[Guest]

Hi,
Does anyone have experience using a child car seat in the back bench seat
of an F-150 extended cab (particularly a '94). Mind you, not crew cab. I
don't have the full seating to work with. Is it safe? Is it unsafe? Is it a
really bad idea to try it? I am completely new at this (first baby on
his/her way), so please be honest. I'm not keen on trying to sell the truck
to get another vehicle, so if I can deem it safe that'd be great. But I
don't want to kill the kid because it's too inconvenient for me to sell the
truck.

Next question... does Ford make a mini-van with rear-wheel drive like
Chevy Astro? What other rear-wheel drive mini-vans are out there? I prefer
domestic vehicles (Big Three in Detroit), even if they're made to last just
long enough to leave the dealership, which seems to be the case anymore.

Thanks for any help.

Mike W.

 

[Guest]

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 22:35:22 GMT, "M White" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hi,
> Does anyone have experience using a child car seat in the back bench seat
>of an F-150 extended cab (particularly a '94). Mind you, not crew cab. I
>don't have the full seating to work with. Is it safe? Is it unsafe? Is it a
>really bad idea to try it? I am completely new at this (first baby on
>his/her way), so please be honest. I'm not keen on trying to sell the truck
>to get another vehicle, so if I can deem it safe that'd be great. But I
>don't want to kill the kid because it's too inconvenient for me to sell the
>truck.

Newborns get strapped in backwards and will stay that way for several
months. Not sure where you are, but the local Highway Patrol here
will have info on properly securing your little ones in your vehicle.

I was in the same boat 12 years ago and ended up selling my pickup and
buying a 4Runner. That was plently big enough until kid number 2 came
along, then I bought a Suburban.. (Biggest piece of crap I've ever
owned)

> Next question... does Ford make a mini-van with rear-wheel drive like
>Chevy Astro? What other rear-wheel drive mini-vans are out there? I prefer
>domestic vehicles (Big Three in Detroit), even if they're made to last just
>long enough to leave the dealership, which seems to be the case anymore.

Not that I'm aware of.. I think all the mini vans these days are
front wheel drive to create more room in the passenger compartment. I
think of the Astro as a mid-sized van...

Thankfully, I was able to avoid the whole mini-van issue as my wife
wouldn't be caught dead in one. hehehe

 

[Guest]

Not sure about a '94, but I have a '99 F-150 Lariat extended cab (both back
"half" doors swing open). I used a carrier with my daughter in it with no
problem, save one. Due to the shorter back seat, and the fact the infant
seat must face towards the rear, they are a lot longer that way than a
booster or front facing seat. So, you have no choice but to put the seat in
the middle so that the carrier will end up partially slipping in between the
two front bucket seats. Now, I found this actually to be nice because it
brought my daughter closer up to us, allowing us to have easy access to her,
as her head was located about equal to the middle of the front seat backs.
(Besides, the middle is the safest place in the truck). A disadvantage
(besides that you can only fit one, so no go if you have twins!) is that if
your back doors don't open, it's a pain in the neck (or back!) to get it in.
Hint: Try to find a light weight (not cheap) seat. I (stupidly) got really
nice Eddie Bauer seat that matched the trucks interior, but it was as heavy
as a SOB. I couldn't imagine trying to lug that thing in and around without
a easy access back door....

Congratulations and good luck...

Scott

"M White" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> Hi,
> Does anyone have experience using a child car seat in the back bench
seat
> of an F-150 extended cab (particularly a '94). Mind you, not crew cab. I
> don't have the full seating to work with. Is it safe? Is it unsafe? Is it
a
> really bad idea to try it? I am completely new at this (first baby on
> his/her way), so please be honest. I'm not keen on trying to sell the
truck
> to get another vehicle, so if I can deem it safe that'd be great. But I
> don't want to kill the kid because it's too inconvenient for me to sell
the
> truck.
>
> Next question... does Ford make a mini-van with rear-wheel drive like
> Chevy Astro? What other rear-wheel drive mini-vans are out there? I prefer
> domestic vehicles (Big Three in Detroit), even if they're made to last
just
> long enough to leave the dealership, which seems to be the case anymore.
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> Mike W.
>
>