Does anyone have experience with having both an infant car seat and a Toddler car seat in the back of the Clubman at the same time? Any observations or advice?

Our Clubman comes in a couple months and I'm thinking about how to configure the car seats in back. We have a typical Graco Snugride infant car seat and a rather large Britax Marathon toddler car seat.

1) Does this work?

2) Which car seat makes more sense to place behind the driver's seat? I'm 6 ft tall and like to drive with the seat almost all the way back and have concerns about whether my rear facing infant car seat will fit without being proped up against my seat. On the flip side, I'm hesitant to place the toddler seat behind the driver seat because he's too young to know how to buckle himself in and out, and therefore I'll have to strain my back to buckle in him and out. Ugh, I guess I'm one of those who really would've benefitted from club doors on both sides.

Alright, any thoughts from other parents would be greatly appreciated = )

 

Take the car seats to the dealer. Put them in a Clubbie and see what works.

Without the benefit of knowing how the test fit goes, I would recommend that you put the toddler on the passenger side so that you don't have to deal with the kicking/bracing against your seat back.

 

Sorry i do not have any children and i am not 6 ft. tall, bu ti don find that if i lean the drivers seat forward and push forward on it then it is rather easy to pick up my laptop off the seat in the back. And i suspect i have to reach in farther than you will to get to it.

If you have a chance stop by the dealer and check out how far out of the way the driver seat will move.

I also saw a bunch of families at Mini's On Top 2008 this past week end and none of them complained about a sore back due to the car, the children were another story though.

Good luck with your new car.

 

As a father of three sons, it will be tight anyway you fit them. The first day I had my 05 MC, I removed the back seat and installed three sets of 5 point racing harnesses. Be prepared, your toddler will massage your back by kicking your seat back. There are so many more car seats on the market, since my boys were younger, give them a look and bring a tape measure to find the best fit.

By the way, the boys and I have gone on a few 500 mile trips to grandma's house in the Mini. It is always a little tight and we don't have room for mom. Actually she had to work on those trips and stated that if she were to go that we would be taking the minivan like we do the rest of the time.

 

I had the same questions and brought the whole fam down to test drive one. Let's just say I ordered one the following week

I have 2 kids, my daughter is 3 and is tiny so she is in the 2nd level car seat. My son is in the last level car seat before you go to a booster seat.

I was presently [SIZE=2]surprised [/SIZE]to find that my daughter's car seat still fit in there and she could not really kick the back seat. I am 5'11" and set the driver seat up for me and found that my son was still fine behind me with enough space.

Having the extra swing door is a huge plus and made it pretty easy for me to set the car seats in there and step in to buckle my daughter in. Actually you can almost buckle them in just be turning around from the driver seat.

I do think there will be enough space in there for a rear-facing infant seat. If any thing you could put it on the passagner side and slide the front seat up just a tad.

I test drove a 2n'd gen MCS when my son was 1 1/2 and the infant 2nd level car seat fit in there as well.

I've always wanted a MCS, but with 2 kids owning one would just not be practical and I was forced to look at a GTI, Mazda 3, etc. But when the Clubman entered the scene owning one has become a reality for me. There is still plenty of space in the trunk to put a double BOB's stroller in the back. Add a roof box and your good to go.

I will post pictures of my kids in the car, roofbox, dual stroller,etc once I have the darn thing. Waiting is killing me. It doesn't help that I keep lurking on this site either

 

We have a 6 yr old daughter and 3 yr old son. Right now the Clubbie is configured w/my son in a front facing 4 point intermediate seat behind the driver side and my daughter on the club door side in a booster. I'm 5'9" and have the seat pretty far back and am torn as to what would be the best arrangement. On the one hand it's convenient that I can just tip the seat forward to fasten my son's harness and my daughter can take care of herself. On the other - I can't help but think it would be easier if I could walk around and open the club door for more room to fasten my son's rig. I think the Britax seat may well make the decision for you however as they are usually a bit bulkier than the Cosco/Graco variety.

MINI could definitely make life a little easier if the sliding seats had memories - as they are now if you move one forward and then put the seat upright it will stay in the last position it was moved.

Regardless - I'm stuck w/my current arrangement because my 6yr old would raise hell if I tried to switch her over!!

Good luck and as mentioned - take your seats to the dealer for a test fit before you buy...

 

I am 6'2" and have an infant and toddler. I put the infant seat (britax companion) by the clubdoor for ease of access. My toddler just climbs across and up into her seat and i buckle her in (while squatting in the rear club side footwell). I have a safeguard go hybrid low-profile convertible 5-pt booster (converts from 5-pt to standard booster) for her since she'll soon outgrow the britax roundabout we use in the other car. The low profile helps with the legroom behind the driver seat. Good luck.

 

I just picked up my Clubman on Friday and am loving it. Ihave a 10 1/2 month old. She's pretty small and still in her Graco rearfacing carseat (the bucket kind). I'm 5' 8" and we have it behind my seat. I had to scoot up 1 position for it to fit properly. My daughter will be moving up to a convertible seat soon and I'm considering a Britax Roundabout since it's smaller than a Marathon/Decathlon. I think once the kids get up to the forward facing seats the seats take up a lot less space, but for now I think the Roundabout is a better option than Marathon/Decathlon based on size, but I haven't personally tried it out yet.

 

My $.02 is to put the toddler behind the driver's seat and the infant behind the passenger...that way it's easier to access the infant from the clubdoor. I have one 8 year old, but transported her, her friend and her friend's little brother around last week and there was plenty of room and no seat kicking. It's also pretty easy to have the toddler get in from the driver's side. Good luck!!

 

We do it, no problem (a two year old and a five year old). Our MO is that the bigger kid gets the "inside" seat behind the drivers', because she is less needy and can climb in and out herself, whereas we prefer easy access to the younger one.

I even got a matching kids' seat (black and blue) - there's one at Target from Cosco that is perfect.

 

You guys are so selling me on the Clubman! Darn you. I should go cheap and just enjoy a low-priced GTI lease! Argh.

 

Pleeease I was in the same boat. The GTI's mpg is not that good for such a small car. It doesn't really have that much more space. It is a fun car to drive I test drove both, but the Clubie was so much more fun and is unique.
I scared the **** out of my wife taking it up an on ramp, I pined it and it just carved up the ramp. The kids were and my wife gave me one of those looks, I'm sure you guys have been there. My response was, come hon' this car is made for this stuff. And her reponse was that's what your motorcycle and track days are for.

 

I really wish I could put three kids in the back seat even for short trips. I know the UK version of the car has the three setbelt positions in back. I still don't think there are plans to make that avalable here.

 

I just bought the baby recarro seat for 19 month old nephew for my mini and i love, Its so easy to get in and out of those baby hooks we have int he back seats. Me me run down out side and I'll take a few quick pics

(btw.. i dont have a clubman but its pretty much the same across the board when it comes to baby seats.)