Baby on the way and wondering if any R56 drivers managed to squeeze a car seat into their hatches? The wife's car is plenty big. Wondering if the Mini cane be used in a pinch as well... Yeah I know there are larger minis. But would prefer to keep the MCS R56!

 

First, congrats, it's a wild enjoyable ride!

I've got my toddler seat in my MINI many times. I'm pretty certain though that a baby carrier will not fit in there. It was a tight squeeze in my wife's CRV and the front seat had to be pretty far forward.

Getting a forward facing kiddo in isn't much of a problem though. I open the door, flip the seat forward and slide it forward. Stick him in the seat and then I can actually climb in and stand in front of him to get him all strapped in and secure and I've got plenty of room (not headroom obviously) do do all of this before stepping back out.

There should already be some threads on this as I recall doing some searching before I got my R56 a year and a half ago.

 

I fit a carrier in my R50, which is centimeters smaller than your R56. My buddy also fit his baby carrier in his R56 without a problem.

Now our kids are in car seats, and my 2.5 year old kicks my seat... how do I fix this??? lol
I don't want to put her on the passenger side because I believe behind the driver is the safest place to be.

 

Thanks for the info! I appreciate it much. I'll follow up with my own experiences later--we accidentally ordered two car seats. I'd my doubts and was thinking of not even opening the package when it showed up. Will give it the college try now. Meanwhile I'll do some more forum searches. Thanks!!!

 

Congrats and good luck.

 

Congrats and get some sleep now

2007 MCS

The Carrier car system fits pretty easy, just check it out before hand, we used the graco , fit perfect and the passenger seat was all the way up but reclined slightly.

that system was used untill he was just short of forward facing. Which we went with the Safety 1st airbag car seat. Starting out plenty of room since he was still rear facing. Once moved to forward facing the passenger seat is all the way forward and maybe one notch reclined, not the best for long trips but also not terrible bad.

My advice is go to toys r us and try each thing out in each car before you decide to buy. The people are understanding but might get a little pissed after the 10th one

also seriously , sleep now!

 

Thanks for all the congrats and info. I appreciate it very much.

 

A little serious advice here -

I've always been a person who liked a car that handled: had several rag tops, a Miata for 12 years and a MINI 'plankowner' buying my first off the lot in 2002

When we had our first child we had an Audi Coupe and a Rabbit Convertible. After a few weeks of wrestling with car seats we had a 4 door Passat and an Isuzu Trooper (4 door). Soon there was a second child prolonging the need for access and a couple more 4 door sedans came and went.

But all is not lost because as soon as we were down to just one booster seat we were able to migrate to a Caravan for mom and a Miata for dad . . . car juggling was sometimes required but we made it work.

What I'm trying to say is raising kids DOES require compromises and I still remember trying to get that first car seat into the VW rag top back seat, and the flowers, and mom in front! I took the 'vert cuz I figured loading would be easier cuz I could put the top down.

congrats on a family but you may want to put performance vehicles in the back seat for a few years.

 

before you know it they will be driving the mini.... Or at least trying to. I am still working with my 17 year old daughter on the clutch thing... But seriously, it seems like 2 seconds ago they were in car seats....

 

Just had to go through this myself. We ended up with a Peg Perrego car seat, as it seemed to have a smaller base than some of the other models. Fits fine, although the passenger seat does have to be moved forward, but not to a point where it's uncomfortable for my wife.

For stroller, we ended up with the City Mini GT. It was one of the few that would fit in the boot without folding the seats down, although we do have to remove the parcel shelf to get it in. I can live with that. It's also built well, unlike some of the other compact strollers. Our daughter is only 2 weeks old, so she hasn't had much time in either car, but she has done fine in both (wife has a 2008 Escape).

Good luck with the new family.

 

Word of advice from Canada: Get the cheapest car seat from a big name seller.
It will be the smallest, and since all car seats have to meet the exact same safety standards (in Canada at least), you're not risking any safety by saving $50. And you're kid is not any safer because you spent $100 more.
And get one of those sun shades if you don't have tinted windows.

 

I dunno. A bottom end car seat may meet the minimum requirements, but something that costs a little more may excede those requirements. For my child, I'd rather pay a little more for higher overall quality, better materials, better ease of use, and more peace of mind. It's like saying that a $50 Walmart special tire is just as good as a $150 performance all-season tire from say Tire Rack. Sure, they both fit, both are round, and both are made from rubber, but that's where the similarities end. The better tire will stop better and handle better, even though the cheapie tire meets all the minimum requirements to be a tire.

 

Car seat fits fine. We use a Chicco Keyfit 30. The front seat needs to be pretty far forward, and putting the seat in is more difficult than our S60, but I have no issues. We also have a Baby Jogger City Mini stroller which fits in the back just fine.

 

That is great, congratulations! We managed triplets with a mini and a jeep. Now a mini and a mini van. You don't need two cars that can take your children. When you do buy a third car. A wife that does not work outside the home helps...

I actually would have likely gotten a coupe second time around but my kids love the mini and like to go for rides.

 

I do the same when I have both my girls who sit in fwd facing seats. I am surprised with the amount of room!!!!

 

My own experience...I have a BRitax Marathon 70 seat for my now 7 1/2 month son. It did fit behind the passenger seat but the seat has to be completely up and I did not want my wife riding that close to the dash, so I bought a countryman for now until he is in forward facing seat and then back to a hatch. Then about a month ago I had my CMS in for maintenance and they gave me a Cooper for the night. I put the car seat in but inorder for me to get my son in the seat, I had to put the drivers side backseat down and wrestled him in through the back. I am glad I didnt go that route and bought a CMS for the time being. I know others don't mind the wrestling around but for me it wasn't worth it. Do I miss my R56...YES but my son is way cooler than the car!!!

 

Update: We got a Tiguan for the wife so that will be the main transport for the litte'un to be. My R56 is mostly a commuter for me but in a pinch we wanted also be able to use the Mini as transport. Happy to report the Britax B-agile stroller and B-safe car seat both fit. The car seat is a bit of a squeeze and the passenger seat does need to be forward (but not forward all the way). As someone earlier posted, my stroller also does fit without folding the back seats down but I too had to remove the deck lid.

Cheers and thanks everyone again for the info.

 

Sounds like a good compromise. You keep your fun car and wifey gets a new car. :D

 

Here is what you do. Put the rear facing car seat on one side not the middle.
It is best if you use the kind with the base that stays in the car and it has
like a carry handle that pivots. You keep one half of the split seat down
and load them from the boot (hatch). It makes it SO easy.

When they are bigger but not big (up to maybe 2.5 ft tall) you can put
the same seat in the back, but in the middle, facing forward. This way they
get to see the Wide Open Spaces when you drive, and that is probably
the safest spot in the car. You use one of each the L and R bracket
where those straps attach (make sure it has the buckle straps not just
the kind that uses the seatbelt).

For three feet and over you should get the recaro prosport (there is another one
similar) these fit low on the seat so they are not so much up over the window
sill. You then have the option for keeping it in the middle of the back, or the
front since the mini has those dual stage airbag things.

 

Arrived five days ago. 6.2 lbs, 18 inches and the apple of her papa's eye! Mom and baby are doing great. Danke for the good info and well wishes you all provided on the thread.

 

Congrats Dascooper, if you are like me... you will love every minute of it!

Here's my post from the other kid seat thread:
I'm a big fan of the Recaro kid seats. When my 3 year old was born they were the highest on the safety ratings and were the only ones rated for side impacts. Plus if they are good enough for me in the race car, they are good enough for my kid! A good bit of advice a friend told me years ago when helmet shopping applies to this as well.

"Do you have a cheap head or an expensive head?"
"I like my head!"
"Then don't buy a cheap helmet!"
Same goes for kid seats!

I've been using this one for 2 years now and she loves it, plus it's about $100 cheaper than when I bought it. If fits into the mini pretty easily and the LATCH system is a breeze to pop it in and out. The front seat leg room is a bit of a sacrifice so I can make sure her feet have enough room. I used this seat for 2 years in my M5 which annoyingly didn't have a LATCH mount so I had to use the shoulder belt locked through it.


I recently got this one for use in my 911 as the back seat in that is practically a kid seat as is. However I try not to take her in that car too much as it's not real passenger friendly.

 

Congrats!!!!!!!

 

Congrats, god bless.