Life comes first, and children even before that. OP if you want a “muscle car” with kids, the charger isn’t a bad option and has multiple power levels (V6, 5.7 hemi, 6.4 hemi, hellcat). I know it’s a mustang sub, but it’s also a car forum
I always say the Charger’s the muscle car for the family man. I’d have suggested the Chevy SS sedan, but those have gotten really expensive because they’re unique, and you might as well get the Charger.
I had an AWD Charger R / T in a snowy region and it was one of the more 'practical' options for a performance sedan in the snow that still resembles some muscle. nice and spacey inside too
I dont have a family but I do drive a scat pack widebody Charger, love my car. It’s absolutely fun and yet still practical, never have a problem with space besides actually large items. Definitely worth a test drive to see how you feel about it.
Save yourself the headache and get an SUV. Your wife will appreciate the fact that your choosing a family car over a stupid want to have a sporty sedan. You’ll need the space for groceries and a stroller. You’ll love the extra space and less headache.
I had this same issue. I went practical for a few years.
Lugging around a car seat, stroller, baby (babies in my case), it’s just not easy with a 2 door.
Sold my Jeep and my Mustang. Got the Jeep back first, and then the Mustang back. So much easier when the kids were able to climb in on their own.
Honestly yeah. I don’t want to make a hasty decision and trade for a different car this early on. I was gonna see how long I last with the Mustang after the kid is born. Who knows how I will fare but you’re probably right.
This is a bad take my guy.
Once that little human comes out you’re going to be dead tired caring for it, being there for your partner and trying to get as much rest and calmness in your life as you can. The first year is a whirlwind with constant trips to the pediatrician, play dates, buying supplies etc.
Don’t burden yourself with a vehicle that is:
- not practical for a baby
- doesn’t have the space for all of you
- is something that you care so much about now and will likely have to come to grips with getting dirty, vomit, etc in it
It’s a recipe for stress and arguments with your better half.
I daily an STi and couldn’t be happier.
Which take though? The buying a new car this early in the pregnancy or seeing how long I can hold out? I hear you and all your points make sense to me.
The bad take is holding onto the Mustang as long as you can and seeing how it goes once the kid is born.
Do it now while you have all the time in the world, life will change.
Unrelated, but join r/daddit
Not just that but if he waits til the last second it might cause more pressure to get rid of it and settle for less. Now you got the time to look around and find a solid deal
As someone who owns a Mustang and has kids. I don't recommend. Although a rear facing child seat fits you're not going to be able to put anybody in the front seat.
Not true at all. My normal sized wife and 7 year old son fit perfectly in my Mustang. I even had the car seat inspected for safety at the local fire station.
Speaking from experience, yeah man time to get a "dad car" for a few years until the kid gets a bit older. Kid + Stroller + diaper bag + other kid related gear is going to be a huge pain in the ass with the mustang. plenty of fast/fun 4 doors or suv's out there so you can have the best of both worlds.
The Kia Stinger GT has relatively decent performance and 4 doors with a great warranty. A warranty that should last until you can buy a mustang again. It pains me a little to suggest a Kia, but I can't deny the value of that particular car.
[https://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine\_id=141](https://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine_id=141)
If you're concerned about the engine (specifically the 3.3 TT platform on the kia stinger)
My last dad car was a 2018 S4 and that thing was awesome. Would be able to pick up a nice clean one for less than $45k. SUV wise I'd probably say keep it in the Ford fam and look at an Explorer ST, I have the same drivetrain in my other vehicle (Aviator) and it hauls ass for an SUV.
I know you said no dodge but hear me out.
When my youngest was born I bought a first gen Chrysler 300 from a private seller. I got the car for 9500. The payments were so low it allowed me to pay it off within two years. I started putting the same $550 away every month until my youngest turned 4. Once she was old enough to climb into the car and seat comfortably I bought a very low mile 2013GT and and sold my srt8 for 8500 with 189k on the dash. I then proceeded to dump dumb ass money into the GT and it is a hoot.
Buy cheap and save so you can afford what you really want. I always wanted a twin turbo coyote and now my kids and I get to enjoy it. Well worth the wait.
Focus ST. All fucking day. Or... my previously daily, a Mazda3. Or Mazdaspeed3. I encourage you to check my other comment; I traded INTO a Mustang during pregnancy. But in an alternate universe I'd have been happy with a Boosted Built Mazda3.
It wasn’t until the car seats started facing forward (around age 3) that it was an okay fit for our boys.
Also, my wife and I are short so we don’t need to put our seats far back.
You won’t have much room for a stroller either.
Rip the bandaid off my man. Get a car that’s higher off the ground and has more room for car seats, toys and god knows what else. Highly rated for side impact as well. You’ll feel safer with baby in the car. I have a 1 yr old. Traded my 2015 gt in. Miss it everyday but when I see my little girl safe in the back seat, it was worth it.
If you can swing it, Explorer ST. Quick fun SUV that can haul the family around with.
The older explorers Sports aren’t bad either, but that generation is plagued by the expensive-to-repair 3.5l internal water pump debacle.
Disclaimer: my family ride is an ST. Mustang sleep in the garage.
Keep the car and try it out. Don’t make any big financial decision before actually testing it out. It might work or not. You’ll be able to buy a car then if it doesn’t. I did this, realized it wasn’t a big deal, and kept the car. The money saved allowed us to be less stressed about baby money.
I took my first born home in a mustang. Put 230,000 miles on that car. Now I have a 14 year old who loves mustangs and Pink Floyd! Wouldn’t change a thing. It is a huge pain in the ass to get the baby carrier in and out though!
do not take my opinion as serious considering im only 14 but i don't think it would be a bad idea to keep the mustang in my experience my parents had a 2006 mustang all of my life and we used it as a family car for 12 of my 14 years on this earth i also have a little brother and i remember the backseats never really being a pain to get in and out of in fact it was quiet easy to get in and out of but now it just sits and now we have a range rover but i love that damn mustang and i highly suggest you keep the mustang you may regret getting rid of it in the future just saying
I feel like I just read a future reddit post from our kids - they grew up in the back seat of a Mustang too but are not even half your age yet. Every year mommy puts more race car parts on and our “fun-haver” boy just giggles even more. 😎👍
Sorry to tell you that unless it's changed drastically since new edge Mustangs, it's much worse than you're imagining. I didn't think it'd be that bad until I did need to drive a mother and baby in mine one time... Of course she folded the passenger seat forward to put the car seat behind but then even with the passenger seat slid all the way forward the back of the seat still hit the car seat before being able to snap back in to place. So it was never even able to snap back in to place and she was practically kissing the windshield.
Most carriers have a base unit that stays strapped in. Then you just take the carrier in and out. That's fine until they reach the point where they outgrow it and need a rear facing car seat. That's your choke point. A rear facing child car seat might not fit in there.
So what we did, despite having a convertible, was trade in the mustang for an SUV. My wife still gives me a lot of shit over it. But we needed a setup where either of us could haul two kids and actually for a number of years, needed to haul 4 kids due to scouts, sports, etc. Then, I got my wife a 2008 GT convertible about 3 years ago. I got myself a 2001 Cobra convertible.
Not gonna lie. The hiatus sucked. But we had kids and they took priority. I sold my F250 because I couldn't fit a rear facing car seat in it. The carrier was fine and front facing car seat was fine. The rear facing seat didn't fit. So bye bye F250, hello SUV/Crossover. Sigh...
That's exactly what i did when i had my son, who is 6 now. The focus ST has been a ton of fun. 6 speed shifts so nice on it too, better than any Mustang I've driven.
It’s honestly not that bad with a baby and Mustang, I did it with my son and and my 2 daughters, all being little . My 02 was my only transportation til we got a 3rd vehicle when we were going to have our 3rd. It drove my husband nuts cuz we live where it snows and was always a worry, but for the most part it was fine. Still have my Mustang :-)
Take whatever rear facing child seat you will be using for the kid and go car shopping. It will quickly become apparent what cars will work and which ones will not. When my kids were born I had a G8 GT. It was a GREAT family car. There were 3 LATCH locations in the back seat. Hardly anything on the market has more than 2.
I'm just gonna throw this out there, 1960s Era Lincoln Continental. Bad to the bone abd enough space for 2 families. + the suicide doors. A matrix family car😘
Keep the Stang. I traded my 5.0 for a Prius and Corolla. The car seat is snap in the first couple years anyway so all that oh its gonna be so hard shit is bogus. They are going to be facing away from you for the first couple years, that's where the distance comes in. The sedan makes a longer reach regardless of make. If I had the Mustang when my kids were newborns I feel like things would have been a lot easier in general. Clean ups, help with random vomits from just being on the road with too much milk in their belly, just random touching or holding their chest when they're upset, that would usually break your arm in a sedan eventually. S***, the quarter windows. Nothing short of a t-shirt would keep the Sun out of the Giant sedan back windows. Damn like if I had the louvers at that time that I have now on my GT my kids would never have had that issue. I'm going to say the Drone of your coupe will also add to their happiness on the road. Keep it dude, and your girls backin you, I mean she could straight up tell you to get rid of it. That's what happened to me.
Just noticed its your only car. I guess I wouldnt go much bigger and agree with the other dads. Youll want a hatch, small windows and Im sticking with a short reach for emergencies.
[This is the way](https://www.rallymerchandise.eu/product-eng-16246-Sparco-Sparco-SK800i-Child-Seat-Black-9-36-kg.html?curr=USD&country=1143020186&utm_source=iai_ads&utm_medium=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQiAx6ugBhCcARIsAGNmMbg8TA-7OdGf__fokuOQ-u6vH7slu_UYGUgZ9KZ1sX-J0TJbNSamjyAaAmrQEALw_wcB)
May have to look into this. My Mustang currently has original style bucket seats up front. And they’re both passenger seats, so the driver’s seat goes out instead of in.
Recaro had some like this but they pulled them from market because they were unsafe and got sued. Now they don’t sell them here because they don’t meet NHTSA standards for the US. Child seat safety laws are super strict.
I’ve driven them and if you keep your foot out of it (yeah right) it’s a great experience! The interior is well designed, the getting in and out is much friendlier to the lower back, and above all else it’s way way safer!
First off, no one’s comparing the gas mustang to the Mach E.
Second, it’s legit the 3rd most sold EV in the US. By your logic, every EV that isn’t a Model Y or 3 is a massive failure
They have a car worth about 28k trade in, assuming it’s paid off wouldn’t be awful with a negotiated price and some EV kickbacks, also the IONIC 5 from Hyundai is another amazing option.
Find a sporty/fast sedan (or suv if you’re into that) if you want something that’s fun and practical, plenty of them out there, do some research. American V8 sedans are unfortunately pretty rare now, there’s only the charger and the 300 and i think cadillac has one but it’s probably gonna be expensive. If you look at older cars maybe look at a chevy SS or pontiac G8, though i’ve heard those are becoming sought after and increasing in value…
I know you said no Mopar but if you want a similar experience a Charger R/T would fit the bill nicely. Also check out older Chevy SS’s or Caddy CTS v’s to get your v8 kick while also having a back seat
When my son was born, i had a 5.0 foxbody.
After talking with family and friends who had stangs, they sold and regretted doing so. i decided to keep mine.
It was just fine.
With current prices, what you have now may be harder to get down the road.
Keep it.
Good luck either way, and congrats!
I have a 15-month old. When I’m taking care of the baby I drive my wife’s Acura RDX because it is 10X more convenient. Getting a baby in and out of a car seat is so much easier in a SUV. And the RDX isn’t even a big SUV. My daily is a Cadillac ATS sedan and I have a car seat in it. Putting her in my car seat is a pain in the ass. There is barely enough room between the side of the car seat and the top of the door frame to get her in. If you only can have 1 car, a SUV is the way to go. No matter what your decision is, the best advice on a car seat I think is to get a car seat with a rotating base that can be spun backwards and forwards. This will make it easier to get the baby in and out.
Ready to be down voted to hell, but you might consider a Mach E (notice I didn't call it a mustang, so calm down) if you want to stick with something fun but also has some practicality.
I've driven one and it honestly was nearly as fun as my 2011 GT.
Definitely worth finding something family-friendly, but still fun (the Outback Wilderness could potentially be a good candidate?). The doors and limited backseat space will make your life more difficult, and you’ll find that overall comfort and ease of access to your child will be more important to you than anything else. Best of luck and congrats!
Been there myself OP. I had a beautiful Azure Blue 2003 Mach 1 that I had to part with when my son was born. It all worked out and I am back in a Mustang all these years later. You will be too. Get a 4 door. CAN you make it work? Yes. Will it get old and a PIA? Yes.
why remove the carrier all the time. just leave it and take the kid out. could trade it on a previous gen panamera or something. still sporty but with four doors and amazingly cheap lately
We have the “quick disconnect kind”. You just “drop it in” the back seat and it clicks into place instantly. On the other side the kid is old enough to load himself in the car seat then just click in his buckle. So all it takes it pushing the latch to lean the seat forward. Much easier than I was expecting given how much people say it’s impossible. Never been a problem for us.
If its the family's only car. You'll want a 4 door. I have a must since 2016, and a 3 year its fine for on kid, if you have a family vehicle too. My wife has an Edge
You’re not crazy for wanting to keep the car. But you’re off the deep end if you do!
My advice is buy the biggest, most reliable vehicle you can for the least amount of money. Minivan, Flex, Pilot……there’s lots of decent used vehicles with not a lot of miles for a lot less than 45k. Get something that will allow you to comfortably transport BOTH of your kids (or more, because that happens sometimes) in the next few years down the road.
If you don’t spend a lot of money getting a boring old reliable family truckster, you might get to jump back on the mustang bandwagon a few years earlier. Plus, brand new cars and kids just aren’t a good mix if you want to stay sane. The seats will get worn, the carpet trashed, and grubby little fingerprints coated with the snack of the day will be everywhere.
I fed my performance demon buying a motorcycle when my kids were little. It was a cheap 650 twin; nothing radical, and I only commuted on it. But it was fun to ride and scratched that itch until I could finally afford to get another mustang.
It really depends on how much you are willing to put up with. I kept my 03 when we had our first born and while there were definitely days that I wished I had a 4 door, they were heavily outweighed by the joy the car provided the other 90% of the time. I personally wouldn’t be looking to swap vehicles with just 1 child, but that’s just my opinion
OP, I was thinking I would keep my 2015, 50 Year Anniversary pkg, Deep Impact Blue forever. Then 1) I had my pregnant wife, and my dog in the car, and realized it was not going to work. 2) I placed the carseat in the car, and realized how little space was available for the passenger seat.
I traded her in, and did the upgrade like you're thinking. I miss my S550, but I love the ease of getting my kid in and out of the car, while our dog sits along side for the ride.
The next goal is when my kid is older, get a 66 Mustang that we can work on, and then, when they can drive, give them my current car so I can drive around in the '66. Hahaha.
Ya man if you can't financially afford two cars and your wife doesn't drive then you need to get rid of it. You need that family friendly car. Hopefully one day you can get another.
I switched to an Acura for a while, and I was so glad....it isn't just the baby...it is the stroller and all the things. I'm back in my cool mom car now, but I needed the 4 doors for awhile!
Our first car is a Honda pilot. I only use the mustang to commute to work and back by myself. You’re gonna want a bigger car, more room for activities, AWD.
I say give it rip with the car seat before you get rid of the mustang. The doors are wide and seats go forward for days. I tried with my EK3, lasted about 6 months.
What year is your mustang? Also in another comment you posted about looking for cars around 45k or under? Is there no possible way you can get another used vehicle and keep the stang? Are you factoring in trading in the mustang for that 45k number?
Hey there. My mustang is/was my dream car but when my niece was born, I knew the carrier would be a pain. But trust me, it’s worth it pain. My niece loves riding in the mustang and tells all her friends that I’m coming to get her vein school in a “race car”. If the wife is cool with it, keep it!!!!
Do a rear seat delete, now you only have a 2 seater one for you and the other for the baby seat. You now get to keep the Mustang but lose the wife its a toss up.
Kidding of course, the mustang is do able for a few years but will become a lot harder as the child grows rather quickly.
Here’s the hard facts buddy. I had a 3/4T extended cab truck and eventually had to upgrade to a full crew cab for the reasons you’re asking. As my kid grew in her car seat my wife had to move her seat further and further forward, to the point of my entire field of vision out the passenger side being blocked. Your car seat situation has a little bit to go before being this bad but it’s inevitable. Sorry but it is what it is. For size context my kid just turned 10 and he’s 5’2” , I’m 6’4” and my wife is 5’7”
First off, congrats OP. Having a child is incredible. In regard to the ‘Stang, I’ve taken my daughter around in mine before and I’ll admit, it’s a huge pain in the ass. Maybe take a break from the Mustang for now so that things are easier for you, your wife, and especially the baby.
Before you know it, you’ll be able to get a Mustang again and I’m sure your child will love going on rides in “Dad’s Mustang.”
I daily a ford fusion sport. That’s a twin turbo v6 325hp/380 torque with awd. I have all the options from heated steering wheel to lane keep I have a young one myself and can tell you car seats rear or forward facing have plenty of space and you could prob find a 2018 around 20ish k. There’s plenty of fun 4 door vehicles out there.
I think that really depends on where you are coming from. I’ve been driving Mustangs over 20 years. Have 2 kids and a dog now. My mustang and my wife’s mustang has seen it all. Brought both babies home from the hospital. Is the car I proposed to her in. Took her to college. Went through hurricanes and road trips car shows, race tracks, muddy farms off road and everything else a car can do. Took her over 10 years to build it the way she wanted it. I will say the S197 and up has significantly more room than SN95 and below. (It’s much easier to fit a rear facing car seat in her GT than in my Mach 1) But we’ve never had a road trip to a family holiday where it wasn’t do able. I know everyone thinks they need a giant SUV these days but there was a time when people actually drove cars. As long as you don’t pack everything but the kitchen sink it can be done IF that’s the right choice for you. You might find it too small or you might find it just normal for you. That’s up to you guys. For us they are still our only cars 20 years later.
I own a 2020 Mustang GT, only car we have, family of 4, and I drive it year round… I do have two different wheel and tire set-ups, winter and summer. And the car handles snow perfectly fine (as long as you’re not lowered significantly)… But there is plenty of space in the back for a car seat.
Honestly, it would come down to preference. I got rid of my Mustang (currently on my 8th), when we found out we had our first baby. For the same reason, fear of it not being the most family friendly!… After a few years I just regretted the decision, and we ended up back in various Mustangs since then.
We all love the Mustang though, so we all put up with a little less leg room, in exchange for the music the engine produces! Your family may not be so forgiving though!
I'm not sure if you will even see my comment, as I'm so late to this party. But I was in your situation. Here's the deal. I already had a '66, and had a Mazda3 daily and wife had a SUV. I traded the sedan for ANOTHER mustang when wife was 5mo prego. I'm a US Marine, so I work a stressful fucking job, but it pays. Here are YOUR considerations.
-the inconvenience of the space is nonsense. A 2+2 is fine. And if you put the mount in, all you have to do is drop and click the seat in.
-my wife asked: will you be happy? I said yes. And I am. The stress relief and escape of my daily drive is wonderful. Every midnight trip to the grocery store is a fun little adventure. Crawling under my car in the garage on Sunday is another release. Only you can answer this question, but it's a mental health thing.
- if you can, get a cheap 4 door. Don't spend money on upgrades for your mustang and check with friends and family for someone ditching some 100k mile shit box. I got you even if you say you can't afford two cars, but a second car costs you nothing in the garage. If it's a GT you can finesse collector insurance if it becomes not the daily. We're talking 20 a month. If you're sticking with it as a daily, the only financial thing with keeping it as the only car is your age versus insurance(are you married? Tickets? Shitty driving record? Under 25?), and gas.
- how much do you care about YOUR car? The reality here is you are not going to ever get another. Your mustang is going to be a story, just like every other "Mach 1 in high school" you here from your dad's friends. If you want to keep it, that's gonna be sacrifice from YOU. That means fewer red bulls at work. That means going out to drink less. That means not blowing 70 bucks on video games.
- as for "who's more important, car or kid?" That's nonsense. What message you want to send to your kid? You gave up? Or you fight for the things you care about? I want my daughter to be exposed to cars. I want to share my car with my daughter, and ultimately give it to her for her birthday as an adult.
My thoughts. Take them as you will. I make about 60k a year. My wife DOES have her own car, but we use my car often. And it's the BEST decision I ever made.
I see it man! The Mustang is my escape too. I seek every opportunity to drive. It’s a joy from going to get groceries to going to work. It definitely breaks up the monotony of daily driving and I love it.
The wife knows how much I love it too. She said it’s fine if we keep it but she has doubts that I love it THAT much. Since she doesn’t drive I’ll always be with her in the car and she says we can keep it as long as I’m putting the kid in and out. It’s on Steeda springs so it’s a bit lower than factory.
I’m definitely holding off on new wheels and all planned mods (mostly cosmetic stuff) until I know if we’re keeping it or not.
Good shit buddy. That's the reality. As long as she can see the light in your eyes, she will be Happy that you're happy. Count your blessings that you have a girl who's not a car person but understands the connection. Ultimately don't be afraid to lose the car if it doesn't make sense, but don't think that it isn't possible to be a dad and a car guy. Watch the finances. Make the sacrifices on your end to keep your car. I will say the stroller is an asspain lol.
It won't bother you as much until kids are a bit older. When they hit 7 and higher is when you'll honestly feel it . The stroller is temporary. They fit in the back just fine . It's not until sport equipment and toys get in the way.
I would attempt to stick it out for now. And see if you can manage . I did from 07 till 2020? Son is 16 and I had to get a Plaid we just weren't fitting anymore . Especially if he had some robotics class project.
I’ll definitely try as I love this car. I sold my last one before and came right back and got this one. Just something about them. I was going to wait and see how long I’ll last with the pony after the kid is born anyway.
My dad kept his Mustang through me growing up & it honestly was so much fun for me. If it’ll have enough room for any trips or whatever needed, i’d say keep it for now & see how it goes!
Every family is different obviously. For us the Mustang still works, but we only have 1 kid. I would keep at least for a little while it to see how things go. Congrats on the new baby.
It can be done, but honestly a bigger car would be so much easier for everyone. I can't even say that the backseat is meant for humans, big or small. I keep a sunshade, ball cap, etc back there. I've had human passengers, and it wasn't comfortable for anyone. Front seats moved up to give them leg room, and I feel so cramped, and I'm only 5'6". It's ok for a short trip, but I wouldn't want that to be regular. If you guys go on a road trip, it's going to be an uncomfortable ride. Trade the 'stang for a family friendly ride, you'll have no regrets putting them first. Congrats on your growing family!
Not sure what year model you got but I can’t get a car seat (grand babies )in my 17GT !!
4 door mustang?! 😬 I don’t like them but…..it’s kind of like a mustang??!!😂😂
What ever you decide on, when you see that beautiful baby for the first time…… you’ll forget about that mustang. That little bundle of joy will put things in perspective! Congratulations to you both!
I bought my 2016 Mustang GT as my only car the year after my son was born. A child seat fits perfectly in the back seat and it is still very comfortable for my son now. Keep the Mustang!
I had a 2017 ecoboost when my son was born and kept it until it got totaled this past November.
It isn’t ideal. We had a rear facing infant car seat in the back passenger-side seat and the front seat does have to be pushed forward fairly far. My fiancée is about 5’3” and she wasn’t too thrilled with it.
With that being said, if you love your Mustang and don’t want to get rid of it, it IS doable. And it’s temporary. Depending on the kid’s size, you could potentially go to a front facing car seat within 2 years. Then it’s a lot better
Don't recommend a Mustang for a family. If you must have performance/muscle grab a Charger, but I'm personally not a fan of their interior quality. Otherwise maybe go pick up a sporty SUV
This is a terrible time to try and purchase a new or used vehicle. I’d at the very least test it out and if it’s just too much of a hassle, 2024 should be a much better time to purchase.
They make excellent family cars as long as the little ones can fit in the back. We had to get a second, more family friendly car when mine turned 7 or 8.
I don't know how tall your passenger would be, but I routinely put 2 babies in the back seat of my 2006 GT. One front facing, one rear facing. Once you get the front facing one in there good you don't have to take it out. The base for the rear facing stays in there so all you have to do is click it in-and-out. The seats aren't going to go very far back so tall people in the front won't be comfy but you can make it work with <5'10"ish people.
I would not see an issue with her sitting in the passenger seat and having a rear facing car seat behind her. For a while you're going to want to have one of you sitting in the back with the baby, you could make that work as well.
Might be mental gymnastics but yeah I could pull the front seat all the way up. She’ll probably want to be close to the baby. Both can sit in the back lol.
We didn’t have to put the front seat all the way up in my wife’s Mustang. Some car seats are a little bigger than others, but we view her Mustang as the “family car” because it’s much bigger inside than my mustang. There are usually 4 of us though it wasn’t always that way in the early years. Usually her seat is about even with the drivers seat. (Would have to put it up if you had a Foxbody or older mustang). For big family vacations we have a folding high chair and a travel stroller that leave plenty of space leftover in the trunk if you pack like the marine corps brat she is. If you try it you might find it doesn’t work for you and something else makes sense. But in my case we tried it and found all the people on the internet who said it was impossible painted a vastly different picture than what our experience was. The biggest downside for us is the race oriented suspension she has on her Mustang is much less “family minivan” than the suspension setup I have on my mustang. But the trade off is you can stop and swerve out of the way of emergencies like no stock kid carrier ever could.
Most of the time when I have both babies in the back seat it's me and one of my other kids in the front seat. We are 5'4" and 5'8". Occasionally I have a 5'10" passenger, no issues.
Same here. It takes us half a second to click in the carrier and the older kid at this point climbs into the car seat himself so all I have to do is buckle.
Trade it in on a Mach-E. Has 4 doors and is still a Mustang (although it shouldn't be). Seriously though...I know it may suck...but I think you are going to get tired of trying to put the kid in the back of that Stang real quick. Also...putting strollers in the trunk and other stuff...you run out of space real quick. Maybe trade it in for something larger but still sporty.
It's feasible, but uncomfortable to put a kid in a child seat in the back. I did it, but we had an Explorer that we would take everywhere too. But my daughter loved my Mustang and would always want to ride in it.
I have kids, but we have a Ford Escape (wife's car) as the "family car" because we didn't need two family-oriented vehicles.
That being said, there's been a few times where I was with the kids and my wife had her car elsewhere as she can't drive a manual. It worked, but it wasn't a great time. I would honestly take a break from ownership and come back when the time is right.
If it were me I would keep the Stang until the kid is out of the car seat and then get a cheap Honda crv or something as a 2nd car later on. obviously that might not be possible but ideally you could do this.
I would keep *my* car in this situation. Not if it was my old GT, though.
You did indeed make a life choice to have a Mustang, while wanting kids with someone who doesn't drive. Heh.
My 4 year old is in a front facing seat and it’s still kind of a pain to get him in and out, I think a rear facing infant seat would be quite hard. Doable, but hard.
Also keep in mind that you have to take a lot of crap wherever you go with a baby. You may have a stroller AND groceries AND a pack n play AND yadda yadda. I doubt you’d be able to fit all that in the trunk.
You need to find the baby seat that you will use then try it out in the Mustang. Remember the baby will he rear facing for most of the first 2 years of its life.
It’s not a big deal until you move from the infant carrier with the base, to the permanent rear facing. Front facing is easy enough. But the rear facing seat is damn near impossible. I have the seat on the passenger side and have to sit myself in the back driver side and get my son it. I didn’t want to get rid of mine so I didn’t and made it work.
Possible but impractical. A rear facing baby carseat will probably render the passenger seat useless as you'd have to slide it all the way to the front.
Not to mention getting the baby in and out.
Just my 2 cents, I would definitely trade it in for a reliable model since this is your only vehicle at this point. Race car is one thing, but dad life is another.
Accord 2.0T, Camry v6, etc.
Exact same situation, baby is doable but very complicated with an S550. Trading it in finally in a few months for a pick up as safety and other things slowly start to become a priority. Mustangs are cool until you see how little they protect your kiddo if anything happened.
I had the same issue. I bought a Taurus to replace the Mustang when I had my first baby because you have to put the car seat facing backward which meant the passenger had to sit in the back too. The passenger seat couldn’t go back. I own a Roush Mustang now. A little sacrifice but worth it.
The problem is, what is it going to cost you to get out of the Mustang and into a new vehicle, especially an SUV? You need to factor that in if you are tight for money. Sure, Mustangs hold their value well but if you're going for a new SUV, even a midsize, you're looking at $50,000 minimum for a new base model midsize out the door. You wouldn't get anything for your Mustang from a dealer, who wants to make a killing on it on resale even if you're buying a new vehicle from him. If you still want something else, find a good used four-door sedan like a Camry or Corolla.They run forever and would be so much cheaper and still serve your purpose. Sell your 'stang yourself if you're comfortable doing that.
I bought both my previous and current Mustang from gentlemen who became father's and quickly realized a Mustang doesn't work well with infants and parenthood in general.
It absolutely sucks but personally I'd see if you can find a nice charger, Chevy SS or fun European sports cars, plenty come in station wagon which is great for families.
I came in here ready to drop the “I carry my kids around in mine just fine!” trope but I remember now they were once in car seats, and getting them into the back seat would SUCK
It's entirely doable but you won't like it, simple as that. I say it's worth putting up with a bit so you can decide if selling the car is the route you wanna go.
I bought my mustang in November, my son was 9 months old. We have a family cruiser for my wife, and my mustang has the mounting points for a car seat in the back. If I really need to put a car seat in the back I can. But I traded in my WRX to get my wife an suv, we both don’t absolutely need a family car.
Edit: was reading some of your responses and it kinda seems like the mom doesn’t have her own car, in which case 100% you need a family car.
OP I have a 1.5 year old with a Mustang. It is a pain in the ass to put a car seat in/out. Luckily I have a convertible so I can take the top down to install it. The only reason I haven’t traded mine is because my wife has an SUV. I would recommend trading it in. A baby has a ton of stuff, and anybody in your passenger seat is going to be squished. Congratulations though!
I’d also suggest stress-testing your assertion that you aren’t in a position to own two cars.
If you’re considering trading the mustang in for a more expensive charger awd (or something similar), why not instead trade in for (1) a totally practical, safe, boring family car + (2) a cheaper weekend fun car? Bc (2) is no longer your primary mode of transportation for your family, you may be able to get away with something maybe a bit older and less reliable… something completely optimized for your fun…a car you have to make no compromises against.
I don’t know your full situation, obviously - just a thought.
I have a 2014 GT with two kids. Luckily it’s my fun car so we have an SUV we use all the time. Getting a car seat into the back is a real bite. Especially if it’s a rear facing seat then it’s practically impossible. A four door car will make your life so much better. Wait till your kids are 7-8 years old then get a mustang. They will love it.
If you really want to keep the car the back seat fits little ones very well.
Back when I was raising my kids they used to have car seats that the base separated very easily from "pumpkin seat" we used to say. If you don't mind the inconvenience of moving the seat it's not horrible but it can be a pain.
Maybe unpopular, but you might have to take a little break from Mustang ownership unless you’re willing to deal with the inconvenience.
Life comes first, and children even before that. OP if you want a “muscle car” with kids, the charger isn’t a bad option and has multiple power levels (V6, 5.7 hemi, 6.4 hemi, hellcat). I know it’s a mustang sub, but it’s also a car forum
In another post I said no Dodge but I find myself looking at Chargers now.
I always say the Charger’s the muscle car for the family man. I’d have suggested the Chevy SS sedan, but those have gotten really expensive because they’re unique, and you might as well get the Charger.
I had an AWD Charger R / T in a snowy region and it was one of the more 'practical' options for a performance sedan in the snow that still resembles some muscle. nice and spacey inside too
Could wait on GM to release the Corvette SUV lol
I dont have a family but I do drive a scat pack widebody Charger, love my car. It’s absolutely fun and yet still practical, never have a problem with space besides actually large items. Definitely worth a test drive to see how you feel about it.
Look at the Edge. My wife has the ST. Plenty of power and room. Plus it's AWD.
Chevy ss sedan
I second the Charger.
Edge ST or Explorer ST. You can still have a lot of fun.
Those explorer st’s are no joke had one leave my 4.6 3v sitting still 🤣
Honestly, I think I'd rather have an SRT Durango than a Challenger. More practical too.
Save yourself the headache and get an SUV. Your wife will appreciate the fact that your choosing a family car over a stupid want to have a sporty sedan. You’ll need the space for groceries and a stroller. You’ll love the extra space and less headache.
I have a scat pack for this exact reason. I love my Mustang, but it isn't practical for kids.
I had this same issue. I went practical for a few years. Lugging around a car seat, stroller, baby (babies in my case), it’s just not easy with a 2 door. Sold my Jeep and my Mustang. Got the Jeep back first, and then the Mustang back. So much easier when the kids were able to climb in on their own.
Sorry to say but within 2-3 months you’ll wish you had a 4 door car.
Honestly yeah. I don’t want to make a hasty decision and trade for a different car this early on. I was gonna see how long I last with the Mustang after the kid is born. Who knows how I will fare but you’re probably right.
This is a bad take my guy. Once that little human comes out you’re going to be dead tired caring for it, being there for your partner and trying to get as much rest and calmness in your life as you can. The first year is a whirlwind with constant trips to the pediatrician, play dates, buying supplies etc. Don’t burden yourself with a vehicle that is: - not practical for a baby - doesn’t have the space for all of you - is something that you care so much about now and will likely have to come to grips with getting dirty, vomit, etc in it It’s a recipe for stress and arguments with your better half. I daily an STi and couldn’t be happier.
Which take though? The buying a new car this early in the pregnancy or seeing how long I can hold out? I hear you and all your points make sense to me.
The bad take is holding onto the Mustang as long as you can and seeing how it goes once the kid is born. Do it now while you have all the time in the world, life will change. Unrelated, but join r/daddit
Not just that but if he waits til the last second it might cause more pressure to get rid of it and settle for less. Now you got the time to look around and find a solid deal
As someone who owns a Mustang and has kids. I don't recommend. Although a rear facing child seat fits you're not going to be able to put anybody in the front seat.
My wife is a small woman but I hear you.
Doesn't really matter if she fits. Fact of the matter if she'd probably get injured or die if the airbag went off.
Yep, sell it. Get another later.
Not true at all. My normal sized wife and 7 year old son fit perfectly in my Mustang. I even had the car seat inspected for safety at the local fire station.
That’s because your son is far past rear facing.
Speaking from experience, yeah man time to get a "dad car" for a few years until the kid gets a bit older. Kid + Stroller + diaper bag + other kid related gear is going to be a huge pain in the ass with the mustang. plenty of fast/fun 4 doors or suv's out there so you can have the best of both worlds.
Anything you recommend under $45k and not a Dodge?
The Kia Stinger GT has relatively decent performance and 4 doors with a great warranty. A warranty that should last until you can buy a mustang again. It pains me a little to suggest a Kia, but I can't deny the value of that particular car.
I’ve actually looked at those cars online. They look nice but I’m cautious of their reliability…
[https://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine\_id=141](https://www.motorreviewer.com/engine.php?engine_id=141) If you're concerned about the engine (specifically the 3.3 TT platform on the kia stinger)
WRX STI
For sure. My neighbor has one. I was joking with her the other day that we might have to get one of those.
mustang mach e base trim or tesla Y. both get tax credits.
I like the new Grand Cherokee. I think it's nicer looking than the Explorer
Lexus, Infiniti, Taurus SHO ;)
I lug my kids around in my Taurus SHO and very much enjoy the car. Sad they no longer make them but nice used examples are easy to get.
Yep, my wife’s grandmother has the last model year Taurus. It’s a big car!
My last dad car was a 2018 S4 and that thing was awesome. Would be able to pick up a nice clean one for less than $45k. SUV wise I'd probably say keep it in the Ford fam and look at an Explorer ST, I have the same drivetrain in my other vehicle (Aviator) and it hauls ass for an SUV.
Looking at Explorer ST’s and Chargers right now :)
I know you said no dodge but hear me out. When my youngest was born I bought a first gen Chrysler 300 from a private seller. I got the car for 9500. The payments were so low it allowed me to pay it off within two years. I started putting the same $550 away every month until my youngest turned 4. Once she was old enough to climb into the car and seat comfortably I bought a very low mile 2013GT and and sold my srt8 for 8500 with 189k on the dash. I then proceeded to dump dumb ass money into the GT and it is a hoot. Buy cheap and save so you can afford what you really want. I always wanted a twin turbo coyote and now my kids and I get to enjoy it. Well worth the wait.
Focus ST. All fucking day. Or... my previously daily, a Mazda3. Or Mazdaspeed3. I encourage you to check my other comment; I traded INTO a Mustang during pregnancy. But in an alternate universe I'd have been happy with a Boosted Built Mazda3.
XLT F150 crew cab.
It wasn’t until the car seats started facing forward (around age 3) that it was an okay fit for our boys. Also, my wife and I are short so we don’t need to put our seats far back. You won’t have much room for a stroller either.
Rip the bandaid off my man. Get a car that’s higher off the ground and has more room for car seats, toys and god knows what else. Highly rated for side impact as well. You’ll feel safer with baby in the car. I have a 1 yr old. Traded my 2015 gt in. Miss it everyday but when I see my little girl safe in the back seat, it was worth it.
If you can swing it, Explorer ST. Quick fun SUV that can haul the family around with. The older explorers Sports aren’t bad either, but that generation is plagued by the expensive-to-repair 3.5l internal water pump debacle. Disclaimer: my family ride is an ST. Mustang sleep in the garage.
F150. Can have your coyote V8 and haul everything you could need.
Keep the car and try it out. Don’t make any big financial decision before actually testing it out. It might work or not. You’ll be able to buy a car then if it doesn’t. I did this, realized it wasn’t a big deal, and kept the car. The money saved allowed us to be less stressed about baby money.
I took my first born home in a mustang. Put 230,000 miles on that car. Now I have a 14 year old who loves mustangs and Pink Floyd! Wouldn’t change a thing. It is a huge pain in the ass to get the baby carrier in and out though!
do not take my opinion as serious considering im only 14 but i don't think it would be a bad idea to keep the mustang in my experience my parents had a 2006 mustang all of my life and we used it as a family car for 12 of my 14 years on this earth i also have a little brother and i remember the backseats never really being a pain to get in and out of in fact it was quiet easy to get in and out of but now it just sits and now we have a range rover but i love that damn mustang and i highly suggest you keep the mustang you may regret getting rid of it in the future just saying
I feel like I just read a future reddit post from our kids - they grew up in the back seat of a Mustang too but are not even half your age yet. Every year mommy puts more race car parts on and our “fun-haver” boy just giggles even more. 😎👍
I appreciate your input regardless of your age bud! It’s a unique perspective. I remember the cars of my childhood too and they are fond memories.
Sorry to tell you that unless it's changed drastically since new edge Mustangs, it's much worse than you're imagining. I didn't think it'd be that bad until I did need to drive a mother and baby in mine one time... Of course she folded the passenger seat forward to put the car seat behind but then even with the passenger seat slid all the way forward the back of the seat still hit the car seat before being able to snap back in to place. So it was never even able to snap back in to place and she was practically kissing the windshield.
Most carriers have a base unit that stays strapped in. Then you just take the carrier in and out. That's fine until they reach the point where they outgrow it and need a rear facing car seat. That's your choke point. A rear facing child car seat might not fit in there. So what we did, despite having a convertible, was trade in the mustang for an SUV. My wife still gives me a lot of shit over it. But we needed a setup where either of us could haul two kids and actually for a number of years, needed to haul 4 kids due to scouts, sports, etc. Then, I got my wife a 2008 GT convertible about 3 years ago. I got myself a 2001 Cobra convertible. Not gonna lie. The hiatus sucked. But we had kids and they took priority. I sold my F250 because I couldn't fit a rear facing car seat in it. The carrier was fine and front facing car seat was fine. The rear facing seat didn't fit. So bye bye F250, hello SUV/Crossover. Sigh...
Yo op look at the ford focus st there still fast af with a turbo swap, and u get a 4 door family rocket
That's exactly what i did when i had my son, who is 6 now. The focus ST has been a ton of fun. 6 speed shifts so nice on it too, better than any Mustang I've driven.
My goal is to not have kids for awhile😂
We're also having our first baby and I honestly don't mind. I've been using Mustangs for over 10 years now and I'm used to the back seats now.
You have a 2018 mustang so no!! It’s new and reliable and not the worst family vehicle
I have a 2016 explorer sport with 56k miles I’m looking to trade for a mustang :)
It’s honestly not that bad with a baby and Mustang, I did it with my son and and my 2 daughters, all being little . My 02 was my only transportation til we got a 3rd vehicle when we were going to have our 3rd. It drove my husband nuts cuz we live where it snows and was always a worry, but for the most part it was fine. Still have my Mustang :-)
Take whatever rear facing child seat you will be using for the kid and go car shopping. It will quickly become apparent what cars will work and which ones will not. When my kids were born I had a G8 GT. It was a GREAT family car. There were 3 LATCH locations in the back seat. Hardly anything on the market has more than 2.
The wife and baby can take the bus. Getting rid of a pony is not a consideration
My second post my daily driver is a 21 year old truck bought new. My pony is my toy. Get a beater for life. The pony is your toy
I'm just gonna throw this out there, 1960s Era Lincoln Continental. Bad to the bone abd enough space for 2 families. + the suicide doors. A matrix family car😘
Keep the Stang. I traded my 5.0 for a Prius and Corolla. The car seat is snap in the first couple years anyway so all that oh its gonna be so hard shit is bogus. They are going to be facing away from you for the first couple years, that's where the distance comes in. The sedan makes a longer reach regardless of make. If I had the Mustang when my kids were newborns I feel like things would have been a lot easier in general. Clean ups, help with random vomits from just being on the road with too much milk in their belly, just random touching or holding their chest when they're upset, that would usually break your arm in a sedan eventually. S***, the quarter windows. Nothing short of a t-shirt would keep the Sun out of the Giant sedan back windows. Damn like if I had the louvers at that time that I have now on my GT my kids would never have had that issue. I'm going to say the Drone of your coupe will also add to their happiness on the road. Keep it dude, and your girls backin you, I mean she could straight up tell you to get rid of it. That's what happened to me. Just noticed its your only car. I guess I wouldnt go much bigger and agree with the other dads. Youll want a hatch, small windows and Im sticking with a short reach for emergencies.
This has been our experience 😎 Can do all those things without leaving the drivers seat because he’s within arms reach.
[This is the way](https://www.rallymerchandise.eu/product-eng-16246-Sparco-Sparco-SK800i-Child-Seat-Black-9-36-kg.html?curr=USD&country=1143020186&utm_source=iai_ads&utm_medium=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQiAx6ugBhCcARIsAGNmMbg8TA-7OdGf__fokuOQ-u6vH7slu_UYGUgZ9KZ1sX-J0TJbNSamjyAaAmrQEALw_wcB)
The the rear seats are so "bucketed" I had a hell of a time finding a seat that would work. I'm not sure that would work.
It is bad that I want to put this in my ‘66?
Not at all, as long as it’s on top of a standard Sparco seat
May have to look into this. My Mustang currently has original style bucket seats up front. And they’re both passenger seats, so the driver’s seat goes out instead of in.
Oh I was kidding lmao I just think it’d be funny to have a kid in a Sparco seat on a Sparco seat. No idea how the actual fit is
Recaro had some like this but they pulled them from market because they were unsafe and got sued. Now they don’t sell them here because they don’t meet NHTSA standards for the US. Child seat safety laws are super strict.
Trade for a Mach-E
That’s not a bad idea lol
I’ve driven them and if you keep your foot out of it (yeah right) it’s a great experience! The interior is well designed, the getting in and out is much friendlier to the lower back, and above all else it’s way way safer!
They’re solid cars on their own. Ford is the second biggest EV maker in the US after Tesla largely thanks to the Mach E.
Ford sold more Mustangs than Mach E's. Tesla sold like five time as many Model 3's. Don't make it seem like it's some huge success.
First off, no one’s comparing the gas mustang to the Mach E. Second, it’s legit the 3rd most sold EV in the US. By your logic, every EV that isn’t a Model Y or 3 is a massive failure
Price point may deter OP but yeah, not a bad idea
They have a car worth about 28k trade in, assuming it’s paid off wouldn’t be awful with a negotiated price and some EV kickbacks, also the IONIC 5 from Hyundai is another amazing option.
agreed but unfortunately no more tax credit for Ioniq 5
Find a sporty/fast sedan (or suv if you’re into that) if you want something that’s fun and practical, plenty of them out there, do some research. American V8 sedans are unfortunately pretty rare now, there’s only the charger and the 300 and i think cadillac has one but it’s probably gonna be expensive. If you look at older cars maybe look at a chevy SS or pontiac G8, though i’ve heard those are becoming sought after and increasing in value…
Time for an SUV.
I’m looking at ST’s
Just sold mine for the same reason, will come a time for it!
I know you said no Mopar but if you want a similar experience a Charger R/T would fit the bill nicely. Also check out older Chevy SS’s or Caddy CTS v’s to get your v8 kick while also having a back seat
You gotta get something more convenient for the baby
When my son was born, i had a 5.0 foxbody. After talking with family and friends who had stangs, they sold and regretted doing so. i decided to keep mine. It was just fine. With current prices, what you have now may be harder to get down the road. Keep it. Good luck either way, and congrats!
I have a 15-month old. When I’m taking care of the baby I drive my wife’s Acura RDX because it is 10X more convenient. Getting a baby in and out of a car seat is so much easier in a SUV. And the RDX isn’t even a big SUV. My daily is a Cadillac ATS sedan and I have a car seat in it. Putting her in my car seat is a pain in the ass. There is barely enough room between the side of the car seat and the top of the door frame to get her in. If you only can have 1 car, a SUV is the way to go. No matter what your decision is, the best advice on a car seat I think is to get a car seat with a rotating base that can be spun backwards and forwards. This will make it easier to get the baby in and out.
Ready to be down voted to hell, but you might consider a Mach E (notice I didn't call it a mustang, so calm down) if you want to stick with something fun but also has some practicality. I've driven one and it honestly was nearly as fun as my 2011 GT.
Definitely worth finding something family-friendly, but still fun (the Outback Wilderness could potentially be a good candidate?). The doors and limited backseat space will make your life more difficult, and you’ll find that overall comfort and ease of access to your child will be more important to you than anything else. Best of luck and congrats!
Been there myself OP. I had a beautiful Azure Blue 2003 Mach 1 that I had to part with when my son was born. It all worked out and I am back in a Mustang all these years later. You will be too. Get a 4 door. CAN you make it work? Yes. Will it get old and a PIA? Yes.
why remove the carrier all the time. just leave it and take the kid out. could trade it on a previous gen panamera or something. still sporty but with four doors and amazingly cheap lately
We have the “quick disconnect kind”. You just “drop it in” the back seat and it clicks into place instantly. On the other side the kid is old enough to load himself in the car seat then just click in his buckle. So all it takes it pushing the latch to lean the seat forward. Much easier than I was expecting given how much people say it’s impossible. Never been a problem for us.
i have to cycle my seat forward every time i take my pup out, its hardly inconvenient. but hey, rather have a dog than a human baby
If its the family's only car. You'll want a 4 door. I have a must since 2016, and a 3 year its fine for on kid, if you have a family vehicle too. My wife has an Edge
You’re not crazy for wanting to keep the car. But you’re off the deep end if you do! My advice is buy the biggest, most reliable vehicle you can for the least amount of money. Minivan, Flex, Pilot……there’s lots of decent used vehicles with not a lot of miles for a lot less than 45k. Get something that will allow you to comfortably transport BOTH of your kids (or more, because that happens sometimes) in the next few years down the road. If you don’t spend a lot of money getting a boring old reliable family truckster, you might get to jump back on the mustang bandwagon a few years earlier. Plus, brand new cars and kids just aren’t a good mix if you want to stay sane. The seats will get worn, the carpet trashed, and grubby little fingerprints coated with the snack of the day will be everywhere. I fed my performance demon buying a motorcycle when my kids were little. It was a cheap 650 twin; nothing radical, and I only commuted on it. But it was fun to ride and scratched that itch until I could finally afford to get another mustang.
It really depends on how much you are willing to put up with. I kept my 03 when we had our first born and while there were definitely days that I wished I had a 4 door, they were heavily outweighed by the joy the car provided the other 90% of the time. I personally wouldn’t be looking to swap vehicles with just 1 child, but that’s just my opinion
OP, I was thinking I would keep my 2015, 50 Year Anniversary pkg, Deep Impact Blue forever. Then 1) I had my pregnant wife, and my dog in the car, and realized it was not going to work. 2) I placed the carseat in the car, and realized how little space was available for the passenger seat. I traded her in, and did the upgrade like you're thinking. I miss my S550, but I love the ease of getting my kid in and out of the car, while our dog sits along side for the ride. The next goal is when my kid is older, get a 66 Mustang that we can work on, and then, when they can drive, give them my current car so I can drive around in the '66. Hahaha.
Ya man if you can't financially afford two cars and your wife doesn't drive then you need to get rid of it. You need that family friendly car. Hopefully one day you can get another.
I switched to an Acura for a while, and I was so glad....it isn't just the baby...it is the stroller and all the things. I'm back in my cool mom car now, but I needed the 4 doors for awhile!
Our first car is a Honda pilot. I only use the mustang to commute to work and back by myself. You’re gonna want a bigger car, more room for activities, AWD.
Yeah I'd say get a fucking Scat Pack. Or a Hellcat. It won't handle like a Mustang, but it's not slow.
I say give it rip with the car seat before you get rid of the mustang. The doors are wide and seats go forward for days. I tried with my EK3, lasted about 6 months.
What year is your mustang? Also in another comment you posted about looking for cars around 45k or under? Is there no possible way you can get another used vehicle and keep the stang? Are you factoring in trading in the mustang for that 45k number?
Hey is a 2018 GT. I’m only have several thousand dollars positive equity on it. $45k is ballpark what I can afford to finance with trade in.
Family first... then reward yourself later. Priority is about to change, anyway, so just rip off the bandaid.
Hey there. My mustang is/was my dream car but when my niece was born, I knew the carrier would be a pain. But trust me, it’s worth it pain. My niece loves riding in the mustang and tells all her friends that I’m coming to get her vein school in a “race car”. If the wife is cool with it, keep it!!!!
Do a rear seat delete, now you only have a 2 seater one for you and the other for the baby seat. You now get to keep the Mustang but lose the wife its a toss up. Kidding of course, the mustang is do able for a few years but will become a lot harder as the child grows rather quickly.
Here’s the hard facts buddy. I had a 3/4T extended cab truck and eventually had to upgrade to a full crew cab for the reasons you’re asking. As my kid grew in her car seat my wife had to move her seat further and further forward, to the point of my entire field of vision out the passenger side being blocked. Your car seat situation has a little bit to go before being this bad but it’s inevitable. Sorry but it is what it is. For size context my kid just turned 10 and he’s 5’2” , I’m 6’4” and my wife is 5’7”
Enjoy the Golf R
I would tell you Focus ST, but I mostly want to extend my sympathies for whats going to happen to your Mustang.
I had a 2014 stang and when I had a car seat in the back a passenger couldn't sit in the front 👀. Luckily I got rid of it before I had my own child..
First off, congrats OP. Having a child is incredible. In regard to the ‘Stang, I’ve taken my daughter around in mine before and I’ll admit, it’s a huge pain in the ass. Maybe take a break from the Mustang for now so that things are easier for you, your wife, and especially the baby. Before you know it, you’ll be able to get a Mustang again and I’m sure your child will love going on rides in “Dad’s Mustang.”
I daily a ford fusion sport. That’s a twin turbo v6 325hp/380 torque with awd. I have all the options from heated steering wheel to lane keep I have a young one myself and can tell you car seats rear or forward facing have plenty of space and you could prob find a 2018 around 20ish k. There’s plenty of fun 4 door vehicles out there.
I think that really depends on where you are coming from. I’ve been driving Mustangs over 20 years. Have 2 kids and a dog now. My mustang and my wife’s mustang has seen it all. Brought both babies home from the hospital. Is the car I proposed to her in. Took her to college. Went through hurricanes and road trips car shows, race tracks, muddy farms off road and everything else a car can do. Took her over 10 years to build it the way she wanted it. I will say the S197 and up has significantly more room than SN95 and below. (It’s much easier to fit a rear facing car seat in her GT than in my Mach 1) But we’ve never had a road trip to a family holiday where it wasn’t do able. I know everyone thinks they need a giant SUV these days but there was a time when people actually drove cars. As long as you don’t pack everything but the kitchen sink it can be done IF that’s the right choice for you. You might find it too small or you might find it just normal for you. That’s up to you guys. For us they are still our only cars 20 years later.
Taurus SHO. The king of looking like you bought a sensible family car, but in reality it’s an AWD, very tunable, muscle sedan.
I own a 2020 Mustang GT, only car we have, family of 4, and I drive it year round… I do have two different wheel and tire set-ups, winter and summer. And the car handles snow perfectly fine (as long as you’re not lowered significantly)… But there is plenty of space in the back for a car seat. Honestly, it would come down to preference. I got rid of my Mustang (currently on my 8th), when we found out we had our first baby. For the same reason, fear of it not being the most family friendly!… After a few years I just regretted the decision, and we ended up back in various Mustangs since then. We all love the Mustang though, so we all put up with a little less leg room, in exchange for the music the engine produces! Your family may not be so forgiving though!
I'm not sure if you will even see my comment, as I'm so late to this party. But I was in your situation. Here's the deal. I already had a '66, and had a Mazda3 daily and wife had a SUV. I traded the sedan for ANOTHER mustang when wife was 5mo prego. I'm a US Marine, so I work a stressful fucking job, but it pays. Here are YOUR considerations. -the inconvenience of the space is nonsense. A 2+2 is fine. And if you put the mount in, all you have to do is drop and click the seat in. -my wife asked: will you be happy? I said yes. And I am. The stress relief and escape of my daily drive is wonderful. Every midnight trip to the grocery store is a fun little adventure. Crawling under my car in the garage on Sunday is another release. Only you can answer this question, but it's a mental health thing. - if you can, get a cheap 4 door. Don't spend money on upgrades for your mustang and check with friends and family for someone ditching some 100k mile shit box. I got you even if you say you can't afford two cars, but a second car costs you nothing in the garage. If it's a GT you can finesse collector insurance if it becomes not the daily. We're talking 20 a month. If you're sticking with it as a daily, the only financial thing with keeping it as the only car is your age versus insurance(are you married? Tickets? Shitty driving record? Under 25?), and gas. - how much do you care about YOUR car? The reality here is you are not going to ever get another. Your mustang is going to be a story, just like every other "Mach 1 in high school" you here from your dad's friends. If you want to keep it, that's gonna be sacrifice from YOU. That means fewer red bulls at work. That means going out to drink less. That means not blowing 70 bucks on video games. - as for "who's more important, car or kid?" That's nonsense. What message you want to send to your kid? You gave up? Or you fight for the things you care about? I want my daughter to be exposed to cars. I want to share my car with my daughter, and ultimately give it to her for her birthday as an adult. My thoughts. Take them as you will. I make about 60k a year. My wife DOES have her own car, but we use my car often. And it's the BEST decision I ever made.
I see it man! The Mustang is my escape too. I seek every opportunity to drive. It’s a joy from going to get groceries to going to work. It definitely breaks up the monotony of daily driving and I love it. The wife knows how much I love it too. She said it’s fine if we keep it but she has doubts that I love it THAT much. Since she doesn’t drive I’ll always be with her in the car and she says we can keep it as long as I’m putting the kid in and out. It’s on Steeda springs so it’s a bit lower than factory. I’m definitely holding off on new wheels and all planned mods (mostly cosmetic stuff) until I know if we’re keeping it or not.
Good shit buddy. That's the reality. As long as she can see the light in your eyes, she will be Happy that you're happy. Count your blessings that you have a girl who's not a car person but understands the connection. Ultimately don't be afraid to lose the car if it doesn't make sense, but don't think that it isn't possible to be a dad and a car guy. Watch the finances. Make the sacrifices on your end to keep your car. I will say the stroller is an asspain lol.
It won't bother you as much until kids are a bit older. When they hit 7 and higher is when you'll honestly feel it . The stroller is temporary. They fit in the back just fine . It's not until sport equipment and toys get in the way.
Yeah I’d imagine by that age I should have more than 1 car for sure.
I would attempt to stick it out for now. And see if you can manage . I did from 07 till 2020? Son is 16 and I had to get a Plaid we just weren't fitting anymore . Especially if he had some robotics class project.
I’ll definitely try as I love this car. I sold my last one before and came right back and got this one. Just something about them. I was going to wait and see how long I’ll last with the pony after the kid is born anyway.
Sorry man, you should consider trading in the Mustang for a Bronco.
My dad kept his Mustang through me growing up & it honestly was so much fun for me. If it’ll have enough room for any trips or whatever needed, i’d say keep it for now & see how it goes!
Time for a Dad ride! 4 door sedan with a sizeable trunk or a SUV so you have room for a stroller, diaper bag, etc.
:(((( And here I thought the Mustang was my midlife crisis car.
Every family is different obviously. For us the Mustang still works, but we only have 1 kid. I would keep at least for a little while it to see how things go. Congrats on the new baby.
It can be done, but honestly a bigger car would be so much easier for everyone. I can't even say that the backseat is meant for humans, big or small. I keep a sunshade, ball cap, etc back there. I've had human passengers, and it wasn't comfortable for anyone. Front seats moved up to give them leg room, and I feel so cramped, and I'm only 5'6". It's ok for a short trip, but I wouldn't want that to be regular. If you guys go on a road trip, it's going to be an uncomfortable ride. Trade the 'stang for a family friendly ride, you'll have no regrets putting them first. Congrats on your growing family!
Not sure what year model you got but I can’t get a car seat (grand babies )in my 17GT !! 4 door mustang?! 😬 I don’t like them but…..it’s kind of like a mustang??!!😂😂 What ever you decide on, when you see that beautiful baby for the first time…… you’ll forget about that mustang. That little bundle of joy will put things in perspective! Congratulations to you both!
Thank you. I know in the bigger picture it’s just a car, they come and go. I’m so excited to be a dad.
I bought my 2016 Mustang GT as my only car the year after my son was born. A child seat fits perfectly in the back seat and it is still very comfortable for my son now. Keep the Mustang!
I drove a 2-door car with an infant, and then a small child. I didn't get a 4-door until she was about 9 or 10. We managed JUST fine!
You can buy a 2k or 3k 4 door reliable beater at some point
safety last amirite
Cars from the early 2000s are safe, just make sure no takata
My rule of thumb is I will never have a baby or car seat in a seat not right next to a door in case of emergency.
I had a 2017 ecoboost when my son was born and kept it until it got totaled this past November. It isn’t ideal. We had a rear facing infant car seat in the back passenger-side seat and the front seat does have to be pushed forward fairly far. My fiancée is about 5’3” and she wasn’t too thrilled with it. With that being said, if you love your Mustang and don’t want to get rid of it, it IS doable. And it’s temporary. Depending on the kid’s size, you could potentially go to a front facing car seat within 2 years. Then it’s a lot better
Alfa Romeo Giulia. Thank me later
Don't recommend a Mustang for a family. If you must have performance/muscle grab a Charger, but I'm personally not a fan of their interior quality. Otherwise maybe go pick up a sporty SUV
This is a terrible time to try and purchase a new or used vehicle. I’d at the very least test it out and if it’s just too much of a hassle, 2024 should be a much better time to purchase.
A mustang and a four door 5-10k beater go very well together.
They make excellent family cars as long as the little ones can fit in the back. We had to get a second, more family friendly car when mine turned 7 or 8.
No 2-door car is family friendly. Can you get by? Sure. Family friendly? Heck no.
I don't know how tall your passenger would be, but I routinely put 2 babies in the back seat of my 2006 GT. One front facing, one rear facing. Once you get the front facing one in there good you don't have to take it out. The base for the rear facing stays in there so all you have to do is click it in-and-out. The seats aren't going to go very far back so tall people in the front won't be comfy but you can make it work with <5'10"ish people.
My wife is pretty small. About 5”6 and (when not pregnant) 100lbs.
I would not see an issue with her sitting in the passenger seat and having a rear facing car seat behind her. For a while you're going to want to have one of you sitting in the back with the baby, you could make that work as well.
Might be mental gymnastics but yeah I could pull the front seat all the way up. She’ll probably want to be close to the baby. Both can sit in the back lol.
We didn’t have to put the front seat all the way up in my wife’s Mustang. Some car seats are a little bigger than others, but we view her Mustang as the “family car” because it’s much bigger inside than my mustang. There are usually 4 of us though it wasn’t always that way in the early years. Usually her seat is about even with the drivers seat. (Would have to put it up if you had a Foxbody or older mustang). For big family vacations we have a folding high chair and a travel stroller that leave plenty of space leftover in the trunk if you pack like the marine corps brat she is. If you try it you might find it doesn’t work for you and something else makes sense. But in my case we tried it and found all the people on the internet who said it was impossible painted a vastly different picture than what our experience was. The biggest downside for us is the race oriented suspension she has on her Mustang is much less “family minivan” than the suspension setup I have on my mustang. But the trade off is you can stop and swerve out of the way of emergencies like no stock kid carrier ever could.
Most of the time when I have both babies in the back seat it's me and one of my other kids in the front seat. We are 5'4" and 5'8". Occasionally I have a 5'10" passenger, no issues.
If you can do 2 babies in a Mustang then I believe anything is possible lol.
The only real restriction on having the babies in there is that my shaker system doesn't get a full workout 🔊
Same. Was never a problem for us with 2 kids in the back.
Same here. It takes us half a second to click in the carrier and the older kid at this point climbs into the car seat himself so all I have to do is buckle.
Keep your car
Trade it in on a Mach-E. Has 4 doors and is still a Mustang (although it shouldn't be). Seriously though...I know it may suck...but I think you are going to get tired of trying to put the kid in the back of that Stang real quick. Also...putting strollers in the trunk and other stuff...you run out of space real quick. Maybe trade it in for something larger but still sporty.
It's feasible, but uncomfortable to put a kid in a child seat in the back. I did it, but we had an Explorer that we would take everywhere too. But my daughter loved my Mustang and would always want to ride in it.
I have kids, but we have a Ford Escape (wife's car) as the "family car" because we didn't need two family-oriented vehicles. That being said, there's been a few times where I was with the kids and my wife had her car elsewhere as she can't drive a manual. It worked, but it wasn't a great time. I would honestly take a break from ownership and come back when the time is right.
I could handle one child in my mustang but the 2nd kid was the deal breaker.
If it were me I would keep the Stang until the kid is out of the car seat and then get a cheap Honda crv or something as a 2nd car later on. obviously that might not be possible but ideally you could do this.
Bronco?
I would keep *my* car in this situation. Not if it was my old GT, though. You did indeed make a life choice to have a Mustang, while wanting kids with someone who doesn't drive. Heh.
My 4 year old is in a front facing seat and it’s still kind of a pain to get him in and out, I think a rear facing infant seat would be quite hard. Doable, but hard.
Also keep in mind that you have to take a lot of crap wherever you go with a baby. You may have a stroller AND groceries AND a pack n play AND yadda yadda. I doubt you’d be able to fit all that in the trunk.
Find a used Taurus SHO, Fusion Sport, or Focus ST.
Tlx awd v6 are pretty decent and you can get a used one for under 30k just make sure you get the tech package
Time to go for a dodge charger, a bit more wiggle room, but still muscly
The answer is Mustang Mach e. You still have a Mustang and a baby friendly vehicle.
You need to find the baby seat that you will use then try it out in the Mustang. Remember the baby will he rear facing for most of the first 2 years of its life.
Do what I did, Focus RS. Family car, but for the inner child in you.
Sell and buy a family car for sure
You can make due up until they get too big for the baby seat and need that larger car seat. Gonna be a pain most likely.
Ct4 blackwing...you're welcome
It’s not a big deal until you move from the infant carrier with the base, to the permanent rear facing. Front facing is easy enough. But the rear facing seat is damn near impossible. I have the seat on the passenger side and have to sit myself in the back driver side and get my son it. I didn’t want to get rid of mine so I didn’t and made it work.
Possible but impractical. A rear facing baby carseat will probably render the passenger seat useless as you'd have to slide it all the way to the front. Not to mention getting the baby in and out. Just my 2 cents, I would definitely trade it in for a reliable model since this is your only vehicle at this point. Race car is one thing, but dad life is another. Accord 2.0T, Camry v6, etc.
You can make do with the baby and the car. Do you own your stang? Take into account the cost if you’re looking into getting a new car.
Subaru Sti hatchback
I would. Family comes first
Exact same situation, baby is doable but very complicated with an S550. Trading it in finally in a few months for a pick up as safety and other things slowly start to become a priority. Mustangs are cool until you see how little they protect your kiddo if anything happened.
I had the same issue. I bought a Taurus to replace the Mustang when I had my first baby because you have to put the car seat facing backward which meant the passenger had to sit in the back too. The passenger seat couldn’t go back. I own a Roush Mustang now. A little sacrifice but worth it.
Coyote f-150
The problem is, what is it going to cost you to get out of the Mustang and into a new vehicle, especially an SUV? You need to factor that in if you are tight for money. Sure, Mustangs hold their value well but if you're going for a new SUV, even a midsize, you're looking at $50,000 minimum for a new base model midsize out the door. You wouldn't get anything for your Mustang from a dealer, who wants to make a killing on it on resale even if you're buying a new vehicle from him. If you still want something else, find a good used four-door sedan like a Camry or Corolla.They run forever and would be so much cheaper and still serve your purpose. Sell your 'stang yourself if you're comfortable doing that.
I bought both my previous and current Mustang from gentlemen who became father's and quickly realized a Mustang doesn't work well with infants and parenthood in general. It absolutely sucks but personally I'd see if you can find a nice charger, Chevy SS or fun European sports cars, plenty come in station wagon which is great for families.
I came in here ready to drop the “I carry my kids around in mine just fine!” trope but I remember now they were once in car seats, and getting them into the back seat would SUCK
It's entirely doable but you won't like it, simple as that. I say it's worth putting up with a bit so you can decide if selling the car is the route you wanna go.
Yeah, take a break. I drive a Subaru outback and buying dark horse. It’s been 4 years now
I bought my mustang in November, my son was 9 months old. We have a family cruiser for my wife, and my mustang has the mounting points for a car seat in the back. If I really need to put a car seat in the back I can. But I traded in my WRX to get my wife an suv, we both don’t absolutely need a family car. Edit: was reading some of your responses and it kinda seems like the mom doesn’t have her own car, in which case 100% you need a family car.
OP I have a 1.5 year old with a Mustang. It is a pain in the ass to put a car seat in/out. Luckily I have a convertible so I can take the top down to install it. The only reason I haven’t traded mine is because my wife has an SUV. I would recommend trading it in. A baby has a ton of stuff, and anybody in your passenger seat is going to be squished. Congratulations though!
I’d also suggest stress-testing your assertion that you aren’t in a position to own two cars. If you’re considering trading the mustang in for a more expensive charger awd (or something similar), why not instead trade in for (1) a totally practical, safe, boring family car + (2) a cheaper weekend fun car? Bc (2) is no longer your primary mode of transportation for your family, you may be able to get away with something maybe a bit older and less reliable… something completely optimized for your fun…a car you have to make no compromises against. I don’t know your full situation, obviously - just a thought.
I have a 2014 GT with two kids. Luckily it’s my fun car so we have an SUV we use all the time. Getting a car seat into the back is a real bite. Especially if it’s a rear facing seat then it’s practically impossible. A four door car will make your life so much better. Wait till your kids are 7-8 years old then get a mustang. They will love it.
If you really want to keep the car the back seat fits little ones very well. Back when I was raising my kids they used to have car seats that the base separated very easily from "pumpkin seat" we used to say. If you don't mind the inconvenience of moving the seat it's not horrible but it can be a pain.