Babies in the RX-8?
 

Hello, I'm new here (obviously), purchased my RX-8 on Saturday (2-28-04) and my GF (due in early to mid October) is unhappy with my choice and doesn't believe that I can fit a child safety seat comfortably in my vehicle. I was wondering if anyone here is currently carrying children (and their related mountain of stuff) in their RX-8s. I will probably have her read this thread herself later if there are any replies.

My name is Owen but you can refer to me as MTCD or MTC.

PS Love the car.

I have a Cosco seat with arm rests and the 3 point (?) harness. Kid is 17 months old and we have no problems. Put it behind the passenger seat so that the driver can get to her if needed.
BTW my daughter now gets the "permagrin" whenever she gets in my 8.:D
She doesn't want to ride in the Tahoe anymore.

I've had babies in the rx8. It's very comfortable.

My wife and myself choose the RX8 specificly for its excellent combination of performance/fun and baby carrying capabilities. Our girl is 12 months old and we just had to buy a new small and cheap fold buggy that fits in the boot (trunk, sorry). Lots of room at the back for a child seat behind my wife's seat. We actually tried 2 child seats : a std and a big one, both without problem.
For longer trips, holiday, we use my wife's excellent Audi A4 quattro Avant TDi. It's a bit more economical as well.

Hope it helps.

The only reason I'm even considering an RX8 is because my current car doesn't have a backseat and my wife and I are talking kids.

Her car is definitely more practical (Subi Outback Wagon) but when I looked at the RX8 the salesman I spoke to even pointed out the childseat hooks built into the backseat. A few other members have posted pics of baby seats in their cars too.

Good news to owners with babies...or babies in the talks. :D

-Eric

I'm counting on being able to fit a booster seat in there when I get mine...it looked like there was sufficient room to me.

jds

Thanks for the quick response. It sounds like my research (I have seen pics of baby seats in the rear) was right on. I chose the car because I love the way it looks and handles, I went through with my purchase (with a clear conscience) because of the doorlets and the inclusion of the LATCH and tether system.

Hopefully we are only having one child and I fully intend to put the seat behind the passenger (there isn't any room behind my seat as I'm just about 6' and 230-240lbs). Hopefully after reading this she can start to appreciate the vehicle as much as I do (she'll still nedd to learn to drive the manual transmission though).

Again thank you all.

I have a 2 year old and he has plenty of room. He kicks the back of the seat a bit, but he's not cramped. The part I like is that the car seat fits squarely in the recess in the bottom of the trunk when he's not going to be riding with me.

My car seat is a 5-point, with the new LATCH system. I'd skip the seats that have the swing-up armrest though. You may not have good clearance for that style.

I gave my neighbor and his young son (probably about 4-5 yrs old) a ride, and he was fine in his car seat as well. So you should have no problems with a baby.

I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old and they both fit in the back seat (and I'm 6'4"). The five point seats take up far less room than the kind with the swinging armrest. It's odd that my 2 year old in her car seat takes up more room than my four year old. Bulky design of car seat I guess.

car seats are no prob at all have put both my three year old and my rear facing 4 month old in there at the same time.

In addition, the side curtain airbags in the rear are approved and safe to use with car seats.

the downside is that there is not enough room in the trunk for suitcases, a pack and play, high chair etc if two adults and an infant are traveling.

greese

i'm with you there greese...

car seat no prob...i take our 7.5 mth old daughter to daycare during the week she actually loves it...i have her actually saying ZOOM..although it's more like Zoo..zoo zoo zoo..right now but close enough..but when we go see the grandparents i get kinda depressed cause we have to take the second gas hog )the Tahoe. Cause i haven't figured out how to get the Pack N' Play, toys, stroller, swing, and bouncy seat into the trunk...oh and the suitcases...guess that will be the next mod...YEAH RIGHT!....anyhoo...you made a GOOD choice...my wife actually wanted this over the G35 which made me so suprised since she bugged me to death to go look at them...Car Show in ATL changed her mind on that though...

Roof Rack

I have a 4.5 yr old that sits behind driver and a 7 month old in an infant carrier behind passenger seat. It is no problem! I found that the Alpha Omega car seat is a good fit for the back seat when they graduate out of their infant carrier. Rear facing, it is important to take the reclining base OFF the car seat. The instructions on how to do this are included with the car seat. This allows the car seat to sit lower in the car, thus more room to get child over armrest and in seat. When you go front facing, it's a breeze. Don't get too big of a rear facing car seat, or else you will have problems.

My kids are 15 and 17 so they love to ride in my car. Even in the back, but it is a little tight for my son (the 17yr old). I am so glad I do not have a car seat to deal with but they always have a mountain of stuff.

Works for my triplets...
 

I have triplets who are three years old. I routinely carry two of them with their car seats monted in the back. No problems whatsoever. Rear doors make loading/unloading a breeze, plus the trunk is practical too. My girls love it!

For those occasions where the whole family goes out together, we have an '04 MPV...

I faced a similar situation selling my 86 RX-7 because it did not have a back seat. Both car seats we have had for our five month old - Britax and Graco Travel System have fit rear facing, but they need to be on the passenger side for most adults. My wife ends up sitting behind me rather than in front of our daughter when I drive. The car seats fit behind both seats when forward facing.
The best thing to prove it to your girlfriend is to buy a car seat some place where you can return it if need be and install it; with the Latch system, should take no more than 2 minutes. But don't kid yourself, the trunk is small... some strollers won't fit easily in it, and you aren't going to take week long family trips in it. For our family (2 adults and baby) this car was a great choice, but there are trade-offs no matter what (and I definitely think they were worth it:D )

Wow. Thanks. It looks like I have a little more homework to do to find the appropriate seat for this vehicle but you folks have given me a great starting point. I do want to use the LATCH system and it sounds like there are a few choices that will fit.

Thanks again for all the info.

WOW 6feet and 240lbs.....somebody has been hitting the cheeseburgers too hard :)
Seriously though I am 6'3" and when the boys 5 and 7 years old are in the back I have to move my seat up about two inches to give my youngest son some foot room. I am still comfortable as long as I don't have to do a lot of shifting or manuvering.
You are going to get a baby seat anyway, so get it now and put it in and get everything hooked up. See which way you like it and when the baby comes you can take her (or him) home in style in the 8. :)

crumpmd - I am a card carrying carnivore, and my 4-6 month pregnant style belly shows it. But yeah I think that's gonna be the plan. I hope to have it installed and happy within the next month or so. I just wanted to get some testimonials to prove to her that I'm not completely insane.

I view this as a direct consequence of the "Can you 'do it' in an RX-8" threads

Britax makes the best car seats. They are worth every penny of the extra $ they cost.

greese

Just got an rx-8 - one testdrive and I was hooked!
Kids (ages 4 and 7) enjoy it too - but seem to sit too low and complain about not being able to see out of the rear windows - the seven year old is in a booster and the 4yr old in a car seat - any suggestions?

There was an article written on the RX-8 in a magazine(can't remember which one)where the writer said the 8 was much easier to put her babies car seat in then her 4 door Acura TL. My 7 and 9 year old boys love the back seats because it makes them feel like they are in a private jet.

Damn straight brother! I'm of simliar weight and dimensions... but i credit the creation of my sex gas tank with many liters of wonderful beer... Kirin, Sapporo, Malts (Suntory), Guiness, Balentine's, Jack Daniel's...

Anyway are you looking at the GT? How is the fit with the sunroof?