Sheez. Could Subaru make the rear seat any narrower?

I test drove a GT wagon over the weekend with my wife and my three kids. 2 year old is in a regular car seat (uses the 5-point harness on his car seat) and the 5 and 7 year olds are in boosters. Man, it was a royal PITA getting the kids situated. With the toddler in the middle, the two in boosters could not buckle themselves in since their seat belt latches were hidden below the middle car seat. Now, this would be my daily driver but we'd probably haul the kids in it once a week or so. However, I'm not sure we can live with this. I measured the E46 3-series and it's 4 inches (!!) wider between the rear armrests (I guess that would be a hiproom measurement). So, I need to either: 1. Find narrow booster and car seats; or, 2. Build (buy?) and 4-6 inch seat belt latch extension that would allow the booster seat kids to buckle themselves in. Any ideas on either narrow car seats or a seat belt extender? At this point, I really want to justify this car, but the car seat situation is a potential show stopper. Thanks, John

BTW, here is a picture of a Chrysler seat belt extender. Anyone know whether something similar (and not quite as long) is available from Subaru? [img]http://www.qstraint.com/acc-12lapext.gif[/img] (from [url]http://www.qstraint.com/pna-acc3.htm[/url])

ah, then there were the good ol days back when we were kids when we just rode in the back of the station wagon, no belts or anything. Yet somehow we managed to survive. Thanks Big Brother for making us all safer... I have to believe there are some sort of extensions like that, either from subaru or aftermarket. I'd say the first step might be calling/asking the dealer (heck, if you tell them that's all thats holding up the deal, you might find they throw them in for free!)

Man, you need an SUV or something ;) I remember riding in the back of my Dad's wagon as a kid- the cargo area, no less- I opened the tailgate and was about to fall out until he hit the brakes.

yeah, thats what I meant by the back of the wagon! The cargo area. Which on the one wagon anyway wasn't carpeted or anything--just smooth metal--so if the brakes were hit suddenly or something you did a good slide! hahaha But I don't remember any injuries... Heck, by the time I was about 8 or so probably we used to walk along the RAILROAD tracks a mile or two to the very steep bank that went down to the RIVER and fish all day, and nobody thought anything of it. Mom would say things like "get outside and play--its a nice day" and you'd literally be gone outside "somewhere" until you got called for dinner...different days I guess...

This whole new policy of booster seats until they're ready for college bit is crazy. I can definitely see why people would want a 7 seater so that there can be left some room in the back seat for at least 1 extra adult if need be.

Your 7 year old lets you put him in a booster? Get ready for teenage rebellion :)