Child Seats in M3 Sedan

[anerbe]

Originally Posted by Bmwguy11

The above is nothing new, we all know that. But, it's also a direct frontal collision which is only one type. The rest being side impact, offset, rear impact, rollover, etc. While frontal is the most common (about 52% of all accidents), the rest should not be ignored. No one is saying rear facing for infants isn't safest. The question is, at what point is forward facing just as safe, and does a one size (age) fits all really work?

http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Vehicl...engerCars.aspx

Having frontal impacts being by far the most common cause of fatal impacts, why wouldn't you place frontal impact protection as the most important requirement for your child by making it rear facing?

Forward facing is probably just as safe as rear facing during side impacts. I would make sure the seat has side bolsters/head protection. I've seen some seats where there's no side protection/bolsters. Rear facing probably has the disadvantage of impact from rear, but maybe the level of impact from the rear is normally less than if you hit a stationary object or get hit on a head on collision.

[evanescent03]

Originally Posted by BigMo

I use a Chicco Nextfit and love it. Easy to install snug but I don't think it'll last past the age of 4 or maybe 5.

I have two Chicco next fits.. fit great and pretty easy to move. we have a Recaro (performance ride or pro ride, I forget) in our X3 but it fit terribly in the M3. I tried pretty hard but the fixed headrest interfered and it wasn't stable. definitely a no-go

[teazr1]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

I have two Chicco next fits.. fit great and pretty easy to move. we have a Recaro (performance ride or pro ride, I forget) in our X3 but it fit terribly in the M3. I tried pretty hard but the fixed headrest interfered and it wasn't stable. definitely a no-go

Had the Recaro Performance Ride in my previous car and also found that it didn't fit very well at all with the fixed headrest. Switched to the Recaro Performance Sport and it fits great. Moved the Performance Ride to the wife's X3 where it fit well.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by teazr1

Had the Recaro Performance Ride in my previous car and also found that it didn't fit very well at all with the fixed headrest. Switched to the Recaro Performance Sport and it fits great. Moved the Performance Ride to the wife's X3 where it fit well.

I wonder how big the Performance Ride is compared to the Pro Ride? I would prefer to keep using my two Pro Rides but I think they're too tall. Car is 3 weeks away from re-delivery

[shivaswrath]

Originally Posted by dsm918

Sent you a pm before I saw your response on here. So fitting it in the center might only be possible with a seat belt? Correct? Does that leave room for any passengers on either side? And does the seat hot your right shoulder as I am thinking it squeezes between the two front seats. Does the rebound bar leave any impressions on the backrest?

Thanks.

No worries! I'll respond here since apparently there are other parents with little munchkins on here...
So it fits in the middle with the latch-I had a police officer inspect it and he said the fit was perfect and didn't even move a centimeter (up to an inch is allowed but I wasn't comfortable even with that); the rebound bar doesn't leave a dent on the back of the seat, since it's a force distribution bar.
I can take some pics, but there's about an inch between my seat and his, which is the minimum amount the officer was comfortable with...no touching on the passenger side.

[teazr1]

Originally Posted by SamS

I wonder how big the Performance Ride is compared to the Pro Ride? I would prefer to keep using my two Pro Rides but I think they're too tall. Car is 3 weeks away from re-delivery

Not 100%, but pretty sure that the Performance Ride and the Pro Ride are almost the exact same size. It was way to tall and it's also quite deep. I'm very happy with the Performance Sport.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by teazr1

Not 100%, but pretty sure that the Performance Ride and the Pro Ride are almost the exact same size. It was way to tall and it's also quite deep. I'm very happy with the Performance Sport.

I did some digging online and I think you're right. They're both about 28" tall. I may have to spring for some Performance Sports. But damn they are kinda pricey.

[evanescent03]

Originally Posted by teazr1

Had the Recaro Performance Ride in my previous car and also found that it didn't fit very well at all with the fixed headrest. Switched to the Recaro Performance Sport and it fits great. Moved the Performance Ride to the wife's X3 where it fit well.

sounds like my experience exactly. except we bought a second Chicco instead of trying a new recaro... how does the performance sport compare to the ride? my almost 3 yr old likes riding in "mom's car" because I think he prefers the recaro. he does like the gray car (m3) because it's "fast and loud!" in an excited voice

[teazr1]

Originally Posted by evanescent03

sounds like my experience exactly. except we bought a second Chicco instead of trying a new recaro... how does the performance sport compare to the ride? my almost 3 yr old likes riding in "mom's car" because I think he prefers the recaro. he does like the gray car (m3) because it's "fast and loud!" in an excited voice

My daughter just turned three and she loves the new seat and is excited that her other recaro is now in mom's car. We had a Chicco Nextfit in the X3 and will be using that soon for my 3 month old as a rear facing seat in the X3. Haven't decided what we'll get for rear facing in the M3 once he outgrows the infant carrier.

The Performance Sport is very similar to the Ride, however since it's only harness and booster it doesn't have the option to be rear facing. It sits a tad lower since the big area where the recline mechanism is on on the Performance Ride is gone. It also doesn't stick out from the seat as far, which is awesome because I can now move my seat back to where it's more comfortable for me to drive. I'll snap a picture of them both and post them later. Overall if you liked the Ride seat you'll be very happy with the Sport seat.

[evanescent03]

Originally Posted by teazr1

My daughter just turned three and she loves the new seat and is excited that her other recaro is now in mom's car. We had a Chicco Nextfit in the X3 and will be using that soon for my 3 month old as a rear facing seat in the X3. Haven't decided what we'll get for rear facing in the M3 once he outgrows the infant carrier.

The Performance Sport is very similar to the Ride, however since it's only harness and booster it doesn't have the option to be rear facing. It sits a tad lower since the big area where the recline mechanism is on on the Performance Ride is gone. It also doesn't stick out from the seat as far, which is awesome because I can now move my seat back to where it's more comfortable for me to drive. I'll snap a picture of them both and post them later. Overall if you liked the Ride seat you'll be very happy with the Sport seat.

good stuff, thanks!

[teazr1]

Here are photos of the two seats. Performance Sport in the M3 and Performance Ride in the X3.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by teazr1

Here are photos of the two seats. Performance Sport in the M3 and Performance Ride in the X3.

Thank you. Those pics confirm my suspicions. The Performance Ride is the same size as the ProRIDE. The Performance Sport looks to be a good height. So, how much more room do you have to raise up the Performance Sport? My daughter turns 5 tomorrow, thinking about using a Performance Sport as a booster for her, and another Performance Sport in harness mode for my 3yo son.

How do you like those Brica seat guards?

[teazr1]

Originally Posted by SamS

Thank you. Those pics confirm my suspicions. The Performance Ride is the same size as the ProRIDE. The Performance Sport looks to be a good height. So, how much more room do you have to raise up the Performance Sport? My daughter turns 5 tomorrow, thinking about using a Performance Sport as a booster for her, and another Performance Sport in harness mode for my 3yo son.

How do you like those Brica seat guards?

The top portion is on the second of four notches so it will go up quite a ways still. It will start to make contact with the headrest when it goes up further but from my messing around I felt it was still going to fit and be safe even at the highest setting. The store where we bought the carseat (Buy Buy Baby) allowed us to take the seat out to the car and try the shelf model in the car before we bought it. I'd suggest that and allowing your 5yo to sit in it as well.

The Brica seat guards are nice. I like that they are a little thicker and stiffer than some seat protectors and they help to distribute the load out over the seat and prevent denting of the leather. They also protect the seat back nicely. There are two different types...one had pockets on the front that hang down on the front side of the seat and the other just has a flap that sticks down. Not sure i have a preference of one over the other. ToysRUs had the ones with the pocket and Amazon had the ones with the flap.

[///M///]

Originally Posted by shivaswrath

No worries! I'll respond here since apparently there are other parents with little munchkins on here...
So it fits in the middle with the latch-I had a police officer inspect it and he said the fit was perfect and didn't even move a centimeter (up to an inch is allowed but I wasn't comfortable even with that); the rebound bar doesn't leave a dent on the back of the seat, since it's a force distribution bar.
I can take some pics, but there's about an inch between my seat and his, which is the minimum amount the officer was comfortable with...no touching on the passenger side.

Thanks. Per the manual, the inner latches cannot be used for center install. You are required to use the belt.

[psedog]

Here is my Chicco Nextfit. I'm 5-10" and I have plenty of room.
It slightly covers the seat belt receivers. Makes it a little difficult for the other passengers, but they are still useable.

[///M///]

Originally Posted by psedog

Here is my Chicco Nextfit. I'm 5-10" and I have plenty of room.
It slightly covers the seat belt receivers. Makes it a little difficult for the other passengers, but they are still useable.

From the picture it is not clear but can you recline your seat back and not hit the car seat? Does it fit between the two front seats?

[psedog]

Originally Posted by dsm918

From the picture it is not clear but can you recline your seat back and not hit the car seat? Does it fit between the two front seats?

It's not that skinny. I can still move back, but I definitely can't recline it flat.

BTW, it's in the middle. Not the side. I use all 5 seats in my car

[psedog]

Another view

[D675PDX]

Originally Posted by teazr1

Here are photos of the two seats. Performance Sport in the M3 and Performance Ride in the X3.

It looks like in your pic of the Recaro Performance Sport you used the seat belt to attach it. Does the lap portion of the seat belt kind of pucker/bunch when it goes across the car seat to connect to the other side? It kind of looks that way on the pic, but it's hard to tell. I just installed mine last week and it does that for me. I can't get the lap part to lie flat. It's rock solid and doesn't move laterally even in the slightest so it seems fine, it just seems like it shouldn't pucker/bunch like it does.

[tchiers]

Just installed my seats: Britax Frontier ClickTight and Britax B-safe.

The Frontier fits well and the fixed rear headrest doesn't interfere with a secure fit. The B-Safe requires the front seat to move forward a good bit, but I (all 6' of me) can still fit in the passenger seat, it's not too tight. Won't be an issue for my 5'3" wife at all.

[teazr1]

Originally Posted by D675PDX

It looks like in your pic of the Recaro Performance Sport you used the seat belt to attach it. Does the lap portion of the seat belt kind of pucker/bunch when it goes across the car seat to connect to the other side? It kind of looks that way on the pic, but it's hard to tell. I just installed mine last week and it does that for me. I can't get the lap part to lie flat. It's rock solid and doesn't move laterally even in the slightest so it seems fine, it just seems like it shouldn't pucker/bunch like it does.

Yep, mine bunches as well. Tried like crazy to get it and there was no way it was going to stay flat once I actually pulled the belt really tight. Seat won't budge at all so I'm satisfied. Latch system is only good up to a certain weight and you gotta go the belt method. I think I read on the Recaro manual that once the chid hits 40lbs you should use the belt instead.

[///M///]

Originally Posted by psedog

Another view

Awesome. Thanks a lot.