What car for 3 child seats?
Discussion
Our plan is not to change cars for the arrival of a third child. We have a previous generation (2010 W169) A-Class and an E-Class estate (1996 W124).
Multimac offer a 'minimac' which is a rear facing infant carrier that fits in place of the cushions on one of the positions in your multimac. It's a strong metal seat that locates metal to metal on the frame of the multimac very securely.
We've not tried our minimac out yet because the 3rd baby isn't coming until next week
My wife likes her a-class which has an unusually wide rear seat for a smaller car. The 1260 model 4 seat multimac fits snuggly in the back - no need for an xc90/mpv/disco - job jobbed.
I think that the 5-point harness on a multimac, in use well after a child would usually have moved on to a 3-point belt+booster, means for most of the years the seat's in use the child is far better accomodated in a multimac from a side impact protection perspective than would be conventionally. The rest of the time, it's still pretty good.
Admittedly we'd prefer our children were rear-facing in bulkier seats (like they are now before no.3 turns up) until they were older as is the norm in Sweden, but practically speaking we feel the multimac keeps us on the road in our exising cars and is very safe.
For occasions when the A-Class is too small we'll use my W124 estate. The maxi-cosi infant seat and 2 extended rear-facers do fit across the back. If we get uncomfortable with that squeeze, the multimac goes in anyway.
Dapster said:
The thing with the Multimac is that it is suitable only if your kids are all about the same age. How does it work with a rear facing, infant and child needing moving at the same time, which, let’s face it, is the likely spacing if you have 3 kids?
They are supposed to be able to accommodate children from 0 - 12 yrs, the height adjusters on the shoulder straps are really easy and quick to move when you need to put a different sized child in.Multimac offer a 'minimac' which is a rear facing infant carrier that fits in place of the cushions on one of the positions in your multimac. It's a strong metal seat that locates metal to metal on the frame of the multimac very securely.
We've not tried our minimac out yet because the 3rd baby isn't coming until next week
My wife likes her a-class which has an unusually wide rear seat for a smaller car. The 1260 model 4 seat multimac fits snuggly in the back - no need for an xc90/mpv/disco - job jobbed.
Dapster said:
I have also read that individual child seats with head support and side impact support are far safer in an side impact than the Multimac. The Which? report on seat safety certainly states that.
You've seen the two types of headrest they have for the multimac?I think that the 5-point harness on a multimac, in use well after a child would usually have moved on to a 3-point belt+booster, means for most of the years the seat's in use the child is far better accomodated in a multimac from a side impact protection perspective than would be conventionally. The rest of the time, it's still pretty good.
Admittedly we'd prefer our children were rear-facing in bulkier seats (like they are now before no.3 turns up) until they were older as is the norm in Sweden, but practically speaking we feel the multimac keeps us on the road in our exising cars and is very safe.
For occasions when the A-Class is too small we'll use my W124 estate. The maxi-cosi infant seat and 2 extended rear-facers do fit across the back. If we get uncomfortable with that squeeze, the multimac goes in anyway.
derin100 said:
But one option might be a Mercedes 124 Estate with 7-Seater option? We couldn't possibly have afforded one back then. You'd get a really nice one in that budget range these days and you'd be driving something well-made, not suffering the depreciation on a newer car and as the older two children grow they can use the rearmost seats? But then I'm biased! 
I think the 124 works, will be trying this in mine soon.My Evil Twin said:
ClaphamGT3 said:
Four and a half K for an 8 year-old VW with 90k miles on the clock?! That is madder than mad Jack Mc Mad, winner of last year's Mr Mad competition!!!
You could get an E class estate of comparable age and mileage for that money and have an infinitely better and nicer car!
PH strikes again..!You could get an E class estate of comparable age and mileage for that money and have an infinitely better and nicer car!
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