None taken. No. Not yet. I do, however, get to wrench on and drive an obviously good friend's 308, to the extent where I refuse his proffers to drive it, regularly. I'm the guy who synched his carbs, with Birdman's excellent guide. I'm not talking maniacal, but even driving a "lowly" BMW 3 series at one-tenth-tenths is superfluous and tedious. The mere thought of driving a 612 at baby-safe accelerations tortures my soul. And, while again having no children of my own, the thought of whipping around in even, I'll go further, an Alfa Spider, with my precious three and a half year-old goddaughter is anathema (I could, if I wanted to, strap her to into the 308, should I so choose [don't(!) tell her mother]). ...IMHO, inter alia.
I just put my 1 yr old in a Recaro Young Sport. It fits in the back of my Maserati Coupe which is smaller than the 612. It was also the only seat that had lateral head protection. It clips in with the latch system, both under seat and on the back window ledge. Before that I had him rear facing in a Combi Connection LX, it took up most of the passerger's room in the front but it was fine. Cheers http://www.elitecarseats.com/Combi-Connection-LX.pro http://www.elitecarseats.com/Recaro-Young-Sport.pro FYI, with both of these seats in place, I was able to fold down the center arm rest.
Because federal regulation requires all manufacturers fit their cars with LATCH. Add me to the list of those who supports the idea of car seats in a Ferrari, especially in a 2+2.
I've no idea what LATCH is but we've had an ISOFIX child seat in the back of our 612 since we had it. My two year old son loves it.
Thanks for the response. I'll just add that I probably would have felt similar to you Until I had children. Now I'd rather have a 4 seat... Spending time with Andrew (2 y/o) is more fun than acceleration and high G cornering.
I can surely appreciate that, as well as their being quite a few significantly less overachieving choices for that sort of trip. As I said earlier, if you've a got a baby in your Ferrari you're abusing one or the other, IMHO. Cheers.
OK, Im going to up my tone now and dont take it like Im really flaming you, but this is just plain stupid! The reason you dont know and have the opposite opinion of us OWNERS is because you have never owned one. You have no clue what it is like day in and day out. Do you think the 3-5k miles I put on the 328 a year are all threshold braking, 8k redline acceleration shifting, or sliding around corners? First of all, anyone that drives their Ferrari on the public streets like that is another type of idiot! That type of driving doesnt belong on the public roads, take it to the track. Yes, a Ferrari is capable of that type of driving, but the beauty of that capability is that driving them at 5/10ths on the public streets is much more enjoyable for us owners than driving another car at 9/10ths. You can still have a ton of fun with Ferraris on the public streets, but most of the 3-5k miles put on a street Ferrari a year are just flowing with traffic and maybe getting from point A to point B, where point B is the track or maybe just a gathering.
+1 on the Recaro Young Seat. I have one in the MINI, and it fits Luca without any problems @ 2.5 y/o. The seat is also narrow enough to easily fit into the 348 -- which has quite narrow and high butt bolsters. The safety of the seat also impressed me. Mom's car (BMW) has a Britax Boulevard, which is WAY too large for any Ferrari.
Rob, I started writing a reply to 'opus' last night but canned it because I realize he's just a troll. I've done over 10,000 miles in my 612 and I would say at least 80% of those with my son in the car. How I drive the car or how I use the car is my choice, and going for a blast every now and then (on my own) is also my choice, as an owner.
I like the Radian 80 seats but I do not have a 4 seater ferreri. If I had a 612 I would surely take my kids but I would not but them- they are under 6 years old and small- in the front seat. I know this is a point of debate and to each their own, but not with my kids- JMHO. Heres a link to the Radian 80 website: http://sunshinekidsbaby.comfortfirst.com/ best regards, Jerry
Sorry gents, No, I'm not trolling. I am genuinely alarmed at the thought of people cruising around in stiffly sprung and high powered cars with little babies on board. Iirc the OP was talking about a six-month old, such young kids have all the neck rigidity of cooked ziti and soft skulls to boot: I don't think joy rides in anything are a good idea for them. And yes, I also get that there's a continuum of driving behavior from "antisocial psychopath" to "alter kaker in a Buick with left turn signal permanently engaged", and I think even somewhere on the low end of the middle might be too extreme for a new borns. I wasn't trying to slam the 612, or any other Ferrari, I've spent some time in a BMW X3 and its ride motions in normal traffic are alarming to me for baby transport. I'm somewhat concerned for my goddaughter because her daily driver is a cinderblock-sprung Nissan SUV. And I sincerely don't "get" idling around in a 600hp car, Ferrari, 'Vette, or Porsche; different horses for different courses, and all that. ...Didn't mean to throw a rock into your pond.
I don't usually write, although I visit frequently...this time I feel compelled to make a few points. First, the Ferrari is just another car, albeit a little stiffer than others, but a car none-the-less. I've ridden in some crappy SUV's that are more uncomfortable than a 456 (not ridden in a 612). I recently bought a Porsche turbo because it is a 2+2, so my children can fit (couldn't afford a 612). There is nothing wrong with them in the car, in fact my 2 year old loves riding in it! Like I said, a Ferrari is just like any other 2+2 seater out there, you just drive it more carefully and smoothly when children are on board...I don't see what the fuss is all about...
Children don't understand concepts like an apex, trail-braking, variable valve timing, heel and toe, over-steer, etc. For them, the joy is simply being with daddy in his "special car".... likewise, a father reaps pleasure from simply being in his car with his "special child". And I think you'd agree that doing things to make your goddaughter laugh and giggle and smile are surely worth every bit of effort; for these gents who are fortunate enough to accomplish that by taking their children for an easy ride in their Ferrari, so be it.
I agree - A car is a car - You arent going to accellerate at full throttle with your kid in the car....Hey, I'm not going to do that with my wife in the car. You think I want to have to sell it???? There is a level of responsibility which one needs to adhere to when driving any child or passengar around for that matter. Common sence is a wonderful thing, if you have it. Now, I dont anticipate in taking my 6 month old daughter one any mroe than a 5 mile cruise through the 25mph streets of my local town in NJ. From my house to Grandma's its 5 miles a less than 8 minutes. My 2.5 year old (running-back) son may take longer-ish trecks to the supermarket, toy store, DVD store, mall etc - still, I doubt we'll get the car up past 70mph as the highways are pretty crowded on Rt 17 and Rt 4 here in NJ. Still, he'll giggle and scream as he hears the engine roar - That's the fun - That's what makes putting up with all the BS in the office is for - to hear that kid say - "More Daddy, More vrooom vroom". It get's me every time. I am coming out of a Porsche 997 Turbo - I found the back seats to be more than a pain to get the kid in. I had the LATCH system installed in the front passengar's seat of the Turbo - The porsche car seat fits like a charm and is the most safe car-seat I have used ever. Its like a bolted, factory part of the Porsche. My neighbor has older kids 6-8-10 and he puts them in the rear of the car without a car seat - that's the way to go. While they are young-ish - LATCH system all the way! Best and thanks to all you guys who support the "Family Ferrari"! asg
Luca has ridden with me 2+ hours to the track, and back home again in the Ferrari. At the time, he was less than 2 years old. He loves the sound, he loves the vibrations, he likes sitting next to Daddy in the car. (no airbags). Yes, the speeds are extremely 'normal'. If he didn't like it, I'm pretty sure he'd voice his displeasure quite clearly. That's how little kids are. I remember going for rides with my father in his vintage Morgans, MG's, Porsches, and such. My brain is only slightly numb from the experience. My fond memories however are quite strong.
So.....you don't own a Ferrari, have never driven in a 612, and don't have a kid (I also assume you kow absolutely nothing about biomechanics or you would have said).....yet you feel compelled to imply to people on these boards that if you drive with your child you must be either "abusing" your child or "abusing" your Ferrari......what a complete crock of you-know-what! As a father and a lover of fine Italian machines I am offended by your ignorant comments. I'm surprised you haven't been flamed into a little cinder by this point. My two sons love driving in the back of Dad's 911, and now Maserati. I would wager that I am about the safest guy on the road too given my driving skill, attention to detail, and being in a car that will turn-go-stop better than just about anything else out there. I think the idiot in the SUV talking on the phone, with kids watching TV in the back, while all are munching on McDonalds fries is much more liekly to "snap" necks in a roll-over.
Opus, Sorry but that must make me a terrible father, my son has ridden in my 612 since he was 3 months, he's now 2 years. My other car is an Audi S6 and honestly the 612 delivers a smoother more supple ride on long haul drives. And what does he say every time he gets in daddy's special car? 'oooh, vumm vumm'. Sorry, I'm not your image of the perfect father but at least my son's happy.
I take my 2.5 year old niece out in a forward facing baby seat in my 360 - she loves it. She shouts "marky's car" and "noisy" These cars are made to enjoy, we all enjoy them in different ways I guess......
I feel that it is tons safer for any kid to be riding around in any car built in the last 15 years than it was for most of us growing up. Today's cars have compartment safety standards and kids are in car seats, that puts them in a much safer position than any kid driven in a car between 1901 and 1975. You should be able to use any carseat made today in the 612. Using rolled up towels to provide a base on a too narrow bucket seat is perfectly acceptable and will add the valueof protecting your seats! Amazingly the lower-end brand Graco Seats seem to have a base that are nicer to the leather than the hollow based and more expensive Britix. Both are VERY safe for the little guys. My two and a half year old loves riding around in the back of the Jeep on the beach and he has not hurt himself yet. And his former pediatric trama surgeon grandfather fully approves who takes him for sprited spins in his Caddy CTS-V.
I thought I would follow up to my old post with my findings. I went to a motorfactors and bought a middle of the range child seat purley to try out in cars before I bought it, hate to spend 100k+ and find out it does not meet all requirements. So, it is a Britax Iso-Fix seat for babies, I tried it in a 612 at a independant sportscars dealership not far from Maranello sales, and whilst im sure there are seats out there that would fit in well, I found the bucket abit too deep, so, what to do? I had a brainwave and thought Im sure I could find an upholsterer out there who would alter the shape of the cars seat base for me and be able to match the stitching and leather, but then I thought it will be too permanant, so decided against it. The soloution? Maserati GranTurismo! I looked at the rear seats and thought there is no point in even trying as they look really thin, no more than 30cms between boulsters, BUT, amasingly, it fit perfectly! The car is no 612, but is fantastic for what it is, and a good 40k (british pounds) cheaper new than a second hand 612, spacious in the rear, and to be honest, for me, sells itself better than the 612. For now atleast, as it is still not a 612 by far. Just have to find a nice spec one for sale now, this seems to be the hardest thing right now.
OMG..I can't believe what I'm reading!! The 612 is a sport GT with 4 seats. It is quite capable for daily duties and was designed as such. You can putt around all day long in that car and not hurt it one bit. Take your kids and wife to the mall, or just enjoy a nice Sunday cruise with the family, who cares about how the guy wants to use HIS car. If he wants to drive the thing into a wall just for fun that's his choice. If he wants to take his son out for a ride and have him be apart of the experience, let him! You don't have to be a race car driver wanna be every time your behind the wheel of a high powered car.
This thread turned into "something" way different than what my original questions was. There hasn't even been one minute during my decision to purcahse this vehicle that I would hesitate to put my family in the car. At any age. I guess I know I'm not stupid.... Still, if anyone has put their 2.5 year old in the back....what car seat do you use? . Thanks for the great reads and responses! Best, asg
you dont really need seat covers. i've been toodling labradors around for years and everything wipes off leather. just carry a beach towel, for me its needed because my guys get really dirty.
Didn't feel like reading all 3 pages, but if anyone has specific questions about car seats send me a PM---I have been certified as a child safety seat technician for almost 10 years and have installed over 500 carseats....
We're using one of these: http://www.maxi-cosi.com/maxicosi/productdetail.aspx?id=11&language=gb-en (although not in pink) I fits perfectly into the 612's buckets.
