Anyone have a small child and a three door ?

[rob172cup]

Having just bought my gti 3 door in november and just discovering my gf is pregnant, i dont want to get rid of it yet as im sure you can understand, so my question is does anyone have a three door and a family and manage or do i really need a 5 door ? Im pretty sure it cant be that hard but everyone keeps saying ill soon get rid. My plan is to keep ot another 4 years or so

[skilab]

Keep it - I have a son who is now 7 and have always had a 3dr.  Astra SRI first then my Golf GT TDI 170.

A spacious boot to fit the buggy and all the other equipment is the most improtant - although this is just my opinion.

[E30Dom]

I personally love having a 5 door for my little girl who's now 3, BUT...

First 6 months they are in a travel system, that is easy enough to have on front seat, with airbag turned off which you can do on golf, and if you get an ISOfix car seat (the Britax one I have has been ace!) they are easy enough to install to avoid messing around with seatbelts(which are hard to fit in 3 doors) and th edoors open wide enough and seats go forward enough to have easy access to rear...

So basically a belt strapped seat is really hard to install into a 3 door so go isofix.

I've had numerous cars in last three years... even a convertible, and you do manage, but it's down to convenience and how many times a day you're gonna be a) fitting the seat in/out b) putting the baby/child in/out...

Dom
p.s. don;t have a civic type-r with recaros as they don;t move forward enough to get even a baby seat through to the back!

[Tfsi_Mike]

With isofix havin a 3dr will not make life difficult at all

We also manage in the wife's lupo with Harry in the back as I haven't turned off the passenger airbag yet

[ub7rm]

My wife has a three door polo and we've been testing out the isofix base and seat today.  It is absolutely no hassle with the base in place, in fact I think when the seat is slid forward (and the wider doors) there is more room to get in and about than my 5 door golf. 

Wouldn't worry about it, loads of people manage just fine 

[mvb12]

I have a 3 door and 2 kids under the age of 4.

Since the nippers have been born i've had a 2 polo's, mini cooper s, ford focus, mk4 golf and a GT MK5 all 3 door and never had an issue.

But then again i would never buy a 5 door car so the concern you have never crossed crosses my mind.

[GarethB]

I've got a 15 month old daughter, and I find that getting her into her recaro seat in the back of my car is a pain. It is actually a lot worse that I thought it would be, and TBH, I wouldn't want to be doing it with a new born.

I hate to admit it, but life would be a lot easier with a 5dr.

[Bernhard30]

We have a 15 month old little girl and although we have a estate car with her main Recaro seat in, I have the spare Britax thing in the back of my 3Dr Ed30. Honestly I find getting her in my car easier than into the Audi.

Daughter in one arm, unlock and open the door, tilt and slide the seat forward, then feed her into the seat backwards while my back/arse rests against the rear of the tilted seat, get her arms under the belts, click the buckle and tighten belts - job done.

So a 3 door car is perfectly possible.

 

[gsgti]

I had a three door 307 until december. I have to say that despite the larger sized doors I found getting our newborn daughter in and out a bit of a pain. I hated all the stretching into the back. I now have a 5 door gti but she can get in and out on her own now that she's four so its a bit late!!

If I was doing it again I'd def go for 5 door but suppose it just depends how much u value the 3 door look and much back pain u can put up with!!

[Tfsi_Mike]

Just put Harry (17wks old) in the back of the apr GolfR no probs 

[Sonic6103]

I can get the car seat on the back seat without using the isofix system and then get my 15 month old son in it without any troubles and I have only got one leg so it can't be too much hassle

[swgti]

Our first is due next week so hope we manage with the 3 doors, anyway the wife would kill me if we got rid of it. 5 Door Ed30 in 18 months time tho me thinks! 

[rob172cup]

well guess ill only find out , but sounds like illl manage , i was prayting i didnt just get responses of no way you will hate it ha ha

[Frenzy]

I guess it's not impossible, sounds like many manage but i know my wife and i didn't think we'd cope which is good otherwise we wouldn't have the 5 door GTI and instead we would still be driving our former 3 door Punto60 

[rob172cup]

Wonder if I can convince her we need and rs4 then?