Extended Rear Facing Car Seat and the A2...

[rdufton]

Hi,

Long time away from the forum but the A2 is still going strong, no plans to change it out at the moment even with 110,000 miles on the clock!

I have a question for all the parents out there... We are currently looking for an extended rear facing car seat to fit the A2 due to them providing much better protection. However as the UK are way behind Europe on this there is very little information/stockists of these seats. In order to get a seat fitted by an experienced shop we would need to travel from Aberdeen to Milton Keynes, Wiltshire or Belfast(!) The seats tend to be much bigger than normal front facing seats (and cost a LOT more) so its not a purchase we want to make on the off chance it fits ok. We have seen a couple of seats online that have the A2 listed in the official fitment list but there is nothing to beat the experience of someone who has owned and lived with the car/seat combinations!!

I was therefore wondering if anyone on the forums had any experience with an extended rear facing car seat fitted in the A2? Particularly the amount of leg room for those in the front with the model they have? I believe that these are pretty much standard for children up to the age of 4 in Sweden and other parts of Europe so if any of the members in those countries have any information on this it would be much appreciated!! If necessary I will be importing the car seat from Europe...

Thanks,
RDufton

 

[dan_b]

Personally no experience of an extended rear-facing seat - our two boys go in the back in their MaxiCosi forward facing booster seats very nicely with plenty of legroom.
One thing - if you are going to put a rear-facing seat in the front seat, does your car have the front airbag disable facility? It was not standard fitment on the A2 but was a cost-option. As you know, it's potentially lethal to have a rear-facing seat in the front passenger seat with a functioning front airbag.

 

[rdufton]

Personally no experience of an extended rear-facing seat - our two boys go in the back in their MaxiCosi forward facing booster seats very nicely with plenty of legroom.
One thing - if you are going to put a rear-facing seat in the front seat, does your car have the front airbag disable facility? It was not standard fitment on the A2 but was a cost-option. As you know, it's potentially lethal to have a rear-facing seat in the front passenger seat with a functioning front airbag.

Sorry I haven't explained that too well lol... The seat will be going in the back seat but we are wondering about the impact on the front passenger legroom from the size of he seat. Our eldest is in a forward facing high backed booster so we know that there are plenty of options for forward facing. Thanks for the help though

 

[nick4tl]

I have a rear facing britax two way elite in the back of our car A2. It fits fine but the front passenger seat has to be forward quite a bit. If you will regularly carry a passenger who is over 5" 6' or so i think it would be an issue. I would say the side impact protection on the sea is not as good as some. It doesn't have high padded sides.

 

[humps]

My sis-in-law has one of those extended rear facing. I have to say I have no intention of considering it, it is bulky, inconvenient. It is slightly longer than a group 0 rear facing Maxi Cosi Cabrio fix. The space in question is the seat back. If you can sit really straight, then you get a couple more inches of leg room. But it still won't be great in the A2. My wife is short and she has no problem, but 6 footers will find it tight.

My 2yr old loves seeing things on the road, she can recognise lots of car brands, ambulances, fire engines, buses and trucks. It keeps her entertained to see things in the front and I know what she's talking about. I cannot imagine turning her on the back. The extra frontal crash protection offered that I don't have, I compensate for with regular checks on brake & tyre conditions, sensible distance to the front under given speed and road conditions.

 

[nick4tl]

I wouldn't be concerned about a child's boredom level facing backwards. He can still see out the window. We recently clocked up a few thousand miles driving all the way to the south of france and back. He was as happy as can be the whole way. He's travelled forward facing in relatives cars and doesn't pass any comment regarding a preference.
I don't find it any more bulky than other seats. I can get it installed in a few minutes so taking in and out isn't a problem. It also has the advantage of being reversible so once he is about 3 1/2 years I'll probably turn it around.
Really the only disadvantage is the space for the front passenger. If the person who will be a frequent passenger is taller than about 5" 6' this may be an issue. Otherwise there wont be any problem. The seat doesnt have to be all the way forward. Just about half way. Hope this is helpful.
Good photos (though not in an A2) are here http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=74177

Of course I drive sensibly, service my car regularly, and keep my distance. That said, in the only crash I have been in I stopped in plenty of time. And then watched in horror, and slow motion, as the oncoming vehicle who had crossed into my path kept coming and slammed straight into me. Nothing I could have done. The dog in the boot came flying forward and hit the windscreen. I hadn't considered a rear facing seat for a collie at the time.
N