is-fan

Does anyone here have car seats installed in their IS350? I'm just wondering how well they would fit with my kids, and how comfortable my kids would be with the limited leg and head room back there. I have an 8 year old and a 6 year old, and both are in car seats now. Is there enough head room in the back seat of the IS350? Those seats raise them up quite a bit. How about leg room? I've done the measurements, and it looks like they will fit okay, but I just want to know if any other forum members have had experience with this.

Thank you very much. Anyone with information to help, please let me know.

mir

My daughter is 4 and a half. She sits in car seat. Yea, it does raise the height a bit. But she is fine with some room to spare on top. The limited leg room is an issue with adults over 5' 9". I do not think that is an issue with kids. Definitely not until they are teens.

I have a 250 not 350. But their legroom/head/shoulder room specification are identical.

moggli

I have a 3 and 4 1/2 year old. We usually use our van for family outings. The kids do not enjoy the Lexus much, especially with the poor vision out the side windows in the back because of the high belt line and small windows. They are OK for short trips, but the leg room limits longer rides (especially with there shoes scuffing the back of the front seats).

cancellino

I have a three and a half year old girl...her seat is in the middle (because she is my only one and it is the safest location). There is less room in the back than my audi, but she is comfortable and I can get her in and out easily; she doesnt seem to mind. As she gets older, I think it will be a problem, but I have plans on getting an X3 next year (in addition) they have much more leg room. As far as head room and leg room there seems to be pleanty, but I am only 5'8". If I was taller or if my passengers were it would be tight.

Revman

cancellino,

Not flaming here, but it's my understanding that the middle is not the safest place for a car seat. The thinking is that if the seat releases in a head on, there is nothing there to stop it from going through the windshield.

Revman

cancellino

Never thought of that...hmm. I realize child safety here is the most important and had the seat installed by people certifed to install child restraints. There is always a chance that the seat could fail (God forbid) and if it were up to me I would have it on the sides so that I could benefit from lower restraints. If you have seen the post of saftey crashes, our cars do really well with side inpact, but I have more baby mama drama that I care to admit and well long story short...if you can convince her mother of the same...I would pay you what I have paid in legal fees just to watch.

I appreciate the comment though...it is something to think about and a good point.

Evitzee

I'm ignorant, but when do kids graduate from car seats? I would have thought by 8 and 6 yo they would be out of car seats. Just curious as to what the standard operating procedure is these days. We've come a long way, when I was a kid there were no seatbelts and we would horse around in the back seat, often laying on the back parcel shelf.

kilo6_one

iTrader: (2)

I sold my IS becasue of the size, the car seat fit in the car but my wife is 5'10 and when she sat in the front becasue the seat is facing backwards she did not have much leg room. also toss in the stroller, all the babies gear it was not a comfortable trip.

anyway my situation is an extreme one, once the baby is old enough to face forward it should not be that much of an issue.

The other problem was the door height, my wife found it too cumbersome to get the baby into the car.

anyway they fit, but thier are alot of factors involved besides the intial fit in myopinion.

kilo6_one

iTrader: (2)

DOT is worried about side impacts, and if the latch system is in the car which it is, it is stronger then any lap belt accross the seat. They have done many tests on these things and the middle is the safests. However DOT and consumer reports have rated the seats that have removable bases (infant) as the worst kind and in 25mph tests the top portion of the seats have been known to seperate and fly through the front window, so in reality thier is no real safe location for a baby seat. The seats that failed were basically everyone except the britax brand.

kilo6_one

iTrader: (2)

depends on the state, i know CHP here enforces the law until they are 1 year old or 20 pounds, they also check the manfacture date on the seat itself, i did not know these things have experation dates but they do. that is why they do not ever recomend buying a used seat. Think about it, the seat sits in the car in the heat and over time the plastic becomes brittle and can break at the mounting points.

again it depends on the state, and i know in california thier is regulations, that state where a childs seat in a car can be located based on the type of car and age and wieght of the child.

llamaboiz

ROFL, better you than me pal I actually listened to the 'old men' when they'd say, 'Dont get married'

kilo6_one

iTrader: (2)

nothing wrong with being married, you just have to find the right woman.

axis77

well i have a 3 year old and it is a tight fight when we all pack up in there. Now the 3 year old sits in a carseat facing forward and the space is pretty snug, depending on who is sitting in the passenger seat. THe IS is not the best car for kids but its manageable. I think that my '04 TSX had more room in the back then the IS.

CarlitosPR

iTrader: (1)

I have a 3 month old boy and the leg room its a tight fit wit the car seat base so i began to use it without it and use a seatbelt tighting tingy to be safer. no complaint and my uncle who is a safety managment specialist give me the thumbs up so im relaxed now with a little more space.

FiveOhNine

Graco snugride rear-facing in the center and it is, as the name implies, quite snug. But you know what....that's what the wife's car is for.