Newbie with a question about kids and 7's

[gasman]

Greetings all! I am very interested in purchasing a Seven in the near future. I have a 5 year old who, like me, loves cars and there is no way I would be able to purchase one and keep him out. I know there are safer options out there, but does anyone here let their kids/grandkids ride? Is there a car seat that fits? Helmet for them yes or no? Would it be better to skip it and pick up a Miata instead? Any advice is appreciated since him not riding in it would be a make or break deal for me.

 

 

[slngsht]

If you're going to give him/her rides on a regular basis, I'd say go with the miata.

 

I started giving my older son rides in the seven when he turned... well... seven . He always wears a bike helmet in the car - mostly because the wind would bother him too much otherwise. I'm not sure if a bike helmet is actually safer for them, because even though it helps protect their heads, I'm sure the extra weight really strains their necks.

 

 

[oilteq]

Are you in a rural or suburban area where there is little traffic? If so, I would figure out a way to use a booster seat, and maybe strap him in with a multi-point hitch.

 

Do not test drive a se7en if there is a chance you will be stuck with a Miata (or almost anything else). I had a se7en before before I traded up(?) to an Elise. I wound up selling the Elise because it was too heavy.

[slomove]

I am with Slngsht. I also would not use a Se7en as daily driver transport for a child (actually I would not use it as daily commute vehicle myself). But I don't see really an issue with taking out a child of almost any age in an appropriate seat and with eye and ear protection in a Seven, given a proper driving style and reasonable roads.

 

Going out on major metropolitan freeways or other dense traffic would not count as reasonable. Otherwise I think a child may be safer in a very carefully driven Seven than in an aggressively driven Miata. I understand that restraint may be at times difficult in a Seven but you sure would not jeopardize a child pulling some stunts.

 

Go for it....but make sure first that a Seven is the car you want (test drives etc.).

 

Gert

[gasman]

Thanks for the replies. I live in a suburb of the DFW area. The Se7en would mainly be a weekend/fun car for me with occasional jaunts to work. I have a 4Runner for daily use. I'd only drive the boy around town (no highways etc). I had a Delorean for a few years and he loved riding in the front seat with me and cruising around town. I have since sold that car and have been looking around for a new toy. The Miata is a more practical choice, but the Se7en continues to sing it's siren song to me. Since Texas Motorworks is close by, I hope to take a test drive there. I just don't want to be putting my kid in undo harm.

[kitmfgr]

I pick up two of my six grandkids quite often in a Seven after school and they always ask me to do it again. Kids love Sevens because they are more their size, and open so their friends can see them in a cool car. I make sure they are strapped in a five point harness before we take off and never do anything stupid. Come by some time and take him for a ride. I do my best to stay off the busy highways myself, too many big trucks and soccer moms on cell phones.

[solder_guy]

25 mph around the neighborhood sounds ok ..

 

Rob

 

[WestTexasS2K]

My boy was 6 for his first ride. I used a booster seat with the 5 point. We go out to get icecream and I take him to school on occassion or pick him up from school. He likes riding in it. He usually wears sunglasses to protect his eyes but no hearing protection needed for slow speeds 55mph or so. I live in a realatively small town and traffic is pretty light. I dont know that I would want to be on I20 in DFW area with my kiddo in the car.

[Andrew]

I always used a Britax Roundabout seat for my little guy. I could secure it with the cars 4 point very well and he used the 5 point harness that was part of the seat. It all worked very well and we both enjoyed the time on the road. I always take the view that everyone else on the road is an idiot just as if i were on two wheels.

[gasman]

Thank you everyone for the replies. Now I need to get out there for a test drive. This seems like a great forum. I look forward to spending a lot more time here in the future.

 

 

[gjslutz]

My 7 year old grandson was 6 when I got the 7. I had him in a booster seat but felt better with him sitting lower W/O it. He was & is well belted in and wears eye protection. I pick him up at school on some Fridays & we do many drives in the country also. He also requires a flight in th A/C at least once a week with light acro. He loves both and is deeply interested in both.

 

Gary

[11Budlite]

That's one lucky grandkid Gary! :thumbs:

 

I've also taken my 5 and 7 year old niece and nephew out for rides and they love it! Belted in, eye protection, relaxed pace, light traffic, and driven extra defensively should be fine.

 

Bruce :7drive:

[tnttim]

I would not see any issue driving with a child in the car as long as you follow the simple saftey issues that is appearant with all cars.

 

Driving defencivly, as if your life depends on it.

Properly fitted seat and seat belts. Keep in mind that some states have booster seat laws that are so broad that even if you have a seat that fits the child so well the officer will still write you a ticket based on creating revenue for the city.

Keep your car well maintained. If you havent checked the contition of your front ball joints in the last decade you just might want to do that before you let anyone else in your car.

 

Talk about rules, "don't lean your head out", "don't touch the parking lever", "don't eat the bugs".

 

Other things play into that issue also,,, Does your car have a roll bar? Is it a full cage like an SCCA cage? Does the roll bar actually go to the floor or does it just sit on the top of the shock mounts behind the seat? Basically how well is you car designed?

I personally would rather take a well build 7 down the highway long before I ever take a Smart Car or an old Ford Festiva. If you ever want some proof of that poke around the video sites and watch some of the 7 crashes. I think that 7's have been around long enough that people have some pretty good saftey improvments.

 

 

Check your insurance... Does it cover passenger and if so are there limits??? Be prepared to assume liability, being a 'self built' or a 'kit car' this can open you up to a law suit if someone get hurts in your car. This happens all the time in airplanes. Cessna stopped builing small airplanes because of lawsuits like " Airplane didn't withstand impact into mountain"(not kidding, she won).

 

 

 

As for highway driving???

 

Always recommend a good pair of goggles and a helmet, just in case and bugs hurt at 60+MPH.

 

Personal pet peve... get a helmet that fits your children. Most motorcycle shops have DOT Snell helmets for children. It will be lighter on the kids head and if you have an issue there is less chance that the helmet will come off. Also, that the excess weight of an adult helmet may cause more injury to the neck.

 

In a similar note my daughter has been bugging me to ride with me on my motorcycle since she could climb on it. But I keep telling her that untill she is 8 she can't. I even checked into the laws to see if there was a age limit on this and in Michigan there is not.

 

Have fun and use good judgement.

 

 

 

[Andrew]

tnttim I would rather drive the smart car they are safer than they appear much as the seven but you can't account for all the people that drive giant SUVs etc like they own the road. They should remove seat belts in those things and add a spike to the middle of the steering wheel then we may get some sanity back on the streets.

 

Having smashed a seven head-on I can testify to the strength of the car and the ability to repair the car back to better than new. when all seemed beyond repair. it truly is a wonderfully simple and functional piece of engineering.

[1-t]

 

In a similar note my daughter has been bugging me to ride with me on my motorcycle since she could climb on it. But I keep telling her that untill she is 8 she can't. I even checked into the laws to see if there was a age limit on this and in Michigan there is not.

 

 

Here is a video showing a child's motorcycle seat on the same bike I had in Japan. They work very well

 

[gjslutz]

Bruce,

 

I’m a lucky grandfather it is like having my son all over again. He & I also did both of the same from the same age on. I have not had the grandson to any auto events yet, but many day long aviation events and he never wants to go home. He has flown 5 A/C (in the air only) so far. He has told me when I’m done with either, they are his. I hope our country will be in shape for our kids and grandkids to enjoy what we have.

 

I’m looking at doing a heim joint wide track mod to the Birkin. I have added a cover over the rear axle, along with the aero-shield it has helped on the top end. Both were easy low cost projects.

 

Gary

 

[BusaNostra]

I will not let "any" young kid or my grandchild ride in motorcycle , my seven or simply biking in a busy local road.

My driving is fine (i think), but what about the other dude?

 

Why wait something to happen?

If unfortunate it did happen, serious or mild accident...you will regret for the rest of your life.

It can happen in your big SUV too.....but

 

Of course, that's only my opinion. You can do whatever you want.