Sprog no 3 is on the way. I definitely cannot fit 3 child / booster seats alongside each other in the back of my Accord, so it looks like it is time for a change.

Could I ask what other people are using for similar duties? Budget £7k for something 5-7 years old. Petrol / diesel not that important.

Ideas so far:

Honda FRV – now out of production so holding value a bit too well. Diesel ones mileagy but I have good experiences of this engine / floorpan combination. Don’t know if it’ll take 3 seats across the back but there is the centre front seat too.

Mazda 5 – would only have a petrol one of these due to diesel engine failure horror stories. I’m thinking one of these might be my best bet at this age but am interested to hear experiences. Also, how much luggage space is there when the seats are set up in the 2 + 2 + 1 configuration?

Vauxhall Zafira – cheapest to buy newer / lower miles but I do hear of diesel engine bother and also rust and electrical gremlins.

Haven’t considered French MPVs or Multipla, but prepared to listen to stories on unexpectedly good long term reliability.

What does the hive mind reckon?

Cheers

I had a Pug 307SW when mine were younger
3 totally independent rear seats, all with 3 point belt, fore/aft and reclining capabilities

I never tried it with three child seats but I did have a Multipla. The rear seats are proper sized due to the extra width of the body and the centre seat can be set back from the others to create extra shoulder (or, in your case, seat) room. Very stable to drive and I never had one issue with it. I then sold it on to someone off STW, so maybe they’ll come along and tell you how they got on with it.

I use a zafira, bog standard one as it has a hard life, door electrics can be iffy but I’ve had it for four years without any issues (except the door electrics). For lugging kids and stuff its been great.

good stuff – cheers/ How was the Pug in terms of reliability, Jota?

I know someone who had an early HDI 3 door and it was a nightmare even whilst still under warranty!

Could get 3 kids seats (one group 1, two group 2) across the back of my Mondeo. I should point out that I haven’t actually tried with 3 seats and it may vary depending on the seat design, but I’m quite confident about that given I had the group 2 fitted to one side and the group 1 in the middle (with the other bit of seat folded). Because of the way the seats fitted I also doubt I’d get two group 1 seats in with the group 2 in the middle – I tried it with the group 2 seat in the middle first and couldn’t get it to work.

I was surprised to manage this given I wouldn’t have fitted the seats in like that with the 406 I had previously, but the current model Mondeo is very wide in the back seats. Definitely worth a look if you want to stick with a more normal car. The bonus being that you’ll get a 4 year old car (or maybe even newer) for £7k – mine was only £4k for a 4.5yo, though it does have mega mileage!

Volvo XC90 here, the middle back seat acts as a booster seat for the eldest, and 2 seats either side. Plus a couple of spare seats in the back if you need it.

How was the Pug in terms of reliability,

It wasn’t bad, it did blow the turbo in the first 500 miles and had a warning message come up about some filter or other just before it went but otherwise good.I don’t recall anything else at all.

I had it from new for 4 years and 130k [ish] miles

LOL @ Harry. That’ll be what they take me to the madhouse in!

We recently bought a Berlingo, which was recommended in previous similar threads on here and it’s great for getting all the kids and gear in. We only have 2 child seats in at the moment, but there is ample room in the middle seat for an adult or another child seat.

54′ Ford Galaxy here. We love it. Its just so practical for a family. Our 6/7th seats usually live in the garage. Boot will swallow a double buggy without having to fold it. Perfectly flat floor makes cleaning a doddle etc. Seat back trays, rear air con etc.

If you want newer the S-Max would be my choice, they should have sorted that TDCi engine by bnow.

I’ve got a Honda CRV 2.2 cdti ES that I purchased for the same reason. Loads of room in the back for kids & all their stuff. Not bad to drive, 42mpg, good safety & reliability record too.

mazda 5…

sliding doors innit!

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?start=115&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1043&bih=565&tbm=isch&tbnid=lns14K2ntm-5UM:&imgrefurl=http://auta.yauto.cz/skoda-felicia-felicia-fun-1-6-572253.html&docid=bAK8Y10z7y1jfM&imgurl=http://img.yauto.cz/photos/13392/572253/Skoda_Felicia_Felicia_Fun_1_6_2.jpg&w=640&h=480&ei=EtvlUN7iNMqU0QWT-oHYAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=192&vpy=261&dur=2934&hovh=195&hovw=260&tx=218&ty=163&sig=107597699196995624588&page=7&tbnh=148&tbnw=200&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:26,s:100,i:82

Another XC90 here. We had three kids all under the age of 2 plus two dogs. Brilliant family cars.

What we found to be the biggest problem is not the width of the car but getting to each of the belt buckles as the biggest problem. I would also recomend the xc90 as it by far and away the best family car out there.

S-Max.

We put three car seats in a touran today (not mine), two and three year old at middle and one side, and one year old at the other side. Was easy, sure it could probably fit three of the big seats in it. Actually, not sure if the one year old isn’t in a big seat too, she is very tall. Buckles and all that were easy to do. Be easy enough to do on a regular basis.

Think it has 7 seats too if needed, although you lose much of the boot.

Dunno what you’d get for your money though.

hadn’t thought of Touran…..will have a look at what’s out there

Our Passat and Touran both took three seats, the Touran is definitely easier. I have also got three across a Yaris (2xboster with back and 1x baby)
FWIW, I would also look at new child seats. Many are huuuuge in size, and shopping around for narrower ones is a lot cheaper. We have friends who were about to spend £000’s on a new car until they tried our narrower seats in their car.

I’d say change the car seats not the car. We’ve had three across loads of cars by finding the smaller seats on the market. Our youngest is now 10 so probably no current useful info, but we managed fine with Mondeo, Vectra, Volvo, Honda Stream and a couple of hire cars, oh and our old 405 estate too. Our baby seat was rear facing with quite a narrow click in base for the car, from one of those travel systems, that helped a lot.

Honda FRV – now out of production so holding value a bit too well. Diesel ones mileagy but I have good experiences of this engine / floorpan combination. Don’t know if it’ll take 3 seats across the back but there is the centre front seat too.

I’ve had one for almost 7 years now and yes, it takes three child seats across the back with ease (they are three separate full size seats, all of which move forwards or backwards independently of one another.

I’ve been in the position of being able to buy a much newer car for the last 3 years but quite honestly there’s nothing out there right now that does its job any better than the FRV for me.

You are right in what you say about the late model diesels. Well pricey. I have the 2.0 petrol and it’s been faultless and its a quick car for its size. The later base model petrol went from a 1.7 to a 1.8 so not sure what that’s like.
We’re consider snapping up one of the 59 plates now but if I’m honest there really is nothing wrong with the one I have now.

Sprog no 3 is on the way. I definitely cannot fit 3 child / booster seats alongside each other in the back of my Accord, so it looks like it is time for a change.

If I could fit 3 in the back of an A3 you can fit them in the back of an Accord if you get the right seats

Thought seats were generally similar widths, so this is new. Could I ask what narrow seats you have experience of?

Previa, or one of the japanese imports which are a tad narrower.

There was some other thing with 3 rows of seats too

This thread alone is reason for me to stick at 2 and book the vasectomy in :-O

hmmmm yes djg lover……i can relate to that sentiment…! some things are best not put off….

Not sure what makes and models they were, but certainly nothing fancy – as in not a specifically narrow seat.

Keep in mind that one of your seats will be rear facing initially fo the first few months, so that’ll make life easier.

If only GW was still on here. He was a proper expert on fitting kids into small cars in proper car seats (child minder I think.)

Agreed – ours are Britax somethings – one was proper baby seat thing that tilted/slid, others were booster seat with removable backs. We went into mothercare or similar armed with a tape measure and an eye for narrower seats.

We’ve only got 2 kids but I couldn’t cope without our VW T4. It’s got T5 seats in the back that will easily take 3 kids seats (2 are isofix). Boot is big enough for both kids bikes…plus our bikes and camping gear for a week!
You should be able to find a T4 or T5 on your budget…fits in a standard parking space, drives really light and easy.

Any car would be a compromise these days…

Ditto what lister said. Going back to a car would take some getting used to now. 🙂

What did people with more than 2.1 children do before people carriers, mind you even with one sprog people go into a panic Amherst have to change their car. Makes me larf it does.

we have a zafira and with the 2 car seats we have in the back, there is no danger of fitting a third. i dare say narrower seats are available.

we had a Berlingo as a holiday hire car which was brilliant with loads of width and height. when the time comes, that will be the next car

Just accept that you won’t be driving anything car-like for a while now and get something that will make life easy, so large people-carrier – Galaxy etc.

As was said above, its not just seat-width but can you actually do up the buckles – I had a Mondeo then Vectra when we had a baby and two in seats – you needed a ‘method’…

I’ve got the Accord estate and had a similar problem. Took ages but we managed to squeeze in two child seats either side and a booster seat in the middle. The two child seats were Maxi Cosi Axiss. It is tight but does the job, for now.

As said above we were looking at a new car but a couple of new child seats worked out cheaper and less hassle. The main frustration was the side bolster on the rear seats pushing the seats into the middle.

Faced the same issue last year. I’ve managed to fit a new born a 3 yr old and a 5 yr old in the back of my Mondeo by using slim seats. It is a hassle getting to the buckles but okay for the odd journey. The other half swapped her Focus in for a Toyota Verso which has 3 independant seats in the 2nd row and 2 fold down ones in the boot. When it is time to change the Mondeo I’ll be looking at a Galaxy/Alhambra or T5 for the extra space as the kids get bigger.

Good luck!

I’ve got a Honda CRV 2.2 cdti ES that I purchased for the same reason. Loads of room in the back for kids & all their stuff. Not bad to drive, 42mpg, good safety & reliability record too.

I’ve not tried but looking at the two seats in the back of ours (a group 1 and a group 2) there is no way you could fit a third. Very good cars but not 3 child friendly.

What did people with more than 2.1 children do before people carriers, mind you even with one sprog people go into a panic Amherst have to change their car. Makes me larf it does.

Not use car seats. My Mum shared primary school drop offs with another Mum which meant 5 children under 12 in either a Metro or a Morris Minor traveller. With car seat rules now that would have been impossible and the mum with the Metro and 3 kids would probably be driving a much bigger car.

No wonder congestion is on the rise!

I used to go in the boot…..