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Jeff M
Dodge Dakota
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1/19/2004
11:08:51
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 Subject: Extended cab/carseat?
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Hey, I have a generic question. I'm looking at buying an extended cab Dakota, as I love Dakota's. Me wife and I just found out she's pregnant. I'd rather buy an extended cab than a quad cab. Does anybody know if a carseat can fit (safely) in the backseat of an extended cab? Or should I just buy the quad cab? Any advice is appreciated.
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Tibbs
Dodge Dakota
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1/19/2004
14:28:17
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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Can a carseat fit in an extended cab?
Yes.
But do yourself, and your relationship with spouse, a full seat favor and buy the quadcab. Because although the carseat can be wedged between the window and front seat of an extended cab, you will then be left searching for other nooks and crannies to shove the diaper bag, carton of stuffed animals, multiple Fisher Price 'please make it shut up' style toys, four pacifiers, two teething rings, blanket, pillow, drool rag, bib, sippy cups, and ten gallon bottle of aspirin and accompanying vat of No Doze.
Besides, when you're out on the road after spending three sleepless weeks of offspring bladder patrol, you'll find the backseat of a quadcab has plenty more room to sleep in. Welcome to parenthood, where BUY BIG is a lifestyle sentence, not a choice.
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Matdie
Dodge Dakota
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1/20/2004
02:15:14
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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I would research this very carefully. In MY OPINION,
1. An extended cab Dak rear bench area doesn't have a large enough crash/crush zone. This means that in an accident, during the "ride down" the seat MAY come in contact with the front seat. This could cause a greater decceleration and MAY increase the risk for injury.
2. The bench may not be deep enough to adequately support a rear facing seat.
3. The infant MAY be difficult to get to in a hurry.
I have a 2 and 4 year old and researched car seats and vehicles carefully. I've got a Britax Roundabout LATCH, 2 high rated Coscos (LATCH) and a top rated Evenflo with LATCH. The Britax is the best. I have an 01 Quad Cab 4x4. The Coscos are in it and they are very snug using the shoulder belts and top tether - they move about an inch side to side. The Britax and Evenflo are in my wife's Audi A6. Using LATCH and the top tether, these seats can't be moved at all - I mean when you push and pull them sideways! LATCH rocks - they are easy to install and remove. For the first 6 months, I had a rear facing infant seat (the kind with a handle that you carry it with) with a base that stayed in the car. It wasn't that secure. Then we went to the Britax from 6-14 months. It was better, but side impacts worried me 'cause you could move the seat side to side more that an inch. Rear facing is best for this reason: More accidents occur when you hit something - another car or an object also the crumple zone is greater when getting hit from behind leading to a longer "ride down". An infant's spine and neck are not as strong and still developing - in a frontal crash the rear facing infants' neck and spine are better supported. Front facing infants face a greater risk of serious injury. In Sweden, the law is rear facing until like 4 years old.
The Quad Cab and extended Cab gets a 4 star rating for the front an rear seats in a frontal impact. The Quad cab gets a 5 star rating front and rear for a side impact. The extended cab only gets a 5 star for the front as the rear couldn't be tested, my guess is that the instruments would fit. Daks are safe rides. Here's the link:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/NCAP/BASC2002/suv2.html
You can google more on car seat and vehicle safety.
My recommendation: Get a Quad Cab with LATCH (03 or newer) and a Britax Roundabout - it can be rear facing until a year or later, then switched to forward facing - this is known as a convertible seat.
Again, as I said before, this is only my opinion (albeit based on research and experience). Please research this carefully - your children are worth it!
Good Luck and Congratulations! You are about to embark on a rollercoaster ride!
I hope that this isn't too much information.
Maddog
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bman42
Dodge Dakota
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1/20/2004
07:56:44
|  RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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JeffM:
I agree with everyone else , you may not want a quad cab but you'll be glad you got it. I went out looking for an ext. cab also and stumbled across a good deal on a quad cab. it has been 100% fantastic to have. plus, similar to your situation, we are also expecting and it will be MUCH more convenient with the quadcab.
enjoy!!
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Jeff M
Dodge Dakota
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1/20/2004
08:58:08
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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Thanks a lot for your advice guys. That's much more info than I expected, I really appreciate it. That's probably enough info to convince me to get the Quad Cab. One thing that I never thought of was how difficult it would be to get the baby out of the back of an extended cab in a hurry, in case of an accident or fire. We will most likely be in my wife's car 95% of the time with the baby. The truck is more or less "mine". But with the 5% of us together, or me picking up the baby etc... I never would want to compromise safety at all whatsoever.
Thanks again!
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Lurkin
Dodge Dakota
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1/20/2004
08:58:54
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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Jeff, great advice from all above. Tibbs description of all the sh-tuff you'll need was quite entertaining (...and true!), and Matdie's safety notes are great
You should seriously consider the QC if possible, as parenthood will change your outlook on quite a few things.
Putting car seats into the back of extended cabs, or anything 2 door, will turn into a pain over the long run.
My wife and I started with a standard cab pickup and a 2-door Honda, as we, like you, prefered the 2-doors. Within 2 years we had traded for a 4-door Honda and a 4-door SUV. It doesn't take too long, and if you are not in a position to trade when you are tired of the hassle, you may want to look as far forward as possible. Especially if child #2 comes along :-)
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neo
Dodge Dakota
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1/20/2004
10:52:39
|  RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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I was in that same situation .. I have 2 kids a 1 and a 2 year old .. my wifes car was supposed to be the baby mover so I got an extended cab well now the wifes car is dead . Now the truck has to play the family vehicle role .
Everything they have said is dead true . I would LOVE to have a quad cab right now it is a pain to get the kids in and out .. And dont get me started on how hard it is to get the seats in and out and buckled in .... Go with a QC TRUST ME !!! I wish I had !
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2004
00:38:18
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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I bought a CC 2 years ago and wished I went for the QC since my wife is expecting the second one in a couple of months. The CC worked with the baby seat in the back, wedged in between the 2 front seats, but with another one on the way, it's going to be impossible for all of us to go in the truck.
Remember the days when the folks would throw us in the back of the station wagon and go barreling down the road. Kids crawling all over the place, no seatbelts, car seat what? A dog would run out into the road, dad would jam on the brakes and little Billy would get thrown around.
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Cdawg
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2004
18:48:06
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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I bought the CC planning for a baby and it does work, but is tight. my wife sits in the back with the baby. You do however, on any truck want the car seat wedged tight against the front seat. If You can afford it, get the QC but the CC will work.
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Matdie
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2004
23:52:11
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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Wedging the carseat against the front seat should be safe but please insure the the correct angle of 45 degrees is maintained and that the seat is secured with the vehicle belts or LATCH system. The 2 POSSIBLE problems I see are: the accident could cause the passenger compartment to buckle (pretty serious although survivable) or the seat back breaking (not very likely).
Even though it seems that it is wedged in tight, during a collisions, the forces are very high. An example is that I use soap to get in to my waterski and board bindings but I sure come out of them fast when I biff.
Here's a great link if you are interested:
http://www.car-safety.org/carguide.html
My .02
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Doug4.7
Dodge Dakota
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1/22/2004
10:51:59
| RE: Extended cab/carseat?
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I agree with everyone to get the QC. It is great for kids (and still a lot of fun for Dad). On the sh-stuff listed by Tibbs, you only need that for the first one. By kid #2 or #3, you have learned to go with a travel package of wipes, 2 diapers, and one pacifier. That set can handle any emergency (I know, believe me, I know). I now use the BIG diaper bag (the one we got for #1) for my camera gear. I've left it in public places and no one will touch a diaper bag.
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mia pron khal
Dodge Dakota
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12/20/2018
20:33:33
| SidTLBIAcBzjCN
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A6yeJB Thanks-a-mundo for the article post.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
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