What child seats for a 911 - Help please!

[uktrailmonster]

Rob R said:

Thank you all for your support and encouragement thus far. You've clearly gone through some pain yourselves in trying to overcome this and your assistance is going to get me in strife with the 'boss'!

Car seats-aside is a 2003 / 2004 996 Carrera C4S (Tiptonic) with 50-70K miles circa £22-24K a good place to start my Porsche career? I've read that early 996's can suffer oil seal problems.. but this mainly applies to 2002 models and earlier ???!!! ...One can read too much!

I think a 996 C4S is a great place to start. The potential engine issues are seen in all 996 C4S model years unfortunately. But I wouldn't let this put you off though, I think it's a great car.

[DJFish]

At present we've got a Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix in a 996 cab.
It goes in the back ok (rear facing) leaving the wife with little legroom but it's ok for journeys up to about an hour.
It also goes in the front (rear facing) with the airbag de-activated for Daddy & Daughter drives to the duck pond.
I've taken all the seats out of the back to maximise room for seats and buggys etc, we've got a Petite star zia which fits nicely behind the drivers seat(I won't fin in the front boot even with the wheels off, I should've got a Zapp, missus wanted the Zia)

However that's where it all goes wrong!

I also sourced a Porsche Junior seat (fwd facing) but the other half didn't like the cushion arrangement as she read somewhere that it wasn't as safe as a harness, so I sold it.

I bought a Nania Trio for use in the Porsche (fwd facing)and also to take on holiday with us as it fitted Easyjet's specs for use on board (fwd facing), it cost peanuts from Asda but its rated to R44.04 so can't be that bad, plus we used it in the hire car (rwd facing) while on holiday.
The problem is that now the other half is convinced that anything forward facing is the devil and "unsafe"

The reason for the rear facing mania is that we've bought the nipper her next size up seat, a Klippan Triofix which is the D's B's in terms of seatage, and is currently rear facing in the family wagon until she gets too big for it and we turn it round to be forward facing, but although I've yet to try it I doubt it'll fit in the back of the Porsche and would obscure the side mirror if it fits in the front.

Ironically the woman at the car seat place said the cushion arrangement on the Porsche seats is just as good as a harness, if not better in certain circumstances.....

Anyway the wifelet is convinced that anything forward facing is "unsafe" so I've got until the nipper can't squeeze into the Cabriofix anymore to come up with a solution....

I suspect the solution may be to buy a Cayenne.

[Rob R]

thanks DJFish - and I thought I had problems!!!

How old is your little one? Devil or no devil; my three year old would be pretty unimpressed if he was looking at grey leather for too long.

[pontypool]

This is my 17 month old in the back of a 996 Turbo and she is quite happy - although not sure it would be great if my wife was very tall as the seat does have to go right forward.

I bought the seat second-hand from a 911UK forum member whose own children had outgrown it. It is a Mamas & Papas of some variety with authentic chequered-flag motif

- - -

ETA - oh look...500 posts! Didn't envisage owning a small child or a 996 turbo when making the fist post 96 months ago.

Edited by pontypool on Thursday 24th May 18:35

[scrutineers]

The Mamas and Papas Pro-Tec was recommended to me when I bought my 996 C4S. It fits perfectly in the back seat.

[Rob R]

thanks all - the core criteria is being able to put two kids (aged 1 and 3) forward-facing in the back of a 996 cab (most likely).

Several of you seem to have managed to have one in the back - would two work?! I'm 5ft 9 and the missus 5ft 7 so hopefully we'd have enough space for our legs as well the kids' (?!)

[monthefish]

Yes, that'll be fine. Just make sure the kids have their shoes off so they don't scratch the nice hard backed seats.

[cp996]

Recaro young sport fits nicely in the back of C2 996 and 997.

[PhilD]

Here are my two kids aged 3 and 2 in the back of our 2003 C4S, the right seat is a Mamas and Papas Pro-tec and the left seat for my son is a Britax kidfix, this was taken a year ago so now my son has now moved to a Halfords booster which fits well, but my daughter is still in her pro-tec. I have taken out the seat base and back, but I am not convinced the seat is a much better fit because of it. It sits slightly further back, but there is less support for it.
The pro-tec wasn’t available new when we looked, so ours is from ebay, but there should be plenty still around in good condition. I know another Pistonheader with a one and three year olds with two of these in the back of his C4S. Shewie, got any photos?

[Carl_Docklands]

Rob R said:

Hi all,

Similarly if anybody has an stories about why I might be bonkers to contemplate such a car with young kids I'd like to hear from you before I splash the cash!

There is no crash test info on the kids-seats in the back of a 911. Probably for good reason.

I don't think you are bonkers (i have a 3 year old in my boxster), just make sure the missus is aware and you both agree its ok.

[Paul O]

Carl_Docklands said:

There is no crash test info on the kids-seats in the back of a 911.

I don't think there is any crash test info done on Porsche's at all, not just child-seat testing. Something about being low production so they don't have to / need to go through NCAP tests.

[Rob R]

Thanks again folks - PhilD your two look pretty happy with life!

I note yours is a hard top - would there still be as much space with a soft?

[PhilD]

Hi Rob, I don't think there would be as much room in a convertible as there is in a coupe and certainly with less rollover protection and no option for a wind deflector for them I thought a coupe was a more practical proposition. I do miss getting the roof down in this weather though having come from a Boxster.

As for the kids, they love going out in 'Sally Carrera'. Recently they have taken to waving at everyone we pass and saying 'see you at the finish line', as of course a C4S is the quickest car ever and everthing is a race!

[Rob R]

Thanks Phil - certainly food for thought.

I've just had a call from a very helpful chap at SBS. He assures me that for kids 15+ Kilos then the Maxi Cosi SPS Roadi fits fine or for kids under 15 kilo then Mothercare's Concorde Ultima. He was not sure about Ricaro's Young Sport being an alternative to Mothercare's CU.

I'd need top check my spelling for the exact names of the models but I hope that helps anybody else who may be having similar thoughts to me - NB his words not mine though!

[footsoldier]

What ages of kids fit well in the back of a 911?

I have a range of 4, from 2-9. I'm thinking about trying a 997TT over the summer, and it would be good to be able to take a few of them out with me sometimes! Had an Evora last year, and it was ok, without kids seats for the 4 and 6 year olds, but that was the limit.

I'm currently sized at 5'7", so don't need the driver's seat too far back....

Can't find answer using search, thanks.

Edited by footsoldier on Friday 8th June 00:20

[Triple7]

As long as you don't have bucket seats you should get 2 kiddies in the back.....

[PocoLoco]

For ages 3+ the new Maxi Cosi Ferofix fits perfectly in the back of my 991 (coupe).
It is an Isofix seat which may not suit all models however.

Just my two cents...

[Rob R]

... right... got the car... settled on an '05 997 C2S in the end and v pleased with it... now need to get the kids in the back before the missus sanity checks my decision! I had thought that the 996 was most likely but anybody got any up-to-date advice for the 997 please? Kids are now aged 3 years 3 months and 18 months... both need to face forwards! Thanks

[pete]

A Maxi Cosi Tobi will fit perfectly for the 18 month old. I've got one for my 14 month old in my 996, and it's rock solid with just the rear seat base removed; should be exactly the same fit in a 997.

Pete

[mohitos]

pete said:

A Maxi Cosi Tobi will fit perfectly for the 18 month old. I've got one for my 14 month old in my 996, and it's rock solid with just the rear seat base removed; should be exactly the same fit in a 997.

Pete

I'm also looking for a child seat for the back of my 996 for our 8 month old. I read that the Max Cosi Tobi sits quite high up (the plastic base is tall and the design is to allow children to see out f windows).

Does that not make it too tall for the back?