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, Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:17:32
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Here's my $0.02
I now have 3 kids. I am stubborn. I made it work for a while. Now that the littlest guy is in the 'convertible' car seats that are the big one facing backwards, I'm done - can't fit 3 carseats across unless you have the infant seat in the middle. 2 was pretty easy though.
I also previously had a c900 2-door and yes, the back seat is much larger in the newer models (don't have dimensions, but it's a noticable difference).
I'm 6'2", but drive with elbows bent a little, I like my seat almost all the way back but a fairly upright back, which probably gives comparable space where needed, near adult knees which is close to carseat children feet.
Currently - 6 yr old in a booster with a back, and 4 yr old in a forward-facing carseat... This is when I'm driving with the older kids, soccer, etc. If Wife coming with and also need to take the 1 yr old, we take the wife's Mazda5.
The issues I've had over the years are in two main points, and have experienced these independent of vehicle (we've had Chrysler minivan, taurus, mazda5, c900, ng900, dakota, and more).
The first major issue is if/when you have a convertible car seat facing backwards, because the thing is HUGE. It really seems that they just design them assuming you're going to buy a minivan or SUV to make it work... didn't even fit in the taurus well.
Second biggest issue is reminding kids to keep their feet off the seat in front of them when they first find their legs are long enough to reach and rub their snow-coverd boots on the shoulder area of the seat in front of them.
Both of those not withstanding, the kids ride fine in all the various seats I've put in my car, anything from modest sized graco nautilus up through large Britax carseats 3 seats was tough to make fit, but I found a combination that did with a 'graco snugride' infant seat. For 2 carseats, though, it's pretty simple.
The biggest pinch point is in larger carseats that sit up higher, when their heels are touching the edge of the vehicle's seat and pointing toward the seat in front, that ends up being the time you've got the tightest fit. Usually when that happens, they're getting big enough that they *can* move to a booster if you're comfortable with that, or swap out to a lower-profile seat (one that has their bottom and knees a few inches lower) then and their feet move down past that 'pinch point'.
With 3 kids, we've now owned 10 carseats over the years, so we've tried lots of seats, and all have allowed sufficient room behind driver or passenger. I've found the booster gives the kids more space again, so since I'm taller than my wife, the booster goes behind me, but the other seat works ok, just a little less space for 4yo's feet.
My rule with the wife is that it was cheaper to buy an expensive/additional carseat (like a 'radian' which is narrow) to make a car work than to buy a different car :)
I also expect that I'll be able to fit 3 again when the youngest is forward facing, and I can squish 3 narrow seats in there... but if you're thinking a 3rd kid is part of your plans, a friend with a 2002 9-5 said 3 kids is pretty simple in the back since it's 3-4" wider... they're now leaving the Saab family due to kid 4.
posted by 69.174.5...
, Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:17:32
, Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:36:45, Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:29:21, Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:30:14
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