baby seat in Miata

Follow the instructions that came with the seat. If you don't have them, they might be (should be) available at the Graco web site.

Otherwise, sinch it down real tight and use a locking clip on the belt.

Considering that many of us grew up in an era of steel dashboards, no seat belts, cars with suicide doors, etc. and are still here to talk about it leaves me to believe that while safety is important, one can get a tab paranoid about it. The Miata is a safe car - it is nimble enough to avoid many accidents and even when it doesn't, it fairs rather well in frontal crash tests. A properly constructed car seat without a front airbag should provide sufficient protection. The other alternative is to buy an SUV, strap the infant seat into the middle of the rear seat and then hope you dont' suffer some kind of rollover incident since most of them don't handle well at all. Better to avoid then to wonder about the ability of the sheetmetal to protect you and your loved ones.

Tom

P B wrote:

The Miata manual covers it well. I have had my 7-year-old son in my 1990 Red (no passenger air bag) since he was 2. Just secure the car seat according to Graco's instructions AND use the locking clip on the belt.

I have never had a disapproving stare, yet alone a disapproving comment, about having my son in the car. I've even had people say how great it was.

I did have a roll bar installed (Hard Dog Hard Core) before I drove my son around, for my own peace of mind. I just felt better for his safety that way, and it looks great and stiffened up the car as well.

Matt

Move the seat all the way back, check your owners manual for any other instructions.

Huh? A loose dog in the back of a truck might kill you in an accident (as any other loose stuff of similar weight might).

I just can't see what the problem with a baby seat would be?

As long as there is no airbag (or it has been disabled), there should be no problem?

It fairs rather well in rear-end crashes as well. Just ask my now dearly-departed '91. (Rear-ended at a dead stop by a Nissan Pathfinder at

Regards, H.

Aren't you concerned about the trauma that your son will have to endur when your car gets rear ended and your brains squish out as the roll bar caves the back of your head in? 8-O

Just joking. I carry my kids (one at a time) around in my Miata, too (small rural town).

I've been thinking about a roll bar, but I think my head would hit the bar. I'm paranoid about being rear ended, since I can't really avoid that too well. (Ironically, the only wrecks I've been in are me rear ending someone else.) I commute 350-500 mi/week on 2 and 4 lane highways with Amish and crazy farmers' boys driving grain trucks. I'll probably die with the back of my head on a truck bumper and a horse in my lap.

Joe

Say, you don't happen to have any pictures of that online, do you? That's exactly how my last car met its demise about four years ago, and I still have people telling me that I'd be dead had it happened in the Miata. I'd love to prove them wrong.

Unfortunately, no. It happened quite a ways away from home, and I didn't have my camera with me at the time. The car held up pretty well I thought. Both my passenger and I were completely unhurt.

Check with your local Police and Fire Department. Several of the fire fighters on my department went through a 40 hour class on child safety seat installation. Maybe your community offers this service. Also I've heard some hospitals offer this service. I've watched a few of the child safety seat installations...they're a lot more complicated than when I had my two girls in seats, ten or so years ago...good luck...jim