I am 10 weeks preggo, and I made a deal with my husband last year that if I were to get pregnant, we would sell the MINI. He is worried about the safety issue.

He told me that if I can find literature that states a baby in a car seat would survive a rear-end collision just as well as in other vehicles, that I could keep it. I DO have to agree. I could never stand it if we were rear-ended and something happened to my baby.

He wants to get a Subaru Outback. BLEH

But I have done internet search after internet search, and have found nothing about backseat safety. :impatient I find stuff about LATCH. I find stuff about frontal car crash safety and front airbags. But I can find NOTHING about how a child in a car seat would fare in the event of a collision. Everything I read just says, "Backseat too small." And no, you can't put car seats in the front.

No, we can't afford to keep the MINI AND get another car. I have already cried several times over this. I really want this baby and we tried like hell to get pregnant, so please no, "you should have thought about this before you went and got yourself knocked-up" posts. I'm just looking for ANY info on child safety in the backseat.

 

Don't worry Nam members will come through for you! The MINI is a very safe car. Alot depends on the car seat you choose. MINI even makes one for the MINI.

 

First off, congrats! This should be a happy time, not sad. If you do have to unload the MINI, it doesn't mean you couldn't get another one down the road. I'm sorry I don't have the info to help you make your case, but I'm sure someone on NAM will chime in with something.

 

For a baby in a car seat, you really should get a four door, as you have to be something of a contortionist to place a baby in the back of any two door. Congratulations on starting a family. That is where your priorities should be directed. Sell your MINI, get a safe four door sedan, station wagon or minivan for your needs during these next few years.

 

Congrats and I hope you find a way to work it out.

I was in a similar situation....though my wife was the one who was pregnant . I had placed the order for my MCS after we got the suprise news. I was not going to go through with it but my wife insisted on not hearing me whine for the next 18 years , so I kept the order alive. We even went to the MOTD when she was 7 mos. along.

 

Maybe you could plan on getting the extended wheelbase MINI that comes out next fall? Do you have 2 cars now? If so, let your hubby drive the MINI for a few months and you can carry the baby around in the second car until you can take delivery of your new 2007 baby!

 

If this shows you anything how a mini is built

http://www.hwysafety.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=168

http://www.hwysafety.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=161

Thers a forester to compare with look at your foot, it will be broken :(

You have to understand the mini is a bmw. BMW = Safe car. If he's really worried about safety he shouldn't be looking at a lesser car. An X5 is one of the safest cars on the road, as is a 5-series.

Volvo no longer is worthy of anything but the plastic its built on. If you want a tank find a used volvo 960 wagon. That thing can take a rear impact from a tank and still be fine.

The mini is very well designed, don't even think twice about its safety. Just hit him over the head with a frying pan next time he says it's time for the mini to go.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about having trouble getting the child into a seat in the back (as suggested in an above post). This you can manage. My sister's baby has ridden around in the back of ours and we aren't contortionists.

I have sent an email to my father who is in the insurance business to see how we can get iformation. I know all kinds of accident statistics are kept. You just have to locate them. I would also suggest contacting MINI directly and contacting your own insurance agent.

I don't think there is any reason to act yet. You just don't have all the facts yet.

I will let you know if my father has a suggestion. Will also email my brother in law who is an automotive engineer.

 

I would suggest doing a search (black bar on the right just under the NAM logo. I did a search for "Babby Seat" and came up with the following topics.

• Expectant Fathers and their MINI
• Woops..Got some girl pregnant!

Who says you can't have a MINI and a Kid at the same time?

KidDiff1 went on the ride with me when I first drove a '05 MCSC JCW

 

PM Octane Guy! He'll be able to get you all the info you need! Don't sell the MINI yet!

 

Found this in the link from Flynhawaiian above. It does not bode well for your argument.

http://www.hwysafety.org/ratings/hea...head_mini.html

Basically, the MINI rates "Marginal" for rear crash protection as defined as: "For each seat/head restraint, rear-end crash protection is an assessment of occupant protection against neck injury in rear impacts at low to moderate speeds. Although such injuries usually aren't serious, they occur frequently."

In other words, they were looking specifically looking at how well the MINI's seats protect against neck injuries, not how well they protect car seats, but the MINI still didn't fare well.

I would try searching various parenting magazine web sites to see if any of them have info on safe cars for babies.

If all else fails, make him get you a WRX wagon!

 

Definitely look for OctaneGuy's posts discussing the baby seats! PM him. He had his baby, Lukas, riding in his MINI at 2 weeks of age and it was just fine!

 

OMG, thank you SOOO much for your generosity!!!! I am so very appreciative.

 

I would buy a BMW 3-Series station wagon

They don't handle with the same amount of spunkiness that the Mini does, but they are an awesome car to drive - really well balanced, safe, and the inline 6 makes the perfect engine noise.

And by the way congrats on the baby :smile:

 

That is what MrsDiff and I hope to replace our MINIvan with. But we want out of the appartment and into a single family home first!

BTW forgot to mention that MIB will also tote around KidDiff1 (4.5 years) and KidDiff2 (2 years). Indiana makes kids sit in the back seat in boosters untill they are age 9 irreguardless of height and weight.

 

Hey -- I'd to chime in on this one. Our MINI is called "MiniVan" because I found out I was pregnant about 1 month after we put the deposit on the MINI. Everyone asked if we wuld trade the MINI in for a minvan -- uh, NO!!!

I can tell you that the child is just as safe in the back of the MINI as in most any other car. Once you strap the child in, the seat is what protects the child. An infant seat roughly surrounds the child and will (as it is made to) absorb impacts. In addition, more than one person here on NAM has seen MINIs roll over or be smashed up in horrible ways -- and most reports I've heard involve the passengers getting out without a scratch. I never once feared that my son was somehow unsafe in the back of the car.

My advice is:
- put the seat behind the passenger as it will be more comfortable
- hope that the child doesn't outgrow the infant carrier style seat quickly
-- as backwards facing infant seats ARE a bit trickier getting the child
in and out (though we did it for 9 months, so not *THAT* tricky)
- Get the Peg Prego Stroller Aria -- it fits in the boot and is by far my
favorite stroller.

Oh and congratulations!!!

Hugs,
PB

 

I can't promise they can help, but I sent them both emails. I will let you know as soon as they respond. They are busy at work, so give them a chance. :smile:

 

part of my job is researching info on the internet... and this sounds like a worthy cause. lets see what I can come up with!

here's an article with a bit on the cooper's safety from the head of the NHTSA
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...102001251.html

here is the official info on rear impact from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It is important to note that the information stated is based on an average adult sized dummy and not a child in child seat. the geometry information would be less important when a child seat is concerned as there is a much further distance from the occupant to the seat/head restraint. Also removing the head restraint would probably be beneficial in the case of a rear facing child seat.
http://www.hwysafety.org/ratings/hea...head_mini.html

Other than that you're correct... not really much relating to rear impacts. I'll keep looking and see if I can come up with anything else to support your cause. My honest opinion is that the safety of being able to AVOID accidents is often overlooked with the MINI. Also with the strong chassis the chances of the rear collapsing enough to cause harm isn't too increadibly high. On the other hand a large SUV would literally have FEET of room between the baby and the back of the car. I can see both arguments, but still feel a MINI is one of the safest cars you can have. Also take into account that frontal impact is just as important to the baby as rear impact... the last thing a child needs is to grow up with only one parent if it can be avoided. SUV's have shown to be quite bad for frontal impacts.

 

If you can manage to work through a decision to keep the MINI, I think (since it is basically darn safe) that a kid can get a lot from growing up in a family that can have fun, go for a good drive, and just enjoy the moment. Cars don't only have to be about pure utility. Least of all MINIs. Fun/joy is an important value kids could stand to see modeled in their parents. Bundle your little one up and take them w/ you wherever you go. Have fun together...laugh...it's good stuff. Sure you really don't need a MINI for this, but we all know it sure helps.

 

Hello all,



Congratulation for your baby!



I want to tell you that I have a one month old baby and a 2002 MC. I can tell you that the MINI is very secure and robust. Last Sunday I have been hit in the back . The guy had a 1997 Toyota corolla and hit me between 25 and 32 mph. I was stop with my flasher on and I was waiting to do a left turn on an intersection. It was for sure over 19 mph, because I was not able to restart my MINI because of the safety on the gas pump.

When I saw the damage on the front end of the corolla I was a little bit scared to look at the back of my MC. I was amaze to see that I had small amount of damage to the lower end of my rear bumper. I will post some pictures tonight.



I can tell you that it is not complicated to install the baby on the back seat.



Regards,



Martin

 

AGE NINE!?!?!? I've seen nine year olds that were well over five feet tall!!!!

 

First and foremost, Congratulations! That is fantastic!
Let me share some of our experiences with you, we have a 6 week old baby girl!
Regarding safety concerns, I am 100% confident that the MINI is as safe if not more safe than other larger cars on the road. Having said that, my wife and I do not put the baby seat in the back seat of our MINI. The ONLY reason why we do not is solely becuase of the fit. We have the Britax car seat and it's HUGE! It simply does not fit in the backseat. We have been able to wedge it in there once, but we had to move the front passenger seat so far forward that my wife could not fit. The seat was so upright and pushed forward close to the dash that she just could not comfortably wedge in it.
My recomondation to you is go out and purchase the car seat that you want to buy and set it in the back of your MINI. Put the base in and than click the actually seat on the base. Next, try sitting in the front passanger seat. If you can comfortably fit, GREAT!
I think our particular car seat is just too big!
Hope that gives you something to consider...

 

One of the other MINIs here is owned by a family. Two kids, both under three. The bought it while the second one was still on the way, I really don't think mom would have even considered this car if it wasn't safe. Considering how many kids I see here with their partents letting them stand up in the seats....ANYTHING will work just fine.

 

I'd be sorry to hear the loss of a MayDayer if Dobby were sold!
But if you had to I would at least go for a certified preowned BMW, so there is at least some driving fun and spunk left, and a whole lot of safety.

You should at LEAST promise to name your child after Dobby!

And in the defense of the MINI, I have seen some completely totalled with some pretty nasty rear-ends and none had any intrusion into the rear seat.

 

I would keep your MINI. I have a one year old and the wife and I was
originally going to get a MC to replace her corolla. We went with another
route this time because of cargo space issues, and other items such
as having AWD, etc. but if it was just regarding safety, I nor the wife
didn't feel it as an issue.