Kids in Car

[beansnchips]

I've got 2 toddlers (2yo and 5yo) and hopefully an M3 at some point. I tend to do the school runs/driving and as a family only have 1 car so it gets used for every trip away from the house.

I was just wondering if anyone out there with young kids had any advice to share with kids in a Model 3? Things like, size/space, protectors for back of front seats, car seat issues...? Good or bad - would rather be prepared for them before pressing the go button.

Thanks in advance!

PS. Should I feel guilty that I have made my eldest obsessed about Teslas

 

[Christiez]

I too have young kids (1 & 4) and after 4 months of owning my Model 3 I've had no issues at all. I think rear seat protectors are a wise investment although yet to do so myself (if dirty shoes I just take them off!). What I do tend to do is put a towel underneath the car seats as they tend to dent the leather relatively easy. Think there's something proper out there that will do a better job though.

In regards to space, there's enough but struggle to get 5 in the car if both child seats are in. Plenty of boot space for trips away and always got the frunk just in case (I tend to avoid using it after stories of it getting stuck).

I guess my only frustration is my eldest wanting to have caraoke on all the time, listening to Disney songs!

 

[LukeT]

I guess my only frustration is my eldest wanting to have caraoke on all the time, listening to Disney songs!

Yup, try to stave off as long as possible the moment they realise they can choose what song to play.

 

[Christiez]

Yup, try to stave off as long as possible the moment they realise they can choose what song to play.

Haha, she's awful for it but the smile on her face makes the pain listening to it worthwhile. Her other favourite is rainbow road...

 

[UrbanSplash]

The isofix points aren’t the most accessible. Also wider car seats prove a bit tricky when finding the seatbelt clip. But loads of legroom. I’ve a decent seat protector.

 

[freekie]

Agree with Urban splash re the positioning of the isofix. I have twins just turned 6 years so we don’t need to put a buggy in the car. They love the car. We have put protectors under their seats. Hard pushed to get a 3rd person between them. We have the Swedish(?) Besafe seats. I haven’t been able to get rainbow road to work.

 

[Avendit]

We have bigger maxicosi seats for our 2 (rodifix??, Boys 6 and 8 now) and as the eldest is reaching the max for his seat (and a req to use it) the head rest is increasingly interfering with it (and can't be removed like almost every other car in the world). Just makes it very upright, but he doesn't seem to care.

It's bad enough that for day to day we just use a booster cushion for him and each long trip might be the last for the proper seat.

Other than that and what others have said it seems perfect. Everyone clamours to be in the 3 for shared lifts, because fart mode. Boys, gah.

 

[Cowpring]

I have three kids - five year old and twin three year olds. I love the Model 3 for kids, it's brilliant.

The accesability is good. Since there's no central pillar on the floor in the back (since the hand brake is electronic), it's easy for them to get in and out and move from side to side in the car to get to their seats.

I find the ISOFIX points great. While they arn't quite as accessable as they are an an Audi (which has plastic moulded ISOFIX brakcets around the point sticking out of the seat), I actually find them easier to use than in my other car which is a Renault Senic and designed for families/kids. For some bizarre reason the ones in the Renault are buried within the seat fabric, takes ages to fumble around to click the seats in. In the Model 3 its super easy in my opinion. I use a belted seat in the front which works great too as there's no ISOFIX point there - there's just two in the back.

The rear seats can take quite a beating, and hold up well. Not had any tears or anything and they clamber all over the seats regularly. Easy to clean too, which is a plus.

The space in the boot is good, I can fit a scooter, balance bike and full size kids bike in there with loads of other stuff.

My kids love the panormic sunroof, and Peppa Pig is great when we're stuck in traffic or not moving for a bit of time.

They also love entering the PIN which they have all now memorised. Perhaps i'll have to change it when they get to 17 to avoid joy-rides.

 

[Adopado]

The rear seats can take quite a beating, and hold up well. Not had any tears or anything and they clamber all over the seats regularly. Easy to clean too, which is a plus.

... oh, the thought of it ... I'm shuddering ... children should be securely swaddled (up to the age of 19) in a large blanket and then tightly strapped into position. In extreme cases gagging may be appropriate ... in a caring and loving way, of course.

 

[Medved_77]

Any recommendations for protectors/mats to go under the car seats?

 

[nufan]

A Cybex Gold Solution S-Fix seat works well here.

Comes with plastic guides for the two Isofix points (I cannot honestly remember if I used them). The packaging included some white high-density plastic-foam - which I cut to shape to go under the seat to reduce pressure-marks. If you buy off Amazon - click through colours as one is often much cheaper. Have three distributed around family cars.

Seat can be belt-held in the front if you ever need to do so.

Great car for kids. We played spot the electric car beforehand, and he was dead chuffed when got one. Ditto on Spotify/entertainments usefulness.

I fear the day he learns the PIN - easy to put in gear compared with a manual and crash via pedal? Although being left in a car alone for ten minutes at the supermarket might be a practice now confined to the 80’s!

Obviously the back door/window lock function is good.

Press the go button - you’ll have no regrets - other than giving the kids food that crumbs-up the back seat!

 

[beansnchips]

Thank you all. Some really useful tips here and some which I would have expected. I'm not one of those that fret too much if things get muddy/spilt etc (although prefer they didnt) but kids will be kids and I pick my battles!

 

[freekie]

Any recommendations for protectors/mats to go under the car seats?

We use the Diona Ultra Mats.

 

[freekie]

A Cybex Gold Solution S-Fix seat works well here.

Comes with plastic guides for the two Isofix points (I cannot honestly remember if I used them). The packaging included some white high-density plastic-foam - which I cut to shape to go under the seat to reduce pressure-marks. If you buy off Amazon - click through colours as one is often much cheaper. Have three distributed around family cars.

Seat can be belt-held in the front if you ever need to do so.

Great car for kids. We played spot the electric car beforehand, and he was dead chuffed when got one. Ditto on Spotify/entertainments usefulness.

I fear the day he learns the PIN - easy to put in gear compared with a manual and crash via pedal? Although being left in a car alone for ten minutes at the supermarket might be a practice now confined to the 80’s!

Obviously the back door/window lock function is good.

Press the go button - you’ll have no regrets - other than giving the kids food that crumbs-up the back seat!

Lol - we have now banned crisps in the car. The mess was something else!

 

[drewpost]

We have these seat protectors under the seats: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MXQJWRA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

and these to help guide the ISOfix bars in
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004L5LKZE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_q1lMN8vHbkYYO

 

[Jez_GB]

Thank you all. Some really useful tips here and some which I would have expected. I'm not one of those that fret too much if things get muddy/spilt etc (although prefer they didnt) but kids will be kids and I pick my battles!

If you do decide to press the button remember to ask someone on here for a referral code

 

[.jg.]

We have a child and a dog, so I use a dog hammock on the back seats - this hangs from the backs of the front seats, heads into the footwell and then completely covers the rear seats. I mount the child seat on top. There were already holes for the seat belt anchors but I had to add some more holes for the isofix points. I also use plastic isofix guides, bought from Aliexpress. This has coped with everything, except sticky fingers on the windows.

 

[Avendit]

We have a child and a dog, so I use a dog hammock on the back seats - this hangs from the backs of the front seats, heads into the footwell and then completely covers the rear seats. I mount the child seat on top. There were already holes for the seat belt anchors but I had to add some more holes for the isofix points. I also use plastic isofix guides, bought from Aliexpress. This has coped with everything, except sticky fingers on the windows.

Oh gawd, the sticky fingers on the window :-(. Why? Why WHY? Can you just NOT please? Damn kids :-(

 

[Daverh]

For some bizarre reason the ones in the Renault are buried within the seat fabric, takes ages to fumble around to click the seats in

My parents had a Scenic years ago and I'm sure there was a small piece of the seatback, at the very bottom, that was held on with velcro to allow easy access to the isofix points.

I used to use a seat protector but gave that to my wife after hearing of people's seats being stained by the base of the protector. I'm currently using two faded towels folder under the seat and hanging down as the front.

 

[LK06]

The mirror we have to attach to headrests isn't ideal for the model 3 as you can't get the straps under and through like normal. So it's not particularly secure. Has anyone found a decent headrest mirror that can be secured properly?

Additionally we found the car seat protector (Rovtop Car Seat Protector... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075K7MJ2K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) we bought wasn't quite 'tall' enough for the model 3 back seats so I would avoid this specific one if your looking.