Child car seat in 1M

[ajshanny]

My wife is going to have a baby in March and I'm wondering how that is going to affect our 1M drives. In particular I want to know how well a rear facing car seat (both infant and convertible seats) works in the back seat. I also want to know how much of a pain it is to get the kid in and out of the seat. Pictures would be great too.

Thanks.

[PunjabiM3]

Works just fine. We have an almost 6 month old now and are using the Chicco travel system with the Keyfit rear facing seat. Just know that pretty much no one will be able to sit in the passenger front seat when the car seat is in place, unless that person is quite short. Luckily for us we have only ever used the 1M twice with the car seat (going to car meets), as we both have roomy 4-door sedans for daily drivers.

[ozinaldo]

I have used two child seats (junior type for kids older than 1 year old) at a time in my 1M which was totally OK in terms of space left for the kids etc. And there was still ample space for both driver and front passenger. But access in and out is another issue. In case of fixed child seats you just take the kid out which is not that difficult, if he/she can walk/jump even easier. But in your case, you will likely need to take the baby out together with the rear facing seat (sometimes the baby will be sleeping too which is an additional difficulty) and those seats are so bulky that it will be real difficult imo. It is not the space in the rear, it is the fact that a two door car by definition will give you head (and more likely back) aches unless you are a Yoga master In the case of 1M you just don't have that large opening to get in and out of the rear seats, even if you put the front seats forward max. position. So yes it is not impossible but no, 1M can't play a SUV in this particular case, at least not comfortably.

That is why I also have a Skoda Yeti.

And most important thing: congratulations about the baby.

[ajshanny]

Originally Posted by PunjabiM3

Works just fine. We have an almost 6 month old now and are using the Chicco travel system with the Keyfit rear facing seat. Just know that pretty much no one will be able to sit in the passenger front seat when the car seat is in place, unless that person is quite short. Luckily for us we have only ever used the 1M twice with the car seat (going to car meets), as we both have roomy 4-door sedans for daily drivers.

We are planning to buy the Chicco seat too. My wife has obviously sat in the front passenger seat in the past, but it sounds like she may need to sit in the back with the baby. She is about 5'4" and I'm 6'0".

[ajshanny]

Originally Posted by ozinaldo

I have used two child seats (junior type for kids older than 1 year old) at a time in my 1M which was totally OK in terms of space left for the kids etc. And there was still ample space for both driver and front passenger. But access in and out is another issue. In case of fixed child seats you just take the kid out which is not that difficult, if he/she can walk/jump even easier. But in your case, you will likely need to take the baby out together with the rear facing seat (sometimes the baby will be sleeping too which is an additional difficulty) and those seats are so bulky that it will be real difficult imo. It is not the space in the rear, it is the fact that a two door car by definition will give you head (and more likely back) aches unless you are a Yoga master In the case of 1M you just don't have that large opening to get in and out of the rear seats, even if you put the front seats forward max. position. So yes it is not impossible but no, 1M can't play a SUV in this particular case, at least not comfortably.

That is why I also have a Skoda Yeti.

And most important thing: congratulations about the baby.

Thanks. I am predicting that it will be a pain to get the kid in and out. Have you ever tried folding one side of the back seat down and passing the baby carrier though the trunk opening to get it out/in?

[Artemis]

First and foremost, congratulations !

Your issue is easily resolved if you can fit the child seat on the front passenger seat.

However, for safety reasons, you may only do so if your 1M features the Isofix option for the front passenger seat (option 470: "Isofix childseat attachment on the passenger seat with passenger airbag switch-off mode by key" - "Kindersitzbefestigung ISOFIX auf dem Beifahrersitz mit Abschaltbarkeit des Beifahrer-Airbags mit Schlüssel") (€95 option - approx. US$135 - maybe EU spec only ?). It's on my 1M but, actually, I never tested it. I never even tried whether my key fits in the airbag deactivation slot.

Here's a picture of the inside of a passenger door with Isofix option 470 (on a 135i, but it looks the same on my 1M):

(http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...68&postcount=2):


My daughter is five now, so had already passed the toddler years when I took delivery of my 1M. Hence, she always got "la place d'honneur": the backseat on the right hand side (by doing so, you avoid the annoying feeling of random kicks on the back of your driver seat... ).

When she was still a baby, we used the "Maxi Cosi cradle + Quinny stroller" combo for my M3. The Maxi Cosi cradle clicks into a "base" platform on the backseat of the car. Plug and play without waking up the child: collect the Quinny stroller from the boot (fitted in the M3 boot - don't know about the 1M) and open it up, unclick the Maxi Cosi cradle from the "base" and take it out, click the Maxi Cosi cradle onto the Quinny stroller, and off you go (...while Signorina is still dreaming).



Over the past few years Maxi Cosi and Chicco further improved their car seats: even better, even more compact (I guess the latest models fit inside the boot of 1M), etc.:
http://www.maxi-cosi.com/us-en/produ...l-systems.aspx
http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/car-seats.aspx

And here's a picture of the childseat in Dan Parker's 1M:
(http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...39&postcount=1)

[Artemis]

Here some pictures I scooped with Google to get an idea (neither my pictures, nor my children - the one on the right is supposedly former Spice Girl Mel C...):

[ajshanny]

Originally Posted by Artemis

First and foremost, congratulations !

Your issue is easily resolved if you can fit the child seat on the front passenger seat.

However, for safety reasons, you may only do so if your 1M features the Isofix option for the front passenger seat (option 470: "Isofix childseat attachment on the passenger seat with passenger airbag switch-off mode by key" - "Kindersitzbefestigung ISOFIX auf dem Beifahrersitz mit Abschaltbarkeit des Beifahrer-Airbags mit Schlüssel") (€95 option - approx. US$135 - maybe EU spec only ?). It's on my 1M but, actually, I never tested it. I never even tried whether my key fits in the airbag deactivation slot.

Here's a picture of the inside of a passenger door with Isofix option 470 (on a 135i, but it looks the same on my 1M):

(http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...68&postcount=2):
Attachment 756888

My daughter is five now, so had already passed the toddler years when I took delivery of my 1M. Hence, she always got "la place d'honneur": the backseat on the right hand side (by doing so, you avoid the annoying feeling of random kicks on the back of your driver seat... ).

When she was still a baby, we used the "Maxi Cosi cradle + Quinny stroller" combo for my M3. The Maxi Cosi cradle clicks into a "base" platform on the backseat of the car. Plug and play without waking up the child: collect the Quinny stroller from the boot (fitted in the M3 boot - don't know about the 1M) and open it up, unclick the Maxi Cosi cradle from the "base" and take it out, click the Maxi Cosi cradle onto the Quinny stroller, and off you go (...while Signorina is still dreaming).

Attachment 756890Attachment 756891

Over the past few years Maxi Cosi and Chicco further improved their car seats: even better, even more compact (I guess the latest models fit inside the boot of 1M), etc.:
http://www.maxi-cosi.com/us-en/produ...l-systems.aspx
http://www.chiccousa.com/gear/car-seats.aspx

And here's a picture of the childseat in Dan Parker's 1M:
(http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showp...39&postcount=1)
Attachment 756887

Thanks for the advice. I was planning to put the kid seat in the rear of the car though. It is supposed to be much safer than putting it up front.

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by ajshanny

Thanks. I am predicting that it will be a pain to get the kid in and out. Have you ever tried folding one side of the back seat down and passing the baby carrier though the trunk opening to get it out/in?

No. I am not sure there is enough height there for most carriers, worths trying though. Or better, why not take all the relevant measurements of the car and then go for shopping to see if any product fits?

[SinCalgary]

Originally Posted by ajshanny

We are planning to buy the Chicco seat too. My wife has obviously sat in the front passenger seat in the past, but it sounds like she may need to sit in the back with the baby. She is about 5'4" and I'm 6'0".

I use the Chicco Keyfit in my 135i which should be no different. My wife is 5' 4" as well and was comfortable enough for an 8 hour car trip with the baby behind her. Getting the bucket in and out is not bad until your baby gets bigger. Once my boy topped 15 lbs combined with the weight of the bucket it was less fun taking him in and out but still managable. So far my seat back is still pristine even with hundreds of times taking him in and out. I use the Prince Lionheart seat protector as it is hard and prevents damage to your seats.

The majority of the time though my wife's vehicle is much easier to use as it is a 4 door SUV.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by SinCalgary

I use the Prince Lionheart seat protector as it is hard and prevents damage to your seats.

I always use a folded towel under the childseat (and in the past under the "base" platform where I clicked the cradle into). One-time "install": stays in place ever since I fitted the childseat/platform. Not visible from the outside. No scratches, shape "prints" or scruffs of the backseats.

[Ayrton91]

My kids were older when we got the 1M, but my experience in the past is that the baby car seat with base is the most challenging one in terms of space (and getting it and out from a two door car). Once you can start using front facing car seats life should be easier, though if your passenger is tall it would still be a challenge in the 1M. My wife is 5' 5, so it´s not that bad.

Here's a couple pictures of my current setup for my four year old (my six year old is already on a booster so that one is even easier).

Second picture shows the space for the front passenger when my daughter is on the seat.

Good luck!

[T1T2GRE]

Originally Posted by PunjabiM3

Works just fine. We have an almost 6 month old now and are using the Chicco travel system with the Keyfit rear facing seat. Just know that pretty much no one will be able to sit in the passenger front seat when the car seat is in place, unless that person is quite short. Luckily for us we have only ever used the 1M twice with the car seat (going to car meets), as we both have roomy 4-door sedans for daily drivers.

+1. Same situation. The rear-facing seats are surprisingly long fore-to-aft, so the passenger won't have much room.

[urban_alchemist]

I'll pipe in as well. Just after I bought the 1M, my daughter was born. For the first 12 months, we used a MaxiCosi rear-facing infant car seat (the CabrioFix) with an ISOFIX base. It's a pain to get the baby in, but no worse than any other two door car.

We've now moved to the MaxiCosi Pearl, a front-facing car seat for 12 months +. It uses the same base, and is quite narrow and light for a front-facing seat. Both the CabrioFix and Pearl scored top marks for crash protection with Which UK.

The only issue was that with the CabrioFix, the passenger seat had to be very far forward to accomodate it. No longer an issue with the Pearl, but it made for less than ideal comfort for my wife (though we did tend to use her car more when travelling as a family - the Range Rover Evoque's amazing family wheels)...

Hope that helps.

[mPlasticDesign]

I have twin boys and they were happy in the back seat. I chose these because they were seat friendly, meaning no sharp edges that would damage the seats. Also, used a black towel on the back and underneath like Artemis mentioned.

[Slats]

Can't help but think of Jeremy Clarkson's comment in the Top Gear video on the 1M -- that there is room in the back for two children and room in the boot for two more.

[mrow]

Originally Posted by Slats

Can't help but think of Jeremy Clarkson's comment in the Top Gear video on the 1M -- that there is room in the back for two children and room in the boot for two more.

Haha I was thinking of the same thing when I saw the thread title -- "just put it in the trunk".

[LeonTheJeweler]

U ca buy a seat protector it's like a towel but make to stay in place

[Dr_zito]

Hi, restarting this thread because I assume kids of those who have car seats have grown and I am needing a booster seat w/heardrestfor my 4 year old.
Is there any website that speaks about car compatibility? Something where you introduce the car make, model, etc and it matches that to the best fitting seats?
Thanks!

[Ayrton91]

Originally Posted by Dr_zito

Hi, restarting this thread because I assume kids of those who have car seats have grown and I am needing a booster seat w/heardrestfor my 4 year old.
Is there any website that speaks about car compatibility? Something where you introduce the car make, model, etc and it matches that to the best fitting seats?
Thanks!

Here's what I use for my 6 year old. Works fine, though it does impact front leg room. Depends on how tall you or your typical passenger is.

http://www.recaro-cs.com/us/product/boosters/recaro-vivo.html

[Artemis]

Status quo compared to what I posted earlier.

Seat settings allow the seat to 'grow' with the child, at least for a couple of years.

Should my daughter complain about the seat comfort in the meantime, the seat will be replaced.

[ajshanny]

Does anyone have a photo of a rear facing seat in the back seat of the car? Preferably, the Chicco Keyfit 30, but others would be good to see as well.