Baby seat in 3 door

Mesa

Mesa

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Hi all. I've been trying my best to buy an 8l S3 but have a baby due any day/week now. This obviously means the dreaded car seat issue. In an ideal world I'd buy a newer S3 sportback, but they're too much monies.

The seat base could happily be left in-situ but I'd like to know owners opinions on how easy (hard) it would be getting the seat with baby in, in passed the front seats.

currently got a revo stage 2 5 door 1.8T but needs money spent on it, so would rather upgrade.

Thanks for the input.
Rob
 
I don't own an s3, but have an a3 1.8t with full leather interior. It's soo easy to fit a seat in there, seats fold forward and give plenty of room. Seat belts are plenty long enough for any conventional car seat.
i bought the recaro young profi seat, fits in both the front and rear of the car no problem (although the front you can't turn off the airbag)
 
Sounds like I'm not a nutter considering a 3 door then.

:)
 
Mesa said:
Sounds like I'm not a nutter considering a 3 door then.

:)
Click to expand...

You are a nutter indeed. The S3 Recaro's are chunky, I had to transport a newborn jojo jnr in my S3, getting him in the back is not an easy task, with a travel system installed in the car. It's not impossible, but I would keep the 5dr personally, if you value your and your other half's back, it really is a mission. Also, the S3 has a smaller boot compared to a non quattro A3, so make sure the push chair fits! If you can live with it, then go for it! My fatherly advice is to buy a more practical car, it will make sense a few more years down the line! I'm fortunate I could still keep my S3 and run a Passat Estate as the family work horse.
 
Agghh oh no.

(maybe two cars might be the option lol)
 
I've found getting the seat past the recaro's can be a challenge and when have had my nephew in the back found the belt wasn't long enough to reach round the seat so had to take the base of the seat out on the passanger side and sling it in the boot

Got to say I'm yet to discover how much of a pain it will be with my own but I'm sure will be any day now ;)
 
well im currently running a a3 3door with full leather and getting the recaro young profi plus in is easy with plenty of room as all the seat moves forward, however i bought myself a s3 not so long ago and to get a infant carrier in the back is a pain in the **** as with the s3 recaros the whole seat does not slide forward once tilted. i am lucky that both my girls are now in fixed car seats :-D
 
AVLO said:
well im currently running a a3 3door with full leather and getting the recaro young profi plus in is easy with plenty of room as all the seat moves forward, however i bought myself a s3 not so long ago and to get a infant carrier in the back is a pain in the **** as with the s3 recaros the whole seat does not slide forward once tilted. i am lucky that both my girls are now in fixed car seats :-D
Click to expand...

The S3 seats do move forward when tilted, it's just yours is broke. I'm sure my passenger seat slides forward, but my drivers one is broke?

Stand to be corrected though.
 
The S3 seats do move forward when tilted, it's just yours is broke. I'm sure my passenger seat slides forward, but my drivers one is broke?

Stand to be corrected though.[/QUOTE]

oh right jojo sorry i didnt realise this, im sure they may not be too bad then getting a car seat in the rear.
 
AVLO said:
oh right jojo sorry i didnt realise this, im sure they may not be too bad then getting a car seat in the rear.
Click to expand...

They are mate, trust me. And it's worse if you are taller than 5ft 4", and a bit wider than average. You'll need a few sessions with your local chiropractor.
 
I did it and still do 3 years on, we had the quinny travel system, maxi cosi cabriofix with the isofix base, fitted fine and the buzz 3, had to clip the wheels off to get it in the boot, but when it was flattened in their you could easily pile stuff on top of it.

Hope that helps, bear in mind im tiny so not too much of a prob for me,but if you are tall or wide it could be a bit more of a task.
 
Yeah and he has glittery rims! Anyway, back on topic. Occasionally we have to put the kids' seats in my S3 when the family bus (C4 Grand Picasso) is being serviced etc. Our kids are now 5, 4 and 2 so it's just a case of getting the seats in by themselves. The bigger seats are fine because they're actually lighter and are hinged in the middle, but the smaller seat is a bit of a nightmare because it's quite bulky and is more difficult to belt into place. Certainly not impossible, but I wouldn't want to have to do it every day.

Once they're in, the kids love it. Nice to get some requests to "drive faster Daddy" and "can we go past Captain Slow now Daddy?".

However the sticky fingers on the windows and the shoes on the back of the Recaros stresses me out!
 
You still growing then mate? Sure you were shorter than that the last time I saw you. "Aah, hasn't he grown...!".
 
Oi!

I didnt mention that the car seat was for me...lol
 
If its your only transport, why would you not just fit the seat once and leave it in place?


Of course the more sensible option is to buy a bigger car, S4 Avant would go nicely :)
 
Some interesting opinions, appreciated many thanks.

The seat base would be fixed but it's the actual leaning in and clipping into the base which sounds like it would be an issue. At least I'll be able to use the decent width parking spaces.

The other issue which was raised was the reduction in boot space. The pram we have only just fits in the 5 door as it is.

It's sounding like I should probably stick to a 5 door, which is a shame I think the 3 door look so much sleeker.
 
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