Family friendly 109 Series Rover

[Ncrover725]

I am looking to purchase a series IIa or III 109 Regular (3 door). I need to get my wife on board and she is worried about it being car seat compatible for our three year old. Has any one on here mounted a car seat in the cargo area either on the bench or jump seats? Are any mods required to make it a safer set up? We mainly would just cruise a bit around town and on some local trails. This is my first post on here so I appreciate all the insight and knowledge you all provide.

[xsbowes]

When my son was three, we'd put his seat in the front and my wife would sit in the jump seat right behind him.

[o2batsea]

It's gonna suck. Your access to the rear is only thru the rear door. 109 regular has a high bulkhead like an 88 so you can't hop over from the front. This means any time you need to tend to junior you'll have to stop, get out, go around, climb in, do your thing, and get back in again. Not that it can't be done just awfully inconvenient for all concerned. A 109 5 door isn't much better but at least there's no spelunking involved if the little one does a number two.
Coming up with a secure means of fixing the child seat sounds like a big engineering issue.

[SafeAirOne]

To my knowledge, there is no factory seating for the rear of a 3-door 109 that is safe to install a 3 year-old's car seat and also meets the seat manufacturer's requirements.

I certainly wouldn't attach it on either a jump seat or an inward-facing bench.

---Sorry, probably not what you want to hear.

[Cutter]

We use a car seat in the front, with my wife in the middle. Its ok but not great for long drives for her legs. My daughter is 1.5 so we are still able to use a large bucket, I'm thinking a convertible is going to be too big for 3 across. My daughter loves the Rover, goes bonkers in there.

There was a thread on here a while back about installing a jeep Fold and Tumble seat in back, several have done it. I believe GreenMeanie (going from memory so I could be wrong) welded up Latch brackets and attached a custom assembly to the frame. I would like to do something similar but for now my wife or I will sit in back, or take our other car.

EDIT: yep, here it is, though the photos are gone: http://www.roversnorth.com/forums/sh...ht=fold+tumble

[Ncrover725]

I appreciate all the advice. I might start looking for a 5 door to make it a bit more feasible.

[LR Max]

I drive and wheel a 3 door hard top. I can tell you that getting to stuff in the back is a significant pain in the rear. Unless you go hard top with that aftermarket bench seat, its gonna be dismal.

On the bright side, I can carry all my crap AND still sleep in the back. That is rather nice.

5 door might be what you need.

[o2batsea]

I appreciate all the advice. I might start looking for a 5 door to make it a bit more feasible.

Have Doug or Julien find you a nice 110 Tdi, as you can now bring in 1986 and soon 1987 Defenders.

[smukai]

Get a station wagon.

We have our daughter's seat mounted in the center position of the rear bench seat. She loves it.

We have yet to put our son in but he is only 3 weeks old at this point...the Land Rover may be a bit much for him right now.