3 car seats? Which car? Help!

[babblington]

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...

We just purchased a VW touran and it works really well. It has 7 seats but this leaves very little boot space so for short trips we take out the middle row middle seat and have one of the very back seats folded. This leaves 5 seats and my 5yo twin boys take turns in the very back seat and one of the middle seats (each in a Maxi Cosi rodi). My 10mo baby is in an isofix seat on one side of the middle row. We can then fit her buggy beside the third row seat.

For longer journeys we can fit all 3 across the middle row, we slide the middle seat back a bit to give more room to put seatbelts in and then just have one highback one the outside while the child in the middle just sits on the booster seat. This leaves loads of boot space.

Peugeot 307SW

You should look out for a car with three individual seats in the back, rather than a double and a single. The double and single configuration is deceptively spacious. But the double is not as wide as two single, so you cant fit two child seats, or even one childseat and an adult on the double seat.

We had a motormagazine do a feature on us and our hunt for the perfect family car, and I can tell you this much, neither the Kia Sportage nor the Honda CRV came anything close even if they look like really wide and spacious cars.

The Peugeot 307SW on the other hand, and the Renault Espace, wow wow. The renault was too big really, felt like driving a space shuttle....

"most car accidents are rear impact."

Heh heh, not possible.

have a ford galaxy - and have 3 three high back maxi cosi rodi side by side in the middle. have used all three seats in a multipla side by side too and a renault grand scenic. dont forget to look at the crash test ratings of your car too at euroncap. galaxy has 5 stars. I can fit my m&P pliko in the back with out folding the rear most seats too. This car should see us through the next 8 years at least another big consideration. The grand voyager that someone else mentioned was my favorite car but absolutely crap crash test. another + for the galaxy is that you can transport 2 adult passengers as well as 3 children. most of the other cars the scenic included were dire if you had an average sized teenager or an adult to transport also - nto a huge consideration now but if you dont change your car every three years and / or have taller children a big problem.

its a new galaxy with folding seats - we wanted flexibility of not have space taken up by folded seats or the hassle of taking them out and having to store them somewhere.

WE have a Fiat Doblo and it is wonderful.

Really cheap to run, insure etc. all three seats fit in one row on the back and we've just been camping so can vouch fforr the ample boot space.

Saw lots of these types of car on the campsite, too, so it's obvoius;y poplular for touring because it's so roomy and economical.

The height is great, too, as you don't bump your head getting the children in and out.

We got a fairly new one with ridiculously low mileage on a very tight budget.

cthea DS1 (3yo) is in a Britax evolva 2-3 (I think that's what it's called). Baby DS2 is in a very basic reaer facing Britax rock-a-tot and DD (8yo) is just on a booster seat in the middle seat. DS1 had a maxi-cosi car seat between baby-stage and 'grown-up' toddler stage and they have all fitted fine.

we have 3 in a focus not sure which seats will look tomorrow if I remember.
Using a 0-9 months, a 9m-4y and a high back booster was no problem. We now have 2x 9m-4y + high back booster and it is a faff to do the seatbelt of the booster but this will only be for a few months.

However we are lucky enough!!!! to live in London so rarely drive

i've got a 207.

i quite often take my2 dc and my friend and her dc.

so 2 adults. 3 dc.(2.5,,11,0.3month)

we have a booster seat with integral harnes for 2.5. maxi prior for 11month, infant carrier for 0.3month.

we can actually fit all 3 car seat in back if we wish.

but due to dc fighting. we put one in front with airbag off. adult in middle of back seperating the other 2 dc.

suprisingly, there's planty of room in back. my frind is a size 12. her butt fits in just fine.with space.

We have a renault grand scenic. Bought as we were going to have 4 kids and it has 7 seats. DS1 went in the boot for the first day. I didn't like it, all 3 are now along the middle fine. Had 1 big baby seat and 2 others, no problem.

I have a VW Sharan as I am a Childminder and have 4 children under 10 (1x9 yrs, 2x6yrs and 1x4 yrs) all in the car at the same time. At the moment I am ok as far as seats go as they are all on Graco boosters with high backs and belts that are kept off their necks.

I am taking a 2 year old and his baby brother during the day for 2 days a week, I am going to have to put the 9 year old in the lap belt which I don't really like but I have no choice. I wish I could afford a newer one with 7 diagonal seat belts and I think all cars should have 5, 7 or 8 depending on the number of seats in the car.

I have a zafira and have 3 car seats in the back

Hi, I've recently had my third and we have a Range Rover (sorry ) but we do have a big lab that needs walking every day too and take it away on holiday each year and live in the country so I'm trying to justify! We had a middle lapbelt and I too felt really uncomfortable putting one at 'more risk'. So, I have just paid out local garage to fit a proper seatbelt in the middle seat so they all have across the body belts and all use carseats. I believe it is now law that all children up to the age of 6 (not depending on height) must use a carseat with a proper back (ie not booster). If in doubt, ring Mothercare as they really know their stuff.