I've got a query that I believe some of you good folk could well be able to help me with ......
It's my intention to purchase a "used" family estate car in September of this year, when hopefully there'll be some value to be had from trade-ins against the new 59 plates.
My issue relates to the amount of space that I'll need across the backseat for the offspring. All things being well, we'll have a new addition to the family in January of next year, to vie for space with an 8 year old and a 2 year old.
The 8 year old is on the cusp of being tall enough to do without his booster seat shortly, the 2 year old has an all-singing car seat.
Come January, then, I'm anticipating the purchased car needing to host, in some combination from left to right, two car seats and a fidgety 8 year old too (who will no doubt crave a position next to the window rather than sandwiched between his siblings.
Can you please help in focussing my used car hunting ..... at the moment my draft list extends to ..... Volvo XC90 & V70, Mercedes E Class Estate, BMW 5 Series Touring, VW Passat Estate. I'm working to a budget of £18k max and in light of the number of messy children would have leather seating as a prerequisite to help the cleaning-up process.
Thanks in advance for any assistance......
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You may find that the larger MPVs with three separate seats across the back will be far easier with three children than saloon based estates. Also, the eight year old could sit on his own in the rear leaving the two younger ones with a window each in the middle row. We have done this and removed the middle seat in the middle row to provide additional storage space.
Try the Ford S-max with the 2.5T Volvo engine. You may like it!
From experience as a dad of three children, a premium saloon based esate is great for the ego, but your wife will start to complain very quickly about inflexibility.
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Thanks for this Espada .... think you may well have hit the nail on the head with regard to the internal wranglings involved (am selling a TVR to fund - so am probably looking to hold onto something of the past :)).
Any other suggestions folks?
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Don't know if they're still making them, but have a friend who loves his Honda FRV, which is a 3 + 3 arrangement.
HTH,
Alex.
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Logic tells me the two car seats are going to be on the two outer most seats for ease of use loading and unloading baby and tot which means 8 year old in the middle.
The V70 certainly and I suspect the RWD Mercedes do not have flat floors. 8 year old will start moaning very quickly about this.
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Two car seats on the outside using the ISOFIX fittings, mum/dad in the middle keeping the little ones amused, fed, clean etc, 8 year old in the front developing a superiority complex.
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That feels the sort of dynamic involved :). If that's the case, think another criteria could be a manual rather than auto (Mum doesn't like driving manuals !!!!)
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The way we arranged the car seats when our youngest was newborn was 5 year old on booster seat behind the driver, 1 year old in car seat in the middle and newborn at passenger side.
Eldest was easiest to get in so she sat at the drivers side for quickest loading at the roadside, with the possibility of her climbing all the way accross on busy roads. Getting the one year old in involved kneeling on the back seat to fasten her in so plenty of headroom in the back is a bonus.
Now they are 4, 5 and 9 years old our 5 year old sits behind the driver and easily climbs accross and puts her arms in the straps, 4 year old climbs into his seat in the middle then I can kneel on the back seat to fasten them both in before my eldest gets in.
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I like your logic Mookfish ....... can I ask what car you've got as gmac's comments above have opened up a whole new hornets' nest to consider (flat floor / leg room related for the eldest)
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Currently driving a Escort estate with a 3 point belt fitted to the middle seat (inertia reel is in the boot near the o/s wheelarch) as I am quite tall there isn't much legroom at the drivers side which is why our eldest now sits at the passenger side.
Previously had a renault 19 which had better rear legroom so eldest sat behind me.
The Escort is starting to rust now so will be looking for a replacement soon, either a saloon so fitting an extra seatbelt is a bit tidier, or an estate with 5 factory fitted 3 point belts as these don't run accross the boot AFAIK.
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