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Original poster

Small car problems- did you have to sell yours to get something baby friendly?

50 replies

Baffers100 · 24/08/2015 12:52

Hi all,

I have a small hatchback as a company car (Lexus CT200h) which I am stuck with for another 3 years. I'm worried that I won't have space for the standard pushchair in the boot and all the baby stuff.

I was wondering, have you had to sell your car to get something with more space? If so, what did you have?

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Lolababy00 · 25/08/2015 15:58

We sold our BMW 1 series after We found out I was expecting again , my DP is on the tall side and he couldn't have a car seat behind him and drive in a comfortable position. Our single pushchair/ pram was all we could fit in the boot ... So shopping or anything else we wanted to take with us had to go in the car ... And now we need to fit a double pushchair in , so we sold it for a family estate Sad great for fitting everything in but not as nice as our previous car

addictedtosugar · 25/08/2015 16:30

It doesn't look that small to me?
Do you have a second car in the house? Is that bigger or changeable?
I could do me, two kids and a double pushchair in a yaris. But I had to be careful about the choice of pushchair. If I was doing a big tesco shop, pushchair stayed at home. Kids went in the trolly seats.

GoooRooo · 25/08/2015 16:37

We had a small Fabia and coped fine with one child. Had to remove the parcel shelf to fit the travel system in and the passenger seat was too far forward to be comfortable because of the child seat in the back but it was okay - we coped.

We changed cars to a a Skoda Rapid before falling pregnant again this time and it has far more legroom in the back so better for car seats and the boot is HUGE.

wonkylegs · 25/08/2015 16:45

I have an original type Toyota Yaris which coped fine with DS as a baby, toddler, small child and is now fine for everyday but can no longer fit his bike in it.
I chose a buggy that fit in it which is a bit of a challenge as it is a narrow car - bugaboo bee and sometimes the shopping ended up on the front seat when I was loaded up with buggy etc.
it's been a fab car and although it's small it's never caused us a insurmountable problem.

duckbilled · 25/08/2015 16:49

I have a juke and it is tiny in the back, but we manage fine as the boot is wide. It is becoming more difficult with small cars and rear fitting car seats.

FishWithABicycle · 25/08/2015 17:02

I did fine with a Toyota Yaris which has a tiny boot. You don't really need a family car for your first baby - you may need to if you have #2 soon after and start having a double buggy but with 1 you will be fine. Tbh I just Googled images of Lexus CT200h and it is much bigger than a Yaris. You obviously need to choose your travel system carefully but that's a lot less expensive than a new car.

crazypuglady · 25/08/2015 17:09

I have an A1 and really struggled to get a pram small enough. I've got the Cosatto Giggle which fits but takes up all the boot. We'll see how practical it actually is when baby gets here!

MrsMilkyMoo · 25/08/2015 17:12

We have a three door corsa and to be honest it was so annoying getting the car seat in and out and having to rent a larger car every time we wanted to go away that we ended up buying a much larger car.

KLou1105 · 25/08/2015 19:35

I would think that a Lexus Ct200 would be plenty if enough, I have a Renault twingo atm and just managed but now I'm expecting again, I will be looking for something with 5doors and bigger boot space

ammature · 25/08/2015 19:48

Im not so much worried about the size of my VW Polo but its three door, will this do my head in!? Imagines it will...

Jelliebabe1 · 25/08/2015 21:27

I have a Hyundai i10 and can't get a full weeks shop in the boot its so tiny.... I'm expecting twins.... Gulp.... Just waiting on a sum of money coming in then I'm going mummy wagon shopping!

Gotosleep123 · 25/08/2015 21:42

When dd1 was born we had a Citroen C1 and brought a babystyle oyster pram. We also had a big dog so it was cosy but we managed. Pram fitted in the tiny boot.

Puffinella · 25/08/2015 21:43

ammature, I have a 3-door car, and it's just about OK. However, when DS was in the first size car seat (where you take the whole seat out every time), I had to manoeuvre him and the seat in at a very specific angle, as there was only just enough room. Had the seat been a cm larger in any direction, of would have been impossible. Worth checking the seat you intend to buy, and actually try getting it in and out (somewhere like Mothercare should let you try one).

OneofTHOSEWomen · 25/08/2015 21:47

Buy a fold up small pushchair for the car.

NotSoFancyNancy · 25/08/2015 21:47

I had a Mazda mx5 2 seater so obviously had to be changed! Still drive it at 40 weeks pregnant and dd1 had a few spins in before selling. Still miss it.
Have an Audi estate now. Great space in boot for buggy and nappy changes etc.

shiteforbrains · 25/08/2015 21:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

smokedgarlic · 25/08/2015 21:56

We have three who fit in two car seats and a booster in a Passat and it is perfect . I can also fit a Bugaboo in the boot and a massive shop . It's a tarsus !

smokedgarlic · 25/08/2015 21:56

It is also a tardis !!

Blackandwhitecat3 · 25/08/2015 22:34

NotSo me too! Haven't sold it yet but know I will cry when I do. Love that car. Might buy another one when I'm 60

LoadsaBlusher · 26/08/2015 07:59

I had a puegeot 107 with a tiny boot.
We managed absolutely fine , first pram was a Quinny buzz. Frame fitted in boot , carrycot in back seat.
Swapped to Baby jogger city mini at about 4 months as it reclined enough and fitted perfectly in the boot.
I could even fit a baby jogger double in a 107 boot ( just left the parcel shelf in the house).

MrsMilkyMoo · 26/08/2015 08:17

ammature it was the 3 doors rather than the size of the car as such that prompted us to buy a new one, as it was just getting so hard to take the car seat in and out, particularly as dd got heavier. And she's a tiny girl! We now have a skoda octavia and it's fab. Can put shopping and the pushchair in the boot!

BeautifulBatman · 26/08/2015 08:21

Dh bought me a 3 door saab convertible in April and we were going to sell my Shogun. Didn't really think about the fact that the saab is too low for a pregnant woman, the three doors are not conducive to using a rear facing car seat and the boot is too small for a pushchair because of the roof casing. Gutted. Back to the shogun for another year or so! DH will use the saab.

ARV1981 · 26/08/2015 10:33

I have a tiny skids citigo! I honestly don't know if it will prove to be too small, because baby's not here yet.

However, the buggy (Uppa baby vista) fits in the boot and the car seat seems to be fine. I have a maxi cosi pebble us with a 2-way fix base and planning on getting the maxi cosi pearl when baby's bigger.

My finance deal runs out in 2 1/2 years and am not planning on having more babies at least until this one is 3-4. depending on the birth, I may not have any more at all!!

My DH doesn't drive so we only have the one car.

I picked it because of the 0% finance deal, the safety features, fuel efficiency and because I'm scared of parking anything much bigger.

HeadDreamer · 26/08/2015 10:41

I googled your car and it doesn't look that small. I have a honda jazz and it's plenty big for two children. Mine are baby and 4. I even fit a bugaboo cameleon in the boot. I don't see why I need a car bigger than this.

However I did go and look at the Yaris this year. The boot is too small for my cameleon so that was ruled out. However if I have a smaller pram, it would be ok. I also looked at the hyundai i30 and that's fine too.

HeadDreamer · 26/08/2015 10:44

I don't do grocery shopping after I had DD1 though. So maybe that's why I don't need a bigger boot? I can't be bothered taking a baby or a whiny preschooler to the supermarket. I get ocado delivery. Highly recommended really.

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