W210 estate 7-seater

[SimonsMerc]

ok, I have a great set of extra seats in the boot, but when we went to the Safety Day at the local council today (where they fit child seats and stuff) we were told not only that children can't sit there but that no-one should ever use those seats as they are unsafe. This apparently is because they have never been tested for crashes.

So,

1) were they making it up as they go along? Are these seats totally unsafe to ever use?

2) are there child seats that fit in these?

Thanks,

-simon

 

[andy_k]

I'd suggest that they were talking out of their ****s for want of a better phrase

We feel a lot happier with our kids sat in the back, the seats are more "kid sized" the seat belts fit better and they can see out of the window so they aren't constantly wriggling about to get a better view.

as to them not being safe, they've been a factory option on Mercs for years and years so presumably if they pass the strict German regulations they are safe here.

Andy

 

[fuzzer]

Mercedes have strenghtened the back of the estate car to make them safe.

Id say the person who you were talking to is insanely jealous of your car and i wouldnt take any notice.

Id prob personally prefer to be in those seats than many superminis.

 

[uumode]

The EuroNCAP tests don't actually test for rear collosion
http://www.euroncap.com/content/test_procedures/introduction.php
Front, side, pedestrian, so it's untested in EuroNCAP's eyes.
Also no rear collosion testing with America's body
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/pages/ResourcesLinksDCR.htm
or Japan
http://www.nasva.go.jp/assess/html2004e/as103.html
Australia also focuses on frontal, offset and side impacts
http://www.aaa.asn.au/ancap.htm

Though that doesn't mean to say it's unsafe, just that rear impacts are untested independently.

Here is a rough test of bumpers (as opposed to human damage measured by a crash dummy)
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/low_speed_lglux.htm
W210 (saloon) is rated poorly for bumper crash performance against a pole

I was thinking of getting a 7 seater E class or Audi A6, and at any rate there seems to be a bit more material infront of the rearward facing seats and the rear bumper, than some small MPVs who have forward facing child seats, which 'appear' to sit in the crumple zone.

 

[PJH]

Though that doesn't mean to say it's unsafe, just that rear impacts are untested independently.

This does seem odd. After all vehicles DO crash front INTO rear, so why no tests.

 

[mark.t]

front into rear

i suspect that there could be a reduced chance of injury if your hit from the rear as you would be thrown forward a little but then pushed back in your seat with a boot at the back of you with crumple zones in to protect you further...just a thought....

 

[RichardM]

I don't see how just because they have never been tested that makes them unsafe!

 

[uumode]

I don't see how just because they have never been tested that makes them unsafe!

Perhaps it's just an 'unknown' i.e. you can't assume it's safe.

If you know your car has passed the frontal EuroNCAP test at 40mph with flying colours, you at least know that you would probably not be injured in any serious way in a frontal impact at 40mph.

 

[Satch]

Estates with a third row of seats (rear facing or otherwise) should have substantial reinforcement across the back end for obvious reasons and this is indeed the case with Mercedes, Volvo etc.

Even so, I found it difficult to convince myself that overall these are a good idea and did not get them. A rear end shunt from a car may (below a certain speed) not cause intrusion into the passenger space because of the reinforcement but will result in glass, trim and whatever flying around to some extent.

However, being rear ended by anything which is substantially higher than your own vehicle will result in a risk of intrusion via the rear window & door, i.e there is a lot of metal impacting above the level of the load floor, most structural cross members and impact absorbing bodywork.

Same goes for smaller MPV's.

 

[osagefo]

I have a 210 Estate and I have been looking to have the rear seats fitted but had some difficulty finding any one willing to supply and perhaps fit at what I considered a reasonable costs. A relative, who, is based in Dusseldorf recently informed me that he could source the rear facing seats kit easily and at a bargain. Why ... because they have recently banned the use of such seats in all their Taxis. So, maybe, they are not as safe as we are led to believe. Having said all that, I am still on the market for these extra seats.

 

[glojo]

I remember a Top Gear article on the rear seats of MPV's being dangerously close to the rear of the vehicle thus offering very little protection in the event of a rear end collision.

My personal view is that owners of this 7 seat option are doing there best to provide safe, secure seating for their children. The seats are rear facing, so are surely safer than a child forward facing safety seat?? Yes we can find fault with practically anything. We can worry about all sorts of 'what if' scenario's, and never venture outside the front door of our house.

Get the seats and enjoy your life, what will be, will be.

Good luck with your decisions and well done for giving it the serious consideration it deserves.

Regards,
John