okay fit in center or perfect fit in outside??

[Unregistered]

which do you think is safer?? our diplomat fits okay in the center of our civic...it's sort of on top of one of the outside seat belts but we can get a tight fit. but it fits so wonderfully behind the passenger seat!!! like it was meant to be put in that car. i feel safer with him in the center but wonder if we're actually safer with a better fit. what do you think?

Thanks!

kate

[CDNTech]

The better install is more safe. If you get a great install outboard, put it outboard. :)

If you can't get a good install in the center, then it's not safe at all. :(

[mimieliza]

I eventually chose outboard with a similar situation. I could get an acceptable install in the center of my Subaru Forester, but over time it would loosen and the seat would get more and more reclined. I was so worried about it and tired of tightening and re-installing that I moved it outboard.

I have a RFing child in a seat with SIP, which helped make the decision easier for me. Being RFing really helps protect children in side impact accidents.

[southerngal]

The outer.

[crunchierthanthou]

How old is the child? I'm assuming the seat is still rf if the seatbelt buckles are interfering with the base.

I know that there are posters here with Britax convertibles in the centers of Honda Civics. I believe they pull the base back an inch or two so that it isn't resting on the seatbelt buckles and so it is off the little ridge in the seat bight. Bear in mind that pulling it back a bit will make it more upright, but that's fine for older babies with good head control as long as it is reclined at least 30 degrees from vertical. It is possible to get a solid install in the center of your vehicle with your seat. If you're able to do that, keep it in the center. If not, move it outboard.

Here's a thread about a Britax seat in the center of your same vehicle- http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=48167

I have my son rf outboard because I could not get an acceptable installation in the center of my car. I'm comfortable with that decision. Really, rf seats are very safe to start with. While the center may be slightly more safe, you aren't necessarily putting your child in danger by using the outboard seat- and certainly not if that's where you get the better installation.