Help please, dh just got out his "toy"

[Pepse]

for the summer , 1998 Mustang. No rfing seat will fit in there with the passenger seat usable. We also have a 14 year old that needs to sit as well in the back seat.

DD is 20 months (2 in August) 29-30lbs, 34 inches. We currently have a Britax Blvd in dh's Civic, rfing via latch and a Radian in my SuV with seatbelt.

THis car is for leisure, last summer only dh went in it because there was no rfing seat that would fit but this summer we would like to use it as a family for "drives" to the next city for dinner etc.

We need somethign ffing for dh's car. He doesn't want a seat in there full time so it will go in as needed.

How hard it is to switch the Bvld from rfing to ffing? Would a 98 have latch??

We looked at the Natuilus but it won't fit in the seat. Dh siad no more than $200 if we "have" to buy another seat for 6 months of the year.

The Radian I am sure would fit but what a PITA that is to instal and re instal, take off the base, re thread the harness etc.

With the Blvd if we were to put it ffing in the Mustang and then ffing back in the Civic, if there is alot of work to switch from rfing to ffing ( i seem to remember something about the latch or something), Civic would only then be used for occasional pick up from daycare in town and SUV with rfing seat would be used the majority of the time.

Any ideas, thoughts?

[QuassEE]

Since you're not switching the LATCH anchors to use (no LATCH in that Mustang, btw) and you're using the seatbelt path, you'll just be taking the seat out of recline mode... Make sure when you're using it RF, the straps are AT...then when you take it out of recline mode and use it FF, most kids settle downwards a little bit and the harness should be coming out just slightly above the shoulders.. if not, roll it upwards a little bit. You're set. Should take about 2-3 minutes to adjust and install, with practice.

BTW--you didn't say it was a convertible, correct? Or is it?

-Nicole.

[Pixels]

For such a young child FFing, I'd like to see her in the Radian, top tethered. That way you'll be using the SafeStop, which reduces the load on the child's neck.

For switching the BV from RFing to FFing and back again, you'd have to change the recline setting and harness height. You'll be installing with seatbelt in the Mustang, so no need to do anything with the LATCH.

What about using the Radian in the Mustang for the summer, and getting a different seat for the SUV, so you don't have to move it back and forth? You could put the Radian back in the SUV for the winter if you prefer it. (I'm not going to try to suggest seats, I'll leave that up to someone more familiar with what's available in Canada.)

[hipmaman]

Why not the TF for $150 now?

[QuassEE]

pixels--This is the Canadian forum, so you may want to correct some of that information.

[snowbird25ca]

Color me confused, but would a child sink that much lower being ff'ing in the blvd that you'd actually have to adjust the headrest? I'd think since the straps are even rf'ing, the small amount the child would change ff'ing would just result in them being slightly above by a very negligible amount? :confused: :o

Your biggest thing you'll need to do is have top tethers installed. If it's really just occasional use, I think you'll be fine without having an extra seat in there, and the BLVD should be easy to move between rf'ing with LATCH and ff'ing with seatbelt. As a plus, if the seats in the mustang are sculpted, the base of the BLVD should be a fairly easy fit.

What way was it that the Nautilus didn't fit? The True Fit is in your price range and would allow you to have a seat for his car, but it is quite wide and flat at the bottom, so if the seats are deeply scooped, it may not work.

[QuassEE]

They should be below when sitting more upright--but you just never know sometimes.

Color me confused, but would a child sink that much lower being ff'ing in the blvd that you'd actually have to adjust the headrest? I'd think since the straps are even rf'ing, the small amount the child would change ff'ing would just result in them being slightly above by a very negligible amount? :confused: :o

[snowbird25ca]

They should be below when sitting more upright--but you just never know sometimes.

My kids have usually shrunk being more upright? You're the 2nd person to mention the opposite recently though, so I wonder if mine are just oddballs? I figured it was just due to how the spine compresses a bit when you're standing - like how people shrink slightly by the end of the day. ;) That it was a similar kind of thing of sitting more upright vs. reclined...

Now I'm curious what other people's kids do. :p

[Pepse]

Thanks ladies for the ideas and I didn't even think about the top tether. Can I please have the law on this as dh says he has "read" that you don't have to have it. :thumbsdown:

The True fit will not fit on the seat, width wise, scopped seats, the Nautulis is too long and hangs off the seat.

We could put the Radian in there but then for the SUV, we won't be able to transport ODD, a friend and baby as we normally do when we travel. We would need another Radian as the Blvd is too wide so I would assume the TF would be too.

SOunds like dh will be doing alot of lonely driving this summer

[QuassEE]

You can let your DH win this one. He's right--there's no law stating that you have to top tether. You do have to use the child restraint per manufacturers' instructions, however...so if he can find a forward facing seat here in Canada that doesn't require a top tether, tell him we'll buy him lunch...heck, I'll buy him a brand new Mustang..

-Nicole.

[Pepse]

You can let your DH win this one. He's right--there's no law stating that you have to top tether. You do have to use the child restraint per manufacturers' instructions, however...so if he can find a forward facing seat here in Canada that doesn't require a top tether, tell him we'll buy him lunch...heck, I'll buy him a brand new Mustang..

-Nicole.


:cool!: I will pass on the message lol

So that being said, we have to top tether all seats as per the instructions of the car seat not as a law right. I will be calling ford this morning to inquire about the top tether, told him have a nice 6 years driving by himself lol

[sparkyd]

So that being said, we have to top tether all seats as per the instructions of the car seat not as a law right.

Just in case DH wants to argue more about it, the reason the instructions for Canadian seats say that you MUST use the tether is because none of the seats on the market pass the Canadian standards without the top tether. It is optional in the US because they have a lower standard for head excursion than we have here. So there is no "tether law", but it is absolutely mandatory.

[remken]

My kids have usually shrunk being more upright? You're the 2nd person to mention the opposite recently though, so I wonder if mine are just oddballs? I figured it was just due to how the spine compresses a bit when you're standing - like how people shrink slightly by the end of the day. ;) That it was a similar kind of thing of sitting more upright vs. reclined...

Now I'm curious what other people's kids do. :p

My son shrinks also with the car seat being more upright.

[Allport]

If it's a convertible then there will not be top tether points, which means you can't put a ff CRS in the vehicle.

[Pepse]

no it is not a convertable.

@QuassEE - dh says he is up for the challenge lol

He is just dying for a Recaro seat, I told him it is just a name brand and that he would be perfectly happy with a nice 3/1 that will only last 2 years more but will the "the only seat" that you need to buy lol