Rear facing infant car seats for the E82.

[IEDEI]

i have searched the forum and have found random threads about this topic, but very little concrete information regarding the safe/comfortable installation and selection of a rear facing infant car seat.

We have a boy arriving in July and I am planning to still use the 1M as our only car. We won't be using it a lot since we live in NYC so walking and subway are our primary modes of transport (outside of my insane driving commute in and out of NYC every day). The car will be used with the baby for short trips and occasionally 1-2 hour drives to see the in-laws.

Yesterday for the first time, i went to a baby store and had 2 car seats fitted in the rear. The 2 i chose were 2 of the smallest (and safest) rear facing infant car seats around: The Cybex Aton Q and Nuna Pipa.

http://cybex-online.com/us/carseats/atonq.html

http://www.nuna.eu/USA/pipa



I have discovered that NO car seat is recommended to be installed in the CENTER portion of our rear seats as it will be using the 'innermost' LATCH from the 2 passenger seats and this is considered to be a big no-no. On top of that fundamentally 'unsafe' characteristic, the bump in the contour and the shape prevent the solid and stable setting of the car seat base onto the center position. Additionally no lower stabilizing bar can be used due to the transmission hump. The center position appears to be a non-viable solution to the rear facing car seat which is unfortunate as it would easily be the most comfortable.

READ HERE:
http://thecarseatlady.com/using-latc...nter-overview/

So in the end, i was able to fit the Cybex Aton into the side rear passenger seat WITH the base. My wife (5'6") said she could sit in the front passenger seat, however felt that on longer drives she would be uncomfortable. The other idea would be for her to sit in the backseat behind me and with the baby but that is probably also not a 'long trip' solution.

So it is doable, however a bit of a comprimise. Again this is not a 'daily' thing we will be doing---but an occasional thing.

WHICH rear-facing car seats have you guys installed (NO Front facing car seats please....we are still a few years away from that and i know it's easier!) successfully and do you have any specific recommendations?

I am actually thinking of making an appointment with the "Car Seat Lady" (she lives in NYC) to have her physically see the car and try to make a good fitting. Getting rid of the base and using the 'european' method of seat belt fixing of the seat seems to be a very safe and worthwhile option here. I really wanted the seat to fit in the CENTER however BMW's weird LATCH profile seems like it will not be a recommended option although i have seen other 1er owners post pictures here of a center-mounted rear-facing car seat. I don't want to take any chances like that.

Any recommendations or advice would be most appreciated. I am slightly stressing about this now. I want my kid to grow up in a 1M and not a Minivan!!

If you have any photos that would be great too. Thanks!

Hopefully this thread can serve as a future reference for any E82 owners having a baby. I don't feel having a baby is incompatible with E82 ownership and we should find some good solutions for this common situation!

[MightyMouseTech]

I can understand the no rear middle location use. Our cars are officially only 4 seaters.

[FactorX81]

I have a "graco forever seat" facing rearward on the passenger side and the passenger front seat is barely usable. I pick up my daughter daily from daycare in the car and it sucks. I have to sit in the back seat behind the driver to buckle her in and out of the car. This is not a car carrier seat it is just a regular car seat so I don't need to remove it often. We also have a chicco key fit 30 in my wife's escape which is a lot easier to use but it would not be easy to use in our car because even with the seat forward it is tight placing it into the back and removing it especially now that she is 6mo and heavy. I have tried a bunch of different configs with these two and come to the conclusion that these cars are no good for rear facing seats or kids in general that need seats.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by FactorX81

I have a "graco forever seat" facing rearward on the passenger side and the passenger front seat is barely usable. I pick up my daughter daily from daycare in the car and it sucks. I have to sit in the back seat behind the driver to buckle her in and out of the car. This is not a car carrier seat it is just a regular car seat so I don't need to remove it often. We also have a chicco key fit 30 in my wife's escape which is a lot easier to use but it would not be easy to use in our car because even with the seat forward it is tight placing it into the back and removing it especially now that she is 6mo and heavy. I have tried a bunch of different configs with these two and come to the conclusion that these cars are no good for rear facing seats or kids in general that need seats.

The Graco Forever seat is really large compared to the more compact options. Am curious why you decided to install such a large seat? I am sure it is a lot of effort if you are doing it DAILY.

[FactorX81]

It is large but the kids grow so fast I didn't want to get 2 infant only seats. I always figured I would transition it out of my car and into my wife's when the keyfit is too small for her. I also figured I might have a four door by then or a minivan(I know I know) but keep the 1 for track days and fun driving.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by FactorX81

It is large but the kids grow so fast I didn't want to get 2 infant only seats. I always figured I would transition it out of my car and into my wife's when the keyfit is too small for her. I also figured I might have a four door by then or a minivan(I know I know) but keep the 1 for track days and fun driving.

ah i see. do you by chance have a photo of your setup?

[TheCaptain]

I have a Recaro seat and the base of the seat has a hump hollowed out, which lines up just about perfectly with the center hump in the seat and it fits very snug and secure. Not sure how the vert seats differ from the coupe. My other seat has a flat base and doesn't lay flat on the seat but I think the Recaro is designed for seats like ours. Try it out and see what happens.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

I have a Recaro seat and the base of the seat has a hump hollowed out, which lines up just about perfectly with the center hump in the seat and it fits very snug and secure. Not sure how the vert seats differ from the coupe. My other seat has a flat base and doesn't lay flat on the seat but I think the Recaro is designed for seats like ours. Try it out and see what happens.

is that a rear-facing seat? how are you attaching it to the seat?

[FactorX81]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

ah i see. do you by chance have a photo of your setup?

I'll snap one when I get a chance.

[128GP]

I bought my 1er while my wife was pregnant. I work in NYC and never do drop offs and pickups so wife was more agreeable to me getting the car. We bought a Britax besafe, as it was the smallest/ most compact seat available at buy buy baby and babiesrus. My wife is only 5' and with baby in the back, seat was practically all the way forward.

The seat was fine when you put the kid in it outside of the car, but getting him in rear facing while in the car, forget it. I have literally done less than 5 pickups in 14 months. Wife transitioned him to a bigger convertible rear facing at 12 months, I didnt even bother buying that seat, as getting him in rear facing would be impossible. He wont ride with me until he's two and is front facing.

We have a CX-5 we use for family duty.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by 128GP

I bought my 1er while my wife was pregnant. I work in NYC and never do drop offs and pickups so wife was more agreeable to me getting the car. We bought a Britax besafe, as it was the smallest/ most compact seat available at buy buy baby and babiesrus. My wife is only 5' and with baby in the back, seat was practically all the way forward.

The seat was fine when you put the kid in it outside of the car, but getting him in rear facing while in the car, forget it. I have literally done less than 5 pickups in 14 months. Wife transitioned him to a bigger convertible rear facing at 12 months, I didnt even bother buying that seat, as getting him in rear facing would be impossible. He wont ride with me until he's two and is front facing.

We have a CX-5 we use for family duty.

thanks for your input! much appreciated! the B-Safe is compact but still larger than a few of the other options like the Cybex Aton....which are even more compact (and more expensive!). Like you I will occasionally use the car to drop off at daycare but not frequently.....as the wife will mostly be dropping off at daycare down the street from our place. The difficulties you are describing in getting your baby in and out are troubling though! thanks

[tvo9]

I am using a Britax B-Safe for my daughter. I have no problem getting her in and out of my 128i
http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/b-safe

[Tarpon]

I got my 128 and in May of '08. Found out we were expecting in August of same year. Family and friends thought we were crazy for keeping the car. We also used the Britax rear facing seat though we gave it away 2 years ago so I'm not sure of the name. It was pretty compact and there was definitely larger ones out there at the time. We also liked that it had a very compact and lightweight folding stroller base. Yes, first secure your child in the seat. Put your seat all the way forwards and fold the carrying bar for the car seat down. Grab the car seat at both ends lifting high towards the ceiling of the car and it goes in fine. Once you get the seat attached move the carrying bar back up so your child is looking at it again. This will give you a little more room towards the seat back. My wife is 5 '6 and just had to find the right balance of seat back position to seat base forward position. Her seat back was more vertical than mine was but she never complained. We took this combo on a drive from South Florida to Chicago when my daughter was 6 months for her christening. Swine flu was going around and we weren't putting her on a plane. I got the base roof rack system and strapped on the stroller. This car has plenty of room if you load it properly. So I still have the car, wife and added another child. The kids love to ride in my car. I guess the cool factor of this car outweighs the quirks for my family. You can do it.

[128GP]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

thanks for your input! much appreciated! the B-Safe is compact but still larger than a few of the other options like the Cybex Aton....which are even more compact (and more expensive!). Like you I will occasionally use the car to drop off at daycare but not frequently.....as the wife will mostly be dropping off at daycare down the street from our place. The difficulties you are describing in getting your baby in and out are troubling though! thanks

Yeah well of course you can get a smaller seat, but they typically cost more and are only good for shorter periods of time, meaning you'll be upgrading to a newer bigger seat anyhow.

I actually had to pick up today. I had to use the infant seat. My little guy is on the smaller side and "fit", but the seat was moved ALL the way to the forward rail position. He seemed to like when i went WOT with the BMW PE

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by 128GP

Yeah well of course you can get a smaller seat, but they typically cost more and are only good for shorter periods of time, meaning you'll be upgrading to a newer bigger seat anyhow.

I actually had to pick up today. I had to use the infant seat. My little guy is on the smaller side and "fit", but the seat was moved ALL the way to the forward rail position. He seemed to like when i went WOT with the BMW PE

haha. well at least the PE always pleases!!

Originally Posted by tvo9

I am using a Britax B-Safe for my daughter. I have no problem getting her in and out of my 128i
http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/b-safe

do you have this installed in the 'side' rear seats? thanks!

Originally Posted by Tarpon

I got my 128 and in May of '08. Found out we were expecting in August of same year. Family and friends thought we were crazy for keeping the car. We also used the Britax rear facing seat though we gave it away 2 years ago so I'm not sure of the name. It was pretty compact and there was definitely larger ones out there at the time. We also liked that it had a very compact and lightweight folding stroller base. Yes, first secure your child in the seat. Put your seat all the way forwards and fold the carrying bar for the car seat down. Grab the car seat at both ends lifting high towards the ceiling of the car and it goes in fine. Once you get the seat attached move the carrying bar back up so your child is looking at it again. This will give you a little more room towards the seat back. My wife is 5 '6 and just had to find the right balance of seat back position to seat base forward position. Her seat back was more vertical than mine was but she never complained. We took this combo on a drive from South Florida to Chicago when my daughter was 6 months for her christening. Swine flu was going around and we weren't putting her on a plane. I got the base roof rack system and strapped on the stroller. This car has plenty of room if you load it properly. So I still have the car, wife and added another child. The kids love to ride in my car. I guess the cool factor of this car outweighs the quirks for my family. You can do it.

superb. thanks for this post! always nice to read of success. if it's not too much trouble, could you snap a photo of your setup for reference? thanks!

i agree. i want my kid to grow up being driven around in something great....not a minivan. if that takes a bit more effort on my part i am totally down with it!

[tvo9]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

do you have this installed in the 'side' rear seats? thanks!

Yes. Only me, my wife, and my 11 months old daughter, so my daughter has the whole backseat to her own.

[Hops128i]

Used the Chico keykit 30, it's not bad. But we're not tall, and the kids are in the car most 30min (it's usually 5min).

[Tarpon]

superb. thanks for this post! always nice to read of success. if it's not too much trouble, could you snap a photo of your setup for reference? thanks!

i agree. i want my kid to grow up being driven around in something great....not a minivan. if that takes a bit more effort on my part i am totally down with it![/QUOTE]

[Tarpon]

My youngest is 3.5 years now so we don't have that rear facing setup any longer. Its been given away but, I'll look thru the archives for any pics. I also have the PE and everyone loves it especially when we blast thru the tunnel.

[IEDEI]

again thanks for the input so far everyone!

just an update! I have an in-person consultation I have arranged with "The Car Seat Lady" herself, who works out of NYC. Am meeting her May 17th to do some 'test fits' of some good car seats. I will certainly take some photos that day and relay on any information i find so that future parents can use them as reference specifically for the E82 1-series!

She is probably the biggest expert on car seats in the US at the moment, so i'm lucky to get a chance to have her input about what i'm doing! Probably the most 'exciting' modification i will ever do! LOL

http://thecarseatlady.com/

[cvandenhaute]

I have a Maxi Cosi Priora, quite compact and well rated. Unfortunately rear facing eat up a lot of space in the 1er but one option would be to install it on the right rear seat and have your wife sitting in the back, behind you. My wife was doing that when our first daughter was still in a rear facing seat.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by cvandenhaute

I have a Maxi Cosi Priora, quite compact and well rated. Unfortunately rear facing eat up a lot of space in the 1er but one option would be to install it on the right rear seat and have your wife sitting in the back, behind you. My wife was doing that when our first daughter was still in a rear facing seat.

Ah yes i have thought about that seat. It's a bit larger, but seems good. Yeah we have discussed the possibility that my wife would sit in the back with the baby sometimes as well.....especially since this will not be a daily thing...but more of a 'weekend' situation! thanks for your input!