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Original poster

Is a 3-door car practical with a 1 year old?

30 replies

Mum2Lucas · 02/08/2006 18:23

Hi,
We're getting a new car as a second car, small run-around, etc. etc. My husband has suggested a ford ka but they only do 3 door versions. I'm not convinved that a 3 door car will be practical when you're trying to get a 1year old in and out of the car seat. Does anyone have a 3 door car and, if so, is it as much of a pain as it seems?
Feedback greatly appreciated as I don't want to saddle myself with a car I hate.

Em

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Piffle · 02/08/2006 18:24

It will drive you mad
honestly if you can choose 4 doors then do.

trinityrhino · 02/08/2006 18:24

we got a second car and the first time it was a three door and I hated it from day two, it was a nightmare with a child
sorry, but unless you have to, I wouldn't

Tumblemum · 02/08/2006 18:25

Would not have one by choice, we had it before they were born, it is doable but not great for the back go for a five door if you can

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charliecat · 02/08/2006 18:25

I wouldnt. We have just got a 3 door now the kids can do up thier own belts and get in and out themselves but it is a PITA when they are little.

tassis · 02/08/2006 18:26

we had a 3 door car as a 2nd car and it did my head in

mind you I'm nearly 6 foot

If your wee one is only going to be in it occasionally it might not be too bad.

Also worth considering how far forward the front seats come i order to allow you access into the back.

And does the Ka not have the teeniest boot? Would a stroller fit in?

LIZS · 02/08/2006 18:28

Had one as a loan car when ds was 2 - nightmare. Not enough room to get in the back to buckle him in and coudln't geta Maclaren in the boot. last year had a 3 door Megane as a hire car, still a pita with a 7 yr old and a 4 yr old. Don't do it , a 5 door wouldn't be much more , honest, and would save your back and sanity.

bobsmum · 02/08/2006 18:29

I've got a Ka and to be honest I find it so much more practical than a four door.

I fold the front seat down and it means I can stand right in front of the baby seat to get dd in rather than the awkward twist-and-lift contortion I have to do when putting her in our four door car while having to stand outside the car.

If it's just a run around for you, baby and a change bag then it'll be perfect. If you need to do a month's worth of family shopping then it's not great but still do-able.

My stroller fits in the boot fine, but my "proper" pram doesn't.

Californifrau · 02/08/2006 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chopsolata · 02/08/2006 18:48

didnt bother me, i had a ford ka, which was fine as even the boot was reasonable for a buggy. Have now changed to a mini, which is totally impractical, cant fit a buggy in, but I LOVE IT!!! And life is too short to bother about leaning in the back of a car or not.

Just get what you want!

liquidclocks · 02/08/2006 18:54

I have a 3 door micra. I bought it when expecting DS. TBH i find it fine, the advantage is that with the seat folded down you can actually get in the car to do up their belts when it's raining. DH has a 5 dr golf, doesn't bother either us which one we use.

My only words of caution are that in three door cars the back seatbelts tend to be a bit shorter. This can make finding a carseat to fit and absolute nightmare. I'd check on the britax fitfinder website to see how many of their seats fit your new car before you buy it to give you an idea.

MadameButterfly · 02/08/2006 18:55

WE have a new mini and have had it since just before DD was born 4 years ago. WE have no problems at all.

JoPG · 02/08/2006 19:48

MadameButterfly - What buggy do you have that fits in the back of a mini? We have one too and I hardly ever use it for the kids as I can't get the buggy in the boot.

Miaou · 02/08/2006 19:50

Don't do it, you will knacker your back

Just think of the angle you will have to bend in in order to slide your dc into (knackers my back just sticking my 1yr old into a four door!)

Baaaaaad idea imho.

MadameButterfly · 02/08/2006 20:40

We had a Graco Travel System when she was tiny.
Luckily the new car arrived about 2 weeks before she was due. We went to Babies 'r'us and tried lots of different pushchairs to see which would fit. The Graco took up the whole of the boot, but it went in which is more than could be said for some of the others.

When she got to big for that I bought a pushchair from mothercare and it had to go in the back of the car on the floor as it was too big for the boot. Thankfully now she is 4 we no longer need it.

PrettyCandles · 02/08/2006 20:49

We had a 3-door Micra until a few months before no2 was due. It was certainly very convenient, and not at all difficult to manage with ds, even after my bump started growing. As long as he was in a baby-carrier seat, it was in the front, once he moved into the next seat it was in the centre at the back. Because the front seats fold down to allow access to the back, I could get to his seat without struggling, and there was plenty of room to strap him in without having to twist myself sideways or stretch across him. By the time my bump started to restrict my movements, ds was able to climb into the car and into his seat by himself, so I didn't have to do any awkward lifting.

I'd say, overall, that a 3-door car is perfectly practical with a car seat at the back.

daisy1999 · 02/08/2006 21:02

I went for a five door not so much because of getting kids in and out but more because of how large the doors are on 3 door cars. Parking spaces are so narrow and I didn't think it would be practical.

hulababy · 02/08/2006 21:05

Because I am short I actually found a 3 door easier for the car seat than a 5 door. With a 3 door I would just climb and stand int he footwell to sort the car seat out. With a 5 door it involves more stretching over, which was actually worse for me when DD was little enough for me to have to lift.

morethan1 · 03/08/2006 18:22

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Bozza · 03/08/2006 18:49

AT 5 foot 4 I agree with hula. I had a Ka when DS was born adn I managed to fit a Graco travel system in the boot. Then I swapped this for a new Fiesta and chose the 3 door version even though I was pg with DD. Now they are 2 and 5 it is great because they can both get in at the passenger side and DS climb across and fasten himself in. And before he fastened himself I could fasten him from the passenger side while I was doing DD.

Bozza · 03/08/2006 18:50

morethan1 my 2yo gets in her own car seat - insists on it. So all I have to do is do up the harness. And when I stop the car I reach over and undo the clasp and she has climbed down by the time I have got round to open the door for her.

claireh11 · 04/08/2006 15:28

It's a bloody pain in the backside!!

Not only do you have to be a contortionist (?) to get child in and out, you have to be able to remove your hands so that you can get them right to side of car seat to strap that in first as you have no side access like in a 5 door car.

My opinion was my son always sat in front with me when I had 3 door car as if we were in an accident there was no back door to rescue him through.

HTH

southeastastra · 04/08/2006 15:29

my first car was a three door, i quite liked it because i knew the baby couldn't open the doors and that. didn't find it too much of a problem

yorkshirelass79 · 04/08/2006 15:36

Message withdrawn

yorkshirelass79 · 04/08/2006 15:41

Message withdrawn

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 04/08/2006 15:44

A great friend of mine in Bedford had a Ford Ka - an 18 month old and a newborn (she's still got the car actually and the kids are now 6 and 4 1/2). Very tall DH (well over 6ft) and no problems at all with it.