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Original poster

3 car seats? Which car? Help!

64 replies

babblington · 28/07/2008 13:52

Hello - am 18 weeks along with No.3, have a 4 yo and a 2yo, and a Zafira - 3 car seats don't fit in the back, and if we put the seats up in the back then there is no space for the pram and usual nonsense. And it's just not practical to have one all alone in the back - albeit tempting.
Do you have 3 dcs? How do you do car seats? What kind of car do yo have? Please help, really can't afford another car right now...

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sweetkitty · 29/07/2008 15:52

Off the top of my head I think it was something like 100cms and 15kgs in weight, I think it went more on weight for the booster seats. I know friends who have 3 year olds in high back boosters though we waited until DD1 turned 4 and was the minimum weight as she is little.

cthea · 29/07/2008 15:55

We have a Fiat Multipla and everyone can fit in.

Birdly · 30/07/2008 08:10

We've got a Ford Galaxy, which can fit 3 car seats in the back easily. This means we still have full boot space and don't need to put the extra 2 seats in the very back of the car just for day-to-day running around.

We absolutely love our Galaxy!

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herbietea · 30/07/2008 08:21

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barbiehouse · 30/07/2008 09:01

we have VW sharan, it fits 3 car seats across the middle easily, and also has the built in booster seats. Is also a lot more economic than you would expect.

becklespeckle · 30/07/2008 09:28

I have an oldish BMW 5 series estate - cheaper than you think to buy (especially at the moment) with a huge boot. Fitted 2 Britax booster seats and a Britax rock-a-tot (or a maxi cosi priori). Lots of leg room as they get bigger too - a must for us as DH is very very tall and my boys are too.

Used to have an old shape Vectra too which once had 2 Britax Eclipse seats and a Britax high backed booster (can't recall what they are called). Again they have a massive boot!

mumtoo3 · 30/07/2008 09:34

we had this problem at christmas with a 6 week old, 23 month old and a nearly 5 year old, so we bought a honda shuttle, the older two in the boot, baby behind driver and we leave the half bench down so they can climb in, and theres my room for shopping! and there is still room in the boot for my phil and teds double buggy!!!

hannahsaunt · 30/07/2008 11:20

May be cheaper to get new car seats to fit than a new car. We have a 2006 Zafira and get a britax booster, a mothercare highback booster and a britax rockatot in the back seat with relative ease. Have also been known to have 2 in the back seat, 1 in the very back seat and the pram along side. HTH

OurHamsterisevil · 30/07/2008 12:06

Have a think about getting new car seats, go to the shop and try out different combos. Britax seats often have a narrow base, so are pretty good

honeydew · 30/07/2008 13:35

I have three; DD4, DS 3 and DD 16 months. We have a Volvo V70, reasonably new and a good solid workhorse of a car that fits 3 seats in comfortably, with good boot space for shopping,luggage,double buggy etc. You can also adapt the boot to give you an extra seat in the back if you need it. We have two Maxi Cosi's and one larger seat for my eldest.

KristinaM · 30/07/2008 13:55

we bought a fiat multipla when i was pg with no 3 for the same reason - we needed two 0+ seats and a booster, plus room for a double buggy

we looked at teh zafira but rejetected it as we coudlnt get car seats to fit on the bench

the Multipla is fab - really easy to climb inside holding a tantruming toddler to strap him into seat

oldest child ( who can do her own belt) goes in the middle

BTw its also very cheap to insure! maybe you coudl pick up a decent used one??

HairyToe · 30/07/2008 14:04

DD1 went into a high back booster seat when she was 3 - 100cm and 15kg. Much narrower and easier in general than the stage 2 car seats.

rozzyraspberry · 30/07/2008 15:13

We had a vectra and thought it would be fine when ds3 arrived. However, although the car was as wide as many others the fact that it had 2 seats moulded into the back (rather than 3 equal sized seats iykwim) meant that although the 3 car seats fit (just!) the middle one wobbled and wasn't very safe.

We went and looked at the zafira and the saleman told us without even trying that the car seats wouldn't fit - he said they'd tried lots of times. Like you we weren't keen to use the boot seat all the time as most car accidents are rear impact.

We eventually plumpled for a VW touran - we're really pleased with it - 3 equal sized seats in the back as well as plenty of space in the boot. There are also 2 extra seats which can be folded up in the boot for occasional use.

alittleteapot · 30/07/2008 15:40

The Fiat Multipla is great - only thing is not huge amounts of boot space - but very comfy for lots of kids and fun to drive - you're quite high up with very big windows.

KelaH · 30/07/2008 17:42

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, and I don't have one, but have you looked at the Honda that has 6 seats (sorry can't remember the name ). There are 3 seats in front, and the middle one has isofix, so is intended for a car seat. Also 2 in back with isofix, so can easily get 3 car seats in.

AllieBongo · 30/07/2008 19:39

i have a new shape scenic and i can fit 3 seats in the back. i had a picasso before, which was nice, but it wasn't as solid as the renault. it felt a little "van-ish"

wuglet · 30/07/2008 20:29

Never seen it in real life but have seen this as a link in a similar discussion and could be worth looking into. I would want to know how easy it was to remove though in case you wanted to have adults in the back - oh yes and how much it costs - for all I know it could be cheaper to buy a Grand Voyager!

threetinytots · 30/07/2008 21:19

Peugeot 307 SW. Fab. Best car I've had for fitting three car seats in the back. We struggled with a zafira for a while, but doing up the belts was a complete faff. three proper seats in the 307 plus additional two in the boot, so you get 7 seats without driving a bus!

BigBadMousey · 30/07/2008 21:28

wuglet - that thing is cool! I've registered my interest. Looks a little too easy for the DCs to fight each other in the back seat with one though - side impact protection is not just in case we crash in our family

misspollysdolly · 30/07/2008 22:55

We have a Fiat Multipla - 6 full size seats, 3 in the front (front passenger air bag can be purposefully turned off) and 3 in the back plus reasonably large boot that is not compromised. (Can fit double buggy and loads more in it)

It is fab! And doesn't feel like you're driving a bus! I have three DCs and have until recently had all three stages of car seat in the back or spread over all the seats (except the driver's one obv !!) I love it!

Only thing is now there's still one seat spare...

chubley · 30/07/2008 23:02

Re car seats - the Recaro Young Sport seat is a highback booster with integral harness so can be used from 9 months - is narrower than the other seats in its class such as the Britax Evolva 123. It's a lovely seat.

You can't get the Recaro seat everywhere but we went on their website and found the Paul Stride nursery store in York, and drove over there so they could see if it fit in our car.

We have a Skoda Roomster with 3 car seats in the back - lovely to drive, high driving position with lovely big windows in the back for the dcs to see out of, big enough boot, without it being a tank even though it feels big inside.

cthea · 30/07/2008 23:13

misspollysdolly - what car seats fit at the back in your Multipla? I tried a Britax with my youngest and the seat belt is too short. I can keep her in her baby seat for a few more weeks but I need to find another one meanwhile. Thanks.

KristinaM · 31/07/2008 00:28

i have 2 britax seats in my multipla and a booster seat with a back

cthea · 31/07/2008 08:26

Thanks, Kristina. I'll try the Britax again.

cthea · 31/07/2008 08:31

Kristina, in fact, the Britax goes in for an older child but when we tried it as a baby seat it doesn't because of that convoluted journey the belt has to take around the seat. Have you used it for a baby? (Apologies if I won't reply for a few days, we're going away.)

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