42 replies to this topic

[IainStallard]

Buy a Mini estate instead! ;)

[jamesmpi]

When it comes to kids, you need two things. A 5 door car and a big boot.
Prams are massive nowadays and modern car seats ideally need ISO fix but this is down to your personal choice. Also car seats need the rear seats to be quite large. I can remember putting our child seat in my mpi but it used to over hang the edge of it. It wasn't unsafe but it makes you realise just how small the mini is.

When I had my first child I got rid of my bini and used my dads old P reg Nissan primera. My street cred hit the floor but it was reliable, fairly quick thanks to being a 2.0l petrol and more importantly is could swallow a pram plus a weeks shopping in the boot

Oh and if you want a push chair that fits in the boot of a mini with a little room to spare but a Quinny zapp

Edited by jamesmpi, 27 July 2013 - 03:41 PM.

[alicetheauto]

Keep the mini. It's gonna be the only car you can afford to run! You will need an isofix base to fit a car seat in the back (the seatbelt isn't long enough) it also makes it far easier to fit littleun in the back. SPI seats are out too, Mayfair seats give the room you need to fit the baby seat. Baby buggies, you can get a quinny zap for £300 or an Argos equivalent for £50! Fits in the boot, with 2 camping chairs a camera tripod and a spare wheel!

[Shifty]

Buy a Mini estate instead! ;)

 

Not a practical as you think, the lack of rear seatbelts make it tricky.

[IainStallard]

Buy a Mini estate instead! ;)

 
Not a practical as you think, the lack of rear seatbelts make it tricky.

Oops, didn't realise they had no belts :/

[jefinabox]

The recaro kiddie seat I have is awesome and easily fits in the front or back of a mini too. Plus it says 'recaro' on it for extra man points.

[Cooperman]

When my son was expected back in 1974 I sold my wife's 850 Mini and got her a Rover 2000 Auto, a 1968 car. It was cheap as the flexi-drive plate had failed, so it really didn't cost me anything in real terms after I fixed it. But then I sold it and got a Cortina 2000GT before he arrived. I bought myself a 2-year old Rover 3500 Auto when he was 4 days old, so we had the Ford and the Rover, which worked out fine for quite a while.
I really didn't want my son to be driven around in a Mini which was too small for all the associated 'clutter' even back then.

[alex-95]

 lulu85ritz Used to carry around his son in his mini. I'm sure he won't mind if you PM him.

[Badboytunes]

Contraception for the win.......  .

 

There can be not contest between a baby or a Mini. The car wins hands down .  Mind you, each to their own..... I suppose congrats are in order  .

[alicetheauto]

I put my post above from personal current experience. My son is 8 months old and has already been to about 10 shows, the mini is my daily driver. Give plenty of space, keep on top of maintenance and there is nothing wrong with fitting a baby and all extras in a mini! The passenger seat actually wedges the baby seat behind it, making it even safer.

[Bungle]

we found 1 child in a mini wasn't too much of a problem as you had the boot and the second space on the back seat to put everything

 

Mrs Bungles mini had a full length sun roof and that was very handy to drop everything through the roof onto the back seat including baby

 

the problem came with 2 children , there just wasn't enough space for a 3 year old and his baby sister plus all the baby stuff you have to cart round

 

 

we solved this by buying a 30+ year old VW camper

[mab01uk]

With regard to the child safety aspect......if you drive a classic Mini today when far safer, often cheaper modern cars are available then that is obviously ok.......as an adult you have made your own personal choice to take the extra risks involved. I'm not sure it is then fair though to compromise the safety of a baby or young child in the same way, when they are completely reliant on you to make the best choices for them?

I took my kids in child seats and booster seats in the back of a classic Mini back in the 1980's but we were all far less aware of safety and manufacturers were not building particularly safe cars or promoting safety anyway until compelled to by legislation. Knowing what we know now I don't like seeing young kids or babies crammed in the back of classic Mini's anymore (or in the last/3rd row of seats in some people carriers!).

Edited by mab01uk, 28 July 2013 - 09:38 AM.

[JackWhiteIII]

Good debate but i'm siding with a safer more reliable modern car, you can always buy a mini you can't buy a life. Plus the stress of owning a car you can never always rely on just isn't worth it maybe in a couple of years or get a long standing project in the future in time for school runs etc when the little'ns 5 or 6 sort of age. Me and brother were in mini's ad babies but that was 23 years and 17 years ago respectively. Everything ha gotten bigger and not necessarily better in the roads since then. I have a celica vvti, nassive biot, luxury and safety practicality it doesn't have to be all bag plus 40 mpg and £950 to buy worth a shout. Anyway good luck :) and congrats

[JimminyBob]

Sell the Fiesta, keep the Mini and buy a cheap late 90's/early 2000's barge for family duty.

[Ro8bieg]

I use mine every day and my little lad is only 14 months old, I have fixed back bucket seats on slide and tilt sub frames so getting him in the back requires me to be a contortionist but other than that its great :)