baby seats in a defender

[pgtips]

Following on from the "I would never sell my defender" thread... I'm hoping not to have to sell mine. Is there any reason why you can't fit a babyseat in the front of a defender? I'm alerady resigned to losing my Boxster, but don't want to have to get rid of the Def if I can help it. Has anyone had a similar issue?

thanks

[Fane]

It depends on the age of the baby, and the body style of the Defender. If it's a newborn in a rear facing seat, I see no issue with it being in the front. Forward facing seats are fine as long as the Defender only has front seats. If it's a station wagon, the nipper will have to sit in the back.

[Lefty Two Drams]

Fane said:

It depends on the age of the baby, and the body style of the Defender. If it's a newborn in a rear facing seat, I see no issue with it being in the front. Forward facing seats are fine as long as the Defender only has front seats. If it's a station wagon, the nipper will have to sit in the back.

Why would the child seat have to go in the back of a station wagon? I realise you don't mean the side-facing seats but the "middle" row of a 110 SW. Why can't a forward facing child seat go in the front of a 110 SW?

[300bhp/ton]

Lefty Two Drams said:

Fane said:

It depends on the age of the baby, and the body style of the Defender. If it's a newborn in a rear facing seat, I see no issue with it being in the front. Forward facing seats are fine as long as the Defender only has front seats. If it's a station wagon, the nipper will have to sit in the back.

Why would the child seat have to go in the back of a station wagon? I realise you don't mean the side-facing seats but the "middle" row of a 110 SW. Why can't a forward facing child seat go in the front of a 110 SW?

+1

[cpas]

I would prefer my kids to travel in the front seat of my Defender than to be anywhere in a 20 year old Saxo or other small 'mum' mobile you see on the roads!

[pgtips]

Thanks - that gives me some comfort! The baby is due in June (the first one) so I'm gong through a car rationalisation process (losing a saab conv and a boxster) but trying to keep the Def 90 (and buy a Disco 30. There are side benches in the back of the Def 90, but can't see that would change whether baby sits (rear or forward) in the def 90.

[Hooty]

pgtips said:

Thanks - that gives me some comfort! The baby is due in June (the first one) so I'm gong through a car rationalisation process (losing a saab conv and a boxster) but trying to keep the Def 90 (and buy a Disco 30. There are side benches in the back of the Def 90, but can't see that would change whether baby sits (rear or forward) in the def 90.

Keep it and buy some of these forward-facing child friendly load area seats.

http://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/index.php?option=com_c...

[mvalek1]

had exactly the same dilemma recently. in the end i decided that the 90 would have to go as it would be a right pain to try to get all stuff + wife etc in and out via the back door of the 90. dilemma was solved perfectly, by buying a 110

[300bhp/ton]

mvalek1 said:

had exactly the same dilemma recently. in the end i decided that the 90 would have to go as it would be a right pain to try to get all stuff + wife etc in and out via the back door of the 90. dilemma was solved perfectly, by buying a 110

+1

my parents had a 110 as did my Aunt and Uncle. They make great family vehicles IMO.

[Hooty]

300bhp/ton said:

mvalek1 said:

had exactly the same dilemma recently. in the end i decided that the 90 would have to go as it would be a right pain to try to get all stuff + wife etc in and out via the back door of the 90. dilemma was solved perfectly, by buying a 110

+1

my parents had a 110 as did my Aunt and Uncle. They make great family vehicles IMO.

+1. I have a 110 and 3 kids and a dog and we all get in fine. Mine's one of the new models with the front-facing rear seats in.

[boobles]

What year is your Defender? Try here.

http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/fit-finder

Edited by boobles on Wednesday 3rd March 15:44

[Fane]

Lefty Two Drams said:

Fane said:

It depends on the age of the baby, and the body style of the Defender. If it's a newborn in a rear facing seat, I see no issue with it being in the front. Forward facing seats are fine as long as the Defender only has front seats. If it's a station wagon, the nipper will have to sit in the back.

Why would the child seat have to go in the back of a station wagon? I realise you don't mean the side-facing seats but the "middle" row of a 110 SW. Why can't a forward facing child seat go in the front of a 110 SW?

Well bugger me. For the last 7 years, i've laboured under the false impression that what I said was correct, and carried my son around in the back of various Land Rovers. Having checked this website Child Car Seats , I appear to have been talking out of my arse. Sorry!

[boobles]

Should have just asked me, could have saved you 7 years!

[Lefty Two Drams]

PH knows everything!

The seats in the front of a truck cab / hardtop are identical to those in an SW.

[jhfozzy]

Fane said:

Well bugger me. For the last 7 years, i've laboured under the false impression that what I said was correct, and carried my son around in the back of various Land Rovers. Having checked this website Child Car Seats , I appear to have been talking out of my arse. Sorry!

The rear seats thing is maybe due to it being law in some states in America. In California I believe it was any children younger than 4 or 5 and under a certain weight must sit in the rear seats.

Also, a lot of the studies I have read say that the rear seats are the safest for children (or anyone for that matter) and that is where my little one (due in ten weeks, ) will be sitting.

[gibbo37]

You could also give this site a try;

http://www.maxi-cosi.com/ot-en/carselector

[Fane]

Actually, in my defence, the RoSPA site I linked above recommends that children in forward facing seats should sit in the back wherever possible. Even though it mentions this in connection with passenger airbags (distinctly lacking in the defenders that i've driven), I still think it's good practice. I confused recommended practice with the actual law.

[Lefty Two Drams]

I've had a few landies over the years:

'83 series 3 109
'68 series 2 88
'93 Defender 110 SW
'95 Defender 90 van

The last one was the series 3 109 and I never took my son out in that on the road. We now have a baby (5 months old) and "The Boy" is 3 and I'm considering a 110 SW.

I know that child/baby seats are legal to use but how well do they actually fit in the middle row of seats in a 110 station wagon? Our baby seats is feckin HUGE!

Ta

Lefty.

[boobles]

Lefty Two Drams said:

I've had a few landies over the years:

'83 series 3 109
'68 series 2 88
'93 Defender 110 SW
'95 Defender 90 van

The last one was the series 3 109 and I never took my son out in that on the road. We now have a baby (5 months old) and "The Boy" is 3 and I'm considering a 110 SW.

I know that child/baby seats are legal to use but how well do they actually fit in the middle row of seats in a 110 station wagon? Our baby seats is feckin HUGE!

Ta

Lefty.

Does yours have to go in the middle? If it does, you will have to buy a smaller child restraint that does fit.

[Lefty Two Drams]

Do you mean the middle seat or the middle row?

I had planned (if I buy one) for wife and I to be in the front, 3 year old and baby to go in the outer seats in the middle row and dog in the back