Three door car , is it possible to use a car seat?

new2010

Hi,
I am only 10.5 weeks gone, but wondering about my three door car. Will I manage a car seat with it?
I can't really afford to buy a new car... but might have to?

Any guidance appreciated!

Swizzles

Hiya
I have a 3 door corsa and am 35 weeks gone..I bought the buggy and car seat and tried to fit them in.
The buggy fits in the boot but nothing else does..The car seat fits in just about and requires alot of moving about when its in..You have to get in the back of it aswell and it is pretty difficult..Personally im upgrading to a 4 door to make it easier on myself.
Have you looked into staying the same year but getting the 4 doors??

It really would be alot easier especially when your going to be trying to hop in aswell and secure the seat!

new2010

Thanks, I think you are right to change. Ideally I would too.
Maybe I should start looking into it sooner rather than later!
I am just clueless when it comes to buying second hand cars. I would easily be fooled.
And my current one ( bought new at the time) runs like a dream....

I have a lot of time still to look into it and get other opinions I guess. thanks for the response ☺

MissAlex

It depends on the type/size of your 3 door car. I had a 3 door bmw, bought about 6 months before I got pregnant and kept it until my daughter was 18mths. I actually found it easier to put her in and take her out of the seat as you are facing her directly. When I changed to the 4 door it took me ages to get used to putting her into her seat from the side, felt that I had more room with the 3 door. It depends on what you get used to, you'll manage with a 3 door if you have to. Also, initially if you have an easy fix base, you can click in/out the rear facing seat and don't have to mess about with seatbelts everytime.
Best of luck with your pregnancy

Chuchu

Hi guys... this is an ongoing issue for us! Posted about this in the motors forum when I was preggers last year!! Only getting around to test driving 5 door cars now and little critter is 9 months and VERY BIG. We've managed with my 3 door piece of crap up until now, our pram is quite big (Quinny Buzz) but it fits in the boot fine (it's a Punto, hatch helps) the thing that is the killer though, is your back getting them in and out, and it's only gonna get worse as the little ones get bigger which is why we're changing now. I'd either look for a new one now before you have baba or wait and grin and bear it for a year or so, you'll manage and like me might not get a chance to even think about it after baba arrives for a good while!! Anyone wanna pm me re my eventual purchase (hope to have one wihtin 3 weeks) and the things we considered when buying feel free. We're getting a used car too, and shopping around.

ted1

turn off the passenger air bag and put the car seat in the front. Pull the seat forward and the person sitting in the back feels like he is in a limo

Chuchu

True, that's an option alright... I'm loving the idea of comparing my tin can to a limo !! But is it not true that safety wise they say it's safer for the seat to be in the back?

sarahlulu

no, they should ideally be in a rear facing seat in the front passenger seat of the car for the first nine months or so.

cazzycaz

Can be quite awkward taking car seat in and out but possible. Gets harder as baby gets heavier. I managed until my third one was on the way!!! I think you get use to what ever you have. Good luck with the pregnancy:)

travellingbid

Be careful. I had this issue with my 3 door astra. Thought I could use the front seat but the passenger airbag can't be turned off so had to change the car:(

cazzycaz

When buying your car seat shop around and ask for advice on the safest option...:)

new2010

Thanks a lot for all the input.. I might just try to change to a four door, same year etc.
I drive a polo, so its quite tight.
Cheers!

new2010

@ missalex


Thanks for the tip, I have never heard of these until now. I have soooo much to learn!

Chuchu

sarahlulu wrote: »

no, they should ideally be in a rear facing seat in the front passenger seat of the car for the first nine months or so.

I wasn't sure about this so looked it up, found the following here:
http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/faqs/index.htm

Q: Is it safe for my child to travel in the front seat?

A: It is safer for your child to travel in the rear seat as there are more front impact crashes. Therefore if you have the choice, put your child in a rear passenger seat. If the middle rear seat has a 3-point diagonal belt, this is the safest seat to travel in. Always check that the child seat fits properly in the position you have chosen.

Having said that this is a UK site and I'm not sure of its reputability, if anyone has any Irish one to link that'd be great. Also this is not to say they are not 'safe' on the front seat, they're just 'safer' in the back according to this. I know there's a thread about all of this seat business somewhere else, so apologies for going off topic.
Hope the car shopping goes well for you

borderlinemeath

ted1 wrote: »

turn off the passenger air bag and put the car seat in the front. Pull the seat forward and the person sitting in the back feels like he is in a limo

You should never do this.
While it is "acceptable" it is the most dangerous place to put your child and as for moving the seat forward that is just madness.

1 Your insurance company will not cover you if you disable a safety feature of your car. It is there for a reason. Read the small print!

2 If you do inform your insurance company beforehand chances are they will either hike up your premium or refuse to insure you.

3 When you put a child seat in the front the chances of you being distracted by your new baby is far greater than when the baby is in the back. Just glance over to put the soother back in or to wipe their mouth etc - you are far more likely to be involved in a crash/near miss if you have a distraction this great beside you.

4 In the event of an impact there is up to an 80% chance that the deactivated airbag can still go off as it a spark that ignites the bag. Any friction in your engine bay as a result of an accident can cause this.

Just put the baby in the back, it is difficult but manageable for a while - or cut your losses and get a 5dr car, preferably one with isofix to make your life easier still.

ted1

The airbag is desgined to be turned off to allow for child seats. There is even a light on the dash board to indicate this when the car seat it turned off.

what basis do you make that crazy statment??

Swizzles

ted1 wrote: »

The airbag is desgined to be turned off to allow for child seats. There is even a light on the dash board to indicate this when the car seat it turned off.

what basis do you make that crazy statment??

Not so sure about this..Do know that not all airbags can be turned off..Believe me ive checked!
Would agree that if you turn off a safety feature on your car you will not be insured.

Im not saying its impossible to get the seat in and out i just found it hard to do while i was pregnant and while the seat was empty.I know for the first few days i would be sore and not wanting to be climbing in and out. i would be doing some driving from Cork to Dublin to family i will need more room to put in travel cot and buggy and bags etc.

You should think about..
How rural are you?Can you use public transport,Walking etc.
Can you afford to do this?Maybe even taking out a loan at minimum payments ?
Can you swap cars with someone ?
Will you need to make long journeys?

Anyone else think of anything feel free to add

borderlinemeath

ted1 wrote: »

The airbag is desgined to be turned off to allow for child seats. There is even a light on the dash board to indicate this when the car seat it turned off.

what basis do you make that crazy statment??

Far from crazy, very informed in fact.

I work in the nursery industry and my partner and his parents have worked in the motor trade for 40yrs as main dealers/service/repairs and have frequent dealings with insurance companies and assessors.

It is a fact that airbags go off even if they are turned off in the event of impact.

It is a fact that the insurance company will not cover you if you disable a safety feature.

It is a fact that babies are a distraction in the front seat, as much as a mobile phone ringing - and you get penalty points for answering that.

Airbags can be switched off for a number of reasons, for servicing, for removal if modifing the car etc. The switch does not say "turn off airbag so you can put your child seat in the front seat"

What it does say as standard is "DO NOT PLACE A REARWARD FACING CHILD SEAT IN A FRONT SEAT WITH AN ACTIVE AIRBAG" usually on the sun visor. Remember that cars are produced for vast markets and not all laws are the same but cars come off standardised production lines.

As part of every training session I have had with the major brands that produce car seats they say that the last place they would put an infant carrier is in the front seat as it's just too dangerous even if you follow the standard signage of deactivating an airbag.

Unfortunately a 7month old baby died last year as a result of the car seat being placed in the front of the car.
The car hit a tree after coming into a bend too fast and the piece that holds the car seat belt in at the back snapped off, most likely on impact as a result of hitting the hard plastic dashboard in the crash. The piece was found between the seat and the handbrake of the car.
The car seat manufacturers have declared that the seat is safe but the child still died. It hasn't been stated whether the airbag went off or not but the fact that the child was in the front of the car was mentioned by the coroner and that the seat was securely strapped in before impact.