MX5 or MINI + carseat?

It's been 8 years. 120,000 long miles since I bought my Honda Civic and I've been sick of it for the last 6, and just now I'm in the position to do something about it. What I'm looking at are:

Miata, MINI, Element AWD, Fiat 500

I'd like to keep it fun to drive, or if not, then useful for trips. Under $16,000. Here are the hiccups: We're planning on having a kid in a year or so. Could I fit a rear-facing carseat in a MINI? In an 06+ Miata? Am I nuts to consider it? Our other car is a Fit so my car doesn't have to cover all the bases, but it'd have to at least fit a kid in carseat. I saw the post on having kids and still having fun, but most of those cars don't especially interest me.

I'm not in the position to be saying anything about car seats, but I have to ask this: What is an Element doing in the same thought as a Miata, MINI, and Fiat 500? While an awesome car, it isn't exactly a fun driving experience IMHO.

We sat in an Element at the auto show today and were amazed at the versatility. We do a bit of camping, so it'd be great for that. I'd probably get a scooter or Motorcycle in addition to the E.

just me, but I would not put my baby in my Miata. Even for short trips. If the unthinkable happens, will the loss be less then the pleasure you got from a sportscar?

The mini will be doable but suck doing it.

You have no idea how small a car seat makes a car. we had a car seat in a Audi A4 and it limited the amount that we could move the seats back. And that was with the seat in the middle, If it were behind the pass seat, even my short wife would have been uncomfortable.

Not that it really matters ( as far as purchasing one) but Honda is discontinuing the Element after 2011.

http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/12/05/honda-element-discontinued-after-2011-cr-v-to-blame/

I have both a MINI (06 "S") and a Miata (NA) and while I think a carseat might fit in either I doubt that it would fit very well in the Miata. The MINI has quite a bit of front seat legroom so it would likely do ok with a carseat. Hope I helped and didn't just muck up the situation further.

Please don't try carseat+Miata. Get a MINI Clubman.

I would second the Clubman comment especially if you're talking about rear-facing car seat. That thing is huge. When your kid is in a booster seat than a regular MINI will be fine.

For what it's worth I had a buddy that would haul his daughter around in his 911 in a passenger side baby seat. I would never do it but he did and never had a problem.

First point to consider: Test a kid's seat and a stroller in the fit (Babies R Us will let you try this in the parking lot if you have no friends with appropriately aged kids), and decide if that will still be your primary kid/family car.

If you still think that's going to be ok, how often will you need the kid's seat in your car? Every day for daycare duty? Or once a month for a quick run to the store?

A MINI doesn't have a center rear seat so you are putting the baby in a side seat just like you would in the front of the Miata. I would check how hard it is to disable the passenger airbag in the Miata, but wouldn't worry otherwise.

A rear-facing infant seat is a very tight fit in the back of a MINI. BTDT. It pushes the passenger seat quite a ways forward. But is is doable, we drove from OK to GA with my daughter (8 mos old at the time). It is a royal pain to load and unload a rear-facing seat. You almost have more access going thru the hatch to the back seat! If you are even close to average height, it is a no-go behind the driver. I've never been in a Clubman.

I put a forward-facing seat in my 1990 Miata ONCE just to drive her around the neighborhood, probably at around 18 mos old. The seat sat WAY high above the window line and would have made me very nervous outside of the neighborhood streets. I'm not sure how much higher the window line is on a NC Miata, but I still don't think I personally would do it.

If you like FWD Hatches, what about a Mazda3/Mazdaspeed3? Still want a convertible, how about a BMW 3'er convertible?

^experienced man there.

I was going to suggest the Mini Clubman but that might be a challenge in a rear facing seat. Barring the Mini, the Mazda3 may be a good option. You want some space if you plan on moving a kid around for the stroller and other odd stuff I see parents moving around.

This is when my son was 4 in a cheapo Graco seat in our 91 Miata. Doesn't help with your rear facing in a newer MX5, but thought I would throw it up anyway.

My daughter was transported from birth to about age 8 in the front of my 1990 Miata. It was legal and I acted accordingly. She loved that car. I have great memories of that time that I would never have otherwise. Had I stashed her in a vault until she were 8, she would have been much safer, and I would not have shred an experience with her.

I grew up in the back of station wagons with no hint of seat-belts. I am still alive.

Nobody can tell you what risk to take. That is your task.

To put even more perspective in to this, when I went out to play, Mom would tell me to "Come in when the streetlights go on" and don't be late".

If you raise your child like most of us, the child unit will never be out of parental supervision until teenage-hood ensues. The world really has changed.

Right on, NOHOME. Both my son (17 next week) and my daughter (4 and a half) have been transported extensively in separate '91 Miatae. My wife used to sit carseatless in the little cubby behind the seats in grandpa's MGB. My dad had a Mustang II and I used to like to ride right on the little vinyl covered armrest hump in the back seat so I would slide into either side seat when we went around a corner. Somehow, I made it.

She loves riding in "Piata." I think I shared this story before, but it's fun to tell again. One day early this autumn, she said, "Daddy we need to drive Piata."

"Ok," I said. "Where would you like to go?"

"We don't have to go anywhere. Let's just take a drive."

True love, I tell you.

Anyway, her giant Britax seat fits great in the passenger seat. With an airbagless NA, my son's rear facing seat fit but that was 16 years ago and car seats were much more dangerous then, as was everything.

In reply to Lugnut:

Interesting photo comparo we have going on. It looks like you have a better seat than me and that it ends up sitting her much higher in the vehicle like JeffMx5 was worried about. I still wouldn't worry as she is about shoulder height with the door, but it does point out that different seats sit them differently in the same vehicle.

MrJoshua wrote: In reply to Lugnut: Interesting photo comparo we have going on. It looks like you have a better seat than me and that it ends up sitting her much higher in the vehicle like JeffMx5 was worried about. I still wouldn't worry as she is about shoulder height with the door, but it does point out that different seats sit them differently in the same vehicle.

Quite. And I haven't foamectomied the passenger seat, but that would lower the seat a couple inches, too. Once I get the roll bar in, the rear strap of the car seat will be attached to the harness bar for extra safety.

Oh, and about the MINI... I also strap the seat into the back of the Swift GT and it's terrific. I can't imagine it would be worse in a MINI.

In reply to Lugnut:

Yours also has harnesses instead of using the Miata belt and has "wings" around her head position. I would give the nod to the better seat even if it is 3" or so higher.

Oh yeah-No foamectomy on the passenger seat in that Miata, but it does have the center of the back pad removed so his seat sits deeper into the backrest.

Interesting. At this moment in time I'm leaning towards Miata or Element - I figure we're not having a kid for another year, so if I want to enjoy the Miata now would not be a bad time, and I could resell it without much loss in a year or two if I didn't feel right with the kid strapped in.

OTOH, the element would be the bee's knees with AWD and a manual, as I have intentions of a 2.5" lift and some bigger tires. Unfortunately there are none in that configuration anywhere near me.

I hope not to "safety" my kid to numbness either - I grew up playing with Hotwheels on the floor of our Minivan during trips, unbuckled. And yet here I am.

I drove my daughter for the first year rear facing in my na. It was great. It was an infant seat (baby bucket) and it sat completely below the door line. it was so much easier to get her in and out of the miata than the camry we also had at the time. In addition to fitting well she's was much happier as she could look over and see me rather than staring at the back of the rear seat. Now that she's front facing she rides in it too and loves it.

I want a Fiat 500 that is all I have to add.

I sat in the Fiat 500 back to back with the MINI at the auto show yesterday and came away unimpressed. The shifter felt sloppy, the seats less comfortable, and the general fit and finish just felt worse. I'd hold full judgment for a test drive however.

Lugnut:

One of my favourite stories is about once when we were leaving the grandparents on a sunny February day. Her Grandpa being a certified member of the "Pad the Planet" society, he was appalled that I drove her around in the Miata.

So, as we were driving up the street on this sunny but cold day, my three year old says"Grampa can't see us now, put the top down!" I knew she was going to be alright!

Little known fact to your southerners, but a topless Miata on a crisp Sunny winter day is a wonderful feeling.

Just to add to the discussion, the car seat you use can make a huge difference. There are some specifically intended for car in cramped conditions(britax diplomat). Certainly rear facing toddler seats take up more room than rear facing infant seats. Once they are big enough to turn around, they fit much easier. Aside from seats, these little buggers take up a lot of space for all their other stuff, so keep that in mind.