How baby proof is a GTi 3 door?

[Olphy]

Hi guys,

So my better half is current 12 weeks pregnant (yay!) but having saved so long for my dream car I'm really struggling with the prospect of having to sell up for a slightly more practical car. Even the thought of a 5 door GTi isn't appealing to me.

Have any of you guys got MK5 3 doors with one or more children? How do you find living with them and getting the kids in the back/push chairs in the boot, etc?

Thanks,

Olphy.

[E30Dom]

I could not cope with a 3 door, so glad i got a 5 door...

[masemk5]

I'm coping fine with a 3 door, kid is now 9-10 months.  I will admit though that other car is 5 door estate and it feels like a loss less work getting him in and out!  Aslong as you've got a strong back you'll be fine.  I think my next one will be a more family friendly car though like the missus

[Bernhard30]

Our little Miss travels in my 3 dr GTi.
When she arrived in 2010 my other half had a 5 dr GT Sport and her car has now morphed into an A4 Avant.
And 70% of the time she travels in that. But for other journeys it's in the Ed30.

Worryingly "Faster Daddy" is my daughter's comment on my driving.

More doors are easier but not absolutely essential.

[skard]

Good question and one I have been wondering about too.

Got out first baby coming in the new year also and having spent a few thousand on my car in the last year getting it up to scratch, I am struggling with the idea of selling it at a big loss.

Guess I may get away with it for a couple of years yet then! The wife has the family car I suppose.

[gobbleplease]

It's not ideal TBH, just make sure you get the right type of baby seat because a hard to fit one will make a 3 door car seem like a nightmare, the one we had was well sh1t, it was one of those car seat, buggy attachy numbers so it was always in and out and a nightmare to fit ! Personally I found the golf one of the most impractacle 3 doors for that purpose but if you love the car that much you will put up with it.

[mvb12]

I have no issue with 2 kids in the back.

but I would never get a 5 dr so the kids need to put up with it 

[Beddie]

I had my 3 door ed30 for almost 5 years and had ideas of keeping it long into fatherhood... A combination of a narrow drive, my dodgy back and a car seat designed by Satan meant it lasted a week until the 5 door arrived  

Having kids doesn't mean you HAVE to get a 5 door, far from it imo, it's entirely down to personal circumstances and even what type of seat and even how big you are, my friends love their 3 door gti as they just get in behind the drivers seat, stoop a little and strap little one in...however they are 5'8" and 5'2" whereas I'm 6' and have had far too many pies over the years and the missus is 6'2", so a 5 door works better for us...

See how you go with your current car, it could well be perfectly fine, if not you can swap it later on rather than a knee jerk reaction to kids must=5 door  

[Shamgt]

My little one is 13 months now getting him in and out is a ease but I have the 5 door.  I think I would struggle in the 3 door trying to get him strapped in with out him trying to jump out of the seat.

[Tortaruga]

I don't have kids, but I love my 5 doors...friends, golf clubs, shopping, football kit, etc. all hassle free.

Then again I'm not that precious about my car and it's usually so filthy that you can't see how many doors it has. I am fairly meticulous in looking after it mechanically though.

[Olphy]

So getting some pretty encouraging comments, I'm about 5'9 so hopefully shouldn't be too tough on back, it's our first child so were hoping to be able to keep the GTi for a while until we maybe plan our second. Seems to be like I'll have to be selective of car seats. Can anyone recommend a good one?

[flashp]

Buy a 5 door shed for the same money that you'll lose on the Golf and keep it. In a few years it won't matter that you have a 3 door when sproglet can climb in and out unassisted. Little 'accidents' on the upholstery won't matter either.

 

[mattgolfgti]

I've got a 3 door Ed30 and a 18 week old baby boy.  Its not as bad as people think, especially if you have a good baby seat with an isofix base. We got a Jane travel system and the isofix base and its spot on really.  It would be a proper pain though if you had to fasten the baby seat in with the seatbelt but with the isofix base, it just drops on and you know its safe!  I hated the idea of having a 5 door Golf so I thought we would see how we got on and I think its fairly safe to say we will be keeping the Ed30.  I have put our baby seat in the back of my mums 5 door Honda Insight and its harder than getting it into my Golf.  Only downside is you need to find fairly wide parking spaces as you need the door wide open!

[rich83]

I got a 5 door too.... always thinking. Means the "you need a more practical car" null and void. 

[Mikeygtir]

i have a CW 3dr GTi..

We've just had our little girl about 10 days ago..

We have a E60 5 series as well and while that is grand for karting baby round, the GTi is decent as well..

The folding front seats arent the best for getting a car seat over but once you know the knack then its easy enough..

With regards to car seats, we went for the maxi-cosy cabriofix and with that we have the familyfix isofix base's in both cars.. the joys of that base is once its fitted its mere seconds to get the car seat in and out.. no seat belts are needed which for me was a bonus so that the other half didnt have to mess about (when i'm away) and then worry the seat wasnt in correct

Buggy wise, We went for the phil and teds navigator as that was the only one the OH liked, it has loads of interchangeable bits.. and theres a bracket to allows the car seat to be fitted to the buggy and folds up tight enough to fit into the boot of the GTi and theres still a little bit of extra space for the inevitable bags..

SHMBO is saying the next golf will be a 5dr.. but i'll get my way (always do) and it'll be a 3! haha..

However now that we are just going to transport baby in the BMW about 90% of the time.. it gave me the green light to slap an R32 bumper and exhaust on the car!! every cloud and all that! lol