What's up everyone I have been reading your forums for some time but this is my first post. I am currently leasing a G35 sedan but really love the coupe and always wanted the coupe. However I have a wife and a newborn with hopes of having a second kid in the near future. How well do small kids and newborns fit into the coupe? Are they safe? I probably won't get the coupe for at least another 2-3 years but I was just wondering. Any feed back would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

MDavid23,
I've had both Sedan and Coupe, and I can tell you space and headroom in the back of the Coupe are at a premium. Ok for children, but teens or adults don't fit too well.
Accessibility to the back is poor compared to the Sedan, not to mention trunk space.
My suggestion would be to keep the Sedan for the family.
Performance and looks are similar between the 2, but the Sedan far exceeds the Coupe in practicality.

<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=black>Silverstone Coupe</font color=black>

 

i agree with gsedanman regarding the coupe being unpractical for your situation. for example if you want to come and in out of the back seat with the coupe, you have to remember the driver seat setting. there is no memory setting for the seat. this is a pain cause you have to readjust the seat everytime you use it.

g35mt

 

i have a 13 and 11 year old. coupe is my sunday driver and the like. they love it. we also have not taken it on long drives. as they say, they feel rich in it.

the biggest fight is who gets back seat. but they fight about that in any car.

it's tougher than a 4 door, but with a car seat..... stick 4 door

04 6mtC, DG - possibly most babied G on the board.

 

I have a 6 year old and he's got no problems being in the back seat. The only pain is if you have them behind the driver's seat. The seat will motor forwards to give you access to the back but the seat has to be readjusted after you put it back upright. As long as your back seat passengers are not over 5'8 or 5"9 there are no problems with leg or head room

 

Haw, I have you all beat. My G is my daily driver, and I take both my 6yr old and 3yr old to school every weekday. I love it, they love it, and backseat accessability is fine. Crash tests show the Gc is fantastic. There are dedicated hard-point anchors for baby seats; both forward and rear-facing are supported. Booster seats fit great for when they get older, and once they hit 6-8 years old (depending on size and weight), the coupe rear seating is snug as a bug in a rug, even for kids.

I bought the coupe knowing I needed to ferry my kids around, and have absolutely no regrets. Unless you're regularly going to cart around 3 or 4 adults, the coupe is fine. Don't compromise what you really want just because it doesn't have 4 doors. If someone complains then they can ride in someone elses 300hp $40K car. Besides they're in the BACK, they're lucky they even have seatbelts [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img].

You only go around once in life, you will have plenty of time for sedans, and trust me, they will have plenty of time for you.


Black/Willow 03.5 6MT, Premium, Navi, Aero, SAT
350Z Nismo CAI

 

As a father of five who has been through his share of rolling iron, including Jeep Pioneer, Chrysler Town and Country minivan, Mercury Sable station wagon, Dodge Ram 250 van conversion, Ford Excursion, Volvo 264GL, Porsche 944 Turbo, Honda Accord lx, Volvo P1800S, and some others during the past 23 years with kids, carpools, soccer, etc......here is what I think.

I carpool my three youngest to school every morning in the G coupe. They are ages 15, 13, and 11. It works great. I pick up groceries on the way home two or three days a week to have fresh produce and meat to cook (I am a single dad, wife died of cancer a few years ago). The trunk is limited for the volume, so the big trip for shopping is on weekends in the Excursion.

If the kids are 6+ in age and you do not have to be carpooling other kids and bikes and stuff....fine. But otherwise, unless you can have a second car as a "hauler"...go sedan. Especially since the leverage on your back getting a child into and out of a baby seat in the back will be almost indescribeably difficult and stressful....and a major nuisance.

I drove a big van for years, and it was the best thing imagineable. Just walk right inside, strap in or unstrap kids from seats, haul junk by the cubic yard in back, Disney tapes on the vcr/tv........functionality was the key.

Now the kids are self propelled in and out of the car, so not a problem, and I have the fall back to the beast truck if I need it.

But if the coupe is your only transport, as much as you love it, it is not the right match up unless you have a back made of steel and patience a mile long.

BTW, I envy the chance to have the little ones again. Nothing better. Best to you and your family.

Cpe 6MT/Aero/Prem/ATI/RT cats/Borla hdrs-catbcks/Nismo flywhl-cltch/TS-ECU/Tein flex EDFC/Stillen sways

 

Do what my wife and I did... Get a G35 Coupe AND a G35 Sedan!

HIS: 04 G35 Cpe 5AT, DPlat, Perf & Prem Pack, Grounding Gear, Z tube, K&N Filter, Alba Wheels, ClearBra
HERS: 04 G35 Sedan 5AT, I Pearl, Perf & Prem Pack, Rage Wheels, K&N Air filter, Sat radio

 

I have a 6 year old and when I got my coupe I had a 4-month old (now 1). I've been on over a dozen road trips (3 hours or more) with them. I can pack a play yard/basinette, stroller, and 3 small bags (or 2 large) in the trunk and another 2 bags behind the front seats (they don't need the legroom). I also took a 10-hour (each way) trip with 3 adults. No complaints from them (rear passengers need to be 5'10" and under though).

We also have an Explorer and that thing hasn't seen the highway since I bought my coupe. No complaints from my wife or the kids.

Russ

Black 6MT Coupe
Jax, FL
PS2 and Headrest Monitors Thread

 

Everyone is making a lot of sense on this one... my two cents: I have two kids of my own (7 and 4) and since they are self-propelled int and out of the car the coupe is fine. I also have the 4yo using a booster seat (bottom only) since she is smaller and the seatbelt would not protect/fit her without the booster. The 7yo only has a seat belt adjuster on his side and he is fine.

If it were me, I would avoid the g35 coupe (and most others) if I had one or two infants. Getting them in and out of their carseats daily would be frustrating at best. Also I do not think it would be that easy to load up a stroller and the like in the trunk.

I stayed in a couple of different sedans (Volvo S70, and a BMW 330i) until the little hit 4, I have had my couepe for about two months now and have no real issues with the kids. My wife does have an explorer that gets used a great deal on the weekends when we play kiddie taxi or for baseball practice etc.

Take care and happy family motoring

2004 G35c 5AT/Prem Pkg/18" Tire Opt/Aero Kit/Clear Sides/Pedal Kit/Tint/Z-Tube/K&N Drop-in

 

Coupe might not be a good idea if it will be your only car.
It's much more practicle than a vette or a miata or a Z though.
Make the wife drive the minivan.

2004 G35C 6MT Black. Sweet.

 

I have my own opinion on this topic. I think Eagle1 hit the nail on the head for the most part, but I'd like to add something. If you like the style of the coupe better than the sedan, then you should get the coupe. Every time you see a coupe you'll wish you would have bought one. I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old and I love my coupe. The sequoia is for church, beach, grocery shopping, etc... but I pick up the kids every day from daycare/preschool. They love having the top open and windows down WHENEVER POSSIBLE. I had a 98 Accord EX V-6 before this and I don't miss the 4-doors one bit.

Being 100% objective, I can say that if it is raining outside and you have to open the door, let the slow seat translate forward, reach back and un-latch the kids and help them out IT SUCKS! You're going to get wet and the car interior is going to get wet. That is the only time having the sedan would be a bonus IMO. If I were getting a 4-door, I probably would have sprung for the TL. Some people may not like my opinion, but I am entitled to it...

Eagle1 is my hero! [img]/w3timages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

2004 Infiniti G35C-6MT
LR | Willow | Premium | Aero | Splash | BSM
30% Lumar Tint | Invinca Shield (C-Bra)
Z-Tube | JWT Pop Charger | RT Cats
JIC Y-Pipe & Crawford Plenum (on order)