Hi Guys

I hope you will forgive this question but have you seen how many responses "family" and "car" throw up when put into the search engine here?!

I am considering changing our 325ci Sport for a cheaper and marginally more economical Cooper S (maybe even a works one), but am conscious of the issue of space.

With a 21-month old boy, a Bugabooo frog and frequent shopping visits, I am wondering if any of you actually use the Cooper S as your only/main family car.

We tend to do very little distance driving so long-distances are not an issue - it is more the practicality of space.

My son is already kicking the back of the passenger seats in the BMW so I am wondering if the smaller mini has a deceptively large back seat or if I we are best sticking with what we have got.

Any experiences and advice would be very welcome!

Paul

Our "big" car is a MINI and it's not a problem, sun is now 26 months and it's not a problem. HOWEVER, we he hardly ever goes in his buggy (he tends to walk or get carried) but we've got the incredibly small Quinny Zapp anyway, which fits no trouble at all in the boot.

wow - what great service!!

Thaks for your response Paul. I have spent a lot of time looking at the various car seats people have talked about as well as prams and I think that the Quinny pram seems to be tha hands-down winner regarding travel! Like you say though, before long he will be walking just about everywhere anyway so there is little use for it anymore.

What about the most preferred car seat? I had see that the Britax Elite is a common favourite. Is this a common-held belief? I guess most people manage somehow don't they?!

Thanks

Paul

i've had nothing but minis including classics as the only car since 1989!!!!!. Now have one kid almost 9 and another who's 4. If you want to make it work it will. Get roof bars if necessary, I use mount blanc ones when we go on holidays. It just makes you think more carefully about what you take with you as a family. I know people with people carriers who sy they havn't got enough space. The more you have the more you fill!!

I say it's only good if you're prepared to compromise. Not all your shopping will go in the boot - and certainly it won't if you have something like a push chair in there. If you go away, one large suitcase fills the boot. You have to "load" the car round passengers' feet or on seats.

We're moving on to an Audi A4 Avant. I don't want to have to think about how many bags of shopping I can buy when I go out, or whether I need to shuffle a few things about everytime I go out to make space. Based on advise from friends and family, we're changing the car. I'll be the first to admit that an A4 Avant is overkill (for now), but whilst you're going to drive a bigger car, might as well not compromise. The Quattro Sport makes for a comfortable, safe, but poky drive. The 1.9Tdi engine will go for a long time (my sister has one that's at 238,000 miles!!).

Pete

I don't want to have to think about how many bags of shopping I can buy when I go out, or whether I need to shuffle a few things about everytime I go out to make space.

You've hit the nail on the head there I think Pete. We use what space we have in the BMW, but that is largely for the pram and other junk.

I guess I am looking for ways to make the Cooper S work, although maybe like you, I may get to the point where I get sick of having to find ways to make it work!

Hmmm....what a dilemma!

Yeah. Don't get me wrong. The Mini can be your family car. And how cool and fun is it?! :) But, of course, you compromise on space. That's a given. And these days, depending on your budget, you don't need to compromise space for fun. I'm not saying the A4 is as fun as the Mini, but it provides *pleasure* to drive in a different way. Think about what you want first and foremost from the car. A Cooper S Works is a lot of money - and it will buy you larger cars that provide pleasure to drive. It will have you a nice 3 series Touring (or older 5 series) or A4, for example, from 03/04, probably very nicely specced, too.

I say it's only good if you're prepared to compromise. Not all your shopping will go in the boot - and certainly it won't if you have something like a push chair in there. If you go away, one large suitcase fills the boot. You have to "load" the car round passengers' feet or on seats.

We're moving on to an Audi A4 Avant. I don't want to have to think about how many bags of shopping I can buy when I go out, or whether I need to shuffle a few things about everytime I go out to make space. Based on advise from friends and family, we're changing the car. I'll be the first to admit that an A4 Avant is overkill (for now), but whilst you're going to drive a bigger car, might as well not compromise. The Quattro Sport makes for a comfortable, safe, but poky drive. The 1.9Tdi engine will go for a long time (my sister has one that's at 238,000 miles!!).

Pete

I suppose it depends how much shopping you get?! Never had a problem with boot space, but when we go shopping Alfie either walks or sits in the trolly seat so there's no need for a buggy (food shopping I mean). Clothes shopping we just don't buy that much at one time!

:D

We've always owned minis/MINIs so we've always "thought small" I guess, and just don't see an issue.

The MINI has been our main family car since we got it3 years ago, with 1 child (now 4 years old). Pram went in the boot, or the back seat was half-folded down. Shopping fits in easily. Have roof-racks and roofbox for luggage on long trips. Now we have our second child (6 months old) we are planning on selling the wife's car (RX8) for a more practical family car :rolleyes:

In conclusion I say it is a fine family car for 1 kid, but a bit less practical for 2 kids ;)

I suppose it depends how much shopping you get?! Never had a problem with boot space, but when we go shopping Alfie either walks or sits in the trolly seat so there's no need for a buggy (food shopping I mean). Clothes shopping we just don't buy that much at one time!

:D

We've always owned minis/MINIs so we've always "thought small" I guess, and just don't see an issue.

Quite right. That's the crux. If you are happy to "think small" (nice phrase :D ), then it'll work. I think I jst want to not have to anymore - so it's all personal preference. If you really want a Mini for the fun factor, you'll "think small" and be happy, I'm sure. I like being able to move wardrobes without having to call the in laws or hire a van! :)

Agreed ;) But if you have a problem - just get a Passat Estate to be going on with? :) :D :red:
I don't think we can get them in Australia :p ;)

I have a MINI ONE and its been our only car for two and a half years.Like other people have said ,if you want to make it work it will.I have three kids who are 19,17 and 10.We never went everywhere together cos the kids were getting older and didn't want to hang around with their uncool parents so it has only been a problem on a couple of occasions.Fortunately its been when i've had to take everyone to family get togethers ,but all my family live in a three mile radius so i just made two journeys.Now the eldest daughter has got her own place its just the four of us and its great.There is usually only three of us doing the shopping and we put one rear seat down to improve the boot space.If you are really in doubt ask your local dealer for a 24 hour, test thats what i did.

I used to run an old mini and belive it or not, I used to fit a silver cross pram in that on the bacck seat. For those who don't know that is the big old fashioned sort of pram with wheels about 18 inches across. The wheels used to come off & went into the boot. So after that a new mini is realy big. I can get about 7 Sainsburys bags of shopping the boot

I used to run an old mini and belive it or not, I used to fit a silver cross pram in that on the bacck seat. For those who don't know that is the big old fashioned sort of pram with wheels about 18 inches across. The wheels used to come off & went into the boot. So after that a new mini is realy big. I can get about 7 Sainsburys bags of shopping the boot
bloody hell:eek:

you did do well getting one of those in the classic mini:D

In conclusion I say it is a fine family car for 1 kid, but a bit less practical for 2 kids ;)

Try 3 mate..... means me or the wife has to stay at home when we go by MINI :D

Watch this space if it stays or not :eek: :( :p

Try 3 mate..... means me or the wife has to stay at home when we go by MINI :D

Watch this space if it stays or not :eek: :( :p

Dave... Nooooooooooooooooooo. Not you and me both :( :( :(

Dave... Nooooooooooooooooooo. Not you and me both :( :( :(

Maybe yes, maybe no :eek: Was going to try out your new steed and see how well it fits :p :D

Howdy folks - thanks for all your replies. It seems such a friendly place to be!

I popped into our local BMW garage to drop my car in for a a service today and wandered over to the Mini section...and fell in love with a beautiful red Cooper S with all sorts of dials inside and mats, leather etc. (is that what you call the chilli pack?!).

I weas amazed how much room there was in the front and the head room is incredible, but the rear did seem particularly small...but like a lot of you have said, if you think small, you tend not to make it an issue. I guess the same would be in reverse that a 3-series would appear to be huge compared to a lifetime in a Mini.

Having also seen the boot, we decided that we would have to consider what we packed or carried, each time we left the house so I think we may sell the 3-series, get a "family" car and buy the mini for non-load-bearing journeys!!

Thanks a lot for your help and advice, despite being a non-owner I enjoy feeling as if I am!!

I will update you on the progress soon!!

I used to play guitar and when i went to band practise i used to stick my 4x12 cab and amp on the back seat of my classic mini,now thats what you call ICE

Paul,

Looks like you've already made up your mind but I wanted to chime in since our circumstances are similar. We have a 21-month old, main stroller is the Bugaboo, and we've been using a rear-facing Britax Roundabout latched behind the front passenger seat in our '03 MCS for more than a year now. No problems, just have to be mindful of your space - particularly if planning a long trip w/ luggage. Bugaboo is a larger stroller; doesn't seem to fit easily in boot, so we've generally detached stroller seat from frame (handy w/ the Bugaboo), folded both flat and tucked in behind driver's seat (works fine, just have to remove it prior to removing your child) or bungeed it to the roof rack for longer trips. Also could resolve the stroller problem by getting a more compact one or using some other type of child carrier.

That said, if MCS had not been purchased well prior to conception, we'd likely be driving something more "family-friendly." Glad it worked out this way 'cause it sure is a heckuva car!

Coming up on a month now and no complaints from my 2 y/o girl. I have the travel stroller strapped TIGHT to the rails of my driver headrest and wedged pretty tight to the floor between my seat and the front of the rear seat. Don't notice it there at all. Wifey has complained a couple times when she is the one having to strap her into her rear seat, I should just take over that chore when we are out together. She likes driving it a lot so no problems there, except holding on to it sometimes. We even packed a second car seat into it from the store by taking it out of the box, folding down one side of the rear seat and folding the box into the boot. We''ll have another test in a week or so when I go 100 miles to pick up my 83 y/o mother for XMAS. Anywhooo, I have always LOVED small vehicles. This is no exception, even with my family.:nice:
But heck, my small "car" before this and my daughter was a motorcycle!:aargh: