Will we need an even bigger car for 5 DC?

[Animol]

We've got a Sharan that we're very happy with but we're expecting DC5 in November - big debate in our household about whether we can manage with the Sharan or do we have to get something bigger.

By the time DC5 comes along the others will be 14,10,8 and 6

I like bigger cars but most of our journeys (but not all) are the typical 10 minute ones to nursery, to a friend, to the shops etc and it seems slightly crazy to spend a lot of money on a huge car just for tiny trips with often only 1 kid with me. I'm also a bit nervous about parking with a big bus type car. If we can we'd like to stick to just one car.

Anyone got any ideas? What did you all do?

[Locketjuice]

Id keep the car you have

[Animol]

Thanks - Locket - we might well do that - the downside of course is that how do you fit in a pram or much luggage? Are there any prams that fold down to next to nothing?

[Locketjuice]

Baby joggers fold small, my sister has 4 kids 7-13 and has a people carrier and they have been away loads in there people carrier, a roof box could hold the majority of your things and then pack the rest round the kids

[5madthings]

We had a Sharon with five kids and would buy one again. We have a roof box for going away.

We currently have a citreon c8 it seats seven and ia the same as the Sharon size wise.

Mine are 13, 10, 8, 5 and 2.

[5madthings]

If money was no object we would get a vw tranporter!

[Animol]

Thanks locket and 5mad - my DH is always going on about a roofbox being the answer - I wasn't so sure but perhaps he's right - will have to look at the baby joggers. I love the idea of the space of something huge like a VW transporter but it does just seem mad to get one (which would be stretching the budget rather a lot) for my little journeys taking one or two kids. Good to hear that you've survived with a Sharan 5 - what sort of pram did you have?

[5madthings]

I had a bugaboo frog and then an out n about nipper 360, both fitted fine folded up :)

And yes you need a roof box, we couldnt go away without a roofbox, well an overnight trip is fine but for a weeks holiday we need the roof box! They are easy to fit and can be taken on and off easily, you do need to watch where you park when you have it on as many carparks gave height restrictions.

[harrygracejessica]

We ended up buying a 9 seater but only because with 5 under 5, a double buggy etc there really was no space in a galaxy.

[StupidFlanders]

I had to buy the new nuna pram. It folds up very flat so it fit behind my back seat and the door.
We tried the bugaboo and there was no way it would nearly fit.

[StupidFlanders]

Forgot to add we have an 8 seater 4WD. We have something called a hitch mate that fits on the tow bar for times when we need more storage for holidays.

[littlepeas]

We only have 3dc, but have a sharan. I can squeeze a buggy in if I have the back seats up for grandparents (bugaboo donkey - only if it's on single mode though, no chance with the double).

[Animol]

Thanks for the ideas - do you think we could manage with just a buggy and no pram at all?
We live in Germany and people here say babies must lie down flat or they'll have back problems for ever - hard to know if it's true or not - so it's hard to imagine not having a pram at least at the beginning - what do you think?

[MissSmiley]

We have xc90 which has 7 seats but three of ours are still in car seats. (10, 7, 5, 5 and 3) I think if you don't have all kids with you could put pram in back while they are at school and then "manage" without - baby carrier or Maclaren when baby is a but older when you have full car at weekend. I could fit double pushchair in back of Volvo but twins was reason we chose our car as not all 7 seaters fit lots if big car seats. This is third car since having the twins. Chrysler 7 seater was awful.

[MissSmiley]

Meant to ask Flanders what is your 8 seater? Sounds ideal.

[StupidFlanders]

It's a Toyota Prado. The problem is car seats- in Australia they're compulsory until age 7 so to access the back row with all 4 needing seats was tricky if I wanted to have a pram (thus the nuna pepp!)

[Animol]

Little update incase anyone's interested. We've just decided to buy a tiny VW Lupo that a friend's mother was selling - traditional one careful lady owner - seems like a cheap solution to our problem - hope it will be - and I'll definitely be able to park it as it's only about half as long as the Sharan :) :)