AGAIN, sorry - which non-MPV's can fit two baby seats and a teen in the back pls?

[twelveyeargap]

My current (lovely, classic, old) car only has a lap belt in the middle rear.

Will have 14 mth gap between current baby and next. Need to fit two full size baby seats next to each other in the back, and also fit in a teenager next to them.

I reeeeely don't want a kiddie-wagon, despite being quite kiddie-overloaded.

Are there estates or saloons which might do it? Have to also bear in mind I'll have to fit a double buggy plus other in the darn thing, so need a good sized boot.

DH is also really arsey about paying big bucks for a car, so I'm going to be trying to buy something 5-7 years old as well. (Not asking much, me.)

Any ideas?

erm, piccasso... then the only other I can think of is the Mercedes M (?) class, the estate one but has 6/7 seats, but it's very new out. I think Parkers have a thing where you can put in details of what you want, price range etc. and they come up with it.

don't know whether you'd class it as a kiddie wagon or not, but we have a honda FRV.

It's a 6 seater, but only the same size as a normal car (tiny bit wider than an audi A3, but exactly the same length).

we have managed ot get in ours:

dh & I
dsd - 18
dss - 16
dd1 - 3 1/2 in car seat (is it gp1? forward facing with 5 point harness)
dd2 - now 11 monthds, still in rear facing baby seat.

AND have fitted double buggy in boot (have P&T now, but before I got that we put old M&P and then chassis+carrycot for dd2 in) plus our large dog (rottie).

It's a bit snug when you're all in, but the seats are all individual seats, and we manage fine.

I've got a Volvo (i know, butit's safe and reliable) and we can get 2 seats in the back and it has a proper 3-point seatbelt in the middle. Lots of boot. Only prob is the ENORMOUS tuning-circle, I have to do 45-point turns into a tesco parking space.

Ford Escort 1.3. Had 3 child seats across the back at one point.

The newer Passats have three full seatbelts.

Another vote for the volvo V70.

You can get the old-style boxy ones (pre-2000) for really quite reasonable amounts of money. And if you get an older one, you can have nice leather seats and wood trim in the front. They keep going for ever. Built-in booster seat is handy, as is the option of two fold-down seats in the boot for ferrying extra children.

Not an original choice, but not boring either. And people tend to get out of your way, I find.

Turning circle parking not a problem. Current car is an ancient Jag XJ Sport. It's about the length of a Transit Van and probably harder to manoeuvre. I only need a sheepskin coat to complete the Arthur Daly look...

Mmm, V70 would be ok I think. Kind of goes with my fondness for old, (ahem) "classic" cars.

CaptainMummy - the carer and child spaces at Tesco are for the big cars.

(I don't use them when I don't have the child with me, before I get flayed!)

Ours is an S-reg, and I love it. It's the pre-curvy shape, so a bit boxy, but has nice leather seats, walnut trim, blahdiblah. Having got used to it I'm always slightly taken aback by how plasticky most other cars are in comparison.

This is what the obsessives at the volvo owner's club think about it. The W-reg classic is a particularly good deal, as it was immediately before the facelifted version, so they added all the bells and whistles to the outgoing design as standard to make them more attractive.

If you're in London I can heartily recommend my volvo garage.

Honda Jazz. VERY spacious x Good luck.

Citroen Xsara Picasso, or does this count as an MPV?

Yes please frogs. Where are they?

Know what you mean about plasticky cars as well. Mine is leather and walnut inside. It's like driving your living room around tbh. That's why I'm so sad it has to go.

Great tips about which year to look out for. Thanks.

I currently have a toyota verso which is 7 seats and a mpv but not iykwim. Smaller to drive than you think but ooddlleeesss of space.

In 3 weeks I take delivery of my new car..a nissan qashqai, slightly smaller as only 5 seats BUT doesn't scream "I have umpteen kids" . BTW I have a 2.6 yr old and 1 yr old.

Braydon Motor Company in Downs Road, Hackney. They're not a 'branded' volvo dealer, they're a small independent garage who specialise in Volvos. Nice guys, and really expert. The volvo owners club obsessives people recommend them.

I think Matt is the guy who deals with sales, mainly.

Does sound like a big old volvo might be your thing.

Yahs. Small person syndrome. Need a big car.

nissan tino.

silverfrog could you email me please on tobys_mummy at btinternet dot com

i have a question about the ottuto pushchair.