Rear leg space. 2dr vs 4dr vs Traveller

[bongo57fashion]

New to this minor owning or seeking to own and was looking for the heads up on which is the roomier as we have to jam in a child seat at the rear, had a go in a 2 dr today and found it a bit tight.
Any information would be gratefully accepted. Thanks Slim.

[bmcecosse]

The 2 door vehicles have better access to the front seats - wider doors! Except commercials - which have the 4 door front doors fitted! The 4 door cars have better access to the rear seat - without disturbing/tipping the front seats - but the front doors are quite narrow. So except the commercials - the others have the same amount of room -just different means of access. The space in the back depends entirely on the placing of the front seats - forward or back. You may like to consider the 'survivability' of the passenger compartment of any Minor - compared to modern cars with their 'crash test' worthiness - the Minors are very weak and that's even before you consider the possible ravages of rust on the bodyshell. In particular - I wouldn't want to be rammed from behind in my Traveller- there is very little structure there to protect you and your family. I always keep a close eye on what's behind me - and I either run away from them, or wave them past. I hate having anything close behind......

[bongo57fashion]

Thanks for the info, will give it some real thought.
No big journeys but still need to consider your info.
Has anyone out there got any experience of child seats in Minors ? safe ?

[Dryad]

We have a child seat fitted in the back of our 4-door and found that putting a plank of wood under the rear legs of the passenger seat gave our four year old son enough footroom. We got a 4-door simply because it is far easier to get a child strapped in without having to climb into the car first. As for the safety aspect; crashes in any car are fairly rare (thankfully!), and you could argue that driving a Minor makes you drive with more caution anyway, and therefore less likely to be involved in an accident.

[irmscher]

its usualy not you but the other driver that causes the accident people going too close or usualy overtaking me

[bmcecosse]

Yes - that's the worry - being rammed from behind!! And the fuel tank is right there - with little or no protection.........

[Fingolfin]

Wait.........so it's not just in America that people drive like maniacs?

[irmscher]

Fingolfin i think we inherited the no win no fee culture from America

[Fingolfin]

Oh no...that'll be one of our worse exports, then...

[irmscher]

along with Desoto AMC etc

[MarkyB]

Sub prime mortgages?

[kjm]

Yes Dryad I agree with you, we have a convertible , its awkward putting on our five year olds belt after she has got into her car seat , I have to kneel on the drivers seat and lean back, as a consequence I have broken the back seat strap , thats a job for this winter.Its much easier when the hood is down, when we get the weather!

[Lawrenz-of-Arabia]

It has an odd effect on your perception of the space in a Minor when you clamber into a two door or four door.

I always feel like a four door is somehow smaller as a result of the extra doors. Very odd!

Funny how we think of the Minor as being a bit weak in a crash though.

Wasn't there a woman in a Minor who was saved from being crushed a few years ago by a cement lorry sort of half rolling onto her car?

I seem to remember some quote from a fireman saying something along the lines of she was lucky to be driving a Minor as the strength and shape of the body had saved her life........I maybe be wrong.

[bongo57fashion]

Thanks for all your comments, really helpful. Even if they did go off in a tangent in the middle....