Puo Bear
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I know it's a 4 seater but is it legally viable to fit a centre rear seat belt?
Technical 4 to 5 seater
- Thread starter Puo Bear
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Technical 4 to 5 seater
It can't be done legally. Sorry.
OP
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Puo Bear
New member
poop, I thought that might be the case. So if I do it then it's an MOT fail?
I think it would also invalidiate your insurance as it is designated on the V05 as a 4 seater car.
interesting....the panda (same floorplan) has only 2 rear seat belts yet a centre belt kit is available.
It's uncomforatble enough to have 2 people in the back, 3 people would be terrible
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Ha ha, would be hilarious to see 3 grown lads try and squeeze in .. they will probably have to sit on laps!!
I guess the OP, was more interested in ferrying 3 incy-wincy kids in the back though
It'll be much the same with 3 booster seats or baby seat type things
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Puo Bear
New member
yeah it is 3 just big enough not to need booster seat size children!
i understand a 5 seat option is available as an option in the nordics
my mates old Panda 100HP had 5 seats
if the mountings are there a thiord belt might be able to be fitted,
you might also need to get it re-classified at a local VOSA station and the V5 logbook updated
recommend getting advise from your dealer or a fiat specialist
my mates old Panda 100HP had 5 seats
if the mountings are there a thiord belt might be able to be fitted,
you might also need to get it re-classified at a local VOSA station and the V5 logbook updated
recommend getting advise from your dealer or a fiat specialist
OP
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Puo Bear
New member
Do you know this to be a fact or are you assuming it can't be done?
I went into the service dept at the main dealer and they said yes it can be done you just need to attach the belt to the belt bolts under the seat, speak to parts, so I went next door to parts and they said no we can't sell you a seatbelt it's nothing to do with us.
So I looked on the internet and I can get a seatbelt and fix it myself. I phoned my insurance and explained the car was registered as a 4 seater what would be the implications if I added another seatbelt to make it a 5 seater and they said none at all as far as they were concerned. I said are you sure, can you double check that for me? And he went away and came back and said absolutely fine by them.
Couldn't get any reply from DVLA by phone or email but on my V5 there is a form you can return with amendments and one of them is change of seats. So I'm thinking fill the form in, send it back and wait to see what their response is, if they send me a new V5 with 5 seats then I do it, if they send it back and say no you're an idiot then I won't do it.
I suspect that if there is actually a seatbelt fixing point underneath then you could do it. But tbh it's going to be uncomfortable even for kids who are just big enough not to need booster seats. I'm certain the DVLA will allow you to change it to a 5 seater but like I said it probably won't be very comfortable in the back.
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Puo Bear
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i'm thinking more of an emergency situation rather than comfort, normally wouldn't have all 3 kids and hubby in the car at the same time but very rarely a situation may arise and I'd rather be prepared (my own fault for buying such an impractical car but I couldn't reisist 
)
)
It'll turn out to be an odd modification, as the clips for both existing seatbelts are right in the middle next to each other, so each end of the third seatbelt would be attached in the middle of the two existing seats.
Good point.
wreckmaster
Member
When I bought my 1,2 pop I could choose between 4 seats with split rear seat rest or 5 seats with no split in the rear seat rest I chose the 4 seater as it made the trunk a little bit more practical for large items with the split
I chose the 4 seater as it made the trunk a little bit more practical for large items with the split
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Puo Bear
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thats a good option, I wish they would offer that to the UK market
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Haven't seen the OP post on here since I've been on.
I got a lap belt in the local Motor Factors for something like a tenner to replace a non functioning rear centre belt in a Marea weekender for NCT. It will never be used since the back seat is permanently down since it's only used as an Estate.
Personally I wouldn't fit it and prefer to do 2 trips for the safety of the child not to mention getting 2 points on the licence.
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