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Original poster

Help! Nanny is buying a Fiat 500 - can it cope with my three yo twins?

21 replies

Lulumush · 26/05/2015 20:40

Hi all
My nanny is getting rid of her old reliable Golf and upgrading to...... a Fiat 500 (the cool car that we all want but is totally impractical)

.....(or did I get that wrong?)

I have 3 yr old twins, and I'm a VW fan, own a Golf myself and swear by them. I am really really worried that the Fiat is too small (its a three door), will get crushed in a crash, and is just not going to protect my babies like a Golf would.

I have offered to get her insured on my car and she is resisting. I don't feel very happy but views welcome before we discuss tomorrow!

thank you.

OP posts:
sleepwhenidie · 26/05/2015 20:48

A friend off mine had one, coped perfectly well with her DC's (3&6) and she was unlucky enough to be hit by a car that was speeding and being pursued by the police. She ended up with pretty bad whiplash and the car was a write off but she was told she was lucky to be in that particular car, they are apparently extremely sturdy, much more so than they look. Look a bit more closely into details before you panic Smile

headlesslambrini · 27/05/2015 09:28

Sorry but i think you are overstepping here. You can not say what car your nanny chooses to buy. That has nothing whatsoever to do with you. What you can do is insure her on your car and say that you want her to use that car when transporting your DCs if you dont feel that her car will be safe enough.

Artandco · 27/05/2015 09:30

I think it's fine.

We have had a 2 door convertible sports car since having 2 children and it's been fine.

GlitzAndGigglesx · 27/05/2015 09:46

They're not going to spend all day everyday in it so they'll be fine. Plus they get to travel in style

ooerrmissus · 27/05/2015 09:52

My friend took her kids camping in her fiat 500. They are surprisingly safe and roomy.

Spydra · 27/05/2015 09:59

5 * in the NCAP crash test www.euroncap.com/en/results/fiat/500l/10919 - it's not dangerous for your kids. Whether it'll be easy to get car seats in and out is another matter. Can you buy a second set of seats for her car.

WMittens · 27/05/2015 14:18

Spydra

That's the 500L, not the 500. The 500 got a 3/5 for child occupant safety www.euroncap.com/en/results/fiat/500/15718.

Still, it's not exactly a deathtrap.

Shesparkles · 27/05/2015 14:19

Buy her a Golf

ForSaleChesterDraws · 31/05/2015 08:40

If you have an issue with the car she is buying then provide her with her own. You can't dictate what car she has.

m0therofdragons · 31/05/2015 08:47

I would have issues as I have 3dc so one would have to go in the front. You have 2. They will be fine. I think you are overstepping the mark. Dc will be in car seats so 3 doors will mane it a bit annoying for the nanny strapping them in but if she's happy with that then there's no issue.

andadietcoke · 31/05/2015 08:48

I put my 20 mo twins in the back of a three door beetle convertible and they're fine - I'd imagine with 3 yo they can get into their seats themselves so it would be even easier.

lljkk · 31/05/2015 09:31

It's a plastic car (I have one). I don't worry about safety so no help there, but cheap to run & a godsend for parking in tight places. How a person drives is a lot more important than what they drive.

CommonplaceMagic · 31/05/2015 09:59

You cannot dictate what can she buys. That's really overstepping the mark.

But as you employ her to look after your children, you can absolutely insist that that she uses your car when driving them about.

PiratePanda · 31/05/2015 10:08

Absolutely agree with everyone. You cannot dictate to her what car she buys. You can insist that she drives your DC in your car. Talk to her.

Toastandstrawberryjam · 31/05/2015 10:13

I fit 3 DC in mine. 8 and 13 year old in back! It's easy to fit car seats in (I've had it for four years so had a proper harnessed car seat in it).

outtolunchagain · 31/05/2015 10:22

Please do make sure she has business use on her insurance , if she drives your children on a policy with standard use then she will not be insured

lljkk · 31/05/2015 14:35

Do I win? I had full-size 17yo & 16yo pair in backseat of my 500, plus a 15yo in the front (he's actually the biggest teen), the other night. It's okay with teens because they fold up well, it's big carseats & oldies that don't fold well into little cars.

WMittens · 31/05/2015 22:01

Please do make sure she has business use on her insurance , if she drives your children on a policy with standard use then she will not be insured

The insurance company will pay out for a third party claim, so it won't affect the OP's interest.

outtolunchagain · 31/05/2015 22:45

That was not the advice given to me mittens , if she drives her own car in the course of her employments without class 1 business use then she is driving without insurance.

WMittens · 01/06/2015 09:14

Well yes, she would have no insurance covering her own damage, she would get an IN10 and the insurer would go after her for any payments they shouldn't have had to make. However, an insurer cannot avoid a claim for third party injury. Same as if a thief stole your car and ran someone over, your insurance company would pay the compensation to that injured person.

InstitutionCode · 01/06/2015 09:36

The car isn't as safe as the Golf, although if it's an old Golf it might be, but I agree with headlesslambrini. If you want to dictate the kind of car your Nanny drives, you need to provide it.

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