any BRZ owners with kid(s)?

[ranisron]

Can you show me your baby seat set up? I previously opened a tread about fitting in rear facing baby seat in the BRZ - got some good responses. Today, I finally sat in a BRZ - I can definitely understand how little room I get to work with. So, rear racing is unlikely, but would like to see how a front facing baby seat fit in the rear, just for the sake of see what's gonna happen to my life eventually... Otherwise, I can just drive around my daughter without my wife sitting in the car... muah.

I am a proud parent of a four 1/2 months old baby girl. She isn't 30 lbs yet but is growing fast. I don't think I am capable of waiting for MY2014 so I will eventually pulled the trigger getting a BRZ. Wife got the Buick Enclave to haul my daughter around...

:happy0180:

[Khyron686]

I carry 2 kids, 1.5 and 4.5 both in full rear facers. I'm 5'7" with 30" inseam and they both have room, barely. In another 6 months the older one will probably fit in a booster seat which will make it a bit easier, although she's not bad since she can get in and out of the seat by herself - I just have to do up the buckles.

Worst part is loading and unloading the little guy since you really have to reach in there - you need to be pretty fit/flexible.

Totally works though, I drop off the 2 kids at daycare, the wife at the shuttle and then drive to work.

I do have a 2nd SUV for bad snow/long highway trips. This would NOT work as a single car.

Edit: Also the front passenger seat can go up quite a bit farther than it seems and still have lots of leg room - more than my 2002 Jetta did and that was a practical family car.

[ashtray]

Search.

That said, rear facing until 1 year old. Don't do forward facing. In an impact, head gets thrown forward - giving adults whiplash. Now think a little baby with a head they can barely hold up themselves. NOT GOOD! The latest suggestion is to do rear facing past 2 years, but we went to forward facing after 12 months.

Either wait to buy the car, or don't put the baby in the car until she is at least a year old. Precious cargo too valuable to damage bc you want a sports car and can't wait a few months.

[ranisron]

Thanks. I don't plan to use anything but rear facing until 12 months. My daughter's recaro won't fit but I can swap it out with the graco in my wife suv.

[Sportsguy83]

My wife is 5-4, she fits in the passenger seat with my 8 month old kid behind her in a rear facing seat. I will try to upload a pic soon

Edit: Here's the pic

[ranisron]

Great picture - it has explained everything.

[kablammo]

Originally Posted by sportsguy83

My wife is 5-4, she fits in the passenger seat with my 8 month old kid behind her in a rear facing seat. I will try to upload a pic soon

Edit: Here's the pic

Attachment 9996

Her knees must be in her chest. Look at this thread and note the leg room of the passenger with the rear facing baby seat behind.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4794

k

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by kablammo

Her knees must be in her chest. Look at this thread and note the leg room of the passenger with the rear facing baby seat behind.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4794

k

... I am not making stuff up to make the car look better (I'm not 12 you know...)

When I said she fits, its that she was comfortable (in the particular day the pic was taken) for 1 and a half hour trip and another hour and a half trip back . I asked her a lot of times if she was comfortable and at all times her response was yes, today she still reaffirms she was comfortable. The legs can stretch a lot below the glove box.

NO, her knees were not in her chest.

[JAG]

I've got three kids under 7 years old (6 year old daughter and 3 year old twin boys). They are all able to ride in a booster in the rear seat passenger side and my wife could easily and comfortably ride shotgun. But that's it, only one kid gets to ride at a time.

[SanDiegoFRS]

My daughters mammoth toddler seat doesn't fit right, no matter how hard I try. Plus, it scrapes the side when I try to put it in and it scuffed the seat. I'll tie a wagon behind the car for her before I put car seats in again.

[ashtray]

I test-fit a Recaro ProSport seat in mine (from my other car). Car seat was heavy/bulky, and wasn't the easiest just to get in the car (without fear of accidentally scratching the paint). I decided to get a Oobr full back booster seat instead. Lightweight and easy install.

Getting my 4 year old in/out is easy - he just climbs in himself - though I admit getting the seatbelt on him requires me to step into the back seat and twist around until my back spasms.

Comparing the safety of the Oobr design (factory seat belt) to the ProSport (5pt harness), the ProSport is MUCH safer. Also, my son would lean forwards in the Oobr bc the seatbelt doesn't lock. He'd turn sideways and do mischief. Now 2 years ago he was rear ended in my wife's car while sitting at a red light! He was forward facing at the time and though the car sustained a good deal of damage (sunroof track bent!), luckily my son was fine. So even while we're stopped in traffic I have to discipline him to sit properly.

(What I'm saying is that basically don't shortcut safety when it comes to little tikes.)

Oh - one thing: the rear window. It's kinda extended over my son's head - which gets really hot/uncomfortable on a sunny day. I haven't tinted my windows yet, but if you're hauling kids back there, it would probably be a good idea.

My son rides in my BRZ about once a month. He loves to watch the tach, gear indicator, and watch me shift. He also encourages me to "drift" (which he learned from the Cars movies, and which he performs himself on his little foot powered ride on vehicles). I'll chirp the back tire a little to amuse him. Then I tell him if we do that too much the police will come and take daddy away - so he doesn't want that!

What was this thread about again? Oh - car seats. Safety. Yeah - basically do the opposite of everything I do. :p

[gily25]

Not a parent...but this thread has come up on the Jeep forum too and I wanted to suggest you try going to a mom and pop baby shop (which has worked well for jeepers). They will usually let you try the store display in your car and while you might pay a little more (don't be a jerk and drive home and buy it online) you'll know it's a good fit.

I thought I recalled seeing that Porsche had custom made baby seats so I did a quick google and it looks like they are Britax brand. You may want to check those out.

[NRGBalanced]

A Jalopnik writer brought an FR-S home to test it with his toddler. He checked the fit of strollers too.

http://jalopnik.com/5928491/2013-scion-frs-will-it-baby

[BRZfan]

Let us know when Mom says "Sweetie, we need a bigger car".