Can anyone please suggest a car seat that will fit properly in a 2004 Cooper S?

 

I have a 04 S and I use a Britax Boulevard.Its a huge car seat but it fits fine behind the passenger seat.

 

What is the baby's age? Newborn? Toddler? Yet to be born?

Forward or rear facing?

I have ample experience with Britax car seats in the MINI as I have a toddler boy over 2 years old (We have 2 MINIs so thats all he is ridden since born).

More details please so I can recommend a Britax car seat for you.

 

Rear facing the Britax Roundabout/Diplomat works very well.

1+ years, the Britax Boulevard is a good choice.

If your toddler is like ours (A big boy or girl) the Britax Frontier is a booster great seat that will serve them wel until they are 7-8 years old.

Like I said my experience is mostly Britax products.

 

Thank you very much.
That is the same seat that I have been reading about so its good to know it has a good review.
Thanks

 

She is new born. I'm also leaning toward the Britax.

 

Get the Diplomat model because it has "True side protection".

 

My two girls (2.5 and 5) used two Britax (Roundabout I think). Only issue was to be sure to teather the head strap to the loop in the trunk cause they tend to tilt when we go around corners like a MINI likes to do.

Then again, if they are like my girls, the leaning to the side after a hard corner is fun for them.

Now my 5 year old is in a booster and has more leg room.

Our MINI has been a fun family car for the fuel effecient trips. However, the proximity in the backseat can get unnerving when the hair pulling begins or the toys start flying you know. That's when we opt for the big ol SUV.

 

lol, that's one of the things they never told us. I cant believe how HUGE car seats are. Whoever rides in the passenger seat won't be the most comfortable person in the car.

 

The good thing about the Britax Roundabout is that it won't eat too much into front passenger legroom when installed rear facing.

If you are using the LATCH points, Britax advises to use the tether strap as well.

The Clubman is a little better for kid duty because you have 3-4 inches more rear legroom (Makes a huge difference) and the passenger side club door provides a huge opening that you don't even have in any other 4 door car, save a Minivan.

The rear tether anchor point in the Clubman is attached to the body of the car, as where as in the R53 Hardtop, the attachment point is located behind the rear seat seatback.

We have lived with 2 MINIs in our household and it is perfectly doable. In fact it has been extremely enjoyable. We haven't missed having a boring 4 door anything or a bigger vehicle. The MINI forces you to be frugal with your space and to carry what is truly necessary. People like Minivans and SUVs to fill them up with junk that ends up flying all over the inside.

Also the MINI promotes family closeness as well.

 

For a newborn I would recommend getting an infant carrier car seat which can work for at least the first 6 months and just drops into a base installed by LATCH in the rear. Since the car seat needs to be rear facing for the first year, it will become tiresome to crawl into the back to put them in. We had a Britax Roundabout installed rear facing from when our daughter was 9 months to 1 year and it was a huge headache to get her in and out. I don't think a Marathon could fit rear facing the Mini and allow a passenger in the front. We still have the Roundabout at 2.5 years facing forward and it is great. You must use the head tether no matter which direction for whiplash. Our local police inspect car seat installations and said without the tether installed, it won't prevent whiplash or worse.

Lastly, there is one stroller that fits in the boot, the Quinny Zapp. There is one infant car seat that snaps into the Quinny frame which is the Maxi Cosi Mico infant carrier. We are having another baby in 6 weeks and wish we had this combo the first time. It was pretty funny to be on the highway with a stroller bungied to the roof rack, the looks from other drivers were great. Don't be tempted to put a stroller in the cabin as it is a dangerous and unpredictable flying object if you are in an accident. I have to admit that I eventually caved and gave my husband my MCS and got a Mercedes wagon. He has never complained about it but I can't wait to get my Mini back!

 

When my son was riding rear facing, I used to take him in and out of the car from the trunk. It was easy as pie. If Mommy was to ride in the back beside him, she would crawl in first and then I would hand her the baby. We never had a problem and we did this until the time he was 1 year old.

As far as strollers go, the Peg Perego Aria fits in the trunk fine as well as the Combi EX (We had the complete stroller set with carrier and base).

I agree on that for the first 3-6 months a baby carrier with a base might be a good idea.

 

You should have gotten a Clubman.

 

Ok, so it sounds like the Diplomat/Roundabout is the good choice. Any idea of the max height of the passenger?

For kicks I tried the Graco "pumpkin" style seat. Sure it fit, but the seat had to be all the way forward.

 

The Britax Roundabout's pretty pricey.

I'll have to check it out though as that might save me from having to get a another car.

We just had a second kid and there's no issues when my wife's car (Accord) is used. But when she's working and I've got the kids by myself it's become a very tight squeeze. With one kid, it wasn't much of a problem but with two that means both back seats are used and somebody current;y has an uncomfortable ride.

So far, my 3 year old and I take turns jamming our legs in. If the Britax doesn't do the trick, we might be looking at having to get an old beater wagon or something for the days when mom's ride is not around.

 

Here are some links to some other good baby threads:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...he-mini-2.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t-4.html?pp=20

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...thread-11.html

http://www.mini2.com/forum/minis-children-parents/

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...1083745AApYPXq

http://www.carseatdata.org/search - make sure you check the years 2002 through 2006. The back seat should be the same size in all of those years.



I am going to try the Graco Snugride carrier. Not sure if I am going to go with the one that is up to 22 lbs or the newer one that goes up to 32 lbs. I may also try a Chico Keyfit 30.

I have heard that the Graco Metrolite stroller or the Snugride frame are supposed to fit in the boot. I am also going to try the Stylus. I will have to go to plan B if they won't fit without a seat down. I am too paranoid that something will happen with a stroller sticking half in the passenger compartment.

The best thing to do is go by one of the big baby stores and try some out. If you try an infant seat, try with and without the base. I have heard some fit better with and some fit better without. And make sure you take a couple of towels. I have read some of the seats fit better with a rolled up towel under them.

 

Is it still safe to put kids in the backseat of your Mini given its hatchback nature? My reservation about putting my kids in the Mini is a rear impact accident as there is no extended trunk to absorb the impact.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

We are a 2 MINI family. We brought our newborn son in the back of my wife's 2002 MC home from the hospital.

We never had the slightest reservation putting him or any of us in the back seat. Last year we sold the '02 and we got a '08 Clubman S that has more rear room (About double of that of the hatches).

My son loves to ride in the back of our MINIs. He loves the exhaust burble and feeling the tight turns from the back seat of my '05 S

I live in one worst cities in the US when it comes to drivers. Again, we feel safe in our MINIs. We have done several roadtrips all without incident

I think we Americans have unfounded distrust of small cars. The MINI is one of the best engineered, best built and safest hatches in the market. Crumple energy absorber zones, etc.

 

I have a 2006 MCS and a newborn, I am thinking of getting a clubman for the additional space, do you think its worth it?

We have a VW Tiguan which is the primary car my son rides in, but I am looking for something a little larger.