How many kids can you fit in your car?
By violetdreams
@violetdreams (658)
January 3, 2009 4:24pm CST
I have a problem! What's new hey? Well, we had 2 cars - a Toyota Lucida (Previa) - 8 seater, and a Landrover Freelander. The Toyota was mine and we had it because we had twins a few years back and wouldn't have been able to fit the baby seats into our regular car at the time (Ford Focus). So, first thing we did was to get rid of our Focus and buy the 8 seater Toyota.
Somewhere along the way hubby needed a car to get to work and he decided that he needed a Landrover. Now we live in an area which floods quite often - badly at least once a year for the last 3 years - so a landrover type vehicle is not a bad plan and certainy not a vanity thing (which it seems to be for a lot of people in the UK) 
Anyway, now that the kids are a little older and not in the big, cumbersome baby seats anymore, we got rid of the Toyota over the summer (2008) and I was left driving the Landrover with the 3 kids squished into the back when we were all in the car. Hubby was using a scooter to work and saving on fuel and parking costs while the gas prices were so high.
Now that winter has rolled around and it is freezing here and the roads are very icy most mornings it is quite dangerous to use the scooter, so, over the holidays we found ourselves a small VW Polo for hubby to use to and from work.
Now, my problem is this ... 3 child seats squished into the back seat of the Landrover is a fairly tight squeeze and as the kids get older I imagine it will get worse. In the UK kids now have to be in car seats or boosters up till the age of 11 (or thereabouts) so I am going to have this problem for a while.
My question is this - how many kids do you have? What type of car do you use? Do you have to use 3 child seats? Do you have any solutions for me? What type of car would you suggest?
I would like to get rid of the Landrover sice the UK Car tax will be going up sometime in 2009 and we are going to be paying a lot for the privilige of driving the Landrover.
Thanks all
Violetdreams
Anyway, now that the kids are a little older and not in the big, cumbersome baby seats anymore, we got rid of the Toyota over the summer (2008) and I was left driving the Landrover with the 3 kids squished into the back when we were all in the car. Hubby was using a scooter to work and saving on fuel and parking costs while the gas prices were so high.
Now that winter has rolled around and it is freezing here and the roads are very icy most mornings it is quite dangerous to use the scooter, so, over the holidays we found ourselves a small VW Polo for hubby to use to and from work.
Now, my problem is this ... 3 child seats squished into the back seat of the Landrover is a fairly tight squeeze and as the kids get older I imagine it will get worse. In the UK kids now have to be in car seats or boosters up till the age of 11 (or thereabouts) so I am going to have this problem for a while.
My question is this - how many kids do you have? What type of car do you use? Do you have to use 3 child seats? Do you have any solutions for me? What type of car would you suggest?
I would like to get rid of the Landrover sice the UK Car tax will be going up sometime in 2009 and we are going to be paying a lot for the privilige of driving the Landrover.
Thanks all
Violetdreams1 person likes this
12 responses
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
3 Jan 09
Lol we have a lexus and we have one full car seat and two boosters in the back of that!! We have currently been trying to get rid of that also due to the tax risings etc but no one wants these bigger engine cars now so we are stuck with it for the time being flipping thing!!
@violetdreams (658)
•
4 Jan 09
No kidding! Isn't it funny how the prices of the smaller cars have risen as the prices for the larger cars have come down. We sold our 8 seater and for the money we got for that we couldn't even but a decent small car. We had to put in extra cash - all because nobody wants the big cars now and everyone wants the smaller ones.
Personally, I don't really want a bigger one either, but don't have much choice because of the laws about car seats! Not fair really if you think about it, is it?
Apparently, if I can't fit 3 car seats in the back of my car, I am legally allowed to have a 5 year old in the back without a booster/car seat. Don't really want to do it, but .... Did you know that?
Violetdreams
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
4 Jan 09
I knew it but I forgot I knew it until you just reminded me, he he. Yes we sometimes let our 8 year old go without the booster because it can get a little cramped in the back. I think the whole country has turned upside down and on its head, everything is just so dismal these days.
@demolition_1derby (15)
• India
4 Jan 09
I have two cars.In the small car i can fit arounf 7..Lets say 2 in the front and 5 in the back
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
4 Jan 09
Thankfully, I only have 1 kid and I drive currently a Mitsubishi Lancer, which is a 4 door compact. Making that last payment this month!
Unfortunately, what I need with all of our animals and a possible planned pregnancy in May is a mini-SUV.
What kind of seats are your kids in? At one point I woudl drive around my son and my neighbors daughter. My son was in a booster seat and she was in backwards facing car seat. I was driving a Hyundai Elantra at the time and probably could have squeezed in about her booster seat.
@violetdreams (658)
•
4 Jan 09
Hi Sedel
Lucky you to be making your last payment - I'll bet that maked you happy .
My kids are in the normal child seats, the ones which are supposed to go from 2 years or so ... once they grow out of them, the back of the seat comes off and they can be used as a booster seat.
My kids are 5 years old and I also have 3 year old twins. My 5 year old could go in a booster now, but he still wants the whole seat for some reason. 
Good luck with the pregnancy - hope it all goes according to plan.
All the best for 2009
Violetdreams
.
My kids are in the normal child seats, the ones which are supposed to go from 2 years or so ... once they grow out of them, the back of the seat comes off and they can be used as a booster seat.
My kids are 5 years old and I also have 3 year old twins. My 5 year old could go in a booster now, but he still wants the whole seat for some reason.
Good luck with the pregnancy - hope it all goes according to plan.
All the best for 2009
Violetdreams
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
4 Jan 09
We have a mini-van and it works for us. We have 2 in car seats and the other 3 are teens (older kids have moved out). I have always had a mini-van as we have a large family. Even when the older ones move out again then I have grandbabies that I provide transportation for. I have had up to 5 car seats in it and it was a little cramped but it worked.
I know I was thinking of downsizing but not sure.
@AbbeyB (670)
• Spain
9 Jan 09
I agree it is a nightmare, we have 4 kids and when they were all little it was a chore to get them anywhere so we had to buy a people carrier which was expensive to run thankfully now 2 are older so we only have 2 still at home but it must be a nightmare especially with the road tax and petrol going up over there.
Unfortunatly there isnt a lot you can do unless you fancy walking everywhere! good luck
@michaels1966 (61)
•
21 Aug 12
twin car seats in the back of the freelander leaves room in the middle for one adult.manged 4 adults and 2 kids in the car but that was with 1 of the adults in the boot.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
4 Jan 09
i have a honda accord euro at the moment but i don't have any child yet... so it is only me and my hubby who are sitting in the car and we have no problem with that... i think i can fit 2 car seat in my car if i have children in the future... 3 will be too crowded... take care and have a nice day...
@ellie333 (21016)
•
4 Jan 09
Hi Violetdreams, I don't have your problem as usually it is just myself and my son in the car but sometimes his friend will come out with us and his mum who also has a young baby so we have to have a baby seat and two booster ones in the back and it can be a bit of a tight squeeze as I only have a saloon. My friend who has three children and two step children has a Seat People carrier type vehicle and this is great as the seats inside change into child seats of booster seats so there is no need for spearate ones to be put in each time. I can't remember the model though but she said it was very reasonably priced to buy also. Funnily enough her hubby rides a bike to work but in really bad weather conditons has VW golf. Hope you find something that is suitable. Huggles. Ellie :D
@littleone3 (2063)
•
4 Jan 09
I know how you feel we have 5 kids and I know how hard it is to find a car that all of them will fit in.
We did have a Mitsubishi Spacewagon that seated 7 which was not too bad when you had all the kids in it, with two booster seats and a car seat. But the boot space was very limited.
We ended up swapping it for an 8 seater Toyota Previa which we find a lot more roomy but we now have only two in car seats as my daughter turned 11 last year.
My partner was considering going for something smaller as my eldest son is 17 and is thinking of taking driving lessons himself.
But i can't help you on what sort of car, as we are also trying to decide what would be best for us.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Jan 09
In car seats until 11? That's ridiculous! My oldest hasn't been in a car seat since he was 4, and he's 11 now. The twins stopped using car seats shortly after turning 4... they're 6 now.
I have 5 kids total, the 11 yr old, the twins, a toddler who is 2 and 1/2, and the baby is about to turn a year.
For the past 4 or 5 years hubby and I were sharing a car, a tiny car. Until the toddler was born we'd just shove the 3 kids in the back seat, wasn't a huge deal, it's just that they were crowded.
When the toddler was born we ended up having to leave my oldest with a neighbor or home alone when we had to go out places. Or if hubby wasn't with us the oldest would sit in the front seat while the little 3 were squished in the back seat. But my oldest would have to stay home alone while I brought hubby to and from work.
Then the baby was born and it was even worse. My oldest was staying home alone more often, I'd have to put one of the 5 year olds in the front seat, and hubby had to find a ride home from work. I wouldn't bring him into work until all the kids were gone for school, so he'd be late often.
We just couldn't afford another car at the time. Finally when we got the stimulus checks the government gave out last year we purchased a mini van. It seats 7, so we have just the right amount of room. The 3 older kids sit in the back, the little 2 sit in the middle row, and hubby and I are up front.
@celticeagle (167026)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Jan 09
My aunt used to have a stationwagon and only because she took about five kids to church on Sundays. I have a sedan and have two kids. Weird. Interesting. But, you know some folks do things for different reasons. For some it is just keeping up with the Jones'. Maybe he will get tired of paying this higher tax. Maybe.
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
4 Jan 09
I drive a mini-van and have for quite some time. I have four kids, only one is still in a car seat, but at one point, I had three of them in car seats. The mini-van was and has been pretty comfortable for my family, even with car seats. Mine seats 7 regularly, and easily fits my family, even with the car seats.
