Noob wants to participate in this:

http://audi.meetup.com/68/calendar/5213573/

I want to bring my 2.5yo but have no idea how to deal with the carseat. I seriously doubt it fits in the back seat. Can I put it in the front and turn the airbag off?

 

I use to live in Colorado Springs, sorta miss it at times...

As for the carseat, mate, I guess that depends on your local state law about running with one in the front - but, yes, the ability to disable the passenger airbag was mostly for putting rear facing childseats in the front.

Always found it funny when I first got my TT and was reading the manual - that they advise no one taller than 4'11" should sit in the backseat for risk of head injury if you close the rear hatch on them... lol

At 6' even I've yet to sit back there myself

 

I tried it. Sitting back there, that is. I'm also 6', good build (185 lbs). Let's just say it's going to take years of therapy to forget that experience.

 

You guys are funny.

So, can I put a FORWARD facing car seat in the passenger seat?

 

Essentially, there's no reason you can't - unless local law prohibits it. I would disable the airbag too...

Just make sure you tension lock the belt - but you probably know that already... lol

 

I wouldn't... Isn't that really unsafe for the little guy (/girl)?

 

depends on age and weight, Racer. At a young age muscles are not fully developed and a quick even subtle snap forward of the head could result in permanent, even fatal injury. Unfortunately, in my line of work I see it too often...

If this is a newborn - less than 3 mos - no way a forward facing carseat (front or back seat) should be used.

 

He's 2 and 1/2 and we decided to scrap it. Thanks for all the help, tho.

 

Yeah, I would even go so far as to say that as long as a child can fit properly in one of those rear-facing seats, he/she should always be in one. We humans can sustain substantial g-forces pulling our heads and necks against a seatback due to our skeletal structure, but even minor jerks forward can throw us completely out of 'whack' (to be scientific about it).

I don't have any babies on the way yet, but time's going to fly by and before I know it I'll be married to my girlfriend of 3.5 years with a bun in the oven... I'm thinking like a paranoid father NOW, so topics like these interest me a LOT.

 

Hah! I'm probably gonna reverse my passenger seat for when she's pregnant :P!

(I know, you're thinking rear impacts... maybe I'll just encase her in styrofoam and give her a snorkel!)