best seat for 2005 Grand Caravan

[winter]

DD is now one. She is still in her safeseat but is getting very close to outgrowing it height wise. The The seats we have considered moving her into were the marathon and BLVD and I am now also possibly considering the True Fit... I have to look into that one a little more.
I want to keep my daughter rear facing as long as possible.

What would work best in a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan with bucket seats (ideally) or with the split bench in the back (less than ideal)

I will also need something to fit in my 95 sunfire assuming we fit the brakes and replace the tires, what's best for the "smaller" car?

Thanks

[HONEYhas3]

I have a Marathon RF in the middle row captian chair, passanger side. I love it. I can kind of "see" DS, and I took the head rest off and he has a clear view out the back window. I also have a Radian, but that is FF in the same row as the MArathon. I havent tried it RF yet.
DS is 2yrs old 22lbs and 32inches and fits sooo well RF in the Marathon, lots of room to grow and stay RF longer.
Also the MA doesnt block my view out of that side of the van, I can see right past it. No one has trouble sitting on the passanger side, the seat is all the way back, and the MA is just resting on the seat. There is an excellent RF tether point on the passanger side. LATCH install is AMAZING and suoer fast. My 2003 needs the vehicle seat reclined 2 "clicks" for carseat install. Check your manual for the same.

[CDNTech]

The Marathon/Boulevard work really well, so does the Radian.

The True Fit installs nicely at a 35 degree angle, but the adjuster strap is completely buried in the vehicle seat that it would drive most people insane. ;)

If you are wanting the seat to move back/forth between the van and car, then stick with the MA/Blvd. If you're wanting a second seat, then MA/Blvd, Triumph Advance (if the seat backs are not sculpted... don't think they are in the '95?), True Fit (but again, adjuster strap would most likely be buried in the vehicle seat).

[winter]

Thanks for the replies.
:)
CDNTech, the van is an 2005... the sunfire was the 95. I guess I should have made 2 posts so it was less confusing. Sorry.
Why is the Triumph Advance not good if the seats are sculpted? The middle row captain chairs are sculpted. The third row which is a 40/60 bench is not sculpted.

We bought our van used this spring and it did not come with a user manual. I guess we better track one down. I'm not even sure how to put a car seat in forward facing in the future. I haven't noticed any "latch attachments" (sorry I can't think of the proper term for this at the moment) for the top of the car seat.


Does the fact that my 20ish pounder is already 30 inches tall make a difference when we chose a seat?

[HONEYhas3]

The top tether is on the captian chair, at the back of the seat right on the bottem.

I dont think the seats on the Caravan are sculpted enough to become an issue with the knobs on a ETA. But you should try it out at BRU just to be sure.

I still vote for the Marathon, its my fav seat and a super easy install. My DS is 2yo 32inches and about 22lbs. I can take a pic of the seat in my van if you need to see it in a Caravan.

[CDNTech]

Nope, you were clear... I should've been more clear. The last paragraph was recommendations for your '95 Sunfire. ;)

The 2005 GC does not have any special instructions about needing to recline the captain's chairs 2 - 3 clicks back from upright for LATCH installs. Those instructions are only found in the 2003 model use year. Although I usually do recline the vehicle seat 2 clicks back from upright in the '05 GC as it makes for a better install.

You have LATCH in your captain's chairs. You will see two u-shaped metal hooks down in the seat bight (where the vehicle seat back meets the vehicle seat bum). These are your lower anchors. You can use these to install your carseat *instead* of your seatbelt. Never use both seatbelt and LATCH (lower anchors) at the same time.

On the back of the captain's chairs, near the bottom of the seat, you will see a third u-shaped metal anchor. This is your top tether anchor and is used for forward facing. *Always* top tether your seat... whether you use seatbelt OR lower anchors, the top tether must always be used.

Your third row has one LATCH position that is off set. You will find the lower anchors in the middle of the center position and middle of the outboard driver's side position. When installing a seat with the lower anchors in the third row, your child restraint will take up both the driver's outboard position *and* the center position because of the off set lower anchors.

The top tether anchor is again, found on the back of the seat near the bottom and is the *metal* hook on the back of the seat. You can only use this top tether anchor with the lower anchors (LATCH) OR the center seatbelt. It can *not* be used with the two outboard positions.


The Triumph Advance has knobs on the side of the seat. Turning this knob will tighten/loosen the harness. In sculpted back seats, when the Triumph Advance is rear facing, these knobs dig into the vehicle seat back and make it difficult/impossible to tighten loosen... which is why I suggested the Marathon/Boulevard/Radian for your van.

Height does not matter with any of these seats. A rear facing seat is outgrown when *ONE* of the following happen...
1. Weight limit exceeded.
2. Top of the head has less than one inch of hard shell above it (1" rule: pictures to show what we mean found here (http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=30201))

Our *strong* recommendation is to keep kids rear facing to the limits of the seat... at the very minimum strive for at least 2 years old/30lbs. Children that are forward facing before the age of 2 years old are 4 - 5 times more likely to be injured in a collision.

The Marathon/Boulevard/Radian will all list 32" as the height limit. This is a guideline and the *only* time that a tech will tell you to ignore a manufacturer's directions. Use the 1" rule instead.

The True Fit and Triumph Advance are a little more 'with the times' and describe the one inch rule in their manual as the height limit.

[CDNTech]

The top tether is on the captian chair, at the back of the seat right on the bottem.

I dont think the seats on the Caravan are sculpted enough to become an issue with the knobs on a ETA. But you should try it out at BRU just to be sure.

I still vote for the Marathon, its my fav seat and a super easy install. My DS is 2yo 32inches and about 22lbs. I can take a pic of the seat in my van if you need to see it in a Caravan.

The Captain's chairs are just sculpted enough to make the knobs an issue in this vehicle.

This is a Marathon in an '03 GC...
M at 22 months old in the Marathon...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/182/413178532_ca0d1e8623.jpg?v=0

For comparison's sake... in the Radian at 22 months old (same day)...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/413178526_1ed79e024e.jpg?v=0

This is a Radian in our '08 GC... tons of rear facing leg room for our then 3.5 year old.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/2592796047_74f452e0b9.jpg?v=0

Both the Marathon/Boulevard/Radian can also be tethered rear facing, which was a big plus in my book as it's beneficial in side impact collisions. :)

[winter]

CDNTech, I re-read your message, and it was clear about the sunfire.... I just have to learn to read ALL the words. :-) Thank you for the detailed response about our van.

I don't know very much about the Radian. I've heard good things about it but for some reason, I'm not really considering it. At least not at this point. I might for a second seat.

Between the Boulevard and Marathon, the marathon seems to be most people's first choice. Is there anywhere where I can find a good side by side comparison of the two seats? I know the BLVD has the deeper head wings and will click when it is tight enough (does the marathon do this?) and you don't have to re-thread the shoulder straps. Are these good enough reasons to get the BLVD instead? (the $30 is a non issue). Is it a pain to re-thread the shoulder straps in the marathon? Would I have to get the seat installed again afterward? Is the crotch strap longer on the marathon? (I have a friend with the blvd and she gets frustrated with it because the crotch strap is too short for her liking...)
I know this should be an easy decision. I don't know why I am having such a hard time making up my mind.

[CDNTech]

The Boulevard CS (click start) has the harness that clicks when it's tight enough... around $360. The Boulevard ($330) does not have this feature... but I don't really think you need it.

I don't know the answer to the crotch strap length... I believe they should be about the same though.

The Marathon has slightly taller top slots than the Boulevard, so the MA will last longer.

The Boulevard's height adjusts by a knob... takes forever if you're moving it more than an inch, but for most people this isn't an issue as they only move it for the one child using the seat. Changing the harness strap height on the Marathon is easy, peasy. Remove straps from splitter plate, thread through new harness height and put back on splitter plate... might take you two minutes to do and you do not have to uninstall the seat to do this when it's rear facing.

Regardless of whether you go with the Marathon or the Boulevard, you *need* to know how to install it yourself... spit up, puke, pee, snow, mud, collisions where you have to switch vehicles... these are just some of the reasons it's important to know how to install your own seat. They are both easy to do.

If your DD is truly outgrowing the SS1 at only one year old (check this thread (http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=30201) to determine if she's outgrown it by height), then you will need a seat with *tall* top slots... which is where I'd definitely recommend the Radian over the MA/Blvd.

My tall torso'd child would have outgrown the SS1 around 18 months old. He outgrew the MA at 4.75 years old and still has just under an inch left to grow in the Radian at 6.75 years old. Just something to think about. :)

[winter]

I didn't realize the click start was an additional feature. That, to me, is not worth the money. DH doesn't always remember to tighten DD in as much as I'd like, so I figure it would help him.

For some reason, I am intimidated installing these car seats. I did her infant one without any problems. I don't know why I'm worried about these. I will for sure learn how to install it myself. Chances are I'll do it myself then have someone check it over just to make sure. At least for now, I can use the latch system in our van and that is easy enough.

I'll have to double check but I'm pretty sure I measured DD correctly and yes, she's almost too tall for the SS1. She's all torso and in cloth diapers so I think that might give her some of her extra height. Maybe I'll have to consider the Radian after all... I'd love to get the seat that lasts the longest. Don't carseats expire after 6 years though? If I plan on having more kids, I'll still have to buy a replacement for this seat no matter what.

[CDNTech]

The MA/Blvd expire after 6 years, the Radian is 7 years.

If you have another child, you'll need a new seat regardless... it either won't have the lifespan to pass the seat down to a new baby (and have them use it until they outgrow it) OR your kids will be too close together that #1 will not be ready to be out of a harness before #2 needs it.

Basically, your options are...
1. get a MA/Blvd (or even Radian will work in this option as well) and pass it down to baby when he/she comes along. At that time get the oldest a Combo seat like the Frontier (harnesses forward facing to 65lbs, then makes a great booster). OR

2. get a Radian and use it until #1 is ready for a booster (basically the entire lifespan of the Radian)... #2 will get their own seat to use (for it's lifespan) when they come along.

[featherhead]

Radian is actually 8 years:)
I think the True Fit is 7 years.