Car Seat in the middle seat of an X5

[monkeymagic]

Hello

New to the forum.

Sorry for the inane initial post but has anyone managed to fit a car seat in the second row middle seat of a E70 X5?  We have measured the distance between the seat belt buckles for the middle seat and it's only about 300mm.

The car seems wide enough for three car seats or rather two high-back boosters either side of a normal booster in the middle, but seat belt buckles are in the way.  Seems slightly ridiculous that they are so close together.  Even a normal adult would have difficulty buckling up, or end up sitting on the buckles.

While 7 seats would provide a solution we need to be able to use the boot on holidays so need to make this work for the standard 5 seats.

TIA

[Graeme]

I checked this years ago with BMW when a grandson was small and was told in no uncertain terms that child seats should never be fitted in the rear middle (E70). I was firmly informed they must go on either side because that's where the seat belt anchorages are correctly placed to fit the seat.

Graeme

[X5Sport]

Does it not state the safe positions in the manual?  I know my more recent cars do give it, and most child seat sites have the 'approved' locations too, though how this works with boosters I don't yet know never having actually looked for that need.

[monkeymagic]

So they have deliberately designed the car so you cannot fit anyone in the middle seat?

If it is not safe for a child seat, and it is too narrow for any adult, what use is the middle seat, other than as an arm rest?

[X5Sport]

Which is why the original X6 only came as a 4-seater.  Even when opted to be the 5 seater I would not want to put three adults on it, but three kids with no boosters is OK.  The problem occurs when the child seats/boosters go in.

As you rightly say though, it seems odd that although 'technically' a 3 person seat, reality says different.  >:(

[monkeymagic]

The latest model seems to be better than the E70.  The buckle is more flexible and i had no problem fitting the same booster seat in the middle seat.

[Insight G40]

I run three seats abreast in the back of my E53. The width was one of the deciding factors in choosing an X5, so this thread makes interesting reading.

I've got a maxi-cosi cabriofix in an easyfix base, a maxi-cosi axiss and a maxi-cosi rodifix. The rodifix is in the middle.

The rodifix is also quite narrow as group 2/3 seats go, which was also a deciding factor when we chose it.

It's a tight squeeze, but they do all fit in, although the easy fix bas is held in with the seatbelt rather than the isofix as it allows me to move it about an inch nearer the door.

[monkeymagic]

We have looked at getting a Rodi on ebay just to test the x5 middle seat.  Is the E53 narrower than the E70?

[monkeymagic]

Success.  Three boosters no problem in the second seat, of a 7 seater.  The photo above is a 5 seater.  Not sure why the 7 seater should be different, but the buckles were much more compliant, and we could easily reach in to buckle up without skinning our knuckles. In fact the kids could easily do them up and undo them themselves.

[X5Sport]

How strange.  Still at least you have found a solution 

Now you just need better locks on the belts  >:D