To Sell or not to Sell...

[Gambisk]

...That is the question. At the moment my wife has a 2015 Seat Ibiza and I have an EP3. This set up works well for us, but we are having a baby in August and the assorted paraphernalia that goes with babies is starting to arrive. The plan had been to use the Ibiza as the main family car if we were all going out somewhere, but having tried a baby seat in the back that might need to change, the passenger seat has to go so far forward to get it in there is little leg room left for the passenger.

There is also the question of the dog and the pram, only one can fit in the boot at a time so we are not sure what to do with the other one. Dog in back seat with baby or pram in back seat with baby, maybe even dog and pram in back seat and baby in front, with wife in boot?

It feels ridiculous to change a car just for the baby, especially when my parents bought up my brother and I in a Fiat Uno, but I'm not sure what else to do. I've been looking at some estates that would allow me to put the pram and a dog cage in the boot together but I really don't want to spend much changing the car, I also don't really want to sell the Honda but if needs must I will. What would you guys do in my situation as I keep flitting between sell and don't sell.

 

[ci_newman]

As you've found, the Ibiza is too small for a family car especially if you ever go on holiday somewhere - you need at least the Leon / Golf / Focus size of car (the EP3 would work too). Yes your parents coped with something much smaller, but pushchairs and car seats were significantly smaller (and less safe) too.

Dogs need to go in the boot - in an accident, if they were in the main cabin they are likely to cause very serious injury even in a low-speed accident.

And it's not ridiculous to change cars to accommodate having a family - it's a perfectly normal thing to happen as your requirements have changed.

 

[Lustral]

Currently the other Golf with the bigger boot does my families duties. Just about fit everything in , plus the mum inlaw.

Most car seats that have a base unit that you clip into does take a lot of room in the back seat and can encroach the front passenger leg room.

Unless your fairly tall , (im 5' 8" and missus 5' 6") it shouldn't be a problem. I did it in a Yaris , which was just about doable , but ultimately the boot is too small for anything else once loaded with the travel system we got.

Currently the other Golf with the bigger boot does my families duties. Just about fit everything in , plus the mum inlaw.

Most car seats that have a base unit that you clip into does take a lot of room in the back seat and can encroach the front passenger leg room.

Unless your fairly tall , (im 5' 8" and missus 5' 6") it shouldn't be a problem. I did it in a Yaris , which was just about doable , but ultimately the boot is too small for anything else once loaded with the travel system we got.

P.S If you do replace get something with 4/5 Doors , makes getting the little one in and out of the car easier.

 

[Gambisk]

We bought the Ibiza with 5 doors with kids in mind but severely underestimated the size of car seats and bases. We are also both tall, I'm 6,5 and my wife is 5,11 hence the leg room issues with having the seats far enough forward for the rear facing baby carrier. The other thing that might work is putting the baby in the front with an adult and the dog in the back, the dog is strapped in with a harness into the seatbelt system so no issues with her rolling about in a accident.

The size of the car is only going to be an issue at the weekends if we are all going out for a walk the rest of the time it will be grand as it will most likely only be my wife and the baby going out in it during the day, which is why I'm reluctant to change for just 1 in maybe 30 trips in the car.

 

[Lustral]

The other thing that might work is putting the baby in the front with an adult

Only issue with that is the law , your basically breaking it if you are going to do that.

 

[Gambisk]

since when is that illegal? I thought so long as the air bag is deactivated then its grand?

ETA
https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/using-a-child-car-seat-or-booster-seat

 

[inflames]

Go get an estate or a large hatch back like Mazda 6 or similar. An estate is a great when you have kids, i had one when we had our first kid and it does help a lot and with the dog to. I wish i had brought another one when we had our 2nd kid as i am now in the need of estate again.

 

[inflames]

We bought the Ibiza with 5 doors with kids in mind but severely underestimated the size of car seats and bases. We are also both tall, I'm 6,5 and my wife is 5,11 hence the leg room issues with having the seats far enough forward for the rear facing baby carrier. The other thing that might work is putting the baby in the front with an adult and the dog in the back, the dog is strapped in with a harness into the seatbelt system so no issues with her rolling about in a accident.

Wait until the baby grows up and needs the next stage up in car seat. like this:

https://www.johnlewis.com/cybex-pallas-m-fix-group-1-2-3-car-seat-stardust-black/p3208645

It only just fits in my wife's focus.

 

[Lustral]

since when is that illegal? I thought so long as the air bag is deactivated then its grand?

ETA
https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/using-a-child-car-seat-or-booster-seat

If you are using it as a rear facing it is ...

Quote "It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that every passenger under 14 is in a childseat or is using a seat belt according to the law. It is illegal to put a child in a rearward facing child car seat in the front passenger seat"

Id would try and use the rear facing position as long as you can in the back seats , but etto

 

[Lustral]

Wait until the baby grows up and needs the next stage up in car seat. like this:

https://www.johnlewis.com/cybex-pallas-m-fix-group-1-2-3-car-seat-stardust-black/p3208645

It only just fits in my wife's focus.

Currently use a Cybex Sirona M car seat at the moment. It is quite bulky but can be used both rear facing and forward when the time comes.

https://www.johnlewis.com/cybex-sir...pYflm6E-FOAmzbKmBM4tYaAq8F8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[rodenal]

We had a similar requirement and changed from a 3 door civic as the main family car due to baby and dog - couple of things to note

As above the next stage seat or seat that will take you rear facing all the way through takes up even more rear room so it's worth planning a little further ahead. Focus size and up is pretty much fine but just consider your car and baby seat together. I'd say the bigger the car the better tbh

For the rear of the car we ended up with a custom dog cage (in an Octavia hatch so plenty of boot space) - perfect for keeping cocker spaniel and pram separate but even better would have been an estate with full size divider

3 doors is back breaking when you're lifting the seat in and out all the time, which would have been a real problem for my other half who had a particularly sore back for a good while after our little one arrived - but ends up less of an issue once you're using a permanently fixed seat

 

[peterwalkley]

Much as they provoke hatred from others and your own emasculation I would suggest an MPV style car with small child / children and dog. There are advantages:
- Basic interior is easy to clean puke, mud etc off
- 'Upright' stance means you don't knacker your back with contortions getting baby seat in and out
- Decent boot size for pram, dog, luggage and other baby junk
- Loads of headroom as you are both tall

Once they are old enough to get in and out themselves you can move to something else. As ci_newman pointed out, your requirements have changed - and more dramatically than you have likely realised !

 

[HangTime]

We bought the Ibiza with 5 doors with kids in mind but severely underestimated the size of car seats and bases. We are also both tall, I'm 6,5 and my wife is 5,11 hence the leg room issues with having the seats far enough forward for the rear facing baby carrier.

Assuming your wife is driving her car, you will likely find yourself as a passenger increasingly squashed in at 6'5" with a baby seat in behind you. My wife currently drives a Leon and even at 5'11 I might prefer a fraction more room at times now my son is forward facing and has growing legs! (and like you we were expecting to have a child when we bought it to replace an even smaller Corsa). We're replacing the car with an estate now my son is at an age where we want to go away on holiday (and also for carting stuff around to the dump etc as we are expecting to move house at some point) - like you at times I do wonder if this is really worthwhile as the vast majority of journeys we don't need the extra space, it would just be a nice to have. I do have some other 'justifications' for changing car though, rather than it purely being a practical boot size issue.

One thing you might want to think about is what sort of pram you get. We ended up buying two, one more expensive, robust model (a travel system) that is great for walking around with, plenty of storage for shopping etc and also a small cheap one that is much smaller and easy to transport. I'm not gonna lie, as great and smooth as the big one is (could even handle woodland paths etc) it takes up a massive amount of space in the Leon boot.

edit: Not sure I'd want to replace a 2015 car that quick though without being sure it was required, assuming you are otherwise happy with it, no issues etc. Maybe do a few trial runs with a car seat fitted, pram in the boot, both parents and dog in the car, plus a random collection of tat that you don't even know you will need yet...

 

[theone8181]

If you are using it as a rear facing it is ...

Quote "It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that every passenger under 14 is in a childseat or is using a seat belt according to the law. It is illegal to put a child in a rearward facing child car seat in the front passenger seat"

Id would try and use the rear facing position as long as you can in the back seats , but etto

Is that a new law? Ive always thought it was ok as long as airbag is off (not that ive every put kids in the front due to paranoia of knowing whether the airbag might go off anyway). Logically if its to do with airbags, older cars wouldnt be affected.

 

[Lustral]

Is that a new law? Ive always thought it was ok as long as airbag is off (not that ive every put kids in the front due to paranoia of knowing whether the airbag might go off anyway). Logically if its to do with airbags, older cars wouldnt be affected.

Not sure if it was changed etc etc but it was ingrained in my head that it is better to put a newborn in the back seats rear facing as long as possible and dont use the front seats for this. Was told by the neo-natal team when i had the little one back in 2015 .

I know there is some new law regarding ISOFix and new i-Size seats that came about last year.

 

[rodenal]

You've slightly misquoted

It is illegal to have a rear facing seat in the front seat if an active airbag is in operation...or words to that effect

Though I seem to remember (will have to check) isize seats also cannot be used in the front. Possibly because they're all isofix

 

[Lustral]

More than likely , but in the OP situation , it might work out without changing the car to something else.

 

[FerretBoy]

I suggest an estate car, be warned though it is hard live without one once you have owned one.

My history since having kids and dog:
Volvo 960 -> Mondeo MK4 -> Golf R
(All estates)

 

[inflames]

I suggest an estate car, be warned though it is hard live without one once you have owned one.

My history since having kids and dog:
Volvo 960 -> Mondeo MK4 -> Golf R
(All estates)

This may me laugh, sense i sold my last one i have been wanting another just because of how useful they are. Hopefully i shall have another one soon.

 

[Gambisk]

I'd love an estate but I want a petrol, those two things really limit my options, so most likely will end up with a Mondeo or Insignia hatch instead.

Thanks for the advice, I no longer feel so silly about changing the car. I have to say I will miss the civic, but I always knew it would have to come to an end, just playing the waiting game now and hoping for a good mondeo to come up in my budget.