Baby on the way - 3doors or 5?
Discussion
Bit of an 'ongoing argument' in my house at the moment, everyone but me thinks I should narrow my search down to a 5-door hatchback or small saloon car before our first arrives this October.
My argument - after trying to strap my nephew into a Fiesta 5-door - is that the opening on a 5-door hatchback is often smaller, and the bulk of a childseat (most likely a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix) is a b*stard to get in and out of the door, then you have no room to reach the belt on the other side of the seat. It's a proper faff and even worse when it was bloody raining!
With a 3-door the physical clear opening is much larger, flick the front seat forwards and get in with the childseat, standing in front of it (albeit crouched over). This does give you full access to the belt etc and is surely a whole lot easier?
I only ever keep a car for 18 months - 2 years anyway as I'm very fussy, but I'm just looking to see what the general PH opinion and experiences are of this - what's easier?
Ultimately I think the decision is mine, as it's my f*cking car I'll get what I want, but I could do with some ammunition to shut the family up who are convinced that another 3-door car will be money down the drain.
My argument - after trying to strap my nephew into a Fiesta 5-door - is that the opening on a 5-door hatchback is often smaller, and the bulk of a childseat (most likely a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix) is a b*stard to get in and out of the door, then you have no room to reach the belt on the other side of the seat. It's a proper faff and even worse when it was bloody raining!
With a 3-door the physical clear opening is much larger, flick the front seat forwards and get in with the childseat, standing in front of it (albeit crouched over). This does give you full access to the belt etc and is surely a whole lot easier?
I only ever keep a car for 18 months - 2 years anyway as I'm very fussy, but I'm just looking to see what the general PH opinion and experiences are of this - what's easier?
Ultimately I think the decision is mine, as it's my f*cking car I'll get what I want, but I could do with some ammunition to shut the family up who are convinced that another 3-door car will be money down the drain.
5.
I tried fitting our child seat in a 3-door A3. Not something I would want to do routinely. Atleast it has manual seats which can be moved around quickly. God forbid it has electric seats which take an age to be moved forward / backward.
It's a doddle in the 5-series.
Definitely get a base that stays in the car.
I tried fitting our child seat in a 3-door A3. Not something I would want to do routinely. Atleast it has manual seats which can be moved around quickly. God forbid it has electric seats which take an age to be moved forward / backward.
It's a doddle in the 5-series.
Definitely get a base that stays in the car.
Edited by sinizter on Monday 23 July 09:35
FoundOnRoadside said:
No. You need to buy a Freelander, Zafira or C4 Picasso. Those babies are HUGE. Or at least that's what seems to happen around here, 3 series coupe or Fiesta ST or the likes get traded in for a MPV or small SUV upon arrival of 7lb small human.
Don't bother the mid size MPV, they don't don't have room for the entire contents of mothercare which MUST take with you where ever you do. Grand Espace is what you need, then add topbox and you are sorted.5 doors are best for kids tbh.
I could not physically fit the child seat into the rear of my Audi s3 8l model! No aperture was big enough, front doors, seats would not move enough out of the way to fit it in the gap, rear hatch..... Nope. Put rear seats down, put seat in, then could only do it by putting the smaller half rear seat back up, the child seat in place, then seconds rear seat up, then kid in..... Pain in the arse.
5 doors so much easier when they become heavier but still immobile!
I could not physically fit the child seat into the rear of my Audi s3 8l model! No aperture was big enough, front doors, seats would not move enough out of the way to fit it in the gap, rear hatch..... Nope. Put rear seats down, put seat in, then could only do it by putting the smaller half rear seat back up, the child seat in place, then seconds rear seat up, then kid in..... Pain in the arse.
5 doors so much easier when they become heavier but still immobile!
The opening may well be bigger, but the doors on a 3dr need a hell of a lot more room to open fully than those of a 5dr.
Not wanting to turn this into another "Why MPV thread" that little 7lb human comes with half a ton of paraphernalia, so if it makes my life easier having a larger car then great. If I want to stretch my PH legs I'll go for a blatt in the TVR!
Not wanting to turn this into another "Why MPV thread" that little 7lb human comes with half a ton of paraphernalia, so if it makes my life easier having a larger car then great. If I want to stretch my PH legs I'll go for a blatt in the TVR!
C.A.R. said:
My argument - after trying to strap my nephew into a Fiesta 5-door - is that the opening on a 5-door hatchback is often smaller, and the bulk of a childseat (most likely a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix) is a b*stard to get in and out of the door, then you have no room to reach the belt on the other side of the seat. It's a proper faff and even worse when it was bloody raining!
Get a maxi-cosi peble and the familyfix base. The base gets attached to the isofix points on the car and stays in place, you just lift the peble seat on top and it locks into place, taking it out is a matter of releasing the locks with a single handle-pull and you can lift it off again.Might be a hundred quid more because of the base-station, but not having to faff around with seatbelts etc.. is awesome.
Also, obligatory mumsnet remark
Depends.
Most friends we know have had 3 door coupes and then a child. WIthin 6 months it's been changed to a saloon/MPV/estate/etc
One (bad case) to consider is your other half. Assuming she will be using it as well, the weight of a car seat, held at near arms length with a new born is heavy. A 6 month old? An 18 month old? Worse still if she has to have a c-section.
Just keep life harmonious, buy an Impreza WRX 5 door
Most friends we know have had 3 door coupes and then a child. WIthin 6 months it's been changed to a saloon/MPV/estate/etc
One (bad case) to consider is your other half. Assuming she will be using it as well, the weight of a car seat, held at near arms length with a new born is heavy. A 6 month old? An 18 month old? Worse still if she has to have a c-section.
Just keep life harmonious, buy an Impreza WRX 5 door
Edited by McHaggis on Monday 23 July 09:39
You will wreck your back and it's generally a pain having to move the seat back, back and forth.
We swopped a Honda CTR for a Mazda 5 and never regretted it as the Hinda was just a major ball-ache to access the rear. I have a Fiesta ST and even that's annoying enough loading grown kids in and out of the back. I'm beginning to wish I'd stuck to 5 doors. Luckily we mainly use the Mondeo for child transit duties.
However, it's up to you. If you want to suffer for your art then feel free to do so. Just remember that babies are light to start with and get much heavier.
We swopped a Honda CTR for a Mazda 5 and never regretted it as the Hinda was just a major ball-ache to access the rear. I have a Fiesta ST and even that's annoying enough loading grown kids in and out of the back. I'm beginning to wish I'd stuck to 5 doors. Luckily we mainly use the Mondeo for child transit duties.
However, it's up to you. If you want to suffer for your art then feel free to do so. Just remember that babies are light to start with and get much heavier.
My daughter was 21 months old when I sold my E36 M3 Evo coupe. As you say, I could just stand in the back with her when putting her in the car seat. I don't think it is much worse if you're placing the child into the seat when the seat is already in the car, but if you have a system that allows you to attach a car seat to a buggy, thus requiring the seat to come in and out of the car with the child, then that might not be quite so easy.
We're one step ahead as we already have the isofix seat base - this stays in the car permanently and the seat just clips into the top of it - thus removing a lot of the faffing.
Most 3-door cars don't actually have a different wheelbase to their 5-door counterparts, so there's no more room in a 5 door, it's just more compromised. Bootspace is never usually affected either.
I think the inevitibility is that I will cave into the pressure and end up getting something unnecessarily large - the father is recommending a Peugeot 406?! Maybe he thinks I could earn extra money in the evenings as an un-licensed taxi driver.
90% of the cars use will be commuting to and from work - if my Mrs actually hurries up and passes her test she has a crappy little 5-door Picanto she can use herself.
Most 3-door cars don't actually have a different wheelbase to their 5-door counterparts, so there's no more room in a 5 door, it's just more compromised. Bootspace is never usually affected either.
I think the inevitibility is that I will cave into the pressure and end up getting something unnecessarily large - the father is recommending a Peugeot 406?! Maybe he thinks I could earn extra money in the evenings as an un-licensed taxi driver.
90% of the cars use will be commuting to and from work - if my Mrs actually hurries up and passes her test she has a crappy little 5-door Picanto she can use herself.
Little Maty is now 18 months old. Missus has an 06 Corsa (3 door) and I've got an RS Megane (5 door). She was always adament that it was easier to put him in her car, as you said, throw the passenger seat forward and she could then stand in the footwell while strapping him in. I on the other hand argued the other way, that 5 doors MUST be the better option.
As is 'always' the case, she is actually right, I think I prefer putting him in her car to mine, we don't tell her that though!
Also actually putting the car seat in the car is easier in hers, again you can get in and it's easier to thread the seat through it and clip it in compared to leaning over the seat in my car.
None the less I've just bought her a new Suzuki Swift as a wedding present................ I went for the 5 door!
As is 'always' the case, she is actually right, I think I prefer putting him in her car to mine, we don't tell her that though!
Also actually putting the car seat in the car is easier in hers, again you can get in and it's easier to thread the seat through it and clip it in compared to leaning over the seat in my car.
None the less I've just bought her a new Suzuki Swift as a wedding present................ I went for the 5 door!
C.A.R. said:
Bit of an 'ongoing argument' in my house at the moment, everyone but me thinks I should narrow my search down to a 5-door hatchback or small saloon car before our first arrives this October.
My argument - after trying to strap my nephew into a Fiesta 5-door - is that the opening on a 5-door hatchback is often smaller, and the bulk of a childseat (most likely a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix) is a b*stard to get in and out of the door, then you have no room to reach the belt on the other side of the seat. It's a proper faff and even worse when it was bloody raining!
With a 3-door the physical clear opening is much larger, flick the front seat forwards and get in with the childseat, standing in front of it (albeit crouched over). This does give you full access to the belt etc and is surely a whole lot easier?
I only ever keep a car for 18 months - 2 years anyway as I'm very fussy, but I'm just looking to see what the general PH opinion and experiences are of this - what's easier?
Ultimately I think the decision is mine, as it's my f*cking car I'll get what I want, but I could do with some ammunition to shut the family up who are convinced that another 3-door car will be money down the drain.
I see your logic and agree, providing your back is ok.My argument - after trying to strap my nephew into a Fiesta 5-door - is that the opening on a 5-door hatchback is often smaller, and the bulk of a childseat (most likely a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix) is a b*stard to get in and out of the door, then you have no room to reach the belt on the other side of the seat. It's a proper faff and even worse when it was bloody raining!
With a 3-door the physical clear opening is much larger, flick the front seat forwards and get in with the childseat, standing in front of it (albeit crouched over). This does give you full access to the belt etc and is surely a whole lot easier?
I only ever keep a car for 18 months - 2 years anyway as I'm very fussy, but I'm just looking to see what the general PH opinion and experiences are of this - what's easier?
Ultimately I think the decision is mine, as it's my f*cking car I'll get what I want, but I could do with some ammunition to shut the family up who are convinced that another 3-door car will be money down the drain.
In fact I'd even go one further and say a 4x4 or soft roader 3 door would work well for this. Freelander 1's have flipping huge doors and wonderful access to the rear seats. But being a bit higher up you wouldn't need to stoop.
Either that or go sliding doors instead
Jumpy Guy said:
For me - 5 doors
The first time you have to restrain a tantruming two year old in their car seat via the front seats will convince you of that...
By the time she is two I will probably be looking for a different car - by which point I can understand the logic of the extra doors. But for the first 2 years or so I can't see what the benefit is - I'm only 23 and I've no history of back complaints! The first time you have to restrain a tantruming two year old in their car seat via the front seats will convince you of that...
Obviously a large part of it for me is that 3 doors looks better and perhaps that's quite a selfish way to look at it. If I were to upscale from a 3-door hatch I'd prefer a small saloon - A VW Bora or a similar - as I think these look better.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff