Car to accommodate baby

cas_k

I am due a baby in a few weeks time and need to change my car to accommodate the new arrival.

I would appreciate some suggestions on a car that has a big boot, preferably a five door and no bigger than a 1.4l.

colm_mcm

What's your budget?

Octavia is the obvious choice though.

cas_k

Budget around the €7k mark. What make is an Octavia.

MichaelOBrien

cas_k wrote: »

What make is an Octavia.

Its a LADA

No Pants

cas_k wrote: »

I would appreciate some suggestions on a car that has a big boot, preferably a five door

How big is this baby likely to be?

CJhaughey

Skoda.
OP I would advise looking at an Estate, they are very handy with kids, the boot can be used as a handy changing area and can hold a lot of bulky stuff like buggies/changing bags etc.
I know they aren't to everyones taste but they are great with kids.
We have 2!
What is your budget?

cas_k

No Pants wrote: »

How big is this baby likely to be?

The baby is going to be baby size... but car needs a big boot to fit pram (which a 2007 Opel Corsa does not fit).

I don't need a car with a big engine as I do not do a lot of travelling. Its just a run around.

colm_mcm

Anything from the focus/astra/corolla/civic/Octavia/golf/Leon/ceed/i30 class would do the trick

I'd get something like this

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/bargain-08-hyundai-i30/6215084

Chape tax
Very reliable
Well equipped
Safe
Nippy for 1.4
Easy to park
Rear widows lock

NIMAN

Any car should suffice for 1 child.

Its when you start to have 2, 3 ........ you need to start worrying about size of car.

BMJD

NIMAN wrote: »

Any car should suffice for 1 child.

Its when you start to have 2, 3 ........ you need to start worrying about size of car.

not really, if you can't fit a buggy in the boot then it's useless

cas_k

NIMAN wrote: »

Any car should suffice for 1 child.

Its when you start to have 2, 3 ........ you need to start worrying about size of car.[/

is this your car advice.....

No Pants

colm_mcm wrote: »

Anything from the focus/astra/corolla/civic/Octavia/golf/Leon/ceed/i30 class would do the trick

I think this list is pretty much going to cover it, since 1.4l is a criteria. Since you have the buggy already, you can bring it along to any car viewings.

michellie

I had a 00 polo when I had my daughter and fit my quinny in the boot no bother. Most buggies and prams collapse down to a very small size nowadays.

Moonbeam

1 child takes up barely any room but a good size boot is useful if you got away with them a lot.
Why no bigger then 1.4?

_Kaiser_

05+ VW Passat .. plenty of room in the back for easy fitting of a child seat and a huge boot for buggies and all the rest.

Good safety ratings as well. You won't need an estate for one child.

Congrats btw

ottostreet

Corsa will be big enough. Fair enough if you're thinking safety, but the size of the car is grand

G-Man

Had a skoda roomster and found its high back seat and high doors real easy for arranging child in compared to the an Opel Astra or saloon cars. Skoda roomster may not look great but has a huge boot as well for storing the buggy and kids bike easy. Engine easily comes in under 1.4.

The high opening rear door.... Sorta cuts into the roof makes it easy to put the child in, particularly when they get towards 9 months and have gotten out of those cradle type car seats . Really easy on the back.

You might find similar advantages in other cars with the high seat position...

Toots

No Pants wrote: »

Since you have the buggy already, you can bring it along to any car viewings.

+1, I changed my car just over a year ago and bringing the buggy was great, it meant we got to see which cars were easiest to lift it in and out of also. And you can see what the back seats are like for fitting the baby seat, it's not just about space on the seat, it's what angle you've got to contort yourself to so you can strap the child in!

Zoney

Edit: Sorry - just noticed the bit about no bigger than 1.4, the stuff below is for a 1.6 petrol model.

Getting on very well here with a Laguna - depending how much of the 7k you want to spend, you can get a more recent one (ours is 05 Laguna II post-facelift).

The buggy is large enough when folded, but still fits in end on (so one half of the boot is completly empty still). Plenty of vertical space too, so for trips away you can pack lots on top of the buggy too (and indeed under). Two nooks either side in the boot, maximum space. The hatch really helps with loading/unloading. Back seats flip down too for one offs like bringing home the Christmas tree or a new cot!

Fairly roomy inside, getting baby seat in/out is easy even without a base, and legroom for adults. Will be using the Isofix with the Stage 2-3, but the belt is long enough to really easily couple the Stage 1 seat without any base (very secure too)

Lots of airbags and the Euro crash test video for this car actually seemed a comfort rather than a worry!

Looks nice imo and pleasant to drive - there are ones out there with nice trim options etc too (seriously considering sticking with Laguna when upgrading - just newer model with better options - we've the base one atm).

No Pants

michellie wrote: »

I had a 00 polo when I had my daughter and fit my quinny in the boot no bother.

I know that childbirth brings changes to a woman's body, but I'd no idea it was this bad. :eek:

angelfire9

What kind of travel system are you talking about?
I had a Graco system that fitted fine in a Micra (12 years ago) and in a Fiesta (current car)
Small car will do fine
The micra is 1l and the Fiesta 1.25
Remember too that they only use the travel system for 18 months and then you can get a lighter buggy
and by the time they get to 3 they wont want any kind of buggy and will INSIST on walking everywhere (preferably where there are lots of puddles to splash through) :rolleyes:

For short haul trips (Like in to town to do the shopping) you can fit a certain amount of shopping in the boot on top of the buggy (older model fiesta has a deceptively big boot new Fiesta DOES NOT!)
For holidays it depends on how many kids you have?
If its only one you can put the buggy in on the back seat and pack the boot to the hilt with all that baby crap you are going to need to start bringing with you everywhere

munchkin_utd

cas_k wrote: »

The baby is going to be baby size... but car needs a big boot to fit pram (which a 2007 Opel Corsa does not fit).

I don't need a car with a big engine as I do not do a lot of travelling. Its just a run around.

would it not be cheaper to buy a pram that suitably fits the boot? With even half the 7000euro budget you'd get some pram!

Also, for shopping (tesco dunnes etc) you will find that you will not be using your pram as you can plonk the car seat on one of the special trollies. Even if you do bring your pram, they are useless as theres no place to put the shopping.
And even if you do bring your buggy, then you only need to bring the frame in the boot as the car seat itsself will fit in the frame.

If you think that theres no luggage space in the boot with the buggy in it, then that may be the case. But you'll have an empty back seat and the space at the childs feet so theres no lack of place to bring stuff.

Markcheese

If you've already got the buggy you'd be pissed about getting rid of it again cos it doesnt fit the boot especially if you were thinking of changing the car anyway ..
Word of warning though the more space you have the more you'll fill it.. When our 1st was small we went a few places in my van ,and nearly filled that ... We've 2 (one still in buggy) and everything fits in a fabia ,with a little juggling...

toyotaavensis

OP a suzuki Liana could be another option - they arent pretty but they are reliable and cheap to run with a small engine.

Fiat Panda/Punto would be cheap to buy/run too.