Bleck

In convincing my wife that I should purchase a new Corvette, the subject of future children came up. I told her it would be no problem, I could turn off the passenger air bag, and strap a child seat in the passenger seat to drive the tike around.

I'm thinking about purchasing a C6 Grand Sport coupe, have no kids yet, and have no child seats. So I could buy something specific to the Vette if that's what it takes.

Question is: do child seats actually work in a C6, and are there any restrictions I should know about?

Can anyone solve my stupid question?

-Dave

Current Ride: 2005 Volvo S60R
Past Ride: 2001 Z06
Future Ride: 2011 Grand Sport (I hope)

TMyers

I carry my grand daughter in my C6 all the time, she loves having the top off. The only thing I don't like is that the C6 does not have the child seat safety lock. Maybe the newer models do.

janicept

Wow. I don't have or want kids myself and would not think about letting any in the vette while it's moving. Of course my niece gets car sick in her parents car so in mine.

Maybe an inexpensive third car would be an option. Especially if your wife likes the vette.

foremaw

There is an extensive section in the C6 Owners Manuals on child safety seats and restraints. There's a bunch of diagrams on how to set up the various seats. If you Google "C6 corvette owners manuals" there are numerous sites where you can get a PDF version and you both can read through it. Child seats are fine in Corvettes, the down side is its a two seater, only one parent at a time.

obxchartercaptain

I carry around 18 yr olds all the time without any problems....

EDinPA

I don't see how the young men you have in your car have anything to do with child seats.

Daytona Bob

Everyday.

It has to be installed with the seatbelt unless you have a Z06. I guess the removeable roof doesnt allow the LATCH system.

A Few notes

1. You won't be toting an infant around since that is rear facing.
2. At 1 years old and 30lbs you can do forward facing and the air bag disables automatically.

3. The car seat itself tends to "dig" in to your nice leather even with towels, mats, and other protective devices.

4. There is a hidden benefit to your wife - When she grows tired of the kid - you take kid for a vette ride - she relaxes - and your cruising in your vette = you still get nooky for kid #2

#4 is straight genius but only discovered when the kid is old enough to frustrate mommy (around 9months and older)

#5. Kid #2 means your selling it.

Corpsvette

I am with Daytona Bob in everything except the infant part. Seat all the way back and ensure the airbag is not triggered which it shouldn't unless your infant is baby Huey. I have people tell me all the time that state laws say kids must ride in the back. I will initially agree and then state that is only true if you have back seats. My boy is now 5 and moved up to a booster seat. He loves it and always demands the top be down. He has waaaayyyy more seat time than the wife.

ezrizer

The child situation in a Z06 leaves something to be desired but it can be done. I pass the belt through the lower section of the child seat and strap it in that way. Unfortunately there are no mounting points in the lower section of the passenger seat to easily snap in child seat belts. There is a mounting point in the back hatch area for the upper restraint but it really smashes down head rest. Make sure you put down a towel 1st before seeting the child seat onyour leather. My duaghter loves it and it gives us something to do that's just us.

cartop2

The smile on my grandkids face was pretty amazing. It can be done, do it right, and everyone will be happy except those at home.

When driving it alone, remember that mommy and the kids want you to come back home.

obxchartercaptain

[QUOTE=EDinPA;1574229684]I don't see how the young men you have in your car have anything to do with child seats.


Ok, I should have CLEARLY stated what I meant. Only a pervert like you would taken it the way YOU took it. Thats ONE.....

Vettin08

I've had the same kid in 2 different vettes. As far as the law in Texas, I BELIEVE the only law is the one stipulating age/weight requirements for a child/booster seat. I don't think there's any law about riding in the back or front (lots of cars and trucks w/ no back seat after all). Airbags are off automatically, so you wont have to remember the switch like you did in the C5. My kid is 55ish pounds and the bag is still off. She'll be 8 in January and is looking forward to ditching the booster seat.

BTW, I use a towel folded over about 4 layers thick for the booster, no damage/impressions into the leather.

doa24

I put my 8 month old in a rear facing car seat everyday in the front of my 2005. Its only a 4 mile ride to daycare. Mine has the latch system on it and I have a key to shutoff the airbag. Other than being a PITA to install every morning, it works great and she loves it.

I do get the occasional odd look tho....

DOA

peter pan

The wifey is out now with the 4 month old grandson that we have custody of and our Vette is a daily driver and no issues at all, the baby faces the seat and we have done this with all our grandchildren

RichieRich

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I was in exactly your position when I got my C6. Unless this will be your daily driver, you will never drive the car if you have a kid - I sold my C6 because I never drove it once we had our first kid. I have a company vehicle and my wife has always had a sedan. As someone mentioned, no fwd facing car seat allowed until the kid is one year old.

So until the kid is a year old, you can't take him/her in the car at all really. And obviously you and your wife won't be cruising around much (aside from maybe date night) without your little one. And...it's no fun babying the car because you have a baby in the car. Imagine getting pulled over for speeding in your Vette with a carseat in it. I'm guessing the cop would not have mercy on you (nor should he).

So as I said, if it's your daily driver and you can enjoy it to/from work, etc you might go for it. Otherwise, be prepared to be depressed as it sits in your garage.

I'll be getting another sports car at some point, but not until my little boys (currently 4 and 1) are a little older and can enjoy the car with me! It took me a long time to come to terms with that, but I had Vettes for 6 years before I had kids and a year after. There will be plenty of time to have fun with cars in years to come. Right now I'm enjoying my family and I'm ok with that. Got the wifey a G8 GT so at least I can have a LITTLE fun.

parkland_c6

I sit my son in it all the time. Had to wait until he was in a booster. I didn't feel comfortable with sitting him sooner in a regular baby car seat. I have a 2 year old daughter that can't wait...guess I'll have to deal with the battle when she hits the age for a booster!

Go for it, get yourself a Honda for family nights....that is what I did :-)

The Saint

Same here. Got an Accord less than a month after I bought my C6. No way I'd put my little girl in my Vette - she's way too precious to me. After seeing how unreliable my C5 was, I just don't trust that the airbag wouldn't go off unexpectedly.....

maddogbishop

Would someone please explain why the rear-facing car seat will not work in the C6? Thanks in advance.

Bleck

Thanks for all the good advice and experience. I too am worried I won't use the car as much once we start to have kids, but the traffic on my commute isn't very bad and the weather in Northern California is beautiful 8 months of the year. I commuted on dry days in my C5 Z06 and don't see a reason I wouldn't continue with a C6.

I plan to keep the Volvo for the back seat, AWD (for skiing trips), and for rainy season. Unfortunately, I've only got a two car garage and the driveway isn't large enough to park w/o blocking in the garage. So, the Volvo will end up on the street.

So, as long as I can find the car I want, or get a decent deal on ordering a 2011, it looks like I'm good to go. I'll be sure to put down some kind of protection for the leather to prevent damaging it when the young ones come along.

-Dave

EDinPA

If the air bag were to deploy, it would kill your child.

There is no way to shut it off completely short of unplugging it under the seat. I would be very concerned either way with the built in scale working properly.

I suspect there would be a good chance that if you put the seat in wrong and strapped it down tight with the seat belt, you could depress the scale enough to register as being over the critical weight and causing an unwanted airbag deployment that could kill your child. NOT WORTH THE RISK.