2nd row bench and Car seats

[VinceL]

Yeah, you'll have to buy one like harlenm indicated. Good news is, as your little one grows, you just take the seat, change its angle and flip it around and you will be good until booster seat time

 

[tiresmoke]

We actually have a convertible seat as well. (The one we are using is a Graco.) But it's YOOGE so I haven't installed it backwards... I was waiting until he outgrew the one he's in and then switch the the convertible front-facing. I guess I should see how it fits. *sigh*

 

[harlenm]

We actually have a convertible seat as well. (The one we are using is a Graco.) But it's YOOGE so I haven't installed it backwards... I was waiting until he outgrew the one he's in and then switch the the convertible front-facing. I guess I should see how it fits. *sigh*

Yup, they are enormous. I'm going to go to babies r us and find the smallest convertible as the one I have will only work good for a few months.

It's a horribly designed car for car seats. My friends Kia Sorrento, which has much less room in the back seat for an adult, has more usable space for a car seat. In my opinion, the seats in the second row are too high, which is what is causing the problem. I loved the sliding seats in the Acadia. I still may end up in one depending on how my lemon law hearing goes.

 

[VinceL]

Yup, they are enormous. I'm going to go to babies r us and find the smallest convertible as the one I have will only work good for a few months.

It's a horribly designed car for car seats. My friends Kia Sorrento, which has much less room in the back seat for an adult, has more usable space for a car seat. In my opinion, the seats in the second row are too high, which is what is causing the problem. I loved the sliding seats in the Acadia. I still may end up in one depending on how my lemon law hearing goes.

It is funny that you mention the 2nd row seats are too high, because that is exactly why I find them so comfortable. We looked at the Acadia's brother/sister Traverse, and we didn't like it because the 2nd row seats were too low to be comfortable. They did move WAY back, and the leg room was nice, but I felt like I was sitting on the floor.

 

[harlenm]

It is funny that you mention the 2nd row seats are too high, because that is exactly why I find them so comfortable. We looked at the Acadia's brother/sister Traverse, and we didn't like it because the 2nd row seats were too low to be comfortable. They did move WAY back, and the leg room was nice, but I felt like I was sitting on the floor.

My second row is either used for 2 car seats or folded down for cargo. It's this way 95% of the time or more. The back seats of the explorer are incredibly comfortable, but I'd rather have more room for car seats.

 

[tiresmoke]

I'm not going to go so far as to say that it's "horribly designed". I understand that you've got some serious beefs with the Explorer and Ford considering your lemon law case (and I certainly don't blame you for feeling that way). However, I looked at the Highlander, Venza, CX-9, and Murano. I also shopped a bunch of sedans a little while back. Vehicles in general are not very conducive to rear-facing car seats. I don't think there was any more room in any of the other vehicles I looked at.

I know you mentioned earlier that you had more room in the Acadia, but as much as I like that vehicle, it's also a few thousand more dollars than I paid for the Explorer (especially in Denali trim, like you're looking at). I also think of the Acadia as being a fair bit bigger than the Explorer (on the inside, not so much on the outside) -- almost to the point of not even being in the same class. It rides on a wheelbase that is half a foot longer and weighs 300 lbs more. There is also substantially more cargo room in the Acadia (both in total and just behind the 3rd row).

I'm not sure that dropping the seat height for the second row would help that much. It would make a difference for people who angle the seatback of the front seat a lot. For people who keep it relatively upright, it wouldn't affect it that much. Plus, I'm sure there are many more people who use the 2nd row for uses other than rear-facing baby seats than those who do... it's probably not a comfort sacrifice that they felt was worthwhile.

Like I said, I don't blame you for having a grudge against the Explorer considering your experiences. However, I tend to view vehicles (of nearly any size) that do not have adequate room for a car seat to be the norm rather than the exception.

 

[harlenm]

I actually believe that a 4 door midsize to full size sedan has the most back seat space for car seats. My previous car, a 2009 Mazda 6 could easily fit any rear facing car seat. I am not completely biased against the Explorer, I like it, but it has it's issues. I'm expecting my case to be resolved around middle of October. Not sure when the new Acadia Denali will be available, but if all goes well, I will have a 2013 Explorer, but owe about $32,000 on it. If that is the case, I should be able to get a fair amount for trade in to use as a down payment for a new car. Or I might just keep the Explorer assuming everything works right. Biggest complaint I have about the current Acadia is the lack of of the tech that the Explorer has. And I don't really like GM for political reasons, and I'm not sure if I would trust a early build date of a new model from them.

 

[harlenm]

Jere is a pic of a Truefit rear facing, with the upper part removed(the upper part is for forward facing or rear facing over 22lbs, which I don't need now). It fits comfortably this way, less so with the upper part installed, bit still not bad. Its a nice seat, and I highly recommend them.