tidmutt

Hey All,

I'm been carrying around my daughter in the back seat of my RX8 for 11 months in an infant carrier. It fits quite well. However, we're now switching to a rear facing convertible seat and wondering which seats fit. I picked up a Recaro ProRide (always wanted Recaro seats, now I have one I'll never sit in - lol) for my wife's car and verified that when rear facing it's just not workable in the RX8.

I've read some other threads on car seats but they are either too old or don't mention much about brands, models etc.

Can anyone confirm the brand and model of a rear facing convertible car seat that fits in the RX8. I don't mind losing the front passenger seat if need be since we use my wife's SUV when there is more than just myself and my daughter.

Thanks.
-T

Orthonormal

I have no problem with the Recaro ProRide facing backward in the back seat of the RX-8, behind someone who is 5'6" tall in the front seat. I can even slip my daughter into the seat through the rear door on the same side as the seat. It's much easier to get her in from the opposite side though. What about it doesn't seem to fit?



If you want something more compact, the Eddie Bauer XRS 65 (available at Kohls and Target) is really small and can fit a pretty tall kid. We bought one for travel and think it might even work rear-facing in a Southwest Airline seat. It's not any bigger than the Cosco Scenera that a lot of people use for air travel, and the shoulder straps will adjust about 4" higher than the Scenera. I think it takes up less room than the Graco Snugride. A lot of that is because it doesn't have a big base so it sits much lower than other seats.

tidmutt

Well, I put the proride in and there was almost no room to reach in and put my daughter in the seat. You'd have to kind of slide her through a narrow opening seemed like it would be a pain in the butt. I suppose you can put her in from the other side, but that's a bit painful too. Seemed like a smaller seat would just make sense. The Recaro is a big seat, particularly in height.

Don't get me wrong, I'd LOOOOVE to have a Recaro in my 8.

So do you actually put her in and take her out from the same side as the seat or do you mostly do it from the other side? I suppose I could live with it until she's forward facing although with the new requirements it's going to be another year before that happens.

What did you use to level the base since the RX8 rear seats slope towards the back? A pool noodle, rolled up towel, one of those specialized wedges?

Thanks.

Orthonormal

Most of the time, I put her in the seat from the driver's side. It's definitely easiest, and I'm getting in that side anyway. Best if you don't want to wake her up (although we're past the sleeping in the car stage now). But we are getting better slithering through the hole on the passenger's side. You just have to watch for fingers reaching for the door frame when you close the rear door.

I have a pair of hotel size towels rolled up together under the back edge.

The LATCH buckles are difficult to insert. The belt on the ProRide is just barely long enough to reach, and the angle from the holes in the upholstery to the hooks makes it hard to get the angle correct and push in at the same time. I leave the seat in all the time unless I have a really good reason to take it out.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Here's mine, I removed the bottom cushion of the rear seat for my daughter(14 months and 33" long). I had it since her 5th month of age, it will give you more room; however, anyone taller than 5' 2" will be cramped in the front passenger seat. I'm 5' 8" and could fit uncomfortably for a few minutes in the front, face against the visor...



Any small items goes in trunk and any load that can be tied are on the roofrack-basket. And yes, that's the sunroof opened.

fc2se

iTrader: (2)

The Cosco Scenara baby seat fits while rear facing and behind the driver's seat. (I am 5'8".) That seat is now forward facing, and I have always put my daughter on the driver's side for my own convenience. That way I can easily slip her in and out without going to the other side of the car. Any rear facing car seat is going to get annoying as the child gets taller since the opening in the 8 is on the small side. I always had to be extra careful when putting her in. Sorry, I don't have a picture of the car seat in my car handy, but here's a link:

http://www.coscojuvenile.com/usa/eng...tible-Car-Seat

This seat is sold at common places like Walmart, and it is fairly low cost. Also, its seatbelts don't get nearly as tangled as my wife's Britax.

tidmutt

Thanks for all the replies... a few questions:

@Grace_Excel - Smart idea removing the seat cushion. That might make the Recaro a bit more workable or another car seat. What did you do to level the car seat or is the back seat with the cushion removed fairly level already? Also what is the brand of seat you have? I can live without the front passenger seat being usable. If I go out with my wife it's nearly always in her SUV. The RX8 is my guilty pleasure now, I mostly drive it for fun and just short trips to drop my daughter at the in-laws. She wants me to keep it for fun when I buy another car which will probably be an SUV.

Several people have mentioned slipping her in from the drivers side. Do you get in the drivers seat and slide her in that way or go in via the back drivers side door? Would seem difficult from the drivers seat? Just trying to picture how the process works.

tidmutt

@Grace_Excel - That's a really packed RX8. Ever strap grandma to the roof? hehe

tidmutt

I must admit, I'm tempted just to get another Recaro since it seems fairly workable. I might try removing the seat cushion to see how much that helps.

Curious, what was your rationale for picking up the Recaro seat over Britax etc?

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

There's enough room for you to place your daughter through the passenger side the way I have mine. Your wife will have to sit in the back, though. I had my eight y/o neice sit in front comfortably, not sure how tall your wife is, but wouldn't think anyone over 5' 2" to be comfortable and unless grandma is 125lbs, she can't be on the roofrack coz that how much YAKIMA's max load for their roofrack. I forgot the brand of convertible child seat I have, the child seat is propped with three rolled bath towels. If you pull the bottom cushon in the rear seat, you will see why you need something to level it that way. I just flipped and had my daughter facing forward for a few weeks now and the child seat fits so much better (with the bottom cushion removed) and gives the front passenger enough room to recline back and leave at least 2" of kicking space for the forward-facing child in the back. Apologize for taking a picture while driving

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Here's a picture I found of a S2 with a forward-facing child seat

Orthonormal

Open both doors on the driver side, get into the back seat and put the child in the child seat.

The store we went to had the First Years and the Recaro. The First Years was rated by NHTSA as easiest to install correctly, but we found that the way the straps worked on the Recaro was better, and they probably only lost points on installation because they don't have a bubble level on the seat. I liked the overall design and adjustability of the Recaro. We checked, and it fit the back seat of our Protege5 (did not have the RX-8 yet). Nothing in the reviews I read about the Britax convinced me I had to go see one in person, so we bought the Recaro.