MINI2

Viscount Charles · Jul 16th, 2002, 12:35 PM

If you've got a baby, don't be too impressed by the BMW ISOFIX brackets. While it seems that the child seats ARE now available in ISOFIX configuration, the 0-9mths baby carrier and buggy is NOT. So as it stands, if you're expecting or have a baby under 6 months old, you're going to have to shop around in the usual places, Mothercare, Toy R Us etc. But beware the size of the MINI's boot. Virtually everything sold is too darned big for the boot, even when completely folded up and disassembled.

The ONLY items we found that would fit were Graeco branded travel systems - a travel system being a pushchair or lightweight pram onto which a car seat suitable for babies up to 9 months (baby carrier) will attach.

The Graeco Mirage Travel System (approx £130) & the Toys R Us branded Graeco Bruin Travel System (similar price - I suspect they are one and the same) were a tight fit lengthways in the boot but left enough space for a smallish bag in the boot in front of it; and the Graeco Metrolight/Metrosport Travel System (the Metrolight is a Mothercare exclusive - but they are the same product) also fitted in the back for around £270 - but that leaves about enough room in the boot for a packet of crisps. We struck lucky, and were undercharged for the Metrosport by about £100. Forget the trendy three-wheeled things - they won't fit. Nor will most conventional prams. And about two-thirds of travel systems are just too darned large, including everything we saw by Chicco and Mamas & Papas. Nowhere seems to carry the full Britax range - on paper, one or two of their products MIGHT fit, but everything we tried did not.

Both the Mirage and Metro use the same baby carrier. Rather handily, the Metrolight/Metrosport comes with a "docking station" for the car, which can be left on the rear seat permanently, and the baby carrier then clips into the docking station with the minimum of fuss. The baby carrier can be used without the docking station - handy if baby is going out with relatives.

The Mirage had no docking station. This meant feeding the rear passenger seatbelt through the baby carrier itself - not that tricky, but with the limited access to the rear of the car I decided that this was too tricky for me to do every time we go out. The docking station is available separately for people that buy the Mirage, BTW.

Now who says the MINI is too small to cart around a baby?

Graeco, I charge commission of 5% on every sale made as a result of this shameless plug

Tobes · Jul 17th, 2002, 04:07 AM

The Mamas and Papas Arial pram fits in the boot without folding the seat AND it leaves enough room for a changing bag and other bits and bobs

They are like golddust though and M&P can't make enough of them fast enough!

HarryHBMCC · Jul 17th, 2002, 06:50 AM

Our stroller fits without folding the seats if I take the cargo shelf out. Our car seat, an Evenflo Odyssey 5 point, is the old seat-belt kind but it works well, though I have to take the headrest off to get it to sit flat.

Harry

DocT · Jul 17th, 2002, 02:05 PM

Anyone know if there is an isofix booster cushion available yet?? ie just the base for sitting on.

MeloYelo · Aug 19th, 2002, 04:22 AM

My baby is 10 months old now, and needs to go into a baby seat. We have bought one for the Rover (she goes in that most of the time) but I also want to carry her in my Mini. Has anyone been able to find any that fit?

I know of the BMW seat, but at £275+VAT, it is a bit expensive.

According to Britax, their Duo Isofix seat is not 'legal' for the Mini (their words).

Does anyone know of any others that fit? Mothercare doesn't have any.

Tim

Tobes · Aug 19th, 2002, 04:57 AM

We have Isofix but have been using a standard forward facing seat securred by the belts....you can get it very tight.

I think the problem with the Britax seat is that BMW wont give its approval for its use (Wants to protect sales of its own seat I guess)

I imagine that the Britax seat is good but hasn't be adequately tested in BMW's hence no certification.

No one else seems to make a generic ISOFIX car seat.

Not much help!

Balfy1314YB · Sep 4th, 2002, 01:12 PM

Viscount Charles,

Have you successfully fitted and used the "docking system" for the Graeco Metrosport?

We got the sales assistant to try it out for us and she said that it was not a good fit because of the shape of the seat.

She said the only thing we could do was strap the carry cot in....or get another car...

MeloYelo · Sep 4th, 2002, 04:47 PM

In the end I decided to buy the BMW seat. I must atmit, although it was £260, it is a very nice seat!

DUCTTAPE · Sep 5th, 2002, 06:09 AM

Sorry, I clicked on the link because I was SURE it said MINIs and BABES!

Been married way, way too long...

HarryHBMCC · Sep 5th, 2002, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MeloYelo
In the end I decided to buy the BMW seat. I must atmit, although it was £260, it is a very nice seat!

This will spark a new saying, I'm sure. Instead of "born with a silver spoon in his mouth" it will be "brought home in a BMW car seat"

Harry

MeloYelo · Sep 5th, 2002, 11:52 AM

I wouldn't have minded so much if I had not had to buy a completely different one for the Rover!

OctaneGuy · Oct 31st, 2003, 07:08 AM

I found an ideal stroller that fits the boot without folding the seats nor removing the shelf. See this thread on it:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44109

Jul 16th, 2002, 12:35 PM	#1
Viscount Charles MINI2 Senior Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: uk Local Time: 03:17 AM Posts: 449 Offline	MINIs and Babies If you've got a baby, don't be too impressed by the BMW ISOFIX brackets. While it seems that the child seats ARE now available in ISOFIX configuration, the 0-9mths baby carrier and buggy is NOT. So as it stands, if you're expecting or have a baby under 6 months old, you're going to have to shop around in the usual places, Mothercare, Toy R Us etc. But beware the size of the MINI's boot. Virtually everything sold is too darned big for the boot, even when completely folded up and disassembled. The ONLY items we found that would fit were Graeco branded travel systems - a travel system being a pushchair or lightweight pram onto which a car seat suitable for babies up to 9 months (baby carrier) will attach. The Graeco Mirage Travel System (approx £130) & the Toys R Us branded Graeco Bruin Travel System (similar price - I suspect they are one and the same) were a tight fit lengthways in the boot but left enough space for a smallish bag in the boot in front of it; and the Graeco Metrolight/Metrosport Travel System (the Metrolight is a Mothercare exclusive - but they are the same product) also fitted in the back for around £270 - but that leaves about enough room in the boot for a packet of crisps. We struck lucky, and were undercharged for the Metrosport by about £100. Forget the trendy three-wheeled things - they won't fit. Nor will most conventional prams. And about two-thirds of travel systems are just too darned large, including everything we saw by Chicco and Mamas & Papas. Nowhere seems to carry the full Britax range - on paper, one or two of their products MIGHT fit, but everything we tried did not. Both the Mirage and Metro use the same baby carrier. Rather handily, the Metrolight/Metrosport comes with a "docking station" for the car, which can be left on the rear seat permanently, and the baby carrier then clips into the docking station with the minimum of fuss. The baby carrier can be used without the docking station - handy if baby is going out with relatives. The Mirage had no docking station. This meant feeding the rear passenger seatbelt through the baby carrier itself - not that tricky, but with the limited access to the rear of the car I decided that this was too tricky for me to do every time we go out. The docking station is available separately for people that buy the Mirage, BTW. Now who says the MINI is too small to cart around a baby? Graeco, I charge commission of 5% on every sale made as a result of this shameless plug Ordered my "S" August '01. Arrived July '02. EB with white roof, wheels and stripes, Chili pack, DSC and climate control. Hate those 17" runflats though. Can now be seen all over the West Midlands, as a blue blur passing everything at speed Last edited by Viscount Charles : Jul 17th, 2002 at 11:01 AM.

Jul 17th, 2002, 06:50 AM	#3 (permalink)
HarryHBMCC MINI2 Master Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Guelph, Ontario, Can Local Time: 10:17 PM Posts: 2,686 Offline	Our stroller fits without folding the seats if I take the cargo shelf out. Our car seat, an Evenflo Odyssey 5 point, is the old seat-belt kind but it works well, though I have to take the headrest off to get it to sit flat. Harry MINI Cooper Cabrio: now the car with go cart handling really feels like an open go cart! "... the only man that can come home at 3 am in the morning without getting into trouble with his spouse is the owner of a British sports car!" -- Phil Bailey

Jul 17th, 2002, 02:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
DocT Sponsor & Human Mechanic Join Date: May 2002 Location: Newton Mearns, Glasg Local Time: 04:17 AM Posts: 263 Offline	Anyone know if there is an isofix booster cushion available yet?? ie just the base for sitting on. DocT Cooper S DS/B (of course), Chilli, Auto Air, Full Leather, Roof, etc etc + Chrome-Design Pack / whelan shift machine / Origin B2 / TOYO NON-RUNFLATS :-))) Fastest Housecalls in the NHS!

Aug 19th, 2002, 04:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
MeloYelo MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Biggleswade, Beds, U Local Time: 04:17 AM Posts: 14 Offline	What baby seat fits My baby is 10 months old now, and needs to go into a baby seat. We have bought one for the Rover (she goes in that most of the time) but I also want to carry her in my Mini. Has anyone been able to find any that fit? I know of the BMW seat, but at £275+VAT, it is a bit expensive. According to Britax, their Duo Isofix seat is not 'legal' for the Mini (their words). Does anyone know of any others that fit? Mothercare doesn't have any. Tim

Sep 5th, 2002, 06:45 AM	#10 (permalink)
HarryHBMCC MINI2 Master Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Guelph, Ontario, Can Local Time: 10:17 PM Posts: 2,686 Offline	Quote: Originally posted by MeloYelo In the end I decided to buy the BMW seat. I must atmit, although it was £260, it is a very nice seat! This will spark a new saying, I'm sure. Instead of "born with a silver spoon in his mouth" it will be "brought home in a BMW car seat" Harry MINI Cooper Cabrio: now the car with go cart handling really feels like an open go cart! "... the only man that can come home at 3 am in the morning without getting into trouble with his spouse is the owner of a British sports car!" -- Phil Bailey

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Jul 17th, 2002, 04:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tobes MINI2 Senior My Classifieds Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Hertfordshire Local Time: 04:17 AM Posts: 383 Offline	The Mamas and Papas Arial pram fits in the boot without folding the seat AND it leaves enough room for a changing bag and other bits and bobs They are like golddust though and M&P can't make enough of them fast enough!

Aug 19th, 2002, 04:57 AM	#6 (permalink)
Tobes MINI2 Senior My Classifieds Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Hertfordshire Local Time: 04:17 AM Posts: 383 Offline	We have Isofix but have been using a standard forward facing seat securred by the belts....you can get it very tight. I think the problem with the Britax seat is that BMW wont give its approval for its use (Wants to protect sales of its own seat I guess) I imagine that the Britax seat is good but hasn't be adequately tested in BMW's hence no certification. No one else seems to make a generic ISOFIX car seat. Not much help!

Sep 4th, 2002, 01:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Balfy1314YB MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Aug 2002 Local Time: 03:17 AM Posts: 3 Offline	Viscount Charles, Have you successfully fitted and used the "docking system" for the Graeco Metrosport? We got the sales assistant to try it out for us and she said that it was not a good fit because of the shape of the seat. She said the only thing we could do was strap the carry cot in....or get another car...

Sep 4th, 2002, 04:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
MeloYelo MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Biggleswade, Beds, U Local Time: 04:17 AM Posts: 14 Offline	In the end I decided to buy the BMW seat. I must atmit, although it was £260, it is a very nice seat!

Sep 5th, 2002, 06:09 AM	#9 (permalink)
DUCTTAPE Only Unbalanced Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Rockland County, NY Local Time: 11:17 PM Posts: 883 Offline	Sorry, I clicked on the link because I was SURE it said MINIs and BABES! Been married way, way too long...

Sep 5th, 2002, 11:52 AM	#11 (permalink)
MeloYelo MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Biggleswade, Beds, U Local Time: 04:17 AM Posts: 14 Offline	I wouldn't have minded so much if I had not had to buy a completely different one for the Rover!

Oct 31st, 2003, 07:08 AM	#12 (permalink)
OctaneGuy MINI2 Sr. & c3 President Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Local Time: 08:17 PM Posts: 533 Offline	I found an ideal stroller that fits the boot without folding the seats nor removing the shelf. See this thread on it: http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44109 Octane Guy c3:Lets Motor for a Worthy Cause ::: Or Find a MINI Motorer near you!

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