MrsC Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hi, I am new here and also new to Land Rovers. I am looking at buying a Land Rover Defender with bench seats and lap belts in the back. The problem is that I have 2 children who will occasionally ride in the back seats as there are only 2 front seats. What are my options? Can I fit a 3rd front seat or make changes to the back seats to make them safer? Which is my cheaper option as I will be spending enough on the Land Rover as it is! Thanks in Advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMB Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Suggest that you check the law before buying. My understanding is that children under 14 are not allowed in sideways facing seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I have forward facing rear seats in a 90 if I'm honest there a pain with child seats but not impossible. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 The child seat thing is a bit of a problem... Side facing seats aren't great - but fitting new seats brings up the issues of innsurance and them being safe and well fitted. The easier option is to buy a 110 ....... All of that said I bought a forward facing seat to go in the rear. The best ones are expensive though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 The child seat thing is a mess as said simplest thing is to buy a 110 but I have to say child seats don't fit in them very well either. I'm happy enough with my setup but I am building another car that will be better. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsC Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 Thanks for the replies. My children do not need car seats they are 8 and 11 so that is not an issue. My main concern is safety. It won't be the main car, I have something sensible for the boring stuff. This is for fun! I just wondered if anyone had had forward facing seats fitted and what the cost might be. I have found my perfect Defender but only has the side bench seats. Is it possible to fit a middle seat in the front? Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocklandjohn Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I fitted an Exmoor Trim Lock and Fold seat in the back of my 110. It's great - seat base folds up and the whole unit rotates to face sideways/forwards, so it can be inwards-facing for having buns and fun and then spun to face forwards for driving. When not being used it can be folded up and round out of the way leaving the whole rear area clear (more or less). It has a proper seatbelt and complies with all the EU regs for child carrying (with appropriate infant/child safety seat). Expensive but can be resold after you've finished with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 If funds allow you could buy a post 2007 Defender with factory fitted forward facing seats in the rear from new. Front middle seats were fitted for years but TBH they are not ideal as carrying three up front as it makes the cab even more cramped ...and using the handbrake and gear levers something of an intimate experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Front middle seat only has a lap belt which may or may not be legal for kids. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrym1964 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Definitely be better finding a four seater, the side fitting seats aren't the safest anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ejohn405 Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 On 3/6/2015 at 8:15 AM, Jocklandjohn said: I fitted an Exmoor Trim Lock and Fold seat in the back of my 110. It's great - seat base folds up and the whole unit rotates to face sideways/forwards, so it can be inwards-facing for having buns and fun and then spun to face forwards for driving. When not being used it can be folded up and round out of the way leaving the whole rear area clear (more or less). It has a proper seatbelt and complies with all the EU regs for child carrying (with appropriate infant/child safety seat). Expensive but can be resold after you've finished with them. Hi would you mind sharing the link to this seat you used? Having a dilemma with seats in the back of our 90. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 They do them for each side of the vehicle and it’s a different fitting for the Puma engines Defenders with the different rear wheel boxes / inner arches. This one is for the original square arches: https://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/loc-and-fold-right-hand.html I have one in my 90 which my daughter has used for many many years, she’s 11 now and using it with a booster. I fitted just the one and on the passenger side, so I could look over my shoulder and see her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ejohn405 Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 2 hours ago, Anderzander said: They do them for each side of the vehicle and it’s a different fitting for the Puma engines Defenders with the different rear wheel boxes / inner arches. This one is for the original square arches: https://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/loc-and-fold-right-hand.html I have one in my 90 which my daughter has used for many many years, she’s 11 now and using it with a booster. I fitted just the one and on the passenger side, so I could look over my shoulder and see her. Hi thanks for replying. The previous poster had said that the seat he got rotates so inwards facing and then rotated forwards for driving? Do you know what this one is? We had looked at the two forward facing ones that you linked but just can’t afford to pay that ☹️ was hoping to get the inward facing ones but when you look up online it says you can’t have children on inward facing seats so was hoping there was a mechanism that allowed it to turn forward for driving like that other guy had mentioned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 Oh sorry - I missed that. I haven’t seen a rotating one …. I’d guess it to be more expensive than the linked ones though? I bought my seat 2nd hand - thought I may have just been lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarBlair Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 On 3/5/2015 at 7:22 PM, MrsC said: Hi, I am new here and also new to Land Rovers. I am looking at buying a Land Rover Defender with bench seats and lap belts in the back. The problem is that I have 2 children who will occasionally ride in the back seats as there are only 2 front seats. What are my options? Can I fit a 3rd front seat or make changes to the back seats to make them safer? Which is my cheaper option as I will be spending enough on the Land Rover as it is! Thanks in Advance You can do a puma conversion on the older style rear tub, but if you haven't bought a truck yet, I wouldn't recommend it. I only went this far because the truck was handed down to me by my father in law. This is the same truck that's currently sat in bits waiting for a new chassis. Not that I was going to, but definitely can't ever sell it now - I'd never make the money back 🤣 I'll agree with what others have already said - get a newer model that already has a stepped tub with or without the forward facing rear seats. Then you can always grab some second hand seats, or alternatively keep it simple and go for a 110. Personally I'm not a fan of the aftermarket forward facing rear seats that fit the older style tub. They sit too close together and sit too high. Headroom is already limited back there and you have to do an awkward turn round shuffle to fold a seat away just to get in and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.