[cooper4us]

Wondering how those of you with 2 MINIs and small children are dealing with the obvious rear seat and cargo limitations of these cars??

I am seriously playing with the idea of selling my 2001 Impala (Big large size sedan) and get a second Cooper CVT, but the wife is not going along with it (Not because of the car, she loves her MINI and she would be happy for me making the jump from a bigger car to a smaller one) but the big BUT is the rear seat and cargo space limitations.

We don't have kids yet but are wanting to get a new family started fairly soon and she is concerned that having 2 MINIs will not make things any easier when it comes to stuff the stroller and all other baby items that you need to carry with you when going out.

I would love for MINI to come out with either a wagon or a 5 door hatchback, but neither one seem to be in the near future, at least not before 2005.

Is it possible to have 2 MINIs and have kids?

Share your story and pics, please...need to make a case for the wife!

[Shamster]

I currently run 2 cars and am waiting for my MINI to arrive next month. But last year I specifically bought a 7 seater MPV (diesel as well) to lug the kids and their gear about. (I have 3 kids).For the last 4 years I have always made sure we have had a loadlugger as a 2nd car.

I'm not sure about the practicalities of running two MINI's as getting two kids in and out of baby seats will be awkward. I'm sure it could be done but I personally wouldn't do it. And you usually end up carrying more stuff than you thought you would need anyway.

I would suggest keeping with one MINI and either buying a different 'other car' or just keeping the one you have (I have no idea about what Impala's are like).

I have no intention of getting another MINI as for me it would also dilute the fun factor slightly if I was driving it all the time. And, I don't know how much this would warrant consideration but it would be very tempting to drive the car as though you were the only passenger in it even though you're carrying kids!

Just my opinion!

[cooper4us]

Quote:

Originally posted by shamster
I currently run 2 cars and am waiting for my MINI to arrive next month. But last year I specifically bought a 7 seater MPV (diesel as well) to lug the kids and their gear about. (I have 3 kids).For the last 4 years I have always made sure we have had a loadlugger as a 2nd car.

I'm not sure about the practicalities of running two MINI's as getting two kids in and out of baby seats will be awkward. I'm sure it could be done but I personally wouldn't do it. And you usually end up carrying more stuff than you thought you would need anyway.

I would suggest keeping with one MINI and either buying a different 'other car' or just keeping the one you have (I have no idea about what Impala's are like).

I have no intention of getting another MINI as for me it would also dilute the fun factor slightly if I was driving it all the time. And, I don't know how much this would warrant consideration but it would be very tempting to drive the car as though you were the only passenger in it even though you're carrying kids!

Just my opinion!

I truly appreciate your opinion. You also make an interesting point....I always look forward to drive the MINI on the weekends and that would somewhat be diluted if I had another identical MINI sitting in my driveway.

The Chevy Impala is a large FWD American 4 door "saloon". It is 200 inches long and 73 inches wide. This car is way too big for European urban driving. It has a 3.8L V6 engine (Pushrod) that produces 200HP and returns 31MPG in highway driving with low octane gasoline. The engine is mated to a ultra smooth 4-speed automatic. It fits 5 or 6 passengers depending on seating configuration and has an 18 cubic feet trunk. Tires are 16" stock 5 spoke alloys.

If you want a big comfortable family sedan, nothing beats the Impala in the value dept. The car has been a huge success for GM in the US and Canada (It is made in Canada) and so far 250,000 have been sold in the US market. GM also sells police and taxi cab versions.

This car is mainly a family car but it dusts more expensive cars in the road with higher pretensions due to the strong low end torque of the V6 engine.

Here is a link in case you want to take a look:

www.chevy.com


.....but...I still want another MINI!

[johnsocal]

As much as I think the Mini is one of the greatest cars on the road I would not recomend it as the "main" family car.

My wife had a Saturn L series mid-size sedan (almost the size of your Impala) and loved it but even that midsize car was getting tight with only one child, stoller, bags full of diapers, clothes and toys. The biggest pain is having a car that sits low to the ground and having to have to bend and drop into the seat while grasping/holding on to your baby and not banging their head (or yours) while doing it.

After having the Saturn sedan for over 2 years we decided to sell it for a 2003 Saturn Vue. My wife loves the Saturn Vue because it drives and handles better then the L-seies sedan (which ironically the Vue is built on the same chassis)even though the Vue is a car based small SUV. The best thing my wife loves about the Vue is that it sits higher then a sedan (but not as high as a big 4x4 SUV) and it makes getting our little son in and out of the VUE easier then any low sitting sedan or coupe.


I also thought that a coupe would be fine since I didnt really didnt want to even buy the sedan 2 years ago but its easy to underestimate how much space you need just for one baby/child. At times I even wonder if the Saturn Vue will be big enough when the 2nd child comes but my wife and I didnt want to buy a big gas-guzzeling truck-based SUV thats no fun to drive either.

Saturn enthusiast site - www.saturnfans.com
Corporate site - www.saturn.com

[essexminicity]

The forthcoming MINI Clubman Estate with 'suicide' style rear doors!

[Paul]

We've got two MINIs, one child (now 20 months).

Works 100% fine, we've never had aproblem at any time. You just buy small baby stuff like buggies.

[HObzy]

We'll have 2 minis when our first sprog is due in july. Not planning to trade one in for a while and dont foresee any problems. I have joked with the wife about getting her a volvo though...

[aussiesupermini]

hi fellow mini parents and also two mini car families,

We have the pleasure of now owning a convertible cooper s and also couldnt trade 'supermini' our first mini as still low kms and glad we didnt.

The one downside to the convertible is it doesnt handle as well as the hard top, due to the extra 200 lbs extra for the roof and as we have two children aged nearly 4 and 12, the youngest doesnt like the wind in her face effect.

now owning both i have found that the convertible is more for cruising and being seen in and the hardtop is more for serious driving, Only thing left to do is put on the jc works to bring the old one up to 05 standards and beyond.

So now on club drive days my husband peter takes the youngest in the hardtop and i take the eldest with me. Good fun racing each other but always careful when the kids r onboard. No more racing for the hubby for three months just lost his licence for excess speed when he garaged his 4x4 to take my mini to ice hockey. He has probably only driven it 10 time too, just bad luck.

Anyway gotta go

aussiesupermini

Ann

ps had first mini since daughter was two. no problems with the mini at all, especially with mini fridge in boot or trunk as some say keeps the baby bottle nice and cold.

So the moral to this story is dont let the man drive unless you r in passenger seatg

[horn]

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