Sportstick

Saving lives isn't as sexy as tinted taillamps for some, but it's a major reason some of us even considered MB. On this topic, please note the following from the 2009 MB C Class Owner's Manual

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/data/p...350sport_1.pdf

In the center column of page 63, under the LATCH heading, in parentheses, it indicates that LATCH is provided for the outboard seats and then goes on to say belts can also restrain a seat. It strikes me as odd that no mention is made of a third center position opportunity if that was the design intent.

UPDATE: I took the tape measure out to the garage. The outboard sets of attachments are 12" apart at their widest opportunity for both arms of a child seat to attach. The space in the center seat between the two outboard inner LATCH attachments is 13". So, the widest possible set of attachments on a child seat which could have both arms secure in an outboard position is not wide enough for both attachments to attach to the car's hardware, if positioned in the middle. It seems Audi may have out-thought Mercedes on this one.

NickCats

Very interesting. There are indeed verbiage differences between the 2008 and 2009 owners manuals :

2008

p55 - This vehicle is equipped with two LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
type anchors (at each of the rear seats) for
the installation of a LATCH-type child seat
with matching mounting fittings.

2009

p63 - This vehicle is equipped with two LATCH-type
anchors (at each of the rear outer seats) for
the installation of a LATCH-type child seat
with matching mounting fittings.

Thanks for posting a link to the manual. It appears there is indeed a difference between the 2008 and 2009 MY.

I wonder the reasoning behind the change ?

Nick

Sportstick

Probably got some feedback that folks thought they could combine the inner two attachment points to make a center one, and wanted to clarify. Easier to rewrite the manual than add two more attachments.

NickCats

Enjoyed the discussion on this topic. Here's some more information for those interested :

http://www.car-safety.org/latch.html

Nick

Sportstick

Enjoyed it as well. It is important. It was also nostalgic for when I worked for one of the Big 3 in the Vehicle Safety Office. LATCH was still a future proposal (called ISOFIX back then). I recall a meeting at GM's Tech Center where industry members reviewed different proposals to do a better "next-gen" job than just using belts. Chrysler had been trying out an integrated child seat in some vehicles, such as minivans, but it had limitations. Some of the early ISOFIX proposals used loops of cable! Eventually, everyone, along with NHTSA, agreed to a rigid anchor...and later the LATCH acronym was created.

rh71

top reason in my opinion for using an SUV or minivan when you have infants is that you don't have to bend down to situate everything. We have twins and doing that a few times a week for so many years until they get boosters is no fun. Of course the minivan is the most practical with sliding doors. There have been a few times where I had to pull out of a parking spot before we could open the door wide enough to throw the guys in. We just deal with it though.

MBnewby

It is kind of a pain getting the rear facing carrier in/out of my C350 due to lower ride height and smaller door opening compared to a crossover vehicle. My car is not the primary kid hauler for our family though so I can deal with it. If I was driving the kiddos everyday I would go back to a CUV for sure.

clkcadet

As an update I'm about to pull the trigger on the C

The GLK is about $150 more per month and the C300 4matic just makes sense

My friend has one, and I tried the rear facing seat which worked out fine. The back seat is actually a tad larger than my current a4. The front seat is more comfortable than the a4 as well.

After the summer we will be switching to the forward facing seat so then we shouldn't have a problem with the front seats

Chi-Benz

Great choice. My son went from rear facing to now front facing (he's 3 now and I've had my car for a year or so) and it's never been a problem. He'll kick the back of the seat sometimes but it just wipes off pretty much. Funny thing is he could reach the rear seat roof lighting buttons and would turn them on and off. In his new car seat now he can't do that because he sits much lower and can't reach. Good luck on the new C, you'll really enjoy it. I have more than any other car before. It's almost perfect.

clkcadet

Thanks!

Any suggestions for the first forward facing seat?

I love the one benz has but the price is too high

Sportstick

According to Consumer Reports, Britax Diplomat or Roundabout up to 40 pounds; Evenflo Triumph Advance LX/DLX was tops to go above 40 pounds.

NickCats

I picked up the Britax Roundabout ( didn't even know it was highly rated on consumer reports ) and I am very pleased with it :

http://www.britaxusa.com/car-seats/roundabout

Bought it on diapers.com for $180.00

Nick

AMGTTV8

man, I don't even have a kid yet (need to get the wedding over with first) and you guys have me looking at car seats already!

lol

sebydeleon

I have three kids :8, 4 and 2 year olds . They fit well in the c class. I use a front facing seats.

raceway

Just curious, once a carseat, either rearward facing or forward facing, is installed in the rear middle seat, is it possible to seat another two adults in rear seat?

We are planning to have a baby. So I just wonder when our parents visit us, whether we can drive them around together with our baby in our C.

omgitsjoe

I've driver with my nephew using a carseat forward facing and 3 adults without any issue. The adults sitting on the outside of the rear seats arent large adults but were comfortable enough

raceway

That sounds good. Thank you.

NickCats

I concur. When my in-laws are visiting from Texas, the four of us and my daughter ( in a forward facing car seat in the rear middle ) all fit in the Benz without any issues.

Nick

Oscarmr

im EU driver and we have ISOFIX in our cars - i hope -US driver has this great feat. also?

NickCats

Yes, it is called LATCH ("Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children") in the United States :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isofix

Nick