MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Just to jump on the current 'what car?' bandwagon - our 407 is great but the boot is a bit restrictive for all the clutter that comes with a baby being lugged about for longer jaunts away from home. Do we p/x it for an estate or just buy a roof box for the odd occasions that a larger load has to be transported?
the roof box option has the added bonus that come summer you can lay in it and drink cider whilst gesturing wildly to passersby and other traffic!
roofboxes are fine for ocasional use but would upset mpg for prolonged use.
I used one on my Alfa 156 'estate' when we went camping - don't take long to fit (especially if you can leave them fitted to the roof bars when taken off).
I've got a humungous (forget exact litres but it was the biggest they sold) one you can have for £35 if you can collect from Hove.
That is a very kind offer and if I already had all the roofbars and what-have-you I'd be tempted.
If you've somewhere to store it then get a roofbox. The hit on MPG isn't that bad but we were always towing a trailer or caravan so never more than 60mph anyway. Never liked the idea of an estate packed to the gills in case all that stuff comes forward in a crash.
The safe load is something that had crossed our minds and the fuel consumption factor would only be on holidays so, again, a consideration but a minor one.
babies don't NEED huge amount of clutter
travelcot+ pram and your car is full
What Junkyard said plus the little trailer thing for her would nearly fill the boot by itself as it has to lie flat in a saloon.
You can't get as much in a roofbox as you think as they tend to be quite shallow.. And you they take up a wodge of space in the garage - less if they can be hung from the roof.
The weightload on ours is 60kg but we never go over 29kg as the limiting factor is me being able to lift the load over my head into the box.
That said, for use once or twice a year they're fine.
I've just had a crawl through the internet shops for the boxes and we need 90cm internal width, which none of them have. New car it is then by the look of things.
Thule do some that are more 'fabric on a baseboard' than a 'roofbox' as such - they tend to come up wider and squarer.
If you go looking for a new car take the things you want to fit in with you as boots come up different shapes as well as sizes. I would have thought with a sallon the limiting factor would be the boot oening as you just cant pile stuff on top of each other the way you can with an estate. As a plus estates are good for biking as they give you some where to sit as well.
Roofbox. But the big baby clobber in the boot (prams etc.) and everything else in the box. I use one for camping - got it for £40 off ebay. Had a crack which I covered with Duck tape to make watertight and all is good...
The thing that puts me off a roofbox is the additional faff of taking it off and putting it back on.
If you put a dog-guard in the back you can stack the boot to the rafters.
Not sure I want to travel in the back of your car!
cheap to buy a new pram/baby-whotsit then change your car
I (we) have this problem of babies & car aswell, we also have a big dog.
travelcot+ pram and your car is full
These things usually fold down, you know you don't have to take them built.
He said he had a 407 not a smart car.
Used to get everything for our one child into a 306 (including its bike) with our suitcases for a week, with the parcelshelf in.
Just need to rationalise what you pack and pack it well.
Depends on how old the child is and if any more are planned. The above lot, plus another pushchair, and travel cot etc for a second smaller baby makes it difficult. Once second one arrived we switched to a MPV
I used to have a 306 too and you are right, they are Tardis like in their ability to swallow stuff. Herself wants a pick-up to bung all the clobber in.
babies don't NEED huge amount of clutter
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
We have twin 7 month old girls and a Mazda 3. It took us about 4 weeks to realise we needed a roofbox because the pushchair/travel system takes up all the boot and we won't put anything in the car that could be dangerous in an accident. When we go away overnight we need a travel cot, changes of clothes for the girls and us, food, toys etc. We went for a large box (about 165l I think) as we decided we could get something too small but never too big. As we don't have much space to store it, it stays on all the time but it doesn't seem to have effected fuel economy that much.
The reason we decided to buy a box rather than change car? We weren't planning on changing the car yet and are happy with it. To change it would cost us money (unless we sold privately and did two great deals) and we could sell the roofbox system for about a £50 net loss over new price when we DO change car (at which time we will get something bigger).
we need 90cm internal width
For what? If it's a specific item like a pram, then even if you can't put that in the boot and other stuff in the roofbox, can't you attach it straight to roof bars without bothering with the roofbox.
Personally I've considered a roofbox (despite having a big estate already - but then I used to fill that with my toys when going away, and don't seem to have room for those any more), but really need to go the bigger car route given I tend to carry roof loads already (windsurfer or kayaks), so don't have space!
For what? If it's a specific item like a pram, then even if you can't put that in the boot and other stuff in the roofbox, can't you attach it straight to roof bars without bothering with the roofbox.
YOu couldn't put a pram directly onto roof bars (if that is what you are suggesting). What if it rains? The seat will be soaked. Unless you manage to wrap it in something waterproof so with all that faff you may as well use a roofbox.
Maybe we should put baby in the workhouse, thereby avoiding all this mess.
Maybe we should put baby in the workhouse, thereby avoiding all this mess.
This.
babies don't NEED huge amount of clutter
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
i didn't give a list of what could be deemed essential. i just know that having had three baby-type people, Ex-Mrs took an endless pile of crap that was totally unnecessary. obviously twins in a small hatchback will be problematical.
babies don't NEED huge amount of clutter
We used to go on camping holidays with 3 kids under 5 in a Ford Sierra - without too much trouble - even when they were all babies - it's just a matter of realising that you can still easily manage without a lot of the paraphernalia
I've just had a crawl through the internet shops for the boxes and we need 90cm internal width, which none of them have
Have a look at the biggest Autoform
Ex-Mrs took an endless pile of crap
But she will over-rule any of your objections to the 50 nappies 'required' for a night away.
Have a look at the biggest Autoform
Loking at the basic dimensions it may be a nadge too narrow.
YOu couldn't put a pram directly onto roof bars (if that is what you are suggesting). What if it rains? The seat will be soaked. Unless you manage to wrap it in something waterproof so with all that faff you may as well use a roofbox.
Well of course you can. Exactly how much faff is putting it in a heavy duty plastic bag (note, don't use bin liners, they're not strong enough)? I manage to put my windsurfer in a protective bag before it goes on the roof. Anyway, the whole point was that he couldn't find a roofbox to fit it in!
i didn't give a list of what could be deemed essential. i just know that having had three baby-type people, Ex-Mrs took an endless pile of crap that was totally unnecessary. obviously twins in a small hatchback will be problematical.
We used to go on camping holidays with 3 kids under 5 in a Ford Sierra - without too much trouble - even when they were all babies - it's just a matter of realising that you can still easily manage without a lot of the paraphernalia
No-one NEEDS 99% of the things they have but when they have them why should they do without and then later wish they had them with them? For example, we could leave our big pram behind when visiting friends as we don't *need* it - then we could get everything else in the boot. But on several occasions we have used it when taking the girls out for walks that weren't planned. It is just a case of making your life easy and if it means a roofbox (or a bigger car) I say do it - why put yourself out needlessly?
I had a 406 D9, which shares a lot of its technology with the 407.
My advice normally would be to keep the car you have and get a roofbox. Better the devil you know, less hassle, lighter car with better MPG for the rest of the time and so on.
But in this case, you have a 407. Sell it. Sell it now. Sell it before it breaks and Peugeot take 12 weeks to deliver the parts. Sell it before it causes you to fall behind on your mortgage repayments and your wife to leave you. Sell it!
Get something German instead.
A quick thought for those worrying about stuff in the car during a crash.
I've rolled a car. Anything in the car will go wherever it wants to inside a hatchback. Parcelshelves are generally made of cardboard, and stuff can smash down the folding rear seats.
If you often carry big and heavy stuff, get a cargo net and a guard.
Get something German instead.
You bung me a few grand to meet the badge/cost gap and I might consider it. Thus far the Pug. has been reliable bar a sticky electric window which is easily remedied.
Having had a few cars, I'd happily take a German car that's a few years older over most others. Japanese stuff is similarly reliable, but dull as ditchwater and parts prices are horrendous.
I've rolled a car. Anything in the car will go wherever it wants to inside a hatchback. Parcelshelves are generally made of cardboard, and stuff can smash down the folding rear seats.
Agreed - but why add to the risk?
My brother recently rolled a Focus estate which is always rammed with stuff (boot, entire back seat inc. footwells, passenger seat and footwell, all map pockets, under all seats etc. And the stuff is all big, metal and heavy (he repairs cash machines for a living). Somehow he came out of it without a scratch.
Tricky one really. Parents [me and Mrs Sb included] with their first baby tend to take loads of stuff everywhere which generally makes life tougher than it should be. Over night we went from one to three kids under the age of 2 and learnt just now much stuff you do really need and how much is excess baggage.
I'd have thought that if you only go away occasionally then go for the box. Personally though, if you've got the money, go for a bigger car as I'd imaging loading/unloading a roof box must be a PITA. But obviously the cost is going to be much higher 🙁
Unless you are carting a fully built rigid travel cot around then it takes up no space at all - my North Face Hammerhead when fully stuffed with kit and water is about the size of the travel cot we have. I'd suggest seeing what you are carrying and remove the clutter.
Travel cot - [url= http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/Baby-and-Child-Products/Bedtime/Travel-Cots/LittleLife-Arc-3-Travel-Cot/0004723p.aspx ]this[/url] packs down small (and is the one we use but there are others of similar size and design) - 2 minutes to set up and no probs with it so far.
Pram, we have a big unit - Mamas & Papas Skate - but it folds down nice and flat and if I remove the rear wheels (QR-type affair), it sits no probs with a load of kit on top of it.
I can easily get all kit for a week's holiday in Centre PArcs in a Fiat Bravo with 2 bikes on the roof, the baggage for me and the missus plus all the kit for our daughter (including a myraid of toys that the good lady insists we take and never gets looked at!). It's tight in the boot but it all fits and is no probs. However, it does come down to size of goods once packed away...so if the cot and/or pram are lumpy units that don't fold away then you have problems.
I wouldn't think of getting rid of the 407, it's a large car, not trying to sound cheeky but I'd suggest you have a look at what you are needing to take and how it is packed...there is probably stuff you don't actually need (like 2 packs of nappies instead of 5 packs, etc.) and the way the car is packed might also be improved - foot space beneath the kids seat can be packed with stuff, as long as there is enough space for the kid's legs to move around then it is all good...use stacking boxes (collapsable units from the likes of Tesco or Homebase) - these can sit in the passenger seats and not roll around but it does help conserve space and give fixed dimensions to things needing packed.
Roofbox would be my suggestion if it needs to be one of the 2 options you mentioned - it's going to be cheaper and unless you have issues with the 407, it's a fine car to keep.
get a roofbox been using them for years!!
Have tried being ruthless when travelling even buying the extra small samsonite travel cots, quinny zap pram you get the idea but somehow we always fill the A4 and roofbox to the max - girls just have to have their stuff!!!
OR
Get a grand scenic the boot is massive, the seats slide forward to make it bigger, no probs when kids are in car seats and then loads of room, plus they have loads of under floor bins which swallow an amazing amount of gear.
plus also seats come out and it turns into a minivan which is great for the bikes 😉
MTBFIX - mondeo estate for sale here
robjackson@hotmail.co.uk
Double post for some reason...sorry.
I just bought a new bagpack for my car. Its much better than the normal roofrack. Its so easy to use and you can add 20 kilos extra. I bought it in http://www.carux.com. Free delivery
That Carux is quite neat but seems to render the rear view mirror useless. Loving all the glamourous ladies in the images on the website though. None of them look like they have recently loaded a heavy bag onto a car.
Parcelshelves are generally made of cardboard, and stuff can smash down the folding rear seats.
Christ it'd have to be fairly hefty stuff. I dropped an old peugeot 205 nose-first off a 10ft drop and came to a very rapid halt (snapping axles and moulding the front end around the block) while having the entire rear end packed to the brim with kiteboards, mountainboards, camping kit, cookers etc - the biggest worry I had was the angry welshman whos fence I'd broken, the rest of the stuff shuffled a bit and sat back down, apart from a pack of tissues that ended up on the dash! I actually wondered whether if I hadn't packed it so full of stuff that things might have flown around more. That said, loose boxes of tools etc can be pretty damn lethal! I wouldn't put a pram into that sort of catagory though.
My take - roofbox is a great solution. Parents generally take too much stuff but it's better to get a box than to buy a pickup to carry the pram 🙂
TEo- thats interesting, but how does it fit to a non-hatch like the 407? And can you IMAGINE the drag on that ferarri 430 at 100mph plus, gee 😀
If you do end up getting a roof box I thoroughly recommend the [url= http://www.roofbox.co.uk/ ]Roofbox Company[/url] as a good place to get it from.
Excellent service, loads of stuff in stock and cheaper than Halfords.
We were in a similar situation - had a Civic Type R which has a decent boot, but our pram wouldn't fit in it at all!
Were planning on a new car anyway, and were looking at estates (for baby and biking duties!) but my wife found them MASSIVE to drive. Then we had a look at an octavia hatchback - the boot is mahoosive, and i found it more useable for baby stuff than the estate (pram fitted in lentghways in octavia, not in passat estate!) and drives beautifully. Best of all, it's VAG quality without the pricetag!!!
DrP
Not on-topic specifically but we have a Quinny Zapp and a Little Life travel cot that take up hardly any space...
One of the main requirements for our baby shopping was that it shouldn't fill the car with crap 🙂
Tinkerbelle goes back to work in a couple of months so we are going to hold fire until she has returned and established what the car allowance will be. Now I just have to bite the bullet and shift the MX5 for something capable of carrying even a minor load.
Had the same decision to make 2 years ago with a baby and fairly regular trips to the UK, as the car had roof rails (rover streetwise) we got a massive roofbox (470L I think) instead 2nd hand inc thule bars for about £200. It meant I could get all the stuff in that I needed too so long as I packed well and still take 3 people (mother in law nicking free trips back to england) and the nipper.
It weighs about 15kg, which is easy enough to put onto the roof of the car and is stored in the shed with no problems (stood up at the end out of the way).
We've since gotten a mondeo estate and we still use the roofbox when making any half decent long journey's (it has integral roof bars too). On a trip from Holyhead to Manchester I only managed 49.6mpg as opposed to the normal 53 ish I get when doing 70, which I didn't think was too bad.
It mainly has the pram thrown into it and 20 gallons of vimto on the return journey, it just gives you more options and less having to make do/struggle a bit.
I just recieved my CARUX is aswsome!!!! So easy to use and looks so cool on my smart for 2. They even have a video on you tube and shows you how to install it.
Have a nice day! 🙂