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4 to 5 seater


falconer315
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This is probably a stupid question, and I'm not even really sure why I am asking it. Maybe it is simply for the fact that I so desperately want the answer to be "yes" that I'll risk the embarassment of asking the question.

 

Anyway, here it goes. Is there any LEGAL way to take a 2005 Baja, rated for 4 passengers, and modify/replace the back seat in order to accomodate a 5th passenger?

 

There are 5 of us in my family, my wife really doesn't care that it has 4 seats. It would just be convenient if we didn't have to take 2 vehicles all the time if we were going somewhere that required the truck bed function of the Baja. It would also be convenient to go places her van cannot travel.

 

I'm beginning to think I should have just went with the Forrester, but I just couldn't pull myself away from the Baja's innate abilities as an instant conversation starter and unique appearance.

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I've heard that the bottom cushion from a legacy or outback is a direct bolt it (maybe someone else can confirm), but you'd have to figure out a seat belt. As far as legality goes, I don't know. I'm also unsure how it would affect the folding rear seat. It might be worth going to a junkyard and getting the cushion just to try it out.

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I've also heard the same, that the backseat is interchangeable with other models in the same timeframes (2000-2004/5 or something like that). I'm not really concerned about the folding rear seat because I do not forsee having to open the back doorway to the bed portion of the vehicle. I've also seen threads on other forums (I don't recall which, or where), where the owner has removed the center cup holder/armrest and built in a cushion. The seatbelt I was thinking about just putting in a simple lap belt, doubling up where the other belts mount in, but I've heard that the load would be too much for those points as they're not rated for the additional weight. I know there are ways to do it, but I want to make sure that I choose the most legal course of action.

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The seatbelt I was thinking about just putting in a simple lap belt, doubling up where the other belts mount in

I'm pretty sure that's exactly how the lower portion of the stock BE/BH legacy belt is held in. I don't think it would be any less safe.

 

 

That said, I'm not sure how it would work in "legally". But I'm pretty sure if you got in a major accident, and the insurance company found out there were 5 people in a car rated for 4.....you'd probably be denied coverage, and/or dropped.

 

I'm normally not opposed to modifying something to better suit a person's needs. But I don't think I would do that one....

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I'm probably not going to end up doing the mod, for the simple fact that my wife will most likely not be comfortable putting all 3 kids in the back seat of a vehicle I've retrofitted to fit 5 when she knows it should only be 4. And if it comes down to it and I can't get it to be legal and accepted by the insurance company then it's out of the question all together. But in the meantime, it's worth looking into how it would be done. That way I can convince the wife if it becomes a viable option in the future.

 

You make a good point jmoss, I'll check with the DMV and see what they say.

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Surely if things like these are legal, you can get a 5th seat approved in a Baja. You just need to ask the right people how to get inspection, approval, and paperwork.

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I've got an inquiry in with the NYS DMV. I'll update the thread once I get a response from them. I'll also be emailing my insurance company to get their take on it.

 

Maybe with some luck I'll even be able to open a project thread and post some pictures.

Edited by falconer315
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I got an email back from my insurance agent this morning. I'm still waiting to hear back from the DMV, but that'll take a couple of days longer I'm sure. Anyway, I emailed back for confirmation, so once I have that I'll post the end result. At the moment it looks promising though. As of right now my insurance agent has said that they have checked with the insurance company, and changing out the back seat to accomodate 3 people would cause no change in insurance.
 

Although she did wish me luck with the DMV. So, we'll see what happens.

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I just got off the phone with a representative from the Department of Motor Vehicles. They state that there is no law on the books prohibiting me from modifying the back seat of my vehicle to accomodate an additional passenger. So long as the modification is completed in such a manner to ensure the safety of the passenger, and that the modification passes a New York State inspection there would be no violation of any law in adding a lap/shoulder restraint for a fifth person.

 

I've asked my insurance company some more pointed questions. Just because "there would be no change" in my insurance does not mean that they'll cover it.

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Things sound VERY promising here! This is good since my dad in looking into getting a Baja, and while my parents are now empty nesters, they still seem to end up loading the car full of their kids and their kids' kids pretty often.

 

And yes, Jay is looking more and more like Paula Deen with a big chin everyday.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Alright, so I'm not sure yet, but with every day this looks more and more like it's dead in the water. My insurance agent is waiting for written confirmation from the insurance company on changing out the back seat. They've been waiting for about 2 weeks now. So...I hope to pick this up and make it a build thread, but we'll see what happens.

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Alright, so I'm not sure yet, but with every day this looks more and more like it's dead in the water. My insurance agent is waiting for written confirmation from the insurance company on changing out the back seat. They've been waiting for about 2 weeks now. So...I hope to pick this up and make it a build thread, but we'll see what happens.

I thought about this thread yesterday! Hopefully they come through. Has your agent been pestering the company for you? Having worked for big companies, I know how stuff like that can be super low on other people's priority lists. Sometimes if you annoy them enough, they'll do it just to shut you up :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

The insurance agent finally came through over the weekend.

 

Here's the response I received from the Underwriting Department:

If the vehicle meets the NY state registration and safety requirement, then there is no insurance issue,
as long as he is not carrying passengers for remuneration, or acting as a livery.

So it looks like I'm all set, unless I'm charging passengers for the ride. Now I just need to determine if it's best to replace the entire bench seat, or build in a seat after removing the cupholder. I'll have to check around to see what I can get for parts.
 

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