting thread, as am now trying to downsize car, as don't need two 7 seaters (hubby has S-MAX, loveitloveit!) am wondering if I can get two seats and skinny 11 year old in the back of a Yaris? Are Recaro seats thinner then, does anyone have them?

sweetkitty · 02/07/2007 21:53

I would LURVE an SMAX but don't have the funds and couldn't park it anyway.

imnot27 · 02/07/2007 21:55

No, I can't PARK it, just sit in it while dh drives me around!

sep1712 · 02/07/2007 22:05

I know you probably want to keep all the dc in car seats but did you know that if you have 2 car seats in the back then the third child can sit in the middle witha seat belt. Probably not recommened at such a young age. But if you don't want to get a new car?? Baby could go in the front if you can turn the air bags off?? Hope this helps in the short term.

imnot27 · 02/07/2007 22:05

Just started another thread to find narrow car seats, then found a website carseatdata.org which has seat measurements! Hope this helps!

cameroonmama · 03/07/2007 12:38

In my c-max, I think I would find it difficult to fit in a newborn seat, and two big Britaxes like a Renaissance in the back. There is just enough room for the two high backs and the baby seat and even then it is a bit squashy and there is a definite technique where dd has to do her own seat belt up in the middle. I could be wrong though...

NannyL · 03/07/2007 14:06

Sweetkitty!
how bizarre.... dont worry i wasnt thinking you were saying I cant get 3 seats in the back of my clio

I can get in the back of my car 1 britax Renaissance (group 1) (on the RHS)
1 Britax Highliner (group 2) (on the LHS)
and a booster seat (group 3) ... normally a britax horizon but have used a graco and mother care one and they still safely fit also in the middle

Reaching the clickers is slightly difficult as well but i do manage... i also find the edge children have to be strapped in 1st and the middle largest child strapped in last!