baby coupe

[Ade B]

I see another member's C124 for sale due to the imminent arrival of a baby. Our first is due in about 6 weeks. Although I didn't plan to buy and run our CE primarily as a family car and I think I can see its obvious shortcomings as an ideal family runabout, I was rather hoping it would be able to cater for our growing family in the longer term....

am I in for a bit of a shock... (in respect of the car )

Ade

 

[Rob77]

A shock? Why would you be?

All you need is one seat per person and it sounds as if you'll have one spare.

 

[ADY1983]

I got my CE from a couple with young children this is the reason they were selling. I believe it is a struggle reaching into the back to put the seat in etc. The missus might start complaining...

To be honest I have already decided once we have a baby on the way I will sell it and buy something more sensible-ish...

 

[Dave Lewis]

Hmmm when I was a nipper, Dad had a 1954 Anglia 100E 2-door, and three kids under the age of 6. We never had any problems, in fact it was luxury compared to our neighbours with a Panther/Watsonian combo and three kids. I can't see the problem myself. Plenty of our neighbours today have small 2-door hatchbacks and loads of kids. A CE has got to be better, surely?

 

[Howard]

To be honest I have already decided once we have a baby on the way I will sell it and buy something more sensible-ish...

Mate , a w208 CLK is no better .....

 

[ADY1983]

Mate , a w208 CLK is no better .....

I know that's fine, I'm not planning on having kids anytime soon...

 

[dougal74]

Yep it is me Ady, I have test run baby seat into the back with the wife and bags of sugar to represent baby. Electric seat forward, lean in, squat in the footwell to attach the seat belt, swear, bang you head getting out (this was next to the pavement - we didn't look forward to repeating the exercise in the Supermarket car park). Shame really as I always thought I would get another practical runabout car but financial circumstances mean I can't run both.

Ade, I recommend trying it out as we did, I think I could manage just fine, there is lots of room after all but the wife wasn't really happy. It is a shame as is all other respects, pram sideways in the boot etc. all it good.

We so love the Isofix in the BMW!

 

[Ade B]

Yep it is me Ady, I have test run baby seat into the back with the wife and bags of sugar to represent baby. Electric seat forward, lean in, squat in the footwell to attach the seat belt, swear, bang you head getting out (this was next to the pavement - we didn't look forward to repeating the exercise in the Supermarket car park). Shame really as I always thought I would get another practical runabout car but financial circumstances mean I can't run both.

Be interesting to see how things pan out... we don't use the car all the time and lots of shops within walking distance of flat..

Has anyone looked into particular types of baby seat (before I buy the least appropriate...)

Cheers,

Ade

 

[74merc]

We have 1 child and I carry him in my e320 coupe regularly. It's not really at problem now as he is 8 months old and the seat is in the forward position. It was a bit awkward when it was rearward facing though so we mostly used the wife's car then. I did suggest putting him into the seat thru the open rear window Dukes of Hazzard style but needless to say the wife was not happy!
As a second car it's feasible but if it were the only family car I'd say it would quickly become a chore. Oh, another thing to check is the length of the seatbelt when the babyseat is in the rearward position. It's not really long enough but I managed by tipping the babyseat back to get the belt round the loops.

 

[dougal74]

We have 1 child and I carry him in my e320 coupe regularly. It's not really at problem now as he is 8 months old and the seat is in the forward position. It was a bit awkward when it was rearward facing though so we mostly used the wife's car then. I did suggest putting him into the seat thru the open rear window Dukes of Hazzard style but needless to say the wife was not happy!
As a second car it's feasible but if it were the only family car I'd say it would quickly become a chore. Oh, another thing to check is the length of the seatbelt when the babyseat is in the rearward position. It's not really long enough but I managed by tipping the babyseat back to get the belt round the loops.

Yep seconded it is the rearward facing bit that is the bugger but that is the only thing for newborns, wife is due early November.

 

[Ade B]

seem to remember reading somewhere that mothercare (or such like) let you faff about with seats in their car park - try before you buy.

Can anyone confirm.

Ade

 

[74merc]

It's a shame about the rearward seat problems as it's a great family car otherwise. For instance our buggy when folded only just fits into my wife's Seat Altea boot, whereas there's at least 25cm of extra width in the e320 boot.

 

[PeterE320Cdi]

Halfords will come out and try various seats in your car to make sure they fit properly.

When my son was little the rear facing seat went in the front and my wife in the back​

 

[dougal74]

Halfords will come out and try various seats in your car to make sure they fit properly.

When my son was little the rear facing seat went in the front and my wife in the back​

Thought of that one but can't de-activate the passenger airbag in mine.

Ade - yes you can try before you buy in lots of shops and they can give you advice on how best to secure them as it is never as easy as it seems.

We got an Isofix base and MacLaren / Recaro Profi Plus which docks with their XLR buggy / travel system for the BMW (it is so easy to put in I didn't even need the instructions - typical bloke!) and a friend gave us a Britax Cosy Tot which doesn't have Isofix for the E320.

 

[Ade B]

cheers guys.
no airbags in mine so that solves that problem..

I can see what we are doing this weekend (there's no more ikea things to build...)



Ade

 

[crockers]

And what's wrong with the boot???? plenty of room in there..:bannana:

 

[Ade B]

And what's wrong with the boot???? plenty of room in there..

the dog's going there

 

[bigyank]

Just our experience here - we bought a W209 when firstborn appeared on the radar as the SLK was obviously not going to cut it.

It was fine until Loretta became heavier - the extending into the back to put the car seat in is a real back breaker. Mrs M now has a very bad back - physio on Monday - so we are not looking for a more practical car (again!).....
Well just a coupe that you can turn the airbags off in!

Alfa GT anyone?

So the moral of the story is that bags of sugar are great when you are recreating a newborn - but they pile on the pounds pretty quickly and when the screaming starts, the rain is pelting down, all the parent&kid spaces are full and her back is painful....... you will really want either a 4/5door, or a coupe with switchable airbags.!

 

[Ade B]

just been given a brand new mamas & papas seat which goes in both the front or the back seat of the CE in a pretty straightforward manner

no airbags means the front will be most likely position as there is no slack in the belt in the back...

seems very upright though for a newborn... guess we'll soon find out.

 

[kbhogalW126]

bigyank.

As far as i am aware, if you have a mercedes baby seat, does it not switch off the passenger airbag in the W209 automatically?

If not, then we will be scuppered next year when we have ours!

Are you using a Mercedes baby seat?

Regards,

KJ