Mini Cooper and a baby??

[Chris Sideways]

Hi guys I'm looking for some advice please,myself and my girlfriend are expecting are first baby in December and need to get a car we can carry the baby in,I currently have a Boxster so that's got to go and she doesn't have a car at the moment,so we have been looking at cars and the only one we both like (she will not drive a big car) is the Mini Cooper.Now I know its not the most practical car to use but is it going to be possible at all?Can we get a pram/travel system into it and the other bits and pieces needed if we don't go over the top with stuff??
Many Thanks.
Chris

[marco-sparco]

Chris, im afraid the mini is the most unpractical car for a baby lol !!!!!!! The pram will never fit in the boot no matter what size and the car seats are a laugh til get it. maybe take a look at the clubman. Im not 100% sure of space in them but it has to be a bit more than a cooper lol. apart from that I love de car
hope that helps marc.

[Chris Sideways]

Oh no don't tell me we are going to have to go though all the car's again it took us ages to get to the Mini.So would you guys say its a def no go then??

[madbadger]

It's going to have to be baby in the boot of the Boxster or a Picasso I'm afraid.

[mike9009]

Chris

My wife and I are expecting our first baby in one month. We did own a Mini Cooper S (as our only car) and it is definitely too small as an only car and a baby. We have sold the Mini and bought an Alfa 156 sportwagon (already dented because my missus cant get used to the size!) and a 1991 mx5 for a bit of topless fun.

Best of luck!

Mike

[Chris Sideways]

Hi Mike thanks for the reply, i know what you mean about woman and cars my boxster wheels have never looked so bad!! Luckily it is'nt our only car we also have a Nissan Navara! My girlfriend is not going to drive the Navara so do you think we could get by with the Mini just for around town?

Many thanks
Chris

Edited by Chris Sideways on Friday 26th June 23:45

[okgo]

Many Many people have bought them with kids. They make decent enough seats etc. Its not an issue really from what I have seen.

You don't have to be the person that has one kid so therefore must have an estate or 4x4

[Chris Sideways]

thanks okgo that has made her smile the first post that says it could work

[900T-R]

Yeah, I'm still about the postings above too - I mean it's got a back seat and surely that must be good for something?

I don't know how big your prams are in the UK (Super Chav Sized Burberry Edition?) but surely one should be able to find one that fits in the boot with one half of the rear seat down?

[okgo]

Chris Sideways said:

thanks okgo that has made her smile the first post that says it could work

I sell them, so I can assure you that many many customers of mine carry two kids in seats in the back no problem.

You can turn the front airbag off on most models if you want the kid up front, they are safe. Good for it. PH must be full of men that are bigger than me if they can't fathom the use for more than one person.

For what its worth, I am 6,1 and 15 stone, and have happily driven my car with three others in, and I am sure that a woman and a baby would be a doodle.

This is of course if you can manage putting the seat forward each time you want to adjust the baby seat, but meh.

[simonrockman]

There was a question a bit like this in last month's EVO. "should I get a new Panda 100HP or an older 5 series". The response from John Barker who has clearly been there was "If you think you can get all the baby stuff you need in a Panda you don't know what you are letting yourself in for. Go for the BMW and while you are at it make it a Touring".

Me? I went from a Suzuki Cappuccino to a Subaru Imprezza 5 door.

Simon

[m3psm]

My Clubman arrived today, so loaded the family and associated cargo (2 car seats, toys, books, drinks, food, spare clothes, nappies etc.) in with ease. That was until the pushchair, then it all went wrong The problem was that when folded up, it was longer than the car was wide. A bit of careful pushchair selection though and I recon you'd be alright.

The Clubman does have a bigger boot and more rear legroom than the hatch though.

[okgo]

m3psm said:

My Clubman arrived today, so loaded the family and associated cargo (2 car seats, toys, books, drinks, food, spare clothes, nappies etc.) in with ease. That was until the pushchair, then it all went wrong The problem was that when folded up, it was longer than the car was wide. A bit of careful pushchair selection though and I recon you'd be alright.

The Clubman does have a bigger boot and more rear legroom than the hatch though.

Annoys me this. The mini could have a good wide boot on it. But it doesn't for whatever reason!

[Thorny]

Looked into this myself recently, spent ages looking at clubmans and hatchs. Ruled out the hatch as impossible with baby. Clubman I thought was also too small really, the buggy would go in but no room for all our own clobber!

Ended up buying a BMW 130i, very pleased with it.

[aarondrs]

Chris Sideways said:

Hi guys I'm looking for some advice please,myself and my girlfriend are expecting are first baby in December and need to get a car we can carry the baby in,I currently have a Boxster so that's got to go and she doesn't have a car at the moment,so we have been looking at cars and the only one we both like (she will not drive a big car) is the Mini Cooper.Now I know its not the most practical car to use but is it going to be possible at all?Can we get a pram/travel system into it and the other bits and pieces needed if we don't go over the top with stuff??
Many Thanks.
Chris

Chris, firstly congratulations. I have a Cooper S and a 5 series and a 5 year old and a 10 month year old. The kids fit in the back without a problem so long as teh baby goes behind the drivers seat and the (leg space for the older one behind passenger seat).

We have a Pram, Pushchair combo which fit sin the boot and also has the ability to take the car seat.

In my oipinion its serves well for normal journeys, having said that we do intend taking the 5 series to South of France and not the Mini!!

[Chris Sideways]

Thanks for all the help guys,we will now try the Mini as that's what we both want,I'm sure it will be a squeeze but looks like it will work.Will be getting it a lot sooner now as we had a head on crash in the Boxster on Saturday night ands its a total write off a tt jumped a red light at a tee junction and hit us almost head on at around 50mph(according to the police)we are now both out of hospital and both mother and baby are fine thank god.on that note how safe is a mini?good for a small car?

Edited by Chris Sideways on Monday 29th June 18:12

Edited by Chris Sideways on Monday 29th June 18:20

[Chris Sideways]

That should have been a picture of my wrecked car not sure why you cant see it
Edited to say there it is it worked

Edited by Chris Sideways on Monday 29th June 18:16

[Chris Sideways]

Hi Aaron can you please tell me the make and model of your pram that fits in the Mini's boot.

Edited by Chris Sideways on Monday 29th June 18:40

[Bazza 2174]

Chris
Please do yourself a massive favour and forget the mini as a car for a baby.

I can promise you that you simply have no idea about how much clubber a new baby takes when they go out.

Sorry but you'll end up regretting it in 2 to 3 months of buying one.

Bazza

[aarondrs]

Chris Sideways said:

Hi Aaron can you please tell me the make and model of your pram that fits in the Mini's boot.

Edited by Chris Sideways on Monday 29th June 18:40

Yes, It's a Loola Bebe Confort I believe. A bit of searching has revealed a Youtube excerpt of it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUzqEpMO_9s