An Is250 With Baby Seats?

[solirossi]

Im looking for an is250 at teh moment. However i have one concern about them. The room in the back seats. My wife is pregnant so we will need a baby seat in one. Are the rear seats managable enough with kids? It just seems really squishy back there and I thought this would be the place to find out if people find the rear seats roomy enough and also what the boot space is like with prams and stuff.

And also does anyone here transport bikes with their is250? I ride a fair bit and will need to transport bikes so either a tow bar rack or roof racks?? This is the main reason iv been tossing up between an is250 or a liberty gt wagon. I thinkn iv settled on the is250 but your feedback would be great. Im probably looking at a prestige with EMV.

Thanks.

[ProjectIS]

Hi mate,

Look, we have two cars in the family. One of which is an SUV and it is our main family car! The IS250 is mine! That being said, I carry a full sized baby seat in the boot and on the odd occasion I will pick up my 3 year old or we will all go out in my car as a family. (2 kids) in the back. Plenty of room. Only thing is that my 3 year olds feet can touch the front seat if I have it tilted back. Nothing a damp cloth can't fix! The EMV is a mandatory as my daughter loves her Hi5 DVDs in the car! The chicks dig it when Im cruising through town with some Hi5 Tunes cranked on the ML lol!

If you look at some past topics you will notice a few on Bike transport via Tow bar attachments and roof racks. (Please don't do the roof racks to the IS250)!!! I don't want to see your car in the spotted section for the wrong reason!!!

On another note, looks like an awesome season of F1 ahead of us next year! I will carry this convo on via the PM's! Webber was definately a chance!

[solirossi]

ProjectIS you have definatley made me feel welcome by remembering our previous conversation. And just quickly withouut hijacking this thread, the 2010 season will be great. Webber will be right up there again. I just hope Newey and the RBR boys make another good car.

I am thinking we could make it work as a friend of mine has a sc430 and has 2 kids that they take around in it!

When it come to roof racks well i was leaning towards a tow bar set up but this is250 aint too bad!!

And on the emv. I take it there is a simple hack that allows you to play dvd's when the car is in transit? Or is that a standard feature?

[GSaad]

Hi mate,

I use baby seat in the back of my IS and there are no issues. I place the sit in the middle to prevent any kicking going on with the front seats - also the safest place in the car for a baby seat. Also have no worries with placing it in the boot.

Just one word of advice, make sure you purchase the car seat with a mat that goes underneath. This way you will protect your leather and prevent any dents the baby seat might leave.

Really easy to install as well with the harness points on the rear shelf.

In terms of the pram, make sure you test it in the boot before you purchase. Some of the them can get rather bulky which might cause issues when trying to put them in the boot. I own a Quinny which folds really well and fairly flat.

Good luck with the new baby

[ProjectIS]

Yeah, I do remember most of the convos that I have had here on the forum. Even who posted what posts!

As for the DVD hack, yes, the hack is a standard feature now'a' days! Ha! ;) (Plenty of posts here on the forum when you are ready)!

In my opinion, and GSaad verified it, no issues with the seat. Good point with the mat. I just keep a blanket in the boot for when I install the seat!

I am about to ditch the child seat and go with a booster. I will let you know how that goes!

Roof racks???...............................nice ride!!!!...................................roof rack??

And yes, the RBR team have two good drivers and their cars are quick. No refueling next season, interesting!

Mclaren will dominate though! Ha! Sorry!

[solirossi]

Ha yes I remember your misguided views on McLaren!!! ha ha, just kidding. It will be very interesting though as there are 2 things that i think will make Lewis have to adapt in this new season. One is the no refulling, this will mean tyre management will be even more of an advantage and the second is the introduction of narrow front tyres, this will mean you wont be able to lean on the front tyres as much. Lewis arguably leans on his front tyres more than any other driver, case in point Hungary 08 where he had to 3 stop as he could not make his fronts last a race distance with only 2 stops.

That said he will adapt and I am pretty confident that even though the new regs should suit Jens, Lewis will come out on top. Either way im just hoping Macca make another shed and RBR have another rocket ship!!! But in all seriousness it should be a great season.

I will definatly look at the hack for the dvd when i get mine. I put an offer on a prestige the other day, its pretty immaculate, 32k kms and has emv, he was asking 41k and i offered 35k. He said no but will get back to me. Ill keep my eye out for any others and let you know how it goes.

Also great point about mat for under baby seat, very good idea indeed. And the middle seat is probably good as the baby can see the dvd screen from the middle of the back seat as well.

[Art_76]

My two points:

In regards to the baby seat, my neighbor has a baby seat on the passenger side and the only drawback or inconvenience is he can't get the front seat back or laid back a great deal. Probably not a big issue if you are not travelling far but it is like sitting in an economy seat on an airplane.

Second point, in regards to some of the misguided views of F1, I think Button will have the measure of Hamilton and might actually beat him if the team allows it, Hamilton is too tough on tyres and with a full fuel load will have to alter his driving style to make the tyres last, whereas Button has a smoother driving style which as he demonstrated this season, is kinder to his tyres. Either way I am putting my money on Ferrari and Mercedes Benz / Brawn, the latter especially if the rumours regarding a certain M Schumacher prove correct.

[ProjectIS]

Solirossi,

I think the baby seat discussion is almost covered, but ...........................the F1 is far from sorted!

Im loving it! 3 different opinions on next year! Definately a discussion point for the general area boys because I can see that we are going to have conflicting views to a certain degree and I have alot to say!!

But I will quickly say, Art, I think that you are right to a certain degree with Button on tyres, and we know he can be quick due to some of the track time records that he holds, but...........Hamilton is too comfortable at Mclaren and being such a techinical driver, he has the ability to change style when needed. Shumie, publicity perhaps??? The new Merc Silver arrows should be a force to reckon with!

Im glad mr personality (Kimi) has left Ferrari!

Anyway, I will start a discussion in the general area fellas so to be continued!! ;)

[solirossi]

Yeah good point rer making a dedicated thread. Ill just quickly put up another off topic post...sorry.

Art I probably didnt say it how i meant all that clear but i basically agree that the new regs will favour Jenson, with his understeery and gentle style. However i think it will be a good test for Lewis to see if he can adapt. If they can both be in harmony with the regs then i cant see jens beating Lewis.

As far as Mercedes GP goes, i don thtink they will be all that good. Here is my reason. Brawns 09 car was developed by and with honda money. It was developed in 2 full sized wind tunnels and one 60% tunnel. It was by far the most heavily resourced car on the grid at the start of 09. Now the Merc 2010 car will have been developed, up until now, with no Merc money at all. It will have been developed by a small independant who has been in the heat of a championship battle. I see the 2010 Merc being a midfield car, once Mercedes money starts to influence the development curve then it will improve. Another point that supports this theory, if they were to be a front runner in 2010 they would have a stronger lineup than Nico Rosberg and an empty seat. Jens saw the writing on the wall and abiled at the right time.

I also doubt Schumi would race for MGP, he will be looked after at Ferrari for many years to come. I doubt he would jeapordise that for a run around in a f1 car. As lets face it, if he said to Ferrari im good to go they would make room for him, no questtions asked.

Either way its going to be a great season and cant wait to see how wrong i am!! ha ha.

[onnzo]

Im going to throw a spanner in the works.

I purchased the is250 before my wife got pregnant. My son is now 6 months old.

It was fine for the two of us and for the occasional trip with passengers (more a 4 seater rather then a 5).

Now with the baby seat in the back (I use an isofix mounted seat so it hs to be on the left or right) it is a bit tight. If I put bubs on my side (behind me), I am comfortable but I sit quite upright. Mum also get lots of legroom with the front passenger seat pushed forward.

With bubs in the left, the mrs doesnt have much room sitting behind me.

As for boot space, it fits our bugaboo but it folds up quite compact. With the basinette, it just fits in, but now that bubs is older and we have converted to the seat there is much more room. You can do a big shop and still have room in the boot with the pram car seat.

I have a liberty as well (sedan) and it is much more comfortable in the cabin and there is heaps more room in the boot. Bubs can sit in the left or right (again mounted via isofix) and there is plenty of room.

I am looking to change to a RX model when my lease expires in 1.5 years.

I recently purchased the next size up seat (for over 9kg) and it looks quite cramped in the back (when mounted behind me). Ill have to trial it this weekend as I only had it in briefly.

[solirossi]

Onnzo that is much appreciated. Its great to hear your experiance. Thats what is great about this forum, other wise id be going in blind but i can get feedback from people who are actually dealing with this stuff already.

I take it from your post that your lady sits in the back next to the baby? Forgive my ignorance as iv never had a kid but is that what is normally done? I was just under the assumption that you put the baby in the back and then both of the parents sit in the front. However I can see the conveniance of having mum next to bubs in the event that the baby gets upset etc...

ALso is your baby in a forward facing seat or rearwards?

As for boot space, it fits our bugaboo but it folds up quite compact. With the basinette, it just fits in, but now that bubs is older and we have converted to the seat there is much more room. You can do a big shop and still have room in the boot with the pram car seat

Just let me confirm, initially you had the bugaboo with the basinette and it was a squeeze, but now you have the bugaboo with a standard seat as the basinette is no longer required?

Its seeming like you can fit the baby seat and related parafenallia in to the car, however there is not much room for much else. So it will be possibly to make it work with the one kid but you will have to make sure that you get the right pram etc... so that it all fits comforatably. Where as a Liberty wagon will be a breeze when it comes to fitting everything in, however on thet daily drive to work where im just by myself etc... i will not be driving as nice a car, will have more power, but also lots of unneseccary space.

Man why is this such a difficult decision???

[onnzo]

When they are older you can leave them alone in the back but as a baby it is best to sit with them.

Our baby seat is rear facing, the next size up is forward facing.

Yep, the basinette is really only for when they are newborns and cant sit. It is more comfortable for them. We changed to the seat when he was about 3.5 months old and could sit up properly. With the basinette, it is a tight squeeze to put it in the boot, but with the seat, it is fine. Definetly make sure the pram you buy fits, alot of 3 wheeler prams for instance dont fold as compact and might not fit.

[solirossi]

onnzo, thanks for that.

Re your bugaboo, do you know what the model is? I have seen a few chameleons that look good. Would be handy to know what model you have as then i can be confident that it will fit. I also take it that its a 4 wheeler?

Cheers.

[onnzo]

Ours is a Chameleon and yep it is a 4 wheeler.

I haven't "driven" many prams, but it sure handles well and i definetly recommend it.