How child-seat friendly do you find the MINI?
 

My wife and I are wondering... Currently have an 06 Cooper S and a Boxster. Obviously, the boxster has issues with a child seat, but for those that have minis -- what do you think? Is it ok? We are contimplating a 3rd car and like the mini and are thinking of getting a second one as the third car. Appreciate any comments regarding both the rear-facing and front facing seats. Thanks.

Do a search for "the official babies in car seats" thread-- I ordered my 08 specifically as a mommy and baby car. Look at Brittax Roundabouts or Diplomats as great car seats and the Quinny Zap as a great stroller for the boot.

Edited to add link: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...s+in+car+seats

Thank you for the key words and the recommends.

We have two little ones
 

an 11 month old and a three year old. We use a Peg Perego infant seat and a BMW child seat. Seat motion is limited with the rear facing infant seat, and the 3 year old kicks the back of the driver seat when she's feeling feisty! We just did AMVIV towing a U-haul Sport Trailer (one that lookes like molded plastic) and had more than enough room. Mini did fine with the trailer.

In and out with the seats and kids means bending over a lot. But we're looking at a Clubman to replace our MDX!

Matt

My wife and I have a 4 and 5-year olds. It was a little tight when my daughter was in a rear-facing seat, to get all four of us in the car. My wife had to move her seat forward pretty far and tilt it up pretty straight. Once the kids switched into forward seats, it was easy because I'd just put the windows down and toss them in Duke of Hazard style. Now they're big enough to get in by themselves and we have no problems.

Thanks again for the rapid replies and the link.:thumbsup:

We own a MINI and a Subaru Forester. Recently, we had to do the car seat shuffle with both cars, as we had guests. I found that for me the MINI was much easier to get the kids (and the seats) in and out of the car than the Forester. My children are old enough now (2 and 3) to mostly climb into the MINI themselves and their seats. With the MINI I can choose to either get half way into the car the buckle them in or get in all the way. With the Forester, I find that i have to stand outside the car to perform all tasks.

Good point, cabrown. This is especially good when it's pouring rain and you can jump in to buckle them.

I gave up and bought a Cherokee for bebe hauling

I highly recommend either the Britax Roundabout or the newly upgraded version, called the Diplomat. The Diplomat is a compact car seat with true side head protection technology. The older Roundabout version does not have side protection.

This seat is compact, yet works very well in the back seat of your R53 or R56 hardtop/convertible MINI. I have the older Roundabout version and my son has ridden in it since he was born (Both rear and forward facing). The Latch system used by Britax makes installing this seat a 5 minute chore...Very easy! The advantage of the Roundabout/Diplomat size is that when placed in rear face mode, the back of the car seat does not take valuable front passenger seat legroom. Using a bigger/taller seat in the R53 or R56 is simply asking for trouble.

When my son was riding rear facing, I used to load him from the boot. Yes you read that right. Easiest most convenient way to put the baby back there. If my wife wanted to ride beside him, I would have her climb on the rear seat (Behind me) and then I would give her the baby and she would strap him in. Very easy and painless. We only have had 2 MINIs at a time in our household and we have managed just fine. No need for gas guzzling vehicles to transport a baby!

Last month we replaced her MINI for a new MINI Clubman. The Clubman is better suited for baby/child transportation duty, because you have the rear clubdoor (Creates a HUGE opening), 1 or 2 inches more rear seat shoulder room and 3 inches more rear legroom (Not to mention a trunk that is double the size of the standard MINI).

In the Clubman you can use a bigger car seat. I purchased a Britax Boulevard with true side protection system. The Boulevard is the updated version of the Britax Marathon. Both Boulevard and Marathon are bigger car seats rated up to 65 pounds. They do not fit very well in the standard hardtop MINIs, but they install and fit perfectly in the Clubman.

Hope this helps.

Check my FlickR gallery for photos of the Britax Roundabout and Britax Boulevard installed:

http://flickr.com/photos/coolminis/

Thank you very much for the suggestions and the pics. ClubmanS -- could you please translate this for an expecting parent. I'm not quite picturing this:

"When my son was riding rear facing, I used to load him from the boot."

Thanks!

I'll try to find a pic of myself putting the baby from the rear hatch into his rear facing car seat the day of his baptism.

Basically, do the following:

Open the rear hatch.

Lower the left rear passenger seat back

Grab the baby with both hands (One holding his/her neck and the other his back or butt) like if you were going to put the baby inside the crib.

Reach inside the trunk and manuver the baby into the car seat.

Strap baby in. Make sure the 4 point seat belts are snug and all latches as well.

Close rear hatch

You are done!

(be prepared to receive lots of stares from strangers in parking lots, haha!)

I recommend removing completely the rear cargo tray parcel as it will be in the way if you try to do this. Store it away for at least 1 year, or until the baby can start riding forward facing.

It is much easier to load the baby from the back of the car than trying to put him/her inside a car seat in a regular 4 door vehicle. In a 4 door, you have to enter sideways and you can't do anything standing up, unless you are inside a Minivan.

If mommy wants to ride beside the baby, have her climb inside the rear seat first and then you'll give her the baby.

All this may sound a little intimidating at first, but once you are there, all of this becomes second nature.

We did lots of roadtrips together during the first year with no problems. My toddler (Now 17 months old) LOVES to ride in the MINI!. By the time he is 2, he should be able to climb on the forward facing seat by himself (He is a very strong kid and he climbs tall furniture with no problems).

Welcome to parenthood! Lots and lots of work, but you are goin to love it!!

Make sure to purchase seat protectors before you install the car seat. I recommend the set from Prince Lionheart (You can see it in the photos). It prevents damage to the seat upholstery by preventing permanent pressure marks left by the car seat. It helps the seat fit snugly too. Any dirt falls directly on the seat protector making cleaning easy too.

We got them as a baby shower gift from one of the grandmothers. Fantastic gift and one that you will get a lot of use out of.

And for the expecting parents, know that you spend at least the first year with a rear-facing child, then you can flip it around, though it is safer rear facing for longer. As you start up that registry for your impending bundle of joy, stick that car seat on there-- see if anyone gets it for you. Or, Amazon.com often has sales on Britax car seats. I got mine at $60 off with free shipping. I think we'll order a second for our SUV just to make life easier, though the MINI will be the prime baby mover for us.

Since she was seven months old, my daughter has been riding with me in the Mini. We had the Graco metro system. The base was installed behind the passenger seat. With a little finagling, I could get the carrier in and out from the passenger side. Luckily for me, she was able to transition directly to a forward facing set, Recaro Young Sport.

I agree. Get the expensive car seat in the baby shower registry. The Britax Roundabout retails for $219 and the Diplomat/Boulevard models are going to set you back at least $275 or more. But well worth it.

For the baby shower, we got the first Roundabout car seat as a gift. We also got so many gift cards that we had enough to purchase a second one and we did. We used the second Britax Roundabout in my wife's 2002 MINI until we sold it a couple of months ago. We gave the car seat to my sister to install in her Impala as she takes care of him 3 days a week.

When we got the Clubman, I purchased a new car seat, hence why we got the Britax Boulevard. So in total we have 3 Britax car seats.

LOL.. I wish!! My little one is in the 99th percentile for height at 4 months.. We're about to outgrow the infant carrier...

Oh-- and look into a Baby Bjorn or a sling instead of always taking a stroller-- that will take up a LOT less room in the boot as well.

Same here. My son is 17 months old but he looks like a 3 year old boy! He is very big and strong (And smart as heck too!)

We got one of those as a gift but the baby grew so quickly that we never used it and returned it to the store:lol:

The stroller does eat valuable space in the car. For longer trips you really need to take this into consideration and pack accordingly.

Once they start walking it is a relief in this sense. My son started walking full time back in late December. We stopped carrying a stroller ever since.:thumbsup:

Thankful for this Board...and This thread! :-)
 

Thank you all for this thread!!

I have a 2005 MC and really do NOT want to give up my beloved MINI, when our adoption goes through in the next year or so. Worries about car seats have been on my mind, but from what y'all are saying the Britax roundabout seat does work? And the Graco Seats??? (Wondering which is easiest to use, to get baby in and out quickly, remove and place in another vehicle? etc.) Has anyone actually been in any type of accident with a baby in a car seat on board??? Been trying to read as much as I can....your thoughts?

The thought of upgrading to a Mini Clubman has crossed my mind....anyone have experience with child seats in both the Clubman and the regular MINI? Does the Clubman have that much more room that it makes enough of a difference to trade cars? (I reeeeallly hate to give up my present MINI. Even for a newer one heheh)

Won't know the age of our little girl until we get the referral from the agency...could be age 0-3.

Trips in the MINI with baby will be relatively short - probably under 40 miles from home... and would be baby and myself only, so that helps with space issues to some degree....(If were going out or taking a trip as a family, would take Hubby's SUV).

I am SO thankful for the posts on this board and any additional comments, newer stories of actual experience (Photos??), advice, you may have to offer.

Thanks,

My wife will be picking up her 09 Forester this Friday so we'll also be a MINI/Forester family. I prefer and have an easier time with putting my 17 month old daughter in the MINI. I find it easier to step in the rear floor area and buckle her in. Whereas in my wifes current car the child seat is in the center. I can't seem to squeeze in enough for it to be easy to snap her in the child seat. I have to do everything from the side unlike from in front of the child seat when in the MINI.

I have both, a '05 MCS and a '08 Clubman S with Britax car seats. Shoot me any questions as I have plenty of experience with both.

Retro Girl-- remember that you've got your side curtains (which so many other cars don't have), so between the car seats and the supplemental restraint system, you've got alot of protection. Also, the far greater protection is your visibility and ability to maneuver out of an accident before it happens. You've got that in the Cooper just the same as you would in the Clubman.
As far as objective ratings, it doesn't look like IIHS did separate tests for the MC/MCS and for the Clubman for 2008. Still, you're only throwing around 177 pounds and one foot more with the Clubman. So one driver, one kid in a Clubman has as much momentum as the MC with an extra adult passenger.