Thinking and re-thinking these carseat options

[kattale]

Hi Again!

You've all been a fantastic help, in this, the year that I need to replace all my daycare carseats. I'm having a huge turnaround in daycare kids, and my best-laid carseat configuration plans never seems to survive the first encounter with the little enemies. *grin*

I had 3 carseats in use, all of which expire this year. I had my own two children in boosters, for a total of 5 children.

A year and a half ago I purchased a Radian (48) to accommodate 3-across in my car. A couple of months ago, I purchased two True Fits. These are awesome - they are in use for my own daughters and adjust easily down to daycare kids.

But now I have 5 daycare kids (my girls are in grade one), so I *still* have two old daycare seats to replace before December this year. Right now I have both these seats rear-facing. My current intention is to get one more TrueFit (if they are still available!) and one new Radian, both to go in rear-facing.

My question is just - are these the best (and most cost effective) options?

Here is my configuration, in my 2007 Kia Sedona:
Middle Row
1. TrueFit FF for DD1 and 18m 32lb daycare boy, (adjusted between them) 2. Old evenflo ??? RF behind driver for 1yrold DC girl both UAS - terribly hard to adjust.


Back Row -
1. TF FF in outboard passenger, UAS (this is the biggest seating space) for DD2 or 4-year-old DC Boy - seatbelt install, no adjusting necessary
2. Radian FF in centre (smallest seating space) seatbelt with locking clip (could not get non-tippy install without it)
3. Evenflo ??? RF in outboard driver side, for an 18m 25 lb boy.

I need to have either a RF or a Booster in the back 3rd spot, since there are only 2 lower anchors - one passenger side, one half-way between middle and driver side.

So I'm just double checking - my idea is another truefit in the 2nd row - I'm not particular, I like the seat and the price and the versatility, but I'll try one of mine there rear-facing first to make sure it fits without pushing up the drivers' seat.

And I'm resenting the cost of the Radian for the back seat, but want to err on the side of "skinniest as possible" - although I do have that evenflo there now, and it fits fine (okay, really tight, but it fits...).

Any better suggestions? Cheaper? And in the case of the 3rd Row, skinny?

Thanks!
Kat

[ladybug_mom]

I just have one question, how are you anchoring the the Truefit in the back row?

I was almost certain that the Kia Sedona only had one anchor in the back row and it was in the middle.

If so I would change your configuration to have the RF seats in the rear row's outboard positions and keep the Radian in the middle FF.

I haven't actually tried 2 TrueFits with a Radian in the back, buy I think it may be the better solution for you as you'll get more RF life out of them to 35lbs.

If you already have 2 Trufits why not try it out? You could always get 2 EFTA's for the middle row captains chairs as they ave the easy heigt adjusters as well.

[mommycat]

So the kids are:
1. 18mo 25 lbs
2. 18mo 32lbs
3. 1yo ??lbs
4. 4yo FF
5. ???yo ??lbs FF in Radian
plus your two, but not at the same time?

Could you give the details on the child in the Radian? Is there any way that this child could share the 2nd row TF instead of the 18mo? Then you could try to get 2 RF seats in the back and turn the 18mo RF for the last 3 lbs if you wanted. They may or may not take a long time to appear.

I would be tempted to just buy a Scenera rather than the TF, frankly. You still get the 35lb RF limit with the new model, it is narrower and much smaller and costs a lot less. It doesn't harness very long FF but you already have 3 HWH seats for having a lot of small kids to shuttle.

Or maybe a Nautilus for the child in the Radian and turn the Radian RF? Then you would have a seat one of your girls could use with the harness after the TF and then as a booster in the future.

The Graco Cargo is a narrow combination seat but doesn't necessarily make a great booster. Same goes for the Chase, which I think is a little bit wider (cheapest option for combination seat). The Scenera is fairly narrow (cheapest option for convertible seat). You could look at the NEW AOEs and try installing without the base. They also RF to 35 lbs and FF to 50lbs.

How close are your girls to outgrowing the TF? That may make a difference for you, how soon they will need to have booster positions thrown into the mix.

[kattale]

Okay, DC kids! Lets play this new fun game called standing on the scale! Who gets high score? *grin*

4 Full Time kids
1. 18-month 30 pounds - most solid of my little guys - foot-ball player build - FF 2nd row TF (this seating space needs to be FF for access and for my own kid)
2. 18-month 24.5 pound - 3rd row RF *usually - sometimes he has to move seats*, can climb in on his own - needs new convertable seat to RF - maybe Radian - will try a 2nd Truefit, but MAN they're wide!
3. 12-month 26.5 pounds - 2nd row RF needs replacement seat - I can't lift her to the back, or I would move her there so my daughter's TF could be side by side, but she's just too chunky.
4. 4-year-old 40.5 pounds 3rd row FF in the other TF - also solid football guy.

Part time kids -
5. 2-year-old ?? (Probably 30 - 35 pounds?) in 3rd row Radian in middle - alternates days with:
6. ultra-tiny 10-month-old, 23 pounds, not walking - 3rd row RF seat - I bump #2 RF kid to the FF Radian - shoulder straps are at compatible height) He's the only RF who's legal to FF since he's walking.



Oh - and my old 2002 Kia had 3 anchors - my new 2007 Kia came with 4 - one is behind the passenger outboard side, the other is centered between the middle and driver outboard sides (as are the useless UAS lower anchors!)

Thanks for such quick feedback!

I will try TF/Radian/TF across the back this weekend, but I don't think it will fit, the TF is way wider than the mystery Evenflo, and it's a uber tight fit already.

I will also try a TF RF in my middle row behind driver - that position choice is a safety reason, the FF is on the passenger side so the kids (and myself) can climb in the passenger side near our house front door - I don't like the open (loading) door to be non-visible to me as I load kids from house to car - sometimes it takes 3 or 4 trips.

I never did find an EFTA to check out when it was recommended as comparable to the TF - I loved the TF. I am worried about side access to the harness knobs, given 3 across, if I tried it in the back. Questions - is it a better fit than the TF if RF in the 2nd row behind the driver? Is it narrower than the TF if RF or FF in my 3rd Row?

[kattale]

Cat -
I should read through before replying!

First - the Cosco Scenera looks perfect! Exactly what I was hoping for. I think with 3 HWH seats, I don't need them all to be HWH - the "narrow" is the key issue. The Scenara looks pretty much exactly like the kind of seat that's about to expire - and the ERF weight gives me some more flexibility.

Do you know where the Scenara is usually sold, and for how much? Does it go on sale? I have the rest of the year to wait out a good price. Thanks!

My daughters are, sadly, very close to outgrowing their brand new TrueFits. They are skinny and tall - 45 pounds (ish) and about 1/8 inch below the harnesses. Their growth is very sporadic, so they may get a year, but more likely will be out of them come winter. :( Then I'm back to swapping out the middle row seats every weekend, every Brownie meeting, every weeknight car trip. But I did that for a year, so it's not the end of the world, and I'm quite good with rock-solid middle-row installs now.

I have no-back boosters for the girls - they were in them for a year, and are very reliable, but not during those 6-hour night-time trips to Grandma's (of course - who would be?) I'm okay with them not harnessed (it's more of a swapping convenience thing at this point) but wish I could find a high back booster that actually *fit* in the back row when 3 across. Is there a high back booster with a *really* narrow profile?

Thanks again, everyone!

Kat

[mommycat]

Scenera - these are available almost anywhere, ebing a Cosco product, but I got mine at Walmart, they seem to have the best prices. I am not sure if they were on rollback or not but they were about $65+tax. I guess it must have been rolled back - their website shows it at $79.97 (http://www.walmart.ca/wps-portal/storelocator/Canada-FeaturedPage.jsp?selection=listingDetails&tabId=12&singledept=null&lang=&assetId=46644&imageId=63745&suggestedItem=&priceType=null&page=null&departmentId=235&categoryId=1604&tabId=12). Even so, the price is right.

I am not 100% up to scratch on boosters but I think I have picked up around here that the TurboBooster (with back) and the Sunshine Kids Moneterey are very well liked. I am personally drooling over the Monterey, myself. hehe (my kids are miles away from boosters, by weight) The Monetery is pretty narrow, I think, especially in the seating area.
http://www.brodylovelle.com/i/sunshine%20kids/monterey-dimensions.jpg

[mommycat]

Would this work?

Driver passenger
2nd row:
12mo(RF Scenera) DD1/2yo(FF TF)
3rd row:
18mo(RF Scenera) 18mo(RF Radian) DD2/4yo(FF TF)

and you can put the 18mo FF in the 2nd row TF just on the days you need the RF seat for the 10mo.

And when you need the boosters, I would personally be hauling out the TFs because I find the FF install pretty simple, which would mean there should be lots of space for a booster in those seating positions with the TF being so wide...