The Mrs is pregnant - does a 3 door hatch work?
Discussion
Congrats OP!
Whether you *can* manage with a three door vehicle isn't so relevant. You certainly can.
Whether you want to- or whether your other half wants you to, which is as important for most couples- is more relevant. Lack of rear doors will be an annoyance at some point, it's just how much of an annoyance you're willing to tolerate that is critical here.
Just don't feel that you have to swap straight from your 172 to a small MPV. If you are going to change, embrace and control the change or you may well find yourself in a Picasso or Scenic.
Whether you *can* manage with a three door vehicle isn't so relevant. You certainly can.
Whether you want to- or whether your other half wants you to, which is as important for most couples- is more relevant. Lack of rear doors will be an annoyance at some point, it's just how much of an annoyance you're willing to tolerate that is critical here.
Just don't feel that you have to swap straight from your 172 to a small MPV. If you are going to change, embrace and control the change or you may well find yourself in a Picasso or Scenic.
Goodsteed said:
Got the news last week. Naturally the first thing that comes to mind is I may have to sell my beloved Clio 197 in favour of something dull with 5 doors and a boot capable of swallowing prams et al.
The better part of me thinks it's rather silly buying a bigger car for the sake of a 9lb person. Be good to hear from those of you who have kept the 3rd hot hatch as a family wagon and those who didn't...
When we had our first I had a Clio 200, so have a good idea of what it's like. For space, I'd say it depends on your buggy system etc. We could get jnr's stuff in the boot and get him into the back clipping an isofix seat onto a base really easily. 'twas a maxi cosi seat and an iCandy.The better part of me thinks it's rather silly buying a bigger car for the sake of a 9lb person. Be good to hear from those of you who have kept the 3rd hot hatch as a family wagon and those who didn't...
We went on holiday in it too when jnr was a bit older. Still in a rear facer we squeezed into the little clio the buggy, 2 large soft bags, a high chair, a baby walker, all the baby paraphernalia such as bottles, sterilisers etc, camping chairs and stuff for the beach.
Was a squeeze, but did it for the week
HTH
I had a Vitara as I needed minor off road ability (my house was 3/4 mile from nearest tarmac) and all I could realistically afford was a vitara. It was the convertible one too so it was the three door one.
I coped just fine and eventually he would walk into the car seat himself and I could reach in and fasten him in.
It did mean I couldn't have the latest expensive complete travel system but I saw that as a bonus. The amount of money they cost against the amount of use is disproportionate. I bought a little fold up buggy and we were perfectly fine. And I managed to get the shopping in.
However, a bigger car would have been easier. It can be done though!
I coped just fine and eventually he would walk into the car seat himself and I could reach in and fasten him in.
It did mean I couldn't have the latest expensive complete travel system but I saw that as a bonus. The amount of money they cost against the amount of use is disproportionate. I bought a little fold up buggy and we were perfectly fine. And I managed to get the shopping in.
However, a bigger car would have been easier. It can be done though!
I have mostly been ferrying around our son, now just under two, in a 2 door car - an A4 cabriolet.
I actually find it very practical, particularly now that he's in a proper forward facing child seat. The benefits include:
- when you are putting him in/taking out the seat in the rear, you can step into the rear passenger footwell while doing so. This means that you can face him the whole time and are not twisting yourself sideways. It also means that if it's raining, you are out of the rain while you strap/unstrap him.
- when he's in the car, you can easily reach back from the front and hand him the various bits of baby related kit which he drops on the floor or other seat.
Even when he was in the Maxi-cosi baby seat with isofix base, the above applied.
The boot is certainly big enough to take a pram and all the paraphernalia.
I actually find it very practical, particularly now that he's in a proper forward facing child seat. The benefits include:
- when you are putting him in/taking out the seat in the rear, you can step into the rear passenger footwell while doing so. This means that you can face him the whole time and are not twisting yourself sideways. It also means that if it's raining, you are out of the rain while you strap/unstrap him.
- when he's in the car, you can easily reach back from the front and hand him the various bits of baby related kit which he drops on the floor or other seat.
Even when he was in the Maxi-cosi baby seat with isofix base, the above applied.
The boot is certainly big enough to take a pram and all the paraphernalia.
Isofix base is a rattly POS in my opinion. We had it with the matching Maxi cosi seat in my wife's car and the non-ISOFIX version in my car - her's rattled all of the time when the baby wasn't in it and mine was perfect. Choices choices 
The seatbelt versions are easier to take out and swap in other cars - it may initially seem hard to do but most are very easy to install in 2-3mins.
Having said that I've got an ISOFIX BMW seat (for 3 years+) in my car and since it's one piece it doesn't rattle but it's very hard to try and get out if I want to swap to another car.
The seatbelt versions are easier to take out and swap in other cars - it may initially seem hard to do but most are very easy to install in 2-3mins.
Having said that I've got an ISOFIX BMW seat (for 3 years+) in my car and since it's one piece it doesn't rattle but it's very hard to try and get out if I want to swap to another car.
rich12 said:
I don't care if it's 'doable', I just don't see why you'd not just get something bigger.
Exactly, you've got enough crap to worry about with a kid, you don't need to be faffing around playing tetris trying to load the boot up with a nackered back after leaning in to load baby. I bought a 3 series touring for our imminent arrival and the wife got a Qashqai, to be honest I wish I'd bought myself an X3/5 or even a discovery - I hit daughters head on the roof probably 20% of the times I load her, it doesn't happen with high roofs (or careful parents...)
Looking forward to her being about 3 so she can climb in herself and be solely to blame for any of her head injuries!!
AlmostUseful said:
Exactly, you've got enough crap to worry about with kid, you don't need to be faffing around playing tetris trying to load boot up with nackered back after leaning in to load baby.
I bought 3 series touring for imminent arrival and wife got Qashqai, to be honest I wish I'd bought myself X3/5 or even discovery - I hit daughters head on roof probably 20% of the times I load her, it doesn't happen with high roofs...
I bought 3 series touring for imminent arrival and wife got Qashqai, to be honest I wish I'd bought myself X3/5 or even discovery - I hit daughters head on roof probably 20% of the times I load her, it doesn't happen with high roofs...
AlmostUseful said:
I bought a 3 series touring for our imminent arrival and the wife got a Qashqai, to be honest I wish I'd bought myself an X3/5 or even a discovery - I hit daughters head on the roof probably 20% of the times I load her, it doesn't happen with high roofs (or careful parents...)
What is the Qashqai like as a family car? How big is the boot? I'm currently choosing my next car and the Qashai is on the list but I am currently favouring a Passat/Mazda6 estate.When my wife had our second, we had a 106 gti as our only car. Within weeks she insisted it was time to buy a sensible family car.
When pushed on what constitutes a sensible family car she told me as long as it has 4 doors and a decent boot.
She actually got quite angry when I arrived home in a Mitsubishi Evo
When pushed on what constitutes a sensible family car she told me as long as it has 4 doors and a decent boot.
She actually got quite angry when I arrived home in a Mitsubishi Evo
Butter Face said:
We've bought one of these..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AEaRIcUZT80
Boot space is saved!
And shopping is done online anyway!
I wouldn't want my kid in that for extended periods of time. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AEaRIcUZT80
Boot space is saved!
And shopping is done online anyway!
When they are a bit older 3 door works better than 5 with small cars. They are old enough to get into the seats themselves and having the ability to fold the seats quickly forward helps you get in and fasten the belt. I have 3 dr 1 series and found a 5 door courtesy car harder. Obviously a bigger 5 door car is preferable overall.
Lifting in and out is tricky in a 5 door especially when parking space is right - or it wasn't when you parked but you return and Joe Bloggs has parked really tight so its hard not to have the rear door touching the other car getting them in.
Lifting through the seat gap in a 3 door will really do your back in twisting and stretching a huge no no. Christ unless you switch which arm you lift going up and down stairs it can cause permanent damage and agonising spasms of the back - which you have for life.
They cannot be in a car seat for >2hours its very bad for their backs as its developing so you either need a baby bjron if your happy to carry then everywhere and the baby changing bag everywhere which is a pain. So you need a proper flat bed which is big.
Sensibly you want a travel system it will last up to 3y/o and you could use it again if you have any more or sell it on as they retain value very well. Its also vastly superior to the McLaren so when you go on days out long walks let's say Goodwood festival of speed the pram can carry a lot of weight drink food nappies baby food change of clothes picnic mats baby sun umbrella etc v McLaren which cannot carry as much - we've tried it flexes the chassis in damaging it and major toe in on rear fixed wheels.
In a Leon that means pram in boot is very full - you can put a few bits of shopping on top but not much + you need toys with you too. For the chap who does online shopping we do too but you cannot exclude any going to shops for the next 4-5 years (kids do actually love going into shops sitting in the trolly helping out).
Going to stay over with family or friends you need a travel cot - Same size as a golf bag then you need the pram then you need bedding more toys more baby clothes creams nappy rash weaning foods a "bumbo" so you can feed them sitting up toys incase they don't have anything where your going then of course you and your mrs need luggage too. It simply doesn't fit so next to the baby on he back seat you have loose luggage. If you had an accident that would be flying round the cabin and could really harm the baby + no one should do this anyway incase the driver as he emergency brakes.
We moved to an estate so so so much easier you throw the stuff in and you are off. You don't need to pack tidily which when you have a screaming baby you need to be off quickly its a godsend.
Estate is also useful if you need an emergency toilet so potty in the boot let them go then dispose rather than getting soaking wet or cold outside.
Estate is also a great changing mat over rear seat - yes its lovely if you have squirting s
t on the rear seats
Were thinking S Max now we have 2 kids one reason is if one is ill on a trip then the wife or I can sit between them to calm them for the trip back. You cannot at between isofix seats in a normal car you have to have separate seats.
Buy tablets to put on rear headrests - you may think its OTT but trust me its a small price to pay to settle a screaming child on a bad day when you've a 3 hour drive and they are intent on screaming and kicking your seat the entire trip.
Oh one more thing when you do have drives you'll need to add in much more toilet breaks and the time for each will be hugely longer than if you'd do it yourself. Yes I've learnt this the hard way my expectations was somewhat wrong.
Oh you may have a child who get car sick and projectile vomits after barely a mile - we have this so do lots of others. Not every drive but its an utter nightmare when that happens.
Morale of the story be prepared - we carry change of clothes for us and the kids left in the car so whenever something like that happens were good. I had to buy a st tousle its T shirt to replace a vomit soaked one is been wearing up to that point.
S max
XC90
Merc GL
Land Rover Discovery 4
Tesla P85D 7 seater.
You need the 7 seats if you go places and take family friends kids friends with you else 2x cars fuel parking losing each other hassle it brings.
Congrats.
Lifting through the seat gap in a 3 door will really do your back in twisting and stretching a huge no no. Christ unless you switch which arm you lift going up and down stairs it can cause permanent damage and agonising spasms of the back - which you have for life.
They cannot be in a car seat for >2hours its very bad for their backs as its developing so you either need a baby bjron if your happy to carry then everywhere and the baby changing bag everywhere which is a pain. So you need a proper flat bed which is big.
Sensibly you want a travel system it will last up to 3y/o and you could use it again if you have any more or sell it on as they retain value very well. Its also vastly superior to the McLaren so when you go on days out long walks let's say Goodwood festival of speed the pram can carry a lot of weight drink food nappies baby food change of clothes picnic mats baby sun umbrella etc v McLaren which cannot carry as much - we've tried it flexes the chassis in damaging it and major toe in on rear fixed wheels.
In a Leon that means pram in boot is very full - you can put a few bits of shopping on top but not much + you need toys with you too. For the chap who does online shopping we do too but you cannot exclude any going to shops for the next 4-5 years (kids do actually love going into shops sitting in the trolly helping out).
Going to stay over with family or friends you need a travel cot - Same size as a golf bag then you need the pram then you need bedding more toys more baby clothes creams nappy rash weaning foods a "bumbo" so you can feed them sitting up toys incase they don't have anything where your going then of course you and your mrs need luggage too. It simply doesn't fit so next to the baby on he back seat you have loose luggage. If you had an accident that would be flying round the cabin and could really harm the baby + no one should do this anyway incase the driver as he emergency brakes.
We moved to an estate so so so much easier you throw the stuff in and you are off. You don't need to pack tidily which when you have a screaming baby you need to be off quickly its a godsend.
Estate is also useful if you need an emergency toilet so potty in the boot let them go then dispose rather than getting soaking wet or cold outside.
Estate is also a great changing mat over rear seat - yes its lovely if you have squirting s
t on the rear seatsWere thinking S Max now we have 2 kids one reason is if one is ill on a trip then the wife or I can sit between them to calm them for the trip back. You cannot at between isofix seats in a normal car you have to have separate seats.
Buy tablets to put on rear headrests - you may think its OTT but trust me its a small price to pay to settle a screaming child on a bad day when you've a 3 hour drive and they are intent on screaming and kicking your seat the entire trip.
Oh one more thing when you do have drives you'll need to add in much more toilet breaks and the time for each will be hugely longer than if you'd do it yourself. Yes I've learnt this the hard way my expectations was somewhat wrong.
Oh you may have a child who get car sick and projectile vomits after barely a mile - we have this so do lots of others. Not every drive but its an utter nightmare when that happens.
Morale of the story be prepared - we carry change of clothes for us and the kids left in the car so whenever something like that happens were good. I had to buy a s
t tousle its T shirt to replace a vomit soaked one is been wearing up to that point. S max
XC90
Merc GL
Land Rover Discovery 4
Tesla P85D 7 seater.
You need the 7 seats if you go places and take family friends kids friends with you else 2x cars fuel parking losing each other hassle it brings.
Congrats
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