What Car for New Twins + 3 year old

EI-666

I am expecting twins soon and have a 3 year old. I need a car or MPV to ferry them around.

I looked at a Renault Scenic, Ford C-Max & Kia Carens. My first choice would be the Reanult.

Can you recommend anything else for me to look at? Will be going for a 05/06 model.

Thanks

Rev Hellfire

Mazda 5, sliding doors.

EI-666

Not a big fan of the sliding doors.

Rev Hellfire

They're a god send when it comes to space and lifting kids in and out.
But each to their own.

I was looking at the ford galaxy as a replacement myself so theres another for your list.

shrapnel222

toyota corolla verso, and i think also VW touran and sharan, opel zafira and meriva... there's quite a selection out there now

crosstownk

Pay close attention to the amount of boot space left once the folding rear seats are in use. Most of those 7 seaters have little boot space when in 7 seat configuration. I've a Zafira, and when the 7 seats are in use there is damn all room in the boot - especially for the likes of a twin buggy, not to mention all the other bits and pieces needed when carrying around two babies.

Also check into how the rearmost seats fold. Some fold flat (Zafira, Touran) others sit proud of the boot floor and take up boot space. With the Peugeot 307SW the seats have to be physically removed to have a flat boot floor.

Of the models you list, none will have great boot space with all seats in use. But if you are looking at that size of MPV, the Zafira is worth a look.

Carrigart Exile

Its only 3 children, get a normal saloon or hatch back rather than a gas guzzling ozone ruining bus

January

Carrigart Exile wrote: »

Its only 3 children, get a normal saloon or hatch back rather than a gas guzzling ozone ruining bus

3 children that all need a car seat/booster seat! Have you seen the size of those car seats for new borns, you'd be hard pushed to fit two in a normal car let alone three.

Shelli

adrieanne__x wrote: »

3 children that all need a car seat/booster seat! Have you seen the size of those car seats for new borns, you'd be hard pushed to fit two in a normal car let alone three.

Totally, you'd never fit 3 car seat in the rear of a normal car, and you can't pu it in the front as most cars these days have passenger airbags (I heard that having these disabled can void your warranty &/or affect insurance, not sure how true that is). And what if you want adults to travel with you sometimes?

Top Gear did a show on the 7 seaters a while back. Cant really remember what the outcome was so thats not much help sorry! Maybe if you ask in the motoring section somebody might know?

EI-666

Thanks for all the replies. I will be going around the garages this weekend.

Boot space will be important for me, if its a 7 seater then the two seats must fold flat. Have a saloon already and will not be big enough.

Will let you know how i get on.

sgthighway

Re-sale value would be important. I don't think Renault have a good re-sale value.

loyatemu

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=35255

RosieJoe

Co-worker was in the same situation as yourself a few years back. One 2 year old and twins on the way. He ended up going for a Scenic as it was the only car available that you could fit 3 seats side by side in the one row.

The rest he checked (mainly MPVs) but the only way you could get the kids in was 2 in one row and 1 in the back row.

BostonB

Carrigart Exile wrote: »

Its only 3 children, get a normal saloon or hatch back rather than a gas guzzling ozone ruining bus

http://www.whatcar.co.uk/news-special-report.aspx?NA=219082&EL=3153058

BostonB

RosieJoe wrote: »

Co-worker was in the same situation as yourself a few years back. One 2 year old and twins on the way. He ended up going for a Scenic as it was the only car available that you could fit 3 seats side by side in the one row.

The rest he checked (mainly MPVs) but the only way you could get the kids in was 2 in one row and 1 in the back row.

I haven't looked vary hard but the Ford Galaxy, and the VW/Seat version of the same have 3 seats across. Fiat Multipla. Ford S-Max etc. In fact they seem bigger than the Scenic.

vandermeyde

the Honda FRV is a decent call...three seats in the front which takes a bit of getting used to but three seperate seats in the back too and a spacious boot.

RosieJoe

Look at the price differences though. The Scenic is a lot cheaper than the Ford, VW or Seat. And second hand you will save even more money.

niallb

Been there, done that, bought the Mitsubishi Space Wagon.

Sorry if this is a bit longwinded.

My son was 3½ when the twins were born.
At the time we had a Toyota Starlet :-)
We had a Volvo V40 before we got the Space Wagon, and it was manageable.

The statute governing seat belts is available here.
It contains the following statement:

Statutory Instrument No 359/1991 wrote:

(3) If and so long as three or more children under the age of 15 years are being carried on the vehicle the provisions of sub-articles, 7 (2) and 7 (3) of these Regulations shall apply only in so far as is reasonably practicable.

I've now got a Renault Scenic which has three full seat belts in the back
and is wide enough to take the three kids. The twins are in boosters on
either side (they're now 4), and he's in the middle with no booster
when we need to put them all in my car. (He's 8 now and fairly tall)
Fitting three seats in a row can make it impossible to get them out in an emergency, and this is recognised in law.
Ireland has a named exemption here (permitting the oldest child to use an adult restraint) in the EU legislation

Directive 2003/20/EC of the European Parliament wrote:

... where two child restraints are fitted in the rear of M1 and N1 vehicles and lack of space prevents the fitting of a third, to allow a third child, aged three or over and less than 150 cm in height, to be restrained by means of a safety belt for adults...

This is much less of a problem where the seats have their own straps, or where they
are clipped directly to the chassis rather than using the seat belts.

When you're buying the car, ask if the passenger airbag can be turned off.
Many cars allow it to be deactivated by a key.

Otherwise, it can be deactivated by the garage, but that has its own problems.
You're only forbidden from having a rearward facing seat in front where
an airbag is active. Otherwise I believe infants can be in front.

Can be easier to fit an adult in the back if necessary than the third childseat.
Once your three year old is a little older and the twins are in tidier seats,
things get better!

Best of luck with the car,
and enjoy the madness all round.

NiallB

BostonB

RosieJoe wrote: »

Look at the price differences though. The Scenic is a lot cheaper than the Ford, VW or Seat. And second hand you will save even more money.

That wasn't part of the question was it. However if you start looking at cost, you have to consider the difference in brands in terms of depreciation etc.

parsi

The 307 SW will also take three car seats. Similar to the Scenic. It's easy enough when they are in Freeways or simailar because the seat is permanently belted in. It gets more awkward when they move to booster and backs.

At the moment my two youngest have moved to boosters with a back and the eldest guy has a narrow booster (bought in woodies) which fits tidily in the middle. All buckles are fully accessible.

As stated if you can't physically fit a third seat (rather than it being because 3 seats are dangerous) then the child can use the car belts but then you have to choose which one is going to be less protected.

Eccles

Just 2 other cars that haven't been mentioned, but are worth considering; Skoda Roomster and Seat Altea XL. The skoda has 3 individually foldable and removeable rear seats which also fold completely flat and the Seat (which is the new longer version of the Altea) has a massive boot.