The Mrs is pregnant - does a 3 door hatch work?
Discussion
Congratulations!
I changed my Mk 3 MX-5 for a Panda 100HP when my (ex) got pregnant. It didn't work (the car, although ok the relationship didn't either) - if you're anything more than 30 you'll do your back in getting the little darling and their lead filled baby chaise longue in and out of the car.
I thought sod it and bought a new Yeti, and left the speed for my race car. My ex goes pale whenever my 3 year old little girl says she's going to be a race driver like daddy...
I changed my Mk 3 MX-5 for a Panda 100HP when my (ex) got pregnant. It didn't work (the car, although ok the relationship didn't either) - if you're anything more than 30 you'll do your back in getting the little darling and their lead filled baby chaise longue in and out of the car.
I thought sod it and bought a new Yeti, and left the speed for my race car. My ex goes pale whenever my 3 year old little girl says she's going to be a race driver like daddy...
Or if breakups are not on the cards... and race cars in not in the foreseeable future... trust me 3 doors are harder to live with.
As per the general consensus they are doable but a ball ache that I wouldn't recommend. Especially considering you'll have many a stressful moment ahead of you now you're becoming a parent.
Try it, when your missus waters break, drive her to the hospital (after cleaning up) in the clio, baby seat at the ready. Do the hours of Labour, tiredness and general exhaustion that she'll have to endure, then think about you, then think of the amazing marvel that is your new child, first feed, no sleep, discharged from hospital, new born in seat, seat into car.
You won't give a s
t about it being a 3 door, you'll spend 20 minutes making sure your child is in that car safe and sound. Checking your missus is happy, just being in awe about everything.
Days later, weeks later, nappy changes, feeds, crying, sleepless nights, then you'll get annoyed with a 3 door. Not a month later, not 6 months, maybe not even 2 years but I can guarantee you will want a 5 door at some point.
As per the general consensus they are doable but a ball ache that I wouldn't recommend. Especially considering you'll have many a stressful moment ahead of you now you're becoming a parent.
Try it, when your missus waters break, drive her to the hospital (after cleaning up) in the clio, baby seat at the ready. Do the hours of Labour, tiredness and general exhaustion that she'll have to endure, then think about you, then think of the amazing marvel that is your new child, first feed, no sleep, discharged from hospital, new born in seat, seat into car.
You won't give a s
t about it being a 3 door, you'll spend 20 minutes making sure your child is in that car safe and sound. Checking your missus is happy, just being in awe about everything.Days later, weeks later, nappy changes, feeds, crying, sleepless nights, then you'll get annoyed with a 3 door. Not a month later, not 6 months, maybe not even 2 years but I can guarantee you will want a 5 door at some point.
We managed perfectly well with a Ford Ka.
Kids have short legs so a decent sized bag will fit behind each front seat. Another one will fit in the middle of the rear seat. A fold up push chair and cot fitted across the boot. The cot doubled as a box to carry stuff in to wherever we were staying. Another decent sized bag fits lengthways in the front passenger footwell. It was a bit squashed on family holidays with a five year old and a baby as well though.
You certainly don't need a big car for a family unless you are rubbish at packing or have to take something like a canoe on every other journey.
You really don't need half the stuff you are supposed to automatically rush out and buy.
In fact, and here is a piece of good advice, only buy a baby related thing if you truly think it will make life easier for you, not because the midwife likes it, not because her friend or your sister or your mum's friend likes it, but only if you think it will improve your life.
You may not need to actually buy anything at all. You'd be amazed at how many friends, mums and relatives will suddenly find an old car seat or baby bath in the attic. Our baby changer unit was called "the tenner", guess how much it cost us. Our last push chair was thrown out by someone else and lasted us five years and two kids.
Anyway, summary, Ka is fine if you pay attention to packing. You don't need all the stuff you are "supposed" to get.
Kids have short legs so a decent sized bag will fit behind each front seat. Another one will fit in the middle of the rear seat. A fold up push chair and cot fitted across the boot. The cot doubled as a box to carry stuff in to wherever we were staying. Another decent sized bag fits lengthways in the front passenger footwell. It was a bit squashed on family holidays with a five year old and a baby as well though.
You certainly don't need a big car for a family unless you are rubbish at packing or have to take something like a canoe on every other journey.
You really don't need half the stuff you are supposed to automatically rush out and buy.
In fact, and here is a piece of good advice, only buy a baby related thing if you truly think it will make life easier for you, not because the midwife likes it, not because her friend or your sister or your mum's friend likes it, but only if you think it will improve your life.
You may not need to actually buy anything at all. You'd be amazed at how many friends, mums and relatives will suddenly find an old car seat or baby bath in the attic. Our baby changer unit was called "the tenner", guess how much it cost us. Our last push chair was thrown out by someone else and lasted us five years and two kids.
Anyway, summary, Ka is fine if you pay attention to packing. You don't need all the stuff you are "supposed" to get.
My kids are 8 and 6 now and I've never owned a five door car. Opening a door wide enough can be a pain if someone parks next to you but it certainly can be done.
Of course it probably would have been easier with a five door but I didn't want one. So I didn't bother.
It's much easier now because they climb in themselves and do their own seat belts.
Of course it probably would have been easier with a five door but I didn't want one. So I didn't bother.
It's much easier now because they climb in themselves and do their own seat belts.
To visit our family in Scotland over Christmas we need to take;
Travel cot (folds down to approx 1ft x 1ft x 4ft)
Bag of bedding, sheets, etc
Travel system frame
Travel system seat
Car seat
3 days of Baby clothes/nappies/food
Small suitcase for 3 days clothes for Wife and I
Pile of gifts for inlaws/nephews
Pile of gifts for my family
Winter coats
If I had a small hatchback, I'm trying to figure out which of these frivolous items I would be able to leave behind. I would have to leave almost half of them to fit in a Ka.
Travel cot (folds down to approx 1ft x 1ft x 4ft)
Bag of bedding, sheets, etc
Travel system frame
Travel system seat
Car seat
3 days of Baby clothes/nappies/food
Small suitcase for 3 days clothes for Wife and I
Pile of gifts for inlaws/nephews
Pile of gifts for my family
Winter coats
If I had a small hatchback, I'm trying to figure out which of these frivolous items I would be able to leave behind. I would have to leave almost half of them to fit in a Ka.
i managed with a 172 and 2 kids (3year old and a baby) getting them in and out was ok thanks to the front seat sliding mechanism thing but the lack of storage space became a real pain in the arse so i bought a scooby.
Ive got a 225 cup now which is roughly the same sort of size as a 197 and its fine really - the kids are 8 and 4 so dont need much stuff dragged around with the.
I wouldn't run the 197 as an only car but itll be fine if you've got a family bus for long trips.
If you have to do the one family car thing then a scoob is perfect - not least cos the burbly noise makes kids fall asleep really quickly
Ive got a 225 cup now which is roughly the same sort of size as a 197 and its fine really - the kids are 8 and 4 so dont need much stuff dragged around with the.
I wouldn't run the 197 as an only car but itll be fine if you've got a family bus for long trips.
If you have to do the one family car thing then a scoob is perfect - not least cos the burbly noise makes kids fall asleep really quickly
Congratulations how about these as nice spacious family Transport:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Or an Estate.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Or an Estate.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
Congrats! As others have said, yes it can be done, but yes it is easier with rear doors. I'll go another one and say it is also easier if the car is a bit higher up.
We've got a Forester and a Liberty estate. The Lib is bigger inside, but the rear door is smaller and being that bit lower is noticeable when you're putting the little one in for the third or fourth time that morning. Multiply that by several months, and you start to understand why higher set cars work better for the family. And before anyone writes it, the Forester is not so high that the kids can't climb in as soon as they're walking - just high enough to make a difference.
Its also big enough in the boot to take all sorts of crap including a Mountain Buggy pram (and we used to have a Double...) and the week's shopping. And when we had just two kids, we also used it to go on a few 2000km road trips. Plenty of space, really. And now we have three kids, we all still fit in the Forester with very little phaff.
Just get the XT version...
We've got a Forester and a Liberty estate. The Lib is bigger inside, but the rear door is smaller and being that bit lower is noticeable when you're putting the little one in for the third or fourth time that morning. Multiply that by several months, and you start to understand why higher set cars work better for the family. And before anyone writes it, the Forester is not so high that the kids can't climb in as soon as they're walking - just high enough to make a difference.
Its also big enough in the boot to take all sorts of crap including a Mountain Buggy pram (and we used to have a Double...) and the week's shopping. And when we had just two kids, we also used it to go on a few 2000km road trips. Plenty of space, really. And now we have three kids, we all still fit in the Forester with very little phaff.
Just get the XT version...
C.A.R. said:
Yes, absolutely.
Common misconception that a tiny baby necessitates a minibus to transport around. I've had a few cars since our little one first arrived (she's now 2 and a half)
Toyota Celica 190 (fuel was...expensive)
Focus TDCi Sport (3dr)
Peugeot 306 DTurbo (3dr)
Still have the 306. Love it. It's worthless, fun to drive, quick enough and more frugal than a really frugal thing.
The 3 door thing isn't a problem at all. Doors are bigger, so the loading aperture is actually more accessible. You can physically stand front-on to the child seat which makes strapping them in really easy (and you don't get wet if it's raining). No struggling to reach across them to get to the seatbelt etc. I'm no spring chicken either - and we aren't talking about gigantic modern cars. There genuinely is no disadvantage to having 2 fewer doors - especially if your situation is like mine and you use your car primarily for commuting and occasionally for transporting the family. Why drive a crap looking 5-door when 3 doors isn't a compromise?!
Common misconception that a tiny baby necessitates a minibus to transport around. I've had a few cars since our little one first arrived (she's now 2 and a half)
Toyota Celica 190 (fuel was...expensive)
Focus TDCi Sport (3dr)
Peugeot 306 DTurbo (3dr)
Still have the 306. Love it. It's worthless, fun to drive, quick enough and more frugal than a really frugal thing.
The 3 door thing isn't a problem at all. Doors are bigger, so the loading aperture is actually more accessible. You can physically stand front-on to the child seat which makes strapping them in really easy (and you don't get wet if it's raining). No struggling to reach across them to get to the seatbelt etc. I'm no spring chicken either - and we aren't talking about gigantic modern cars. There genuinely is no disadvantage to having 2 fewer doors - especially if your situation is like mine and you use your car primarily for commuting and occasionally for transporting the family. Why drive a crap looking 5-door when 3 doors isn't a compromise?!
Oh no, no disadvantages at all....no siree.
I think my ability to be a family man but not look like one is important. I have got my priorities right you see. It doesn't matter if I squeeze the kids stuff in.
Don't need an estate or more room. (Shhh, don't say anything, as I believe I have fooled the Mrs into thinking this is OK. We'll "manage").
OP, get an estate and be prepared to have some flexibility and the ability for additional comfort. Your Mrs and your child will be better for it. An overloaded small 3 door hatchback isn't on with a family in tow.
Don't need an estate or more room. (Shhh, don't say anything, as I believe I have fooled the Mrs into thinking this is OK. We'll "manage").
OP, get an estate and be prepared to have some flexibility and the ability for additional comfort. Your Mrs and your child will be better for it. An overloaded small 3 door hatchback isn't on with a family in tow.
Riktoid said:
Only a mentalist would use a three door hatch for a family wagon.
We struggled with a seven seater.
Good grief, what would you make of us then? My wife kept her Suzuki Cappuccino as her car when we had our first child and only sold it when she struggled to get in when pregnant with the second! Admittedly, we did have a Mazda 323 as the family hack for going away.We struggled with a seven seater.
Had a 205 and Punto for the first 5 years of the nipper that was fine. 2nd one we had a SportKa and a Cerbera. That did become a slight pain as neither were very good at fitting in those massive car seats, so we ended up getting rid of both which I always regret!
They are only in those massive prams for a year, then the little fold up buggies become much easier.
They are only in those massive prams for a year, then the little fold up buggies become much easier.
We managed with my E36 M3 Evo coupe when our eldest was a toddler and our youngest a baby. My wife has managed with her R50 Mini for the last year, though we're finding it a bit tight for our eldest now that she's 4.5 and fairly tall for her age. I have a B5 RS4, which we use when going away, but we can go weeks without using it for family transport without any issues. I suspect in the reasonably near future my wife will have to give up her precious Mini and replace it with something that will give our eldest a bit more leg-room, but it isn't the three door aspect of it that is proving an issue.
FreeLitres said:
Butter Face said:
My first is due in July, my CTR is going nowhere.
Though, to be fair, my wife has a 1 series which is the family car.
Good luck with that.Though, to be fair, my wife has a 1 series which is the family car.
To give you a visualisation, here is a pram in the back of a 1-series;
You now have your supermarket trolley at the back of the car loaded with boxes of nappies, wipes, weekly groceries, bog rolls, etc. Where do you put it?
The next day, you are going on holiday or visiting your family/friends for a few days and you have a couple of small suitcases to take.
See where this is going?
f
k me, does no-one buy those Maclaren folding buggies anymore? The ones that fold down to basically hee-haw? 
Or do they not score enough scene points at the nursery when compared to the massive disc-brake equipped monstrosities on offer these days?
Oh and congrats to you and your missus OP
Whilst it's of course perfectly possible, I'd avoid a three-door and I can't stress enough how useful Isofix. It's fantastic to be able to just pull a lever and lift the whole baby seat out of the car with the baby still fast asleep in it.
We've got an Octavia VRS hatchback as our family car (with one nine-month old, at the moment) and whilst it's slightly excessive in terms of size, it's surprising how often we manage to fill the boot. You can get compact buggies and indeed we have one like the one in the post above which we keep in the car most of the time but the bigger ones tend to be more comfortable to use both for you and the baby and even the Octavia's boot is more than half filled by our Maxi-Cosi Mura on the odd occasion we take it in the car.
Once they're out of rear-facing seats, I suspect a three-door becomes much more viable.
We've got an Octavia VRS hatchback as our family car (with one nine-month old, at the moment) and whilst it's slightly excessive in terms of size, it's surprising how often we manage to fill the boot. You can get compact buggies and indeed we have one like the one in the post above which we keep in the car most of the time but the bigger ones tend to be more comfortable to use both for you and the baby and even the Octavia's boot is more than half filled by our Maxi-Cosi Mura on the odd occasion we take it in the car.
Once they're out of rear-facing seats, I suspect a three-door becomes much more viable.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 10th March 08:31
It can be made to work, but it's not ideal.
First question would be: are you the sort of people who buy All The Things and take them everywhere? If so, then a definite no-no.
If you aren't terrified into buying loads of superfluous baby contraptions, then yeah, you can manage, but it won't be ideal.
We have a Clio 172 and getting the little dude in/out of the back with a rear facer wasn't too bad TBH. It tended to mean leaning in, putting the seat in, and then getting in to clip it in to the base.
With a front facer I find it pretty easy as you can slide the seat forwards and sit in front of them. Wide opening doors are a bit of a pain though.
The main trouble was the pram - we had a Quinny Buzz and a Recaro seat that clipped in to it - with that in the boot you had to remove the shelf and then there wasn't much room for anything else. Now he's older (coming up to 2) we've got a Mclaren Techno XT which fits on the boot of the Clio, and have done plenty of trips with the little Clio now with no issues. But we don't take loads of gumph everywhere.
TL:DR - manageable if you aren't daft, but for the first year or so, storage was our main issue. However, makes the perfect partner for a mid sized estate.
First question would be: are you the sort of people who buy All The Things and take them everywhere? If so, then a definite no-no.
If you aren't terrified into buying loads of superfluous baby contraptions, then yeah, you can manage, but it won't be ideal.
We have a Clio 172 and getting the little dude in/out of the back with a rear facer wasn't too bad TBH. It tended to mean leaning in, putting the seat in, and then getting in to clip it in to the base.
With a front facer I find it pretty easy as you can slide the seat forwards and sit in front of them. Wide opening doors are a bit of a pain though.
The main trouble was the pram - we had a Quinny Buzz and a Recaro seat that clipped in to it - with that in the boot you had to remove the shelf and then there wasn't much room for anything else. Now he's older (coming up to 2) we've got a Mclaren Techno XT which fits on the boot of the Clio, and have done plenty of trips with the little Clio now with no issues. But we don't take loads of gumph everywhere.
TL:DR - manageable if you aren't daft, but for the first year or so, storage was our main issue. However, makes the perfect partner for a mid sized estate.
Edited by FD3Si on Tuesday 10th March 08:40
A 3 door hatch works in the same way that some people use an Elise as a daily driver. It can be done but I'm not sure I'd want to live with the drawbacks. I had a 3 door Punto when my boy came along. I ended up with a 2.5 GhiaX Mondeo with the huge hatch boot after a month. You need the door fully open to get all the stuff and Mum in the back of the car and if someone parks close to you, it becomes a pain. Oh and try a small 4 day break in Centre Parcs with a small hatch boot. By the time the pram, pushchair chassis and all the other bits and bobs you need, there's no room for a bag of your own.
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