For those of you have already picked up your car and will be or have been taking little passengers in the back seat, were the beakseat big enough for infant/toddler car seats?

If you are successful or unsuccessful in installing a child safety seat, what make and model was it?

It'd be a bumper if my kid can't experience the joy of rotary. Gotta start them young you know. ;)

Took the family on a test drive today while I am waiting for my car to arrive. My 2 yr. old was in his car seat behind me (I had the front seat all the way back). He had plenty of room. Thought he might not enjoy the ride much because there really isn't any view for kids from the back seats but he was all SMILES -- the sound of the engine and kick when I shifted were great fun for him (and my 7 yr. old who was riding next to him). He isn't in a rear facing seat anymore but it looked like it would fit back there. The seats are pretty deep.

We put our great-grandson in the back seat with no problem. It was a rear facing car seat, I don' t know if that makes a difference.

I put my son in a rear facing convertible seat - a Britax Roundabout, behind the passenger seat. It's not quite easy to get in since it's pretty tight putting the lower anchors in and the space on the sides is a little tight (not that wide of a rear seat), although it might get better with practice. But it does go in, and fits fine. You need to have the front passenger seat fairly far forward if the back of the car seat is at a proper 45 degree angle. This is also with a lower tether around the front passenger seat rail. With the car seat in, I fit comfortably in the front passenger seat at 5'6", and my wife even better at a couple inches shorter. If you are much bigger it'd be a problem for more than a short ride. It's also a little bit of maneuvering to get my son in the seat without clonking him on something, but not any worse than in my Impreza wagon, just different.

If you have the infant car seat that comes out with a base, you might not be able to put anyone in the front passenger seat, although I think it'll fit. If it's just 3 of you, the other adult will likely be in the back anyway with an infant. We always are/were.

I think it'll be a lot better once we flip around to forward facing on the seat, both in terms of being able to move the front seat further back and ease of putting him in (where I think it'll be easier than the Impreza).

The stroller also fit fine in the trunk, just needing to be angled slightly. It is a smaller stroller, a Combi Ultra Savvy. It suffices as our only stroller, but we live in San Francisco, where everything is narrow anyway and I don't know how people with big strollers get around.

Thank you for the responses everyone. I was about to lug the car seat to the dealer and try it on the car. I haven't been able to find time to go down there yet (too many baby parties in the weekends). Your responses really ease my mind (my wife's mind too). :)

Happy driving.

I am the token Pediatrician on the forum.

Let me put in my 2 cents on this one -- I will bill for email :)


The rx8 is a GREAT family car. There has already been a thread about this, but I don't mind repeating myself here. All the air bags are well placed for children. The cabin is very secure. The frame is among the best built in its class. That is why the 8 is actually a bit heavier than some sports cars -- they have made safety (particulary for that back door) a priority. Those back doors are not flimsy either -- heavy, nicely sealed. The prelim crash tests are all great.

You can easily fit a Toddler in the rear seat. They are very happy, even is you slide the seat all the way back. I am 6foot and my driver's position is a few inches up from that, no problem. We also have a little one in the oven. I have fitted the car with reverse car seats as well -- no problems. Just don't choose the gigantic ones. The LATCH system is very nice-- horizontal hooks with their own premade cuts in the leather so you don't have to fish for them. Toddlers and 3-4 yr olds love "their" space and "their" spot -- that's why minivans work so well.

The Rx8, with the "special door" and center console with cup holder gives children a sense of comfort and security previously afforred to them only by a van or SUV. Trust me all you worried parents out there, I already have my child and my 8 -- they are perfect together. Any specific probs about either the front or rear facing car seat -- let me know.

Using a Centruy Brevera Ascend booster seat, I find it's a bit tricky to buckle my son in. The booster sits against the center console making it difficult to reach down to do the buckle.

Now, he manages to unbuckle himself when it's time to get out, so it's really can't be that bad.

Just something to watch for. As has been previously suggested, be careful with oversized seats.

rossc

Originally posted by deks You need to have the front passenger seat fairly far forward if the back of the car seat is at a proper 45 degree angle.
What is this proper 45 degree angle you speak of?
________
Honda cl450 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_CL450)

Not all car seats need to be at 45degrees, read the side of them. Also, the problem with the rear facing car seats are not that your 21inch infant can't fit in the car, but that the back of the car seat is too high and huge. I say, keep the kid, keep the car, buy a non-combo pure infant car seat +/- stationary carrier.

If I can figure out how to post some pics I am willing to go over to Babies r us and chuck the different car seats in to show you what I mean. Willing to help anyone near ATLANTA at the very least :)

Not all car seats need to be at a 45 degree angle, but the Britax convertible in rear facing should have the seatback at about 45 degrees according to the user's manual.

I actually had a pure infant car seat and carrier, and it's great when they're really young and fall asleep in the car to be able to just pick up the whole thing out of the car. Note, at least with my model, you were supposed to put the carrier bar in the forward position, taking up even more room than the convertible seat. But the problem we had with the dedicated ones are they usually are only good until like 20 lbs (usually not the problem) and about 24 inches in length (this is the problem). I may be misremembering the exact inch value, but whatever the value, my son, and every other child in his play group, had passed the length requirement by 7-8 months at the latest.

The latest studies have revealed that regardless of length, the most important 2 indicies for reverse facing car sear is wt < lbs or Age < 12.

So, any child under the Age of One and any child under 20lbs should be reverse facing. This is because of developmental issues surrounding the neck of infants. It does not matter how tall/long they are. It is all about age and wt. Hence:

a 15month old who weighs 18lbs == rear facing
a 13month old who weighs 21lbs == front facing
a 7 month old who weighs 29lbs == rear facing

get it?

Yeah, I get that for rear facing, but I was talking about a dedicated (non-convertible) infant car seat - which is what I assumed you meant with "non-combo pure infant car seat +/- stationary carrier". I checked ours, we had a Graco SnugRide, and it was actually 26" in length that was the limit (although length tends to be a little fuzzy with babies). You can look at their web site at http://www.gracobaby.com and their infant car seats have a length and weight restriction.

After that length & weight they need to be in a convertible seat, but rear facing until the 1 year AND 20+lbs you indicated. This might just be Graco.

I just checked Evenflo, and they're the same:
https://plweb.evenflo.com/consumers/faq_detail.aspx?faqid=410

If you are having problems with buckling the seat belt, and have some spare money, do what I did. I went and bought a brand new child that utilizes the LATCH system. It will make use of the 2 bars located at the base of the back seat and not require the seat belt. They are deep down in there, but my wife was able to hook it up with little difficulty.

You may want to put a towel or some other padding down to protect your leather seats, if you have leather. The car seat stays in the little cubby hole in my trunk until needed. In fact, it's such a perfect fit, it doesn't roll around at all.

Originally posted by ATL RX-8
...You may want to put a towel or some other padding down to protect your leather seats, if you have leather. ... In fact, it's such a perfect fit, it doesn't roll around at all.

Which manufacture/model of child seat did you get?

The towel is a good idea for seat protection.

ALSO, the cops providing free seat checks in our town put some sticky sort of fabric (sold at craft stores?) under it to prevent slippage on leather seats. And they used some of those foam "water noodle" things to adjust the angle of the seat. (Just to clarify, this was not in an RX-8.)

Stats show that something like 80% of car seats are not installed as well as they could be. Free-play in any direction is bad -- even slipping around a bit on the leather seats.

Babies-R-Us sells a rubber mat (with cutouts for LATCH) that goes under the baby seat to protect the leather (about $10). I got my baby seat installation checked at a police station to make sure it was fine - they have certified people in car-seat installation that really know what to look for.

Trying to fit a rear facing infant car seat with removable base (Graco Snugg ride).

It seems like a tight fit . I have to bring the passenger seat so far forward that my wife (co-pilot) is sitting at an uncomfortable position.

Is anyone else having to shoe horn their infant seat in ?

BTW -- this is my first post. Love the site!

Picture includes dealer's RX-8
Me
Our Peg Perego infant seat
Borrowed Baby
Borrowed Baby's mother

Picture taken by my wife (due about end of October)

Picture includes:
Dealer's RX-8
Me
Our Peg Perego infant seat
Borrowed baby
Borrowed Baby's mother

Originally posted by danRX8man
Trying to fit a rear facing infant car seat with removable base (Graco Snugg ride).

It seems like a tight fit . I have to bring the passenger seat so far forward that my wife (co-pilot) is sitting at an uncomfortable position.

Is anyone else having to shoe horn their infant seat in ?

BTW -- this is my first post. Love the site! I have a top of the line (i.e. big) Graco Snugride rear facing baby seat and base installed. I cannot easily sit in front of it (I am 5'9" tall) - actually make that I will not sit in front of the baby seat as my knees are splayed on the glove box. But my wife at 5'1" can easily/comfortably fit in. More realistically if my wife and I are both in the car with the baby then whoever is not driving will always sit in the back with the baby to keep her company - problem solved. Best of all in 1200 miles of driving the RX-8 the baby has been in it for 0 miles so it's still clean and uncluttered, she normally travels in the other car (an MDX).

I have a question for when that inevitable day comes when we take the baby out in the RX-8. What stroller fits in the trunk? My Graco stroller with big 8" rubber air-filled tires does not fit. I am looking at a Combi Ultra Savvy (can fit Graco infant carriers) or similar. Any ideas?

My daughter is just over 25 pounds - I put her in the back with a forward facing car seat. Installation was real easy. I have a Graco car seat. I also bought from Babies R Us a rachet system that tightens the seat pretty well.

Since I only have two cars seats and three cars, I don't use the Latch system. If you are goign to leave the car seat in the back for daily driving, you should use the Latch system.

Originally posted by pelucidor
I have a question for when that inevitable day comes when we take the baby out in the RX-8. What stroller fits in the trunk? My Graco stroller with big 8" rubber air-filled tires does not fit. I am looking at a Combi Ultra Savvy (can fit Graco infant carriers) or similar. Any ideas?
An umbrella stroller, of course. :)

Originally posted by ATL RX-8
If you are having problems with buckling the seat belt, and have some spare money, do what I did. I went and bought a brand new child that utilizes the LATCH system. It will make use of the 2 bars located at the base of the back seat and not require the seat belt.... I was wondering if anyone would finally bring up the latch system - equipped as standard equipment in every RX-8.

My question is, how much do those specially equipped kiddies go for? Talk about convenience!

And thanks everyone for leaving that one for me. :) :D :p

As I think I mentioned earlier in this thread, the Combi Ultra Savvy is a fine stroller that accepts most infant carriers and fits nicely in the 8's trunk. You have to angle it just right, but it's easy once you get the hang of it.

I'd imagine something like a Universal Carrier would fit as well, although I haven't tried. Something like:
http://store.babycenter.com/product/gear/strollers/standard/4496

Just as an FYI, all new cars with backseats must have the LATCH system.

Originally posted by deks
Just as an FYI, all new cars with backseats must have the LATCH system. To interface with brand new children?

Seriously though, I certainly hope that all new infant carriers must have the LATCH system too. Or are we going to lobby to force all new cars to come equipped with that too?

Originally posted by RX Guy
It'd be a bumper if my kid can't experience the joy of rotary. Gotta start them young you know.

Does this mean if the carset don't fit the little tyke gets to ride on the bumper? ;) Sorry, cheap shot... lol.

Originally posted by Racer X-8
Seriously though, I certainly hope that all new infant carriers must have the LATCH system too. Or are we going to lobby to force all new cars to come equipped with that too? [/B]

As of sometime last year, infant seats sold in the US needed to have the lower tethers too (technically, those manufactured after a certain date - I think you could still sell old tether-less stock until you ran out). The requirement for car manufacturers started a year or two prior to that.

Originally posted by pelucidor
I have a top of the line (i.e. big) Graco Snugride rear facing baby seat and base installed. I cannot easily sit in front of it (I am 5'9" tall) - actually make that I will not sit in front of the baby seat as my knees are splayed on the glove box. But my wife at 5'1" can easily/comfortably fit in. More realistically if my wife and I are both in the car with the baby then whoever is not driving will always sit in the back with the baby to keep her company - problem solved. Best of all in 1200 miles of driving the RX-8 the baby has been in it for 0 miles so it's still clean and uncluttered, she normally travels in the other car (an MDX).

I have a question for when that inevitable day comes when we take the baby out in the RX-8. What stroller fits in the trunk? My Graco stroller with big 8" rubber air-filled tires does not fit. I am looking at a Combi Ultra Savvy (can fit Graco infant carriers) or similar. Any ideas?


Well, we survived our first road trip (300mi). Rear facing infant seat and all. My wife at 5'6" was ok in the passenger seat even though it was not optimal. Thank God for the nav system which kept her entertained for most of the trip (it's really cool and worth th price). I packed our peg perego venezia which is a decent sized stroller. It took a little maneuvering to get it into the trunk without scratching anything. Very tight fit getting it over the lip of the trunk but it did go in. I was also able to squeeze 2 overnight bags and the diaper bag in as well.

Once everything is packed, the ride is great. The car is incredibly smooth on the highway at any speed. Not a hint of vibration and dead on tracking. I don't know which sounded better -- the rotory or the bose.

This car allows me to have it all -- family and a sports car!

That is another reason why the RX8 is a better car then a 350Z!!!

What a difference a generation makes. MY '83 RX-7 had a 2 plus 2 (I added a back seat by taking out the storage containers.) MY two little girls(already out of baby seats) rode there until I bought the Miata in '90 (by then they were not little kids anymore.) With the roadster I needed an OTM and went through a series of family cars and now have a Tribute (a Mazda-Ford mini sport ute with airbags everwhere ) to complement the Miata and 2 RX-7s in the family. You guys are making me think the 8 could be a good substitute so I can (now safely) transport the littles in the family.

Originally posted by Barb Beach
What a difference a generation makes. MY '83 RX-7 had a 2 plus 2 (I added a back seat by taking out the storage containers.) MY two little girls(already out of baby seats) rode there until I bought the Miata in '90 (by then they were not little kids anymore.) With the roadster I needed an OTM and went through a series of family cars and now have a Tribute (a Mazda-Ford mini sport ute with airbags everwhere ) to complement the Miata and 2 RX-7s in the family. You guys are making me think the 8 could be a good substitute so I can (now safely) transport the littles in the family.

Hey Barb:

Are you the same Barb Beach of Miata Magazine and miata.net. I recognize that name from somewhere. I'm acutally considering trading in my M2 for the 8 as we just had our first kid who's now almost 7 mos old. Ahh, if only I could afford to have both.

Same Barb of Miata Magazine (Miata.net is Gary Fishman). Watch for a change...we are launching MazdaSport Magazine which will include Miata Magazine and Rotary as well. (It seems the natural progression and we have so much support in the community and at Mazda for the idea. There is a nice guy on this forum also doing a Rotary Tuner magazine so you will want to check this out as well. Look at it this way...get the RX-8 for the bay-E and then buy him (her) a neat Miata in 15 years :)

I have had my two year old in my 8 everyday for over a week now. We have a black Cosco model that fits very well (it's a little tight getting it installed, but managable). Works great compared to my old integra, where I had to climb in and heft her in behind the driver seat. The suicide doors are such a bonus for this. One thing to note: Since there isn't a tremendous amount of room between her feet and the back of the front seats, she tends to kick and push the seats. This has resulted in the leather coming loose from under the molded plastic "head rest". I haven't try to fix it yet, but I hope to be able to push it back underneath (until she knocks it out again).

One other note. Everytime we stop (at a light or whatever) she asks me "ready"? And as soon as we pull away she squeals in delight. She never did this in the Integra.:)

Trying to find which brands of convertible seats will fit the best in the 8. Right now I have an Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 for my Xterra, but I dont think it will fit in the rx-8. The seat needs to be rear facing. My daughter has out grown her infant seat, but still too young to forward face the larger seat.

Has anyone managed to fit one in without rendering the front passenger seat useless. (too far forward)?