Hi,

I purchased my Mini Cooper S last year.
I am expecting a baby in August this year. The Cooper S will be the only car that we have to use as our other car is an MX5.
I have thought about selling the Mini, and getting a bigger car, but would love to be able to keep it.

What I really want to know, is if anyone else as used their mini for a newborn baby, using the safety capsule - which is used from birth to 6 months. I did some measurements last night in the car and think that it may fit, but would love to hear from someone who has done this.

Also how manageable is it putting the capsule in and out of the back seat etc.

Cheers,
Vix

What is the safety capsule?

Vix you're in luck!

I'm having my capsule fitted in the MCS next week (baby expected in 3 weeks) so I'll try and post some pictures up of it all fitted. I'm renting the capsule from Pearces child restraints (www.pearceschildrestraints.com.au) who also fit it to the car. I had a trial fitting and it looks like it will all go in OK but I'll let you know. We only have the MCS and this will be our only car for the forseable future and we reckon we'll get by OK. We have also found a stroller that fits in the boot with the parcel shelf attached and there is a little bit of space left over (PegPrego Aria stroller). I'll post some shots of that sometime too but for now the stroller is at a friends house - apparently it is bade luck to have it in your house before the baby is born so our parents tell us??

Cheers,

Mini 7

What is the safety capsule?

Hi Paul,
The safety capsule is what is recommended to put your newborn baby in, for the first 6 months in Australia.

http://www.britax.com.au/snsProductDetail.do?productId=40333

Australia does not allow the Mini baby seat to be used as it doesnt meet the standards.
VixC

Vix you're in luck!

I'm having my capsule fitted in the MCS next week (baby expected in 3 weeks) so I'll try and post some pictures up of it all fitted. I'm renting the capsule from Pearces child restraints (www.pearceschildrestraints.com.au) who also fit it to the car. I had a trial fitting and it looks like it will all go in OK but I'll let you know. We only have the MCS and this will be our only car for the forseable future and we reckon we'll get by OK. We have also found a stroller that fits in the boot with the parcel shelf attached and there is a little bit of space left over (PegPrego Aria stroller). I'll post some shots of that sometime too but for now the stroller is at a friends house - apparently it is bade luck to have it in your house before the baby is born so our parents tell us??

Cheers,

Mini 7

Thanks Mini 7, I really look forward to seeing the pictures. :) :red:

Hi Paul,
The safety capsule is what is recommended to put your newborn baby in, for the first 6 months in Australia.

http://www.britax.com.au/snsProductDetail.do?productId=40333

Australia does not allow the Mini baby seat to be used as it doesnt meet the standards.
VixC

Thanks.

:)

OK All here goes.

The followng pictures show the actual capsule out of the car (for Paul: Looks like a Sainsburys shopping tub doesn't it). Then you can see how the base fits into the car using the seatbelt and a strap up and over the seat clipping onto the bar in the rear of the seat and notice I had to remove the headrest. This strap is not intended to be over tensioned its there just for some added security in the event that the inner capsule is separated from the capsule base. Then I have shown the capsule, capsule base all together in the car and hopefully you can see how far the front seat can come back. I measured that there is about 64cm of space between the dashboard and the seat backrest, I had a friend who is about 6 feet talll in the car with no complaints. Finally some pictures of the dents left in my rear seats after just one week of fitting.

To get the capsule in and out of the car when fitted on the LHS as mine is you need to come in through the drivers side. It's a bit fiddly but with practice I reckon it will be OK - more interested in safety first!

As mentioned before we also have a pram (PegPerego Aria) that goes into the boot with parcel shelf in place and we spotted a mini sized carry cot the other day (Phil and Teds T2) so check those out at Babies Galore.

I am hiring my capule for $80 for 6 months from Pearces Child Restraints (www.pearceschildrestraints.com.au) who are accredited fitters and visit my local hospital.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Babies and minis can work - you just have to be prepared to buy the things that fit and be happy to travel light.

Hope this all helps!

12 days and counting..........

The rest of the photos

Hey again,

That looks great! Your baby is going to be the coolest little bub getting driven around in that Cooper S. The capsule looks like it fits perfectly, and yeah one of the things I was worried about what the front passenger having enough leg room... but that is great that they still do.

We don't have a 'Babies Galore' store in SA or a 'Phil and Teds T2' - but I am sure I will still be able to purchase from there and get them to send the things on if I cant find these products in SA.
We did purchase a pusher already...and will test to see if it fits in the boot tonight.... hadn't tried it yet as the lady at the baby store 'Just Kidding', told us that the boot strap from the baby seat will come down into the boot so and that we would not be able to put a pusher in the boot.... going by your photo's - this lady was wrong in terms of the capsule. So up until now, we thought that we would have to lay down the right back seat all the time to store the pusher. So will see how it fits tonight in the boot.

So have you got your side air bags deactivated?

Also in terms of those dents in the car seat rubber from the capsule, have you thought about adding in molding rubber? Not sure if this is worth it or not. But just a thought.

Also, do you have runflats? and will you keep them? (just asking in terms of the bumps for the baby)

Thanks a lot, you've really made today a great day... knowing that it is all possible and woohoooo I will definitely be keeping my Cooper S now.

Cheers,
Vix

Hi Vix,

Glad to be of service! :)

I think the lady in the shop was quite wrong with the strap thing. The only fixing you have for the baby seat is the hook and I have seen other non MY05 cars with the same fixing and babay seats fitted with no strap problems (they also had a stroller in the back with no worries). If you want a strap problem buy a Holden, huge boot and no fixings on seats, so you end up with a hammock in the rear under which you have to slide all of your shopping.

Yes I have 17" runflats and they give a pretty hard ride - not too hard for a baby in a fleece lined capsule though. I'll keep them until they need replacing and see what happens then. Just have to try and avoid the big pot holes I guess.

I have not even thought about the side airbags??? I expect they can be deactiviated by the dealer for a charge. I'll look into it to see if the dealer reckons they would go anywhere near the capsule - they may be up and out of the way and actually be protective as opposed to the front airbags which are quite literally, in your face.

Glad to hear you are keeping the mini!

I'm sure parenting in the mini won't be as easy as hauling a big 4WD but then I had one of those for years and did not enjoy the driving or social life as much as I do with the mini. Anyway plenty of friends have big 4WD's so I'll just have to invite them along if I want to go anywhere and take a lot of stuff.

I think it's a challenge to see how much stuff we can fit in a mini, and just think how cool the ride to school will be for him or her!!!

Best of luck,

Mini 7 (8 days and counting) :D