Child seat legroom C124

[Ade B]

Anyone any thoughts/experience on what is appropriate leg room for a rear fixed child seat.

Junior B is now coming up to 2 and although he's quite dinky for his age, his feet will sit flat on the back of the passenger seat in front with it pretty much fully forward (not great for Mrs B). Its not at all cramped but it got me thinking should the worst happen...

As I've frequently extolled the virtues of a CE as a family car, does this happen in 4 door cars or am I risking Junior B's limbs and should buy a Zafira tomorrow first thing?

TIA

Ade

 

[st4]

Why not get a cheap 124 estate as a 2nd car...forget the Zafira

A coupe cannot be that ideal for loading little Ade in and out etc.

 

[trapperjohn]

What Steve said. Just under/over a grand will find you a decent 124 Estate. Some child seats are massive and there is not a lot of room in the back of anything once they are installed.

 

[Sp!ke]

It sounds like he's too small for his child seat if he can't bend his knees.

 

[219]

That was why I got the W126 , and went for the SEL for 'good measure' !

Besides the question of space , I just wanted the biggest , safest car I could afford to carry my son around in - and an S Class is certainly bigger and more solid than anything else you'd get for a grand or so .

LOADS of legroom in there

 

[Ade B]

Thanks for the replies.

Interesting point about him being too small - its a Maxi Cosi seat and he's over the min weight - compared with some of the 2 year old bruisers I've seen about he's a dainty chap but I don't think he's too small for seat. He likes to put his feet on the passenger seat back and push which is why I noticed..

Regarding getting him in and out, its never been a problem and he now climbs in himself

Not buying a clapped out 124 estate, sorry. (or a Zafira for that matter).. but might consider something a little more modern.

Will post a pic tomorrow if I remember as I don't like the idea of putting the little one in jeopardy...

Ade

 

[trapperjohn]

Not buying a clapped out 124 estate, sorry.

Wash your mouth out with soapy water Sir. 124 Estates do not come in "clapped out"

Pontoneer has a very good point though and a very nice car..

 

[Will]

Don't buy a clapped out 124 estate then, find a nice one like the sort Nick Froome sells

Will

 

[Ade B]

Not buying a clapped out 124 estate, sorry.

Wash your mouth out with soapy water Sir. 124 Estates do not come in "clapped out"

Pontoneer has a very good point though and a very nice car..

Indeed - the irony being, when I first considered a 124, 3 years or so ago, I was looking at the estates, even spoke at length to Nick Froome about getting one, looked at a couple and then following extensive leg pulling from my brother (who's just replaced his 993 with a 'family friendly' 07 Impreza ) regarding the sensible old man status of the estate I started looking at coupes.... Junior B arrived within 12 months of purchase

(nothing to do with rear seat space incidentally )

Ade

 

[davidjpowell]

I'm pretty sure that our daughter went through a stage where she did this. As she got older and could not keep it up comfortably she started to bend her knees more naturally.

She was comfy in the W203 when I had it, and can't imagine that you would be much worse off spacewise. Did have to have a cover for the back of the seat to stop footmarks though

Provided he can bend his knees in the seat at the moment, perhaps you would be better dropping the front seat back a touch to 'persuade'.

 

[Ade B]

I'm pretty sure that our daughter went through a stage where she did this. As she got older and could not keep it up comfortably she started to bend her knees more naturally.

She was comfy in the W203 when I had it, and can't imagine that you would be much worse off spacewise. Did have to have a cover for the back of the seat to stop footmarks though

Provided he can bend his knees in the seet at the moment, perhaps you would be better dropping the front seat back a touch to 'persuade'.

Dropping the seat back might not be as daft as it sounds - We do have a halfords cover to protect the leather. Thinking laterally, there is at least as much room in the back of a C124 as a 4 door supermini - surely?

Ade

 

[Smiley]

Not buying a clapped out 124 estate, sorry.

Wash your mouth out with soapy water Sir. 124 Estates do not come in "clapped out"

Pontoneer has a very good point though and a very nice car..

+1.

Keep the CE and buy a decent w124 estate for about £2500. You will not regret it!
Actually there are plenty of clapped out 124 estates; bit too much rust around the rear wings is just one of the clapped out variety.

 

[219]

Checking out a W124 estate : flip open the storage compartments either side of the load area and feel up to the bottom of the side windows , if there is no rust there , or where the wheel arch is welded to the inside of the rear wings within the same areas - chances are it's a good 'un !

 

[Seamster15]

My daughter now 2 years of age does this in both my S60 and my wifes V70 Volvos... they are quite big cars and the seat are not fully back. How about pushing the seat futher back so the little one cannot extend legs?

 

[wemorgan]

If otherwise you're very happy with your car I wouldn't sell it because in all likelihood this is just a phase your son is going through.

 

[Ade B]

phone pic taken this morning of offending limbs

looks like there's loads of room but when he sprawls out and locks his knees it doesn't look very safe.

Will try to push the seat back a bit and see what happens.

Cheers

Ade

 

[Smiley]

phone pic taken this morning of offending limbs

looks like there's loads of room but when he sprawls out and locks his knees it doesn't look very safe.

Will try to push the seat back a bit and see what happens.

Cheers

Ade

option 1 - i told you to buy an estate!
option 2 - will he fit in the boot?

 

[Ade B]

option 1 - i told you to buy an estate!
option 2 - will he fit in the boot?

One aging moneypit is fine for now thanks

There have been times where putting him in the boot has been seriously considered


Ade

 

[wemorgan]

phone pic taken this morning of offending limbs

looks like there's loads of room but when he sprawls out and locks his knees it doesn't look very safe.

Maybe it's easy for me to say (not my child), but I would not be too worried about the safety aspect.

If in the unlikely event of a crash happening, the loads through the leg will be small as they will contact the relatively soft seat back. As long as his harness fits correctly and there's no chance of his head contacting the front seat, you've made him as safe as possible.