What child seats for a 911 - Help please!

[Rob R]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to buy my first 911. However I have two young kids (aged 1 and 3) and it's a non-starter unless I can find car seats that fit securely in the back seats of a 2003/4 996 Carrera C4S.

I'd be grateful to hear from anybody with experience of successfully conquering this issue. I've found similar posts from previous years recommending advice but the car seats mentioned are no longer in production; so an update for 2012 with up-to-date make and models would be very much appreciated.

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!

Thanks,

Rob

[Rob R]

Many thanks for your prompt responses JP and UKTrailmonster.

JP - you've clearly been through the baby tunnel and come out the other side - Perhaps I'd be sensible to wait a year or two.

UKTrailmonster - many thanks for pointing me towards the Britax. Does it only face backwards or will it face forwards too? Our three year old has a car seat that turns into a booster as he grows; so it would be good to try and get something similar to that as the kids grow so quickly! The Porsche-own seats are extortionate price-wise - a decent contribution to the a second-hand 996! It's a minefield trying to establish what will and won't fit.

Thanks again - much appreciated

[Rob R]

Thank you all very much and especially to supersport for the reassurance and offer of the seat.

My potential purchase is a little controversial with the missus already and the prospect of rear-facing car seats / heads lolling forward will not help my cause! It'll be short / fun trips only plus school pick-ups as we have an estate for the shopping!

I agree - this conversation needs to be revisited every year - the vehicles age but the car seats keep being updated.

Fortunately I'm relatively fit and 5ft 10; so access should be okay - there are advantages (occasionally) in not being 6ft!

[Rob R]

Thanks Nickd01 - I like the sound of the window option!

I'd be interested to know if you (and the other contributors) have a hard or soft top. I'm thinking about a soft top and so this may impact on the kids headroom as I know some of those Maxi-cosi seats have enormous bases(?!)

The seats need to be forward-facing otherwise they won't pass the missus-approval test!

[Rob R]

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!

[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.

[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' (?!)

[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?

[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!

[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

[Rob R]

Poshfpg said:

RobR: Where did you get to with the seats? I also have a 2005 997 C2S Cab and am considering putting my 2 1/2 year old twins in the back for pottering about town rather than taking the estate all the time. Sadly I'm 6'5" so legroom won't be great for one of them but I'd like to try as I know they'd love it, especially in this weather!

Thanks

Hi,

Sorry for slow reply. Have just picked your message. Firstly mine is a hard top rather than a cab and I believe (rightly or wrongly) that the rear of the cab seats are angled very slightly forwards in comparison. Therefore my own experience is pointed at the hard top and you should double-check they still work in the cab. However Maxi Cosi was the way to go. Tobi for forward-facing babies in a 3 point harness and the Rodi (air protect) which sits neatly on the rear seat and makes use of the conventional seat belt for the child's security.

Our kids are now 2.3 and 4 years old. My daughter was squashed in the Tobi sat behind me (the Tobi sits a long way forward on the rear seat) and I am not blessed with your height (at 5ft 9); so I moved her to the rear seat behind the passenger seat where there is scope to move the front passenger seat forward. The Rodi sits fine behind me and my four year old has ample leg room. It would be your call at 2.5 years whether your twins could manage OK in a Rodi as there is much less support for them than in a harness seat. Should be better within the year though!

Hope that helps. Let me know if you need any more info.

[Rob R]

Lol - I did wonder when I saw the pic - at least you're honest to admit your woes! .. Only one thing for it.. Nipper in the front (remember to disengage air bag) and OH in the back.. Don't blame me for the wrap though!!

[Rob R]

Hi all,

It's nearly two years since I first addressed this issue and it causes me great amusement to think how many of us have had to think about solutioning a fix to such an important problem along the way! Pleased to see that it continues to be of interest / use... I'm not yet sure what I'm going to do once the kids legs get too long!!

Rob

[Rob R]

Have you tried a Maxi-Cosi Tobi? This worked for me and others in the thread and I believe is still available (check the place that is never knowingly under sold online)! Will do to around aged 4. Dimensions may have changed slightly over time. It was snug to fit however once in it was rock solid and didn't wobble or need adjustment other than periodic checking.

Maxi Cosi Rodi is the next size up and again fits very well (providing dimensions haven't changed in the past two years).

Good luck and let me know if you need more detail