Hi everyone,

just bought a well-cared for 2nd-hand, bright yellow/blk top w/ mnrf 2002. picking it up in 2 weeks - really excited! when i saw the new Mini on the road a few years ago, i thought: this is the ONLY well-designed car in 4 decades! (always a vintage owner - Ranchero and Rambler wagon).
OK, on to the topic: we have a 16 month old. her regulation car seat fits in the Mini's back seat just fine. anybody out there with experience/advice about young kids/toddler seats and MC's? i think the front passenger seat pulls forward far enough so that i have enough access to her seat when i place her in or out of the car - heck, europeans have been driving their families in even smaller cars safely for decades! it might have been more difficult when she was riding in her infant seat for most of her first year; that was straining on the back even with a 4-door. but at this stage, we oughta be OK, right?

also - wondering if any of you have had to disable airbags on the side where the baby's car seat is placed...thanks for any info!

 

Hi! I have an 8 year old and a 3 year old. The 3 year old has a full booster seat. My husband is 6ft and I am 5 10". The four of us ride comfortably and no one complains about a lack of leg room.
We left the air bags on because the guys at the mini dealership told us it wasn't a big deal.

 

The MINI definitely works as a family car. A "close family" car. I'm sure that many have done it. I for one have 2 car seats in the back. It comes in handy to be able to drive, keep your eyes on the road and be able to reach anything dropped anywhere in the back. When I searched posts a few years ago there were lots of ideas and opinions out there. In my humble opinion all car seats have to meet Fed. guidelines, so a lot of the differences are personal choice. I found that the 2 most important things to look for are; the shortest seat possible and the least distance between the carseat back and the back seat. The first is so as their legs get longer the short seat will allow their legs to bend at the knee and go down instead of making their legs go straight out into the front seat back. The second is to allow extra room until their legs get long enough for their knees to end up at the seat edge. I had found 2 seats at a Babies-R-Us outlet the had seats about as deep as a booster seat. My 4 1/2 yr olds legs bend down great. My 3 yr old's are just starting to bend, but she isn't tall enough yet to pose a problem.

As far as the airbags go, I'm thinking that they come down from the top far enough to cushen an adults head from side impact. Probably not far enough down for contact with a child. Don't know this for sure, but thats my thinking.

 

I've carried my gang (wife, 1 & 4 year old) on trips before....no problem. The only thing that I would highly recommend is to buy a carseat seat protector. They sell them at Baby's r' us for about $20. They are thick flexible plastic seat protectors that keep those sharp carseat bottoms and backs from making indentations in your car.

 

Oh yeah. Seat protectors are a good thing. I used plastic hardwood floor protectors. Pretty thick clear plastic from Lowes for about .60 per foot ( I think. It's been a while.). Maybe need 4' for each carseat.

 

Its our second-car, but we do occassionally all ride in it (I'm 6', my wife is 5'10" and our kids are 8 & 6).

It can be a little cramped in the back for the kids unless I move my seat a tad closer than I'm used to. Its worth it to me overall and the kids love the car. If it was our only car, it would be much harder to make it work - big Costco runs, trips with the dog, etc. Everyone's tolerances and preferences are different - many people do have a MINI as their only family car so I know its definitely possible.

 

Family car?
Sure, as long as you need only up to four seats and a few extras that will fit in the boot or in a roof carrier.

Since 2003 I've been driving my kids to and from activities- they were 12 and 15 at the time.

Since then two of my three kids are off to college or beyond so now only my wife and son ride with me. There is enough space for the two in the front and somewhat limited leg space in the rear but it's ok for shorter trips.

I usually do my Costco runs in my MINI and find I have enough room. I even bought a SONY 27" TV monitor and brought it home in the original box. I just folded down the rear seats and slid it in the back.

 

Hi, and thanks eveyone for all your helpful answers to my question!
hope i can be of help in the near future...
: )
Neffi