Jaydawg, just curious, what is the vehicle you have besides the Pacifica? Couldn't that have been used to transport #1 and #2...and you could have kept the MINI for whoever's not driving kids? That's basically what happens in my family. We have a Chrysler T&C which is the primary family transporter...but for commuting (which in my case is mostly a kid-free event), the MINI rules.

 

I hear yah.I would have loved to do that.The problem is money.We have an Isuzu Rodeo and the Pacifica.To keep all three cars and make payments on two of them was not in our budget.Plus the insurance.It totally sucks.But hey, we will get another MCS. Maybe even with the JCW kit?
I have done the three car thing before.For us it does not pay.To drive the third car,you need to move one out of the way.Then put it back.Then move it out of the way,then put it back.But it all comes down to finances.Plus,the way our scheduals are,I drop off on some days,then the wife picks up.Other times,the wife drops off and I pick up.So both cars need to be kid movers.What we really need is a winning lottery ticket.Got one?Jaydawg.

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MCS EBBLK ALL 3 PKGS HK Jan delivery

 

I wasn't suggesting 3 cars...I was wondering why you needed the Pacifica if you had a MINI and the Rodeo. Or, given that it's a Rodeo, maybe THAT could have been traded for the Pacifica.

But hey, picking out a MINI as a family sounds neat too. The kids will love that activity. :smile:

 

jsun,we really wanted to keep the car.But it just had to go.

 

Wow, so sorry that you had to let it go. It's going to take a lot to get me to let go of my MINI, not that it didn't sound like you went through the same thing. We also had an Isuzu Rodeo, which we sold when we got the MINI. We had 3 cars at the time. Worse come worse, we have a Lexus LS400 which offers more room than the MINI.

For me, living in sunny California means I don't have to deal with the rain too much. I can see how painful it can be to strap in the child while it's raining or snowing. I wouldn't like that either. I'm glad it only takes seconds to put in or remove from the infant seat, but I can see when it comes to needing a booster seat, it'll take more time.

Thanks for the well wishes JSun and Jawdawg!

 

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are now the proud parents of a little boy. He was born this morning at 5:54 AM, 10 days early. He is such a cutie. You can see him at my hiplog at
http://www.hiplogs.com/hiplog/read/4/686

Thanks!!

OctaneGuy & OctaneGal =)

 

Congratulations to you and your family on your new little arrival! He is SOOOO adorable! :smile:

 

 

My wife just gave birth to our second child, and I decided it would be best for her to transport both kids in the Volvo station wagon while I drove the Honda Civic to work. Needless to say, I'm bored to tears driving the Civic and now I'm craving a MCS.

I'm not surprised to hear that it's a pain to get kids in and out of the back, but there appears to be enough room for both rear and forward facing cars seats. Is that not the case?

 

Myself, my wife, a 6 year old and a 3 year old all fit nicely into my MINI. The 3 year old is still in a car seat, and there is still plenty of room for them to play. Though I do worry about the car seat and the leather seats. :smile:

The girls love it when I slalom down the road.

 

Yay!

 

There has been troubling talk around my house lately involving dumping the MINI for a more 'sensible' car, especially since Pipette is leaving the infant-seat system and moving into the more bulky 'convertible' seat. Luckily for all of us (me, mostly) the new seat fits pretty well (those holding their knees in the front passenger seat may disagree, however). The Pipette is secure and the MINI gets a reprieve...for a while, at least.

 

Congratulations on the little motorer!

JK

 

Congrats Richard. :smile:

Hold onto the MINI long enough for your son to drive it.

 

Way to go dude! Congratulations!

Your boy is very cute. Has he been for a ride in the MINI yet?

we're still waiting for our little dude to arrive.

Peace.

 

Thanks everybody!!! I just came home long enough to shower and trade cars. Our "sensible" car is a 93' Lexus LS400, but it's much cushier, so I'll be bringing Mommy back in that car. Going to the hospital in the MINI was no problem! I put in the Peg Perego mounting base yesterday on the LS400, and sadly found it more trouble than my MINI, simply because the LS400 model year was BEFORE LATCH, so attaching the mounting base isn't a simple click in/click out affair like in my MINI. But atleast the seats don't need to be moved forward to fit.

Thanks again for all your warm wishes!!!

re: Lukas gone motoring yet?
No not yet! He just arrived this morning less than 12 hours ago. LOL. But he's going to be motoring with me to work every day (day care is at work) in my MINI, so definitely!!


_________________
Octane Guy

c3:Lets Motor for a Worthy Cause :::
Or Find a MINI Motorer near you!

 

Mucho congrats to you and the Mrs., OG! And while I'm at it: three cheers for Peg Perego and LATCH!! (By the way, this last statement would have meant nothing to me 10 months ago).

 

octaneguy, congrats on the little one.

jaydawg, i don't think getting the pacifica would solve your problem from getting wet from the rain. what you need is a minivan - climb in, slide the door closed, buckle up the kids and climbed to the driver's seat. the rear door on the minivan is bigger and a slider and more versatile than swing-out door on any car or suv (especially on tight parking spaces). hip-hip-hooray for minivans!

 

congrats!!!! I've looked at several of your post for your research on baby seats/strollers for the MINI. Glad to hear everything went well. My wife is at 28 weeks and we are just now narrowing down the options.

From the pictures, it looks like he already want to take the curves in the MINI :smile:

 

:smile: I'm glad to hear all is well - now get some sleep...

 

We had our boy on 05/05/04. His name is Wilson Thomas Rodgers and we love him. I'd post a pic but no time to try and figure out how.

We are using my wife's civic for family outings but are looking forward to taking a spin in the MINI soon.

Peace!

Matt

 

I have a boy who will be 3 this summer -- photos are actually in the 2003 BMW Annual Report in a section about MINI called Opening Up Segments -- and I have to say the MINI is the greatest car for a young child!

There is not much room for a newborn's rear facing car seat in the MINI, but for my son I just got the Graco TurboBooster -- he is 32 lbs and tall for his age -- he fits the requirements. It fits well in the back bucket seats and is also nice looking, it actually goes well with the sport seats.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...65511?v=glance

I saw someone mention how difficult it is getting kids into the backseat of the MINI. This goes for all 2-door cars, you have to teach the kids how to do it themselves or you're in for it. An agile 18 month old can climb into a carseat in the MINI, but probably can't in a big SUV. It will take them a while, which is when you need to get in and get out of the rain! Then all you have to do is reach back and buckle them in. Try teaching them, they will be so proud when they learn they can do it themselves. And at 18-36 months, they definately want to do everything themselves.

Just my two cents.

 

I have two girls, ages 3 and 5, and they absolutely LOVE riding in my car, windows down, stereo CRANKED... in fact, they get mad if it's not like that anytime they ride in it. :smile: And, they like the corners! :smile:

Their car seats (both booster seats really, with hard backs) fit in the back seat wonderfully well - better, in fact, than in my wife's car. With the MINI's safety rating, we all feel pretty safe and comfy (although we live in the land of the I'm-putting-on-my-makeup-and-talking-on-my-cell-soccer-mom capital of the suburban world).

My girls constantly ask them to take them to school in my car - "Because it's sooooooo cool, Daddy!"

 

>>We had our boy on 05/05/04. His name is Wilson Thomas Rodgers and we love him. I'd post a pic but no time to try and figure out how.
>>
>>We are using my wife's civic for family outings but are looking forward to taking a spin in the MINI soon.
>>
>>Peace!
>>
>>Matt

Wooohoooo Congratulations!!!! For the 2 weeks, I drove just the cushy Lexus (when my wife was in it), but the other day, I set up the MINI (put her donut cushion on the passenger seat to make her ride more plush), and she was grumpy and moaning about how selfish I was for wanting to take the MINI, that I wasn't thinking about her. I told her, lets just try this, if it doesn't work, I'll drive the Lexus for the next month only!

As we got on our way, I asked her how she felt, and turns out what she didn't like was how I had adjusted her seat upright so the infant carrier would fit. Looking at her leg room, she had plenty, I suggested she move it forward a notch, then recline it back a notch. She did it and was comfortable, but of course wouldn't admit that it wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be.

 

Thanks OctaneGuy!