Big family car - 3 car seats in back

Jonny_Darcy

Got a nice Hyundai i30 after some great advice from posters here a while back but have twins on the way so need another upgrade!
Need a car that fits 3 car seats in the back plus some decent boot space. So far ford s max and Renault grand scenic seem to the main ones to fit the bill. Would be interested if there are any other cars folks would recommend that might fit the bill. Or any to avoid!
Budget 15k. Don't clock up many miles , maybe 5k - 8k miles per year

Thanks

screamer

Jonny_Darcy wrote: »

Got a nice Hyundai i30 after some great advice from posters here a while back but have twins on the way so need another upgrade!
Need a car that fits 3 car seats in the back plus some decent boot space. So far ford s max and Renault grand scenic seem to the main ones to fit the bill. Would be interested if there are any other cars folks would recommend that might fit the bill. Or any to avoid!
Budget 15k. Don't clock up many miles , maybe 5k - 8k miles per year

Thanks

Is it a big car or a people passenger you are after? Have a look at a passat too they are big inside and have an enormous boot. Also skoda superb in same class and size

Jonny_Darcy

screamer wrote: »

Is it a big car or a people passenger you are after? Have a look at a passat too they are big inside and have an enormous boot. Also skoda superb in same class and size

From what I have read the big cars just don't fit 3 car seats across the back. They may even have the 3 iso fix points but this is just to give options on where you can put 2 seats. I think I will need the people passenger (unfortunately).

Matthewjohn

A Ford Cmax is a five seater with three individual seats in the back. It may be more suitable if you don't quite need a seven seater.
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/ford/c-max/used-2011-ford-c-max-c-max-active-dublin-fpa-153014283930977870

Jonny_Darcy

Matthewjohn wrote: »

A Ford Cmax is a five seater with three individual seats in the back. It may be more suitable if you don't quite need a seven seater.
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/ford/c-max/used-2011-ford-c-max-c-max-active-dublin-fpa-153014283930977870

Yes that looks great. Didn't really want to get a massive 7 seater. From what I could see today other 5 seater were citreon c4 picasso and peugeot 5008. Will check these out also

Markcheese

We've a 04 c-max , dunno would you get three full car seats in the back - you'd get 2 and a booster seat ( with a back) no prob- but it'll be tight clicking the seat-belt in on the booster-
But all car seats are different and not all seats and boosters are compatible-
they're a great car- loads of space-if you're not doing much milage a 1.6 petrol'll do grand -( no tdi worries)

CJhaughey

Honda FRV, 3 in front, albeit front middle seat is small, then three in the back.
1.7 engine not a killer on tax either compared to other family type MPV's

tipping

Same boat as yourself. Twins came along a few years back and needed 3 across the back so went for a corolla verso and can't knock it. Ok to drive and hassle free. Not a big 7 seater either.
That said very envious of the honda frv sometimes.

Lellostag

How about a Volvo V70, don't know if it really fits three child seats in the back, but could be worth checking out? They are rather large after all...

Jonny_Darcy

Read lots of reviews online. It's seems the CMAX will be just two small to fit the three car seats across the back - thanks Markcheese. The Citreon c4 picasso will fit them though. Will check out the Honda and Toyota Verso. Had a look at the Volvo v70 - plenty of boot space ! But think the back seat looks to small. Do Kia - Hyundai not do a 5 seater?

Matthewjohn

If you like the Grand Scenic but don't like the idea of a seven seater, have a look at the 5 seater version.
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/renault/scenic/used-2011-renault-scenic-1-5-dci-dublin-fpa-170214352482833460

mamax

Have a look at the opel zafira, it's a 7 seater but very compact on the road and nice to drive.

coillte1

Go with the s max .3 seats fit easy across the back loads of boot not as big as the galaxy drives good too

Redgirl82

http://www.multimac.co.uk/home

Could check this out, there is company in Ireland seemingly supplying and fitting now

_Brian

Redgirl82 wrote: »

http://www.multimac.co.uk/home

Could check this out, there is company in Ireland seemingly supplying and fitting now

Presume it would need an engineers report or do they provide that.. Otherwise I'd be thinking the Insurance companies will bawk at the idea..

Redgirl82

_Brian wrote: »

Presume it would need an engineers report or do they provide that.. Otherwise I'd be thinking the Insurance companies will bawk at the idea..

No idea about engineer etc. I know they have worked in the UK for a number of years. A friend pointed me to them last year or the year before. I didn't buy as it was too much with UKP and didn't know who would install

I was talking to a friend a few weeks back and he was telling me about this great company that had started up in Dublin, showed me there facebook page and looks like they are just installing this, I cant remember there name or anything

I would guess if UK insurance says it is ok why Irish companies would have issue. You replace the full back seat so it is bolted into car so can't see why an insurance company would bawk? I would think it would be safer than 3 car seats tied to the back seat via seatbelt

Edit: From there website:

15 Ballyscandal Road, Armagh, Ireland BT61 8BL

Unit 21, Ashbourne Industrial Park, Ashbourne, County Meath, Ireland

jennyhayes123

I know your not totally keen on 7 seats but if you do decide to go for one I have ford Galaxy. Great room in it. We did a lot of research into boot space etc as we needed double buggy to fit in and it does. Make sure you decide on your buggy before you change and that it fits in boot

ForestFire

I am also looking to upgrade to a larger car, more so for boot space than child seats.

The two cars I am considering are:-

Ford Grand C-max - S-max too expensive and C-max seems to have everthing I need. Not sure if 3 full child seats would fit however.

Peugeot 5008 - I think this is a really interesting one. It has 3 full size ISO Fix seats in the second row, Very large boot and even more space than the S-Max with seats folded, according to online review. I'm sure it will probably get a bit of bad "Press" due to reliability but even "the best built cars in the world" seem to have significant problems and recalls over the years.

rizzodun

That multimac looks interesting but op said twins on the way which means they'll need rear facing seats for the first 9 months at least, I'd 'recommend 12 to 14 months rear facing is possible. Also, the chances of you getting 3 car seats (front or rear facing) along the back is practically zero, I used to sell and fit them for a living and I never got it to work in anything I tried.

Also worth noting that getting 3 seats to fit is a world away from 3 seats fitting safely. I'd recommend a 7 seater, or the 6 seaters described in earlier posts may work.

ForestFire

Redgirl82 wrote: »

http://www.multimac.co.uk/home

Could check this out, there is company in Ireland seemingly supplying and fitting now

Looks like a good idea, Could they not have designed it to work with the ISO fix system?

Redgirl82

rizzodun wrote: »

That multimac looks interesting but op said twins on the way which means they'll need rear facing seats for the first 9 months at least, I'd 'recommend 12 to 14 months rear facing is possible. Also, the chances of you getting 3 car seats (front or rear facing) along the back is practically zero, I used to sell and fit them for a living and I never got it to work in anything I tried.

Also worth noting that getting 3 seats to fit is a world away from 3 seats fitting safely. I'd recommend a 7 seater, or the 6 seaters described in earlier posts may work.

From the website they have option for "Minimac" which looks to be add on to allow you to have rear facing seat. See images here http://www.multimac.co.uk/images/062_1_large.jpg

It ain't cheap but I suppose it is probably cheaper than swapping a car.

Redgirl82

ForestFire wrote: »

Looks like a good idea, Could they not have designed it to work with the ISO fix system?

I would guess they dont support iso fix because they sell all the add on's you will need, if iso fix then people wouldn't buy the minimac

ForestFire

Redgirl82 wrote: »

I would guess they dont support iso fix because they sell all the add on's you will need, if iso fix then people wouldn't buy the minimac

Not sure you understand me, or I am clear enough.

The Minimac could be designed to attached to the IOS fix already present in the car seats, instead of the need to retro fix it to using bolts and straps as per the video.

There are normally at least two point on each of the other seats that could be used for fixing. They would also have to use the stap at the back (top tether)

There are still isuues as the distance between the left and right seat would vary between manufacture, but this could be built in and adjusted in the Minimac

The Minimac accessories could still connect to the minmac in the same way

Redgirl82

ForestFire wrote: »

Not sure you understand me, or I am clear enough.

The Minimac could be designed to attached to the IOS fix already present in the car seats, instead of the need to retro fix it to using bolts and straps as per the video.

There are normally at least two point on each of the other seats that could be used for fixing. They would also have to use the stap at the back (top tether)

There are still isuues as the distance between the left and right seat would vary between manufacture, but this could be built in and adjusted in the Minimac

The Minimac accessories could still connect to the minmac in the same way

I think your point is that they should work with the seat that is already in the back of the car and just use the isofix points? correct?

ForestFire

Redgirl82 wrote: »

I think your point is that they should work with the seat that is already in the back of the car and just use the isofix points? correct?

Yes just take this large minmac seat and attache to the iso fix points already in the car.

It sits on top of the existing seat anyway dose it not?
They only remove the seat to add the fixing straps to the anchor points under the seat and then replace the main car seat again and put the Minimac on top.

R.O.R

ForestFire wrote: »

I am also looking to upgrade to a larger car, more so for boot space than child seats.

The two cars I am considering are:-

Ford Grand C-max - S-max too expensive and C-max seems to have everthing I need. Not sure if 3 full child seats would fit however.

Peugeot 5008 - I think this is a really interesting one. It has 3 full size ISO Fix seats in the second row, Very large boot and even more space than the S-Max with seats folded, according to online review. I'm sure it will probably get a bit of bad "Press" due to reliability but even "the best built cars in the world" seem to have significant problems and recalls over the years.

Forget the Grand C-Max. The middle row of seats is only 2 half seats (middle seat is very narrow). If you have even 1 of the rear seats up then there's not going to be any room for the stuff you need to carry along with the kids.

We've a couple of 5008 on our fleet and I've just had a quick look at the maintenance history. The 2011 had a new steering column fitted for some reason, and the 2012 had to be towed, but only due to a puncture. Apart from that there's nothing out of the ordinary - both roughly 130,000km and 1.6Hdi models. What happens above 130k to them though.....

elroy45

Jonny_Darcy wrote: »

Got a nice Hyundai i30 after some great advice from posters here a while back but have twins on the way so need another upgrade!
Need a car that fits 3 car seats in the back plus some decent boot space. So far ford s max and Renault grand scenic seem to the main ones to fit the bill. Would be interested if there are any other cars folks would recommend that might fit the bill. Or any to avoid!
Budget 15k. Don't clock up many miles , maybe 5k - 8k miles per year

Thanks

Congrats, I'm in the same boat. Have a three year old and now twins on the way. Didn't really want to get a seven seater but there is little to none 5 sweaters with three full car seats in the back. I tried everything with the C max and no way would it fit three seats.

For value, the zafira looks good but is not three full seats so you would need to use rear seats and therefore smaller boat space.

Being surprised with the Renault grand scenic for value, space and spec. Three full isofix seats in the back. Only concern is Renault reliability though the newer models seem to be well thought of and owners I have spoken to speak highly.

Little bit more expensive is Peugeot 5008, nicer looking car than Renault but similar historical reliability concerns. Citroen grand Picasso also fits the bill.

For a few more thousand, you could look at Toyota Corolla verso. Very nice car but very few around. Beyond that you are looking at S max, Galaxy, touran and others but you should expect to pay a good deal more for these.