View Full Version : Any MINI owners with car seats?
So the wife and I are moving to AZ just after she has a baby. We're taking the 325xit, but I'm trying to convince her that it'd be great to get a MCS for me to commute to & from work.
She likes the fact that it's pretty inexpensive, but is concerned that it's too small, even if it's our second car.
My question is, has anyone put a child seat in the back? How'd it go?
Obviously, I've never lived with the world of diaper bags and strollers, but it seems like it ought to work pretty well as a small car for the city.
So, if you're a Mini driver and have kids, I'd really like to hear your opinion.
·clyde·
03-11-2003, 06:44 PM
somewhere on the net, maybe at mini2.com (which is down right now), there is a pic of an MCS with two forward facing seats in back. It's tight, but they fit.
Mr. The Edge
03-11-2003, 07:05 PM
found this link--I'll look for more.
http://bobodyne.com/web-docs/robots/MINI/Carseats/
Mr. The Edge
03-11-2003, 07:11 PM
from what you describe, I think it would be fine for your car as long as your wife does most of the driving with the 325xiT. My wife and I discussed what we would do if we had a little one come along, and she would take my M3 and I'd take the Cooper.
There really is not a lot of room in the rear hatch area. Best advice is always to go look at one together and see what she thinks.
Well, you're right, we'll just have to go and see.
That picture of the rearward facing infant seat looked a little tight. I forgot the little ones ride backwards.
What is nice to see is that an infant seat could go in and, if necessary, the opposite seat could fold down in order to accomodate a stroller, etc.
So does the seat just latch into the two spots at the junction of the back and seat cushions?
Now, I just have to find those cool car seats like the ones I saw for sale in Munich when we did Euro Delivery last summer. They looked like they might, sort of, match the interior.
Originally posted by Clyde@work
somewhere on the net, maybe at mini2.com (which is down right now), there is a pic of an MCS with two forward facing seats in back. It's tight, but they fit.
Clyde, as a fellow touring owner, how's room in the back with child seats in?
·clyde·
03-11-2003, 07:51 PM
Originally posted by uter
Clyde, as a fellow touring owner, how's room in the back with child seats in?
With a rear facing Britax Roundabout (not the smallest seat in the world) in the middle, there is enough room for adults in each outboard position. It's tight for them, but doable for around town driving at least. Also, there's plenty of room for the front seats to move/recline backwards.
When we were using the car seat/carrier for the first ~9 months it was positioned behind the front passenger seat. The front passenger seat had to be so far forward that I couldn't sit there, but my wife could. FWIW, I'm 6' 0" and my wife is 5' 7"
pcmike
03-12-2003, 10:35 AM
Originally posted by atyclb
from what you describe, I think it would be fine for your car as long as your wife does most of the driving with the 325xiT. My wife and I discussed what we would do if we had a little one come along, and she would take my M3 and I'd take the Cooper.
There really is not a lot of room in the rear hatch area. Best advice is always to go look at one together and see what she thinks.
Haha atyclb... somehow I don't think any little ones are coming in the near future.. at least not until y'all have enough money for another M3! :D :bigpimp:
the worm
09-07-2007, 08:53 AM
Anybody else have a Mini w/ booster car seats? Anyone have two in the back?
Anybody else have a Mini w/ booster car seats? Anyone have two in the back?
I have a forward facing britax roundabout and a booster seat in the back of my '07 MCS for kids age 13 mo. and 4 yrs. They fit great. I've got some photos, I'll try to post 'em. My sig, btw, shows my son in the rear-facing configuration in the MINI.
Booster and Britax in an R56 MCS
(Note the irony that I started this thread 4 years ago and have since gone through an E46 touring and an E61 with kids)
blueguydotcom
09-10-2007, 03:42 PM
Booster and Britax in an R56 MCS
(Note the irony that I started this thread 4 years ago and have since gone through an E46 touring and an E61 with kids)
I figure when my wife-to-be gets pregnant I'll have 10 months to find a new car. Probably an e90 (a car I didn't dig all that much but such is life). I really dig my Mini but I bought it knowing I'd have to get a new car in 2-3 years and the Mini holds its value better than anything...
bear330
09-10-2007, 04:08 PM
I figure when my wife-to-be gets pregnant I'll have 10 months to find a new car. Probably an e90 (a car I didn't dig all that much but such is life). I really dig my Mini but I bought it knowing I'd have to get a new car in 2-3 years and the Mini holds its value better than anything...
Have you considered the new Clubman? There's been a lot of info lately from motoringfile and mini2 (two sites where I am spending most of my online time nowadays). No problem at all for car seats, and first drive impressions are mostly positive -- little driving feel is lost with the extra space and weight. Wait a couple of years for a JCW version, I really don't see why you need to compromise with an e90 for a baby car seat.
blueguydotcom
09-11-2007, 07:49 AM
Have you considered the new Clubman? There's been a lot of info lately from motoringfile and mini2 (two sites where I am spending most of my online time nowadays). No problem at all for car seats, and first drive impressions are mostly positive -- little driving feel is lost with the extra space and weight. Wait a couple of years for a JCW version, I really don't see why you need to compromise with an e90 for a baby car seat.
Baby seats face the wrong way and there's no way I could physically get back to the kidlet in a coupe. Can't be done.
Clubman is not an option. If I have to upsize, I'll go with a proper 4 door and get something ideally with RWD or at worst AWD. While the mini is fun, I positively detest the FWD on it.
Baby seats face the wrong way and there's no way I could physically get back to the kidlet in a coupe. Can't be done.
Actually, it was easier to load my son into his car seat when it was rear-facing. Here's a photo (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=114360&d=1183873631)of it from another thread. You just do it from the hatch over the rear seat (and watch out for the freakin' tailpipe jutting out at your shin).
blueguydotcom
09-11-2007, 02:26 PM
Actually, it was easier to load my son into his car seat when it was rear-facing. Here's a photo (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=114360&d=1183873631)of it from another thread. You just do it from the hatch over the rear seat (and watch out for the freakin' tailpipe jutting out at your shin).
:rofl: I know that damned tailpipe all too well. Half my jeans have grease stains from it and my leg always has a light burn from days when I wear shorts!
Actually, the through the back thing isn't too bad of an idea. At that age the rear facing seat is placed with the kid already on-board if I remember correctly. Where did you put your wife? In front? If two adults were in the car with my niece as a baby we always tended to ride with a driver in front and adult in the back with the kid. Kinda assumed that's how it would go with my kid too.
Good idea. Definitely calms me down that if we get pregnant early I won't have to ditch the car in a mad rush. :thumbup:
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