Baby Car Seat
07-14-2006, 09:18 PM
#26
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I bought my 8 a couple months after my son was born and we had a Graco Snugride when he was small. It was a pain for the front passenger if I used the base because that thing makes it a lot bigger, so I used it without the base in the 8.
When he was too big for the Snugride, I got a Britax Roundabout. This thing is a nice convertible seat (and expensive). He was rear-facing in it for a number of months, and it fit in the back without too much constraint on the front passenger.
Since he turned forward-facing in the Roundabout, there's no restriction on space for the front passenger, as long as I'm willing to let his feet hit the back of the seat. I'm thinking about a protective cover for the back of the passenger seat 'cuz it's leather.
BTW, I wouldn't recommend a Britax Marathon. We had one for a while (but not in the 8), and it was too big and very difficult to get my son secured. I never felt like he was 100% safe when he was in it.
When he was too big for the Snugride, I got a Britax Roundabout. This thing is a nice convertible seat (and expensive). He was rear-facing in it for a number of months, and it fit in the back without too much constraint on the front passenger.
Since he turned forward-facing in the Roundabout, there's no restriction on space for the front passenger, as long as I'm willing to let his feet hit the back of the seat. I'm thinking about a protective cover for the back of the passenger seat 'cuz it's leather.
BTW, I wouldn't recommend a Britax Marathon. We had one for a while (but not in the 8), and it was too big and very difficult to get my son secured. I never felt like he was 100% safe when he was in it.
07-17-2006, 02:17 AM
#27
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Helpful Tip for Toddlers
Put masking tape on the silver lining on the center console. You will get scratches there because the little folks always play with the cupholders and the storage area with their toys.
07-17-2006, 02:45 PM
#28
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Originally Posted by Elara
They fit just fine. The 8 is my main baby-carrying vehicle, and her Graco Snugride fits just fine behind the passenger seat. Now, the passenger seat is a little cramped while it's back there, but since one of us always rides in the back with her anyway to keep her entertained, it's not such a big deal. And once she's old enough and big enough to face front, there'll be plenty of room in the front seat again.
cgseanp, when I bought my RX-8 my youngest daughter had already switched to a front-facing car seat, but I carry *3* kids in mine so DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY GIVE UP YOUR SPORTS CAR JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONE KID!!! Check the manual - it's not required.
Besides, like Bill Cosby says, "the parents with only one child, that doesn't really count anyway." Bigger problem for you cgseanp - other parents will hate you for styling around in an RX-8 while they drive vans and boring sedans. Laugh in their face when they criticize.
or do this 
Jealously is so transparent.
Originally Posted by pdxhak
My 7yo and 3yo ride in the back no problem. They are not in the infant carriers though but still in car seats. FWIW, I was told by my dealership that the RX-8's front passenger seat has a weight sensor built in so if the person sitting in it does not weigh enough then the their airbag gets disabled.
07-17-2006, 05:54 PM
#30
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One kid should be no problem as long as the passenger does not mind giving up the leg room. Remember current thinking is rear facing for the first year and rear facing seats to much more room.
Problem is not unique to RX8. Just take the car to some place like BabiesRUs and test fit until you find one you like and put it on the kids gift registry as you will need it to come home from the hospital.
Now try to fit two rear facing car seats in for twins. My wife's Explorer let's me drive at 5'8" but not my son-in-law at 6'4". And forget about using the middle section of the back seat or the third seat unless the passenger can leap over plastic barriers.
Problem is not unique to RX8. Just take the car to some place like BabiesRUs and test fit until you find one you like and put it on the kids gift registry as you will need it to come home from the hospital.
Now try to fit two rear facing car seats in for twins. My wife's Explorer let's me drive at 5'8" but not my son-in-law at 6'4". And forget about using the middle section of the back seat or the third seat unless the passenger can leap over plastic barriers.
07-17-2006, 10:51 PM
#31
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Originally Posted by zoom44
funny- i love it when i get to tell people that this is the car i got BECAUSE we were goign to have kids
Me too- I had a coworker ask me the other day if there were a lot of single people at our office because there were so many sports cars on the top deck of the parking garage...I just laughed, since that's where MY car is always parked...
07-18-2006, 09:57 AM
#32
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Originally Posted by Raptor75
I have a 5 and 9 year old who ride in the back on boosters. The only issue I have is because their legs are short and the seat is long, when their backs are against the back of the seat their legs can't bend at the edge of the seat so their feet are hitting the back of the front seats. More of a problem with the young one then the older one.
I have my kids, 3 and 4, on booster seats and that's the problem that my 4 year old is facing right now. I think it is in the design of the seats, the seats are deep and 'reclined', to allow adults to sit in the back. My son has to twist his feet to get them in and still his feet are against the back of my front seat - he's too tall to have them extended and too short to have them folded in. You have to be pretty tall, around 10 years old to fit properly into the back seat.
I will have to think of some sort of protectant for the backs of the front seats for fall and winter months so they don't mess them up too much. Anyone have any ideas? Good thing they don't ride in my vehicle too often, but it's giving me a headeache already. At worst, I will have to pick them up from a babysitter on my way home.
07-18-2006, 10:16 AM
#33
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Originally Posted by falcon
I have my kids, 3 and 4, on booster seats and that's the problem that my 4 year old is facing right now. I think it is in the design of the seats, the seats are deep and 'reclined', to allow adults to sit in the back. My son has to twist his feet to get them in and still his feet are against the back of my front seat - he's too tall to have them extended and too short to have them folded in. You have to be pretty tall, around 10 years old to fit properly into the back seat.
Originally Posted by falcon
I will have to think of some sort of protectant for the backs of the front seats for fall and winter months so they don't mess them up too much. Anyone have any ideas?
I taught the baby to take her shoes off. At just 26 months she understood, "shoes off in dada's car," and she's take off her velco shoes if I didn't do it for her.
Another member bought oversized slippers for his kids to put over their shoes when they ride in the back.
At Wal-Mart I noticed seat-back protectors (in 3 colors: gray, black and tan) which tie onto the seat and cover the back. I bought one to install in front of the baby, but didn't put it on yet.
The middle daughter rides behind me. She turned 8 shortly after I bought the car. In nearly a year she's never put her feet on the back of my chair - she seems to get enough knee-bend to keep her feel deep in the footwell.
07-18-2006, 10:38 AM
#34
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Alot of it has to due with the booster, I don't see the problem so much with car seats. I just put a car seat in at a dealership yesterday and while it wasn't the easiest to put in it did fit (the built in head rest on the back seat is going to get a bit compressed). I was surprised I still had a fair amount of room from side to side with it in. I thought it would rub the center console but it diodn't.
For boosters sometimes kids legs are not long enough and the edge of the booster hits them mid-calf instead of under the knee and then their feet are up against the back of your seat. There are a bunch of plastic protectors that just strap on to the back of the front seats which you can just wipe off if they get dirt on them.
For boosters sometimes kids legs are not long enough and the edge of the booster hits them mid-calf instead of under the knee and then their feet are up against the back of your seat. There are a bunch of plastic protectors that just strap on to the back of the front seats which you can just wipe off if they get dirt on them.
07-18-2006, 10:48 AM
#35
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Originally Posted by Cool-Blue-Dad
Odd, my 3-year-old doesn't have much problem there. Do you use one of the chair-style booster seats or the cushion style? I use the chair style (looks like a stripped-down, slightly oversized toddler car-seat) and my daughter is able to get a pretty good knee bend.
Originally Posted by Cool-Blue-Dad
Couple of things -
I taught the baby to take her shoes off. At just 26 months she understood, "shoes off in dada's car," and she's take off her velco shoes if I didn't do it for her.
Another member bought oversized slippers for his kids to put over their shoes when they ride in the back.
- that's a neat idea.
At Wal-Mart I noticed seat-back protectors (in 3 colors: gray, black and tan) which tie onto the seat and cover the back. I bought one to install in front of the baby, but didn't put it on yet.
The middle daughter rides behind me. She turned 8 shortly after I bought the car. In nearly a year she's never put her feet on the back of my chair - she seems to get enough knee-bend to keep her feel deep in the footwell.
I taught the baby to take her shoes off. At just 26 months she understood, "shoes off in dada's car," and she's take off her velco shoes if I didn't do it for her.
Another member bought oversized slippers for his kids to put over their shoes when they ride in the back.
- that's a neat idea.
At Wal-Mart I noticed seat-back protectors (in 3 colors: gray, black and tan) which tie onto the seat and cover the back. I bought one to install in front of the baby, but didn't put it on yet.
The middle daughter rides behind me. She turned 8 shortly after I bought the car. In nearly a year she's never put her feet on the back of my chair - she seems to get enough knee-bend to keep her feel deep in the footwell.
I think on the weekend I will put my kids through the drill and try few different setups to see what works better.
Last edited by falcon; 07-18-2006 at 10:51 AM.
07-19-2006, 09:18 AM
#36
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If you're thinking of a travel system (where a base stays in the back seat and the infant carrier snaps into either the back seat or a stroller so you don't have to keep moving baby and possibly waking it) we ended up getting a Graco Spree 510 travel system. Not the greatest looking, but it does the job well and when the stroller folds up it fits into the trunk. You can purchase an extra base for any other vehicles as well, so putting baby in the back is literally a snap.
As long as your passenger has a shorter inseam there is no issue with having this seat in the back, and when baby isn't along the base does not effect the front seat.
As long as your passenger has a shorter inseam there is no issue with having this seat in the back, and when baby isn't along the base does not effect the front seat.
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