5 months into my 991 C4S as a DD and family hauler
02-24-2015, 02:35 PM
#16
Race Car
I'd love to some pictures of your kids in showing how their legs fit when you are seated in the car, seeing that you are 6' tall. I'm 5' 9" and have a 5 year old and an 8 year old (small in stature). A 991 would have to be a daily driver for me. My kids are in seats similar to those pictured in your car. Can you tell us a bit more about the ages, how they fit in the car seats and how difficult it is getting them in and out?
Someone had suggested removing the seat back cushions so the car seats could fit 3 or 4" further back.
Someone had suggested removing the seat back cushions so the car seats could fit 3 or 4" further back.
02-24-2015, 03:57 PM
#17
Drifting
^ Do 8 year olds still ride in car seats? My kid's 20 something now, but she was out of a car seat at 5, and she's tiny. Have the rules changed?
I know because I bought a miata when she had just turned 5, and it never had a car seat in it ever.
Of course, this was in 94, when cars still had the full-strength, non-defeatable airbags, and my wife let me get a Miata specifically BECAUSE they finally put a pax airbag in it that year so our 5YO girl would now be safe!
I know because I bought a miata when she had just turned 5, and it never had a car seat in it ever.
Of course, this was in 94, when cars still had the full-strength, non-defeatable airbags, and my wife let me get a Miata specifically BECAUSE they finally put a pax airbag in it that year so our 5YO girl would now be safe!
02-25-2015, 04:29 AM
#19
Advanced
Thread Starter
Thank you all for the kind words! 
I keep screwing up the multi quote option so I'll just try to answer everyone here. I'm over 40; this internet thing doesn't come easy to me.
My last p-car was a garage queen and with this one I decided to use it as a DD and just let some things go and it's a completely different experience. I am completely jealous of RL's who have the capability of keeping garage queens because these cars are beautiful when they're clean. My current perspective with the kids is that I'd never get to drive my fun car unless I relaxed my standards. And I think they'll fit until they're 8 - 12 depending on how fast they grow.
NoGaBiker - that's an awesome picture of the Sisters! I hope you got a chance to get your bike out on our roads out here. There are some amazing routes.
The Cosco seat is the 5 pt harness booster seat and it's only $40 from Target or Walmart. It's a great seat and it fits perfectly into the 991 seat. Also the 5 pt harness means it's safe for any forward facing 2 year old on. I didn't remove the seat backs because it looked more complicated than in the 997's but the car seats would potentially slide back another 2 - 3" for additional leg room for the kids. There is a thread on 6 speed where someone outlines the whole process but it seemed more than I could handle and my kids fit right now.
Getting them in and out is surprisingly easy. I'm consistently impressed with how high the roof is when I'm leaning into the back seat compartment to put them both in. What's really nice is you can reach both of their belts from one side for both sitting and egress. Trust me, that saves so much time and angst vs. the minivan when getting them out: "GET ME OUT FIRST!!!" "NO, MY TURN TO GO FIRST"
I can actually unhook both their 5 pt harnesses without getting out of the driver's seat by just turning around.
As far as fit with the kids, the problem right now is that their legs are too short so they tend to stick out. If you look at the picture of my 3 year old, his thighs are too short so his knees are not fully articulated. The feet thus stick out a little further. I currently have to move my seat (being 6') forward an inch or two when one of them is behind me. The 2 boys do fight about who gets to be behind the passenger seat because when no one is there, I move that seat all the way up. My hope is that when they grow bigger, their legs will hang straight down. And I think people with older kids will attest that the kids fit snugly but just fine all the way to 8 in the back seats and with a height booster for the younger ones. As soon as they are heavy enough (44 lbs I think) I will put them in seat boosters only and they should have even more room.
I did put seat savers down below the car seats, although it's not completely necessary because it's not like I'm giving them snacks in the car. (But then there's potty training) The bigger issue is I let the boys climb in, so they are always standing on the center tunnel and leaving footprints on the nice illuminated doorsills. I also initially put these kick mats on the back of the seats.
They actually didn't work that well. The top strap isn't adjustable enough and because our seatbacks are tall, the kick mat ended about 2 - 3" above where their feet landed. If they extend their knees then their feet would hit the kick mat, but I didn't want to encourage that. In the end, I keep a towel on the floor and just wipe their feet as they climb in. If I'm feeling a little more protective or they're muddy, I remove their shoes. No scuffs so far, and I have the leather backs, not carbon or shiny plastic. I think one advantage is that the cabin is, um, a little more intimate so they don't have as much room to swing their feet.
So don't waste your time with these kick mats unless you are willing to customize them to get them lower on the seat.
For those with kids, it's really incredible to be able to share with them my love of the car. They're initial impression: "Daddy's car is LOUD". Now they always want to ride in it, and if you get the rev's above 6k, they start screaming their heads off in joy. And it's ABSOLUTELY AWESOME because it's exactly how I feel about the engine. But I'm not going to scream because I'm past the age where I scream in ecstasy. Unless of course it's during, um... never mind.
I keep screwing up the multi quote option so I'll just try to answer everyone here. I'm over 40; this internet thing doesn't come easy to me.
My last p-car was a garage queen and with this one I decided to use it as a DD and just let some things go and it's a completely different experience. I am completely jealous of RL's who have the capability of keeping garage queens because these cars are beautiful when they're clean. My current perspective with the kids is that I'd never get to drive my fun car unless I relaxed my standards. And I think they'll fit until they're 8 - 12 depending on how fast they grow.
NoGaBiker - that's an awesome picture of the Sisters! I hope you got a chance to get your bike out on our roads out here. There are some amazing routes.
The Cosco seat is the 5 pt harness booster seat and it's only $40 from Target or Walmart. It's a great seat and it fits perfectly into the 991 seat. Also the 5 pt harness means it's safe for any forward facing 2 year old on. I didn't remove the seat backs because it looked more complicated than in the 997's but the car seats would potentially slide back another 2 - 3" for additional leg room for the kids. There is a thread on 6 speed where someone outlines the whole process but it seemed more than I could handle and my kids fit right now.
Getting them in and out is surprisingly easy. I'm consistently impressed with how high the roof is when I'm leaning into the back seat compartment to put them both in. What's really nice is you can reach both of their belts from one side for both sitting and egress. Trust me, that saves so much time and angst vs. the minivan when getting them out: "GET ME OUT FIRST!!!" "NO, MY TURN TO GO FIRST"
I can actually unhook both their 5 pt harnesses without getting out of the driver's seat by just turning around. As far as fit with the kids, the problem right now is that their legs are too short so they tend to stick out. If you look at the picture of my 3 year old, his thighs are too short so his knees are not fully articulated. The feet thus stick out a little further. I currently have to move my seat (being 6') forward an inch or two when one of them is behind me. The 2 boys do fight about who gets to be behind the passenger seat because when no one is there, I move that seat all the way up. My hope is that when they grow bigger, their legs will hang straight down. And I think people with older kids will attest that the kids fit snugly but just fine all the way to 8 in the back seats and with a height booster for the younger ones. As soon as they are heavy enough (44 lbs I think) I will put them in seat boosters only and they should have even more room.
I did put seat savers down below the car seats, although it's not completely necessary because it's not like I'm giving them snacks in the car. (But then there's potty training) The bigger issue is I let the boys climb in, so they are always standing on the center tunnel and leaving footprints on the nice illuminated doorsills. I also initially put these kick mats on the back of the seats.
They actually didn't work that well. The top strap isn't adjustable enough and because our seatbacks are tall, the kick mat ended about 2 - 3" above where their feet landed. If they extend their knees then their feet would hit the kick mat, but I didn't want to encourage that. In the end, I keep a towel on the floor and just wipe their feet as they climb in. If I'm feeling a little more protective or they're muddy, I remove their shoes. No scuffs so far, and I have the leather backs, not carbon or shiny plastic. I think one advantage is that the cabin is, um, a little more intimate so they don't have as much room to swing their feet.
So don't waste your time with these kick mats unless you are willing to customize them to get them lower on the seat.For those with kids, it's really incredible to be able to share with them my love of the car. They're initial impression: "Daddy's car is LOUD". Now they always want to ride in it, and if you get the rev's above 6k, they start screaming their heads off in joy. And it's ABSOLUTELY AWESOME because it's exactly how I feel about the engine. But I'm not going to scream because I'm past the age where I scream in ecstasy. Unless of course it's during, um... never mind.
02-25-2015, 04:06 PM
#21
Drifting
^ Do 8 year olds still ride in car seats? My kid's 20 something now, but she was out of a car seat at 5, and she's tiny. Have the rules changed?
I know because I bought a miata when she had just turned 5, and it never had a car seat in it ever.
Of course, this was in 94, when cars still had the full-strength, non-defeatable airbags, and my wife let me get a Miata specifically BECAUSE they finally put a pax airbag in it that year so our 5YO girl would now be safe!
I know because I bought a miata when she had just turned 5, and it never had a car seat in it ever.
Of course, this was in 94, when cars still had the full-strength, non-defeatable airbags, and my wife let me get a Miata specifically BECAUSE they finally put a pax airbag in it that year so our 5YO girl would now be safe!
This is where my wife comes into things. She feels strongly that the kids should have the most protection possible from a car seat. She has reason to be concerned. 2 years ago she was t-boned in the rear driver's side door by a motorcycle. The door of her Honda Accord held but it was pushed in and there was glass everywhere. My daughter was in this position and her head was well protected by the side bolsters of the car seat. If she was in a booster, who knows?
From the pictures it looks like the OP's son's legs pointing forward (because they can't yet make the bend) mean the front passenger seat has to be quite far forward. That is why I had asked to see pictures of the kids seated with a driver in position. My daily driver is a 2013 BMW 535. My daughter sits behind me and I have to sit an inch or so more forward than I'd like to accommodate her legs when she has winter boots on. I get that travel back in the summer when she wears runners. My son sits on the passenger side because he needs a few more inches.
As soon as I can fit the kids in the back of a 991 (in car seats), I'll be off to the local dealer for a C4 (or C4S) and a set of winter tires. To make this a daily driver for me, I need to be able to fit both kids in the back for school drop off o the way to work. the rest of the time, our 2014 Honda Odyssey does family duty.
PS Even with a "PAX" airbag, I doubt my kids would be sitting in the front of the car. All of this is well and good (using a P car as a daily driver with kids in it) until someone makes a mistake. At that point, regardless of the fun I was having driving my 911, the safest place for the kids would be in my BMW 535. The accident in my wife's car proved that to me.
02-25-2015, 04:16 PM
#22
Drifting
PS Even with a "PAX" airbag, I doubt my kids would be sitting in the front of the car. All of this is well and good (using a P car as a daily driver with kids in it) until someone makes a mistake. At that point, regardless of the fun I was having driving my 911, the safest place for the kids would be in my BMW 535. The accident in my wife's car proved that to me.
I wouldn't be surprised if your daughter would have been a whole lot safer in the back of a 991 than in the back of your wife's 4-door Accord.
I'm not arguing, because I have absolutely no data about any of this; and maybe you do have such. I just don't see intuitively why the back of a 911 would be considered unsafe for kids. Uncomfortable, sure!
EDIT: for the record, no human has ever sat in the backseat of my current 911 since I've owned it. Previous ones? I can't say for sure but I don't think so.
02-25-2015, 04:22 PM
#23
Drifting
IIHS test always rate cars of similar size class for a reason. They point out that a small car with a 5 star rating won't do better than a Cadillac Escalade with a 3 star rating. I'm not saying it isn't safe to put a kid in the back of a 991, I'm just saying safety is one of the things I think about when I balance my fun with my kid's safety. That is why I was asking the OP about fit in the back of the car. If I can find a safe car seat that fits and my kids can live with the space available for their legs I'd get one. As it is, my 8 year old doesn't have quite enough space in the back of my 535.
02-25-2015, 05:07 PM
#24
Race Car
For those with kids, it's really incredible to be able to share with them my love of the car. They're initial impression: "Daddy's car is LOUD". Now they always want to ride in it, and if you get the rev's above 6k, they start screaming their heads off in joy. And it's ABSOLUTELY AWESOME because it's exactly how I feel about the engine. But I'm not going to scream because I'm past the age where I scream in ecstasy. Unless of course it's during, um... never mind.
My daughter Cielle has always ridden in daddy's Porsche's and every time I give the car more gas she says "Faster Daddy" or "Do it again Daddy!"...to my wife's roll of the eyes....haha!Thanks for the information on the Cosco car seat and seeing as Target is in liquidation mode here in Canada I'll see if I can pick up two.
02-25-2015, 05:16 PM
#25
Drifting
BINGO! My daughter Cielle has always ridden in daddy's Porsche's and every time I give the car more gas she says "Faster Daddy" or "Do it again Daddy!"...to my wife's roll of the eyes....haha!
Thanks for the information on the Cosco car seat and seeing as Target is in liquidation mode here in Canada I'll see if I can pick up two.
My daughter Cielle has always ridden in daddy's Porsche's and every time I give the car more gas she says "Faster Daddy" or "Do it again Daddy!"...to my wife's roll of the eyes....haha!Thanks for the information on the Cosco car seat and seeing as Target is in liquidation mode here in Canada I'll see if I can pick up two.
02-27-2015, 03:09 PM
#27
Rennlist Member
Beautiful car. Very unique and sharp! I have to ask though ... is it really that practical and safe to carry two kids around in it? I totally get the desire to not use this car as a garage queen but why not just get a cheap suv or something else to move them around in?
I would be very nervous about putting kids in the back seat of a 911, I feel like one side swipe, given how low the car is, could be very bad. Heaven forbid of course, but just thought I'd ask.
I would be very nervous about putting kids in the back seat of a 911, I feel like one side swipe, given how low the car is, could be very bad. Heaven forbid of course, but just thought I'd ask.
02-27-2015, 05:30 PM
#29
Drifting
Beautiful car. Very unique and sharp! I have to ask though ... is it really that practical and safe to carry two kids around in it? I totally get the desire to not use this car as a garage queen but why not just get a cheap suv or something else to move them around in?
I would be very nervous about putting kids in the back seat of a 911, I feel like one side swipe, given how low the car is, could be very bad. Heaven forbid of course, but just thought I'd ask.
I would be very nervous about putting kids in the back seat of a 911, I feel like one side swipe, given how low the car is, could be very bad. Heaven forbid of course, but just thought I'd ask.
02-27-2015, 10:01 PM
#30
Rennlist Member
