Need either narrower seats or a new car....

C

Cadymom

Guest
Need either narrower seats or a new car....

We just found we are expecting our fifth child. Our oldest will only be 7+ yrs old and is currently only 52 lbs, though 48" tall. He doesn't have strong back muscles so we would rather keep him in a youth/booster seat for a while longer.

Our other kids will be 6, 4+ and 2.5 when the new one comes. So they all need carseats/booster seats.

We currently have a 2000 Ford Windstar with LATCH system. We have captains seats in the second row. We also have a front passenger airbag, and I would rather not have a kid there anyways.

So any ideas on seats that might work? The back seat currently has two Century Breverra boosters and there is no room for another seat, or person.

Appreciate any help I can get.

Cindy B.
 
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C

CPSDarren

Guest
Your back seat-

Are there 3 seatbelts in the third row? How many have lap+shoulder belts and head restraints?

Depending on how tall your kids are and the type of seatbelts you have, one possibility is to put your 6 and 7 year olds in narrow boosters like a Britax Starriser. They would be in the outside of your third row assuming you have lap and shoulder belts there. You may be able to just use the base of the Starriser if the tops of their ears are not above the top of the back of the seat or head restraint. You might then be able to fit a narrow seat for your 4 year old in the back center, perhaps something like a Graco Cargo or a Britax Laptop.

This setup would also be a bit easier for you, since the 6 and 7 year olds can buckle themselves in, and the 4 year old can at least climb into a seat themselves. Having the younger kids in the second row may be a bit easier for you.

Here is a list with some measurements of seats:

(Broken link removed, website no longer exists)

That might help you find narrow ones for the third row.

I hope that is a start for you! I'm sure others will have some good ideas, too.

Darren
 
C

Cadymom

Guest
Thanks!

Yes, our back seat has 3 belts, two shoulder/1 lap, and adjustable head restraints for the outer two seats.

And this might work....

Our current 3.5 yr old only weighs 32 lbs, so can use narrow convertible in the middle, and then can trade with his younger brother when he outgrows the harness.

I guess I need to take some measurements, and see if our local Toys 'R Us/Babies 'R Us carries the seats that might work. They are real good about letting us try seats in the car before buying them - thankfully.

It is funny that you mentioned the Starrisers. I almost got one for our Explorer a year ago, but ended up with the Evenflo Right Fit since the sit was used infrequently.

Supposedly Ford is coming out with something to replace the Excursion but it won't be out for a couple of years yet. The seats above might let us use our Windstar for a few more years.

Thanks!

Cindy
 
U

UlrikeDG

Guest
Don't just depend on measurements...

How well a pair of seats "meshes" together is even more important than overall width. The Starriser does tend to mesh well with other seats. I believe the Graco Ultra/Platinum CarGos do as well. The Britax Roundabout is another seat I frequently see listed in 3-across situations. Trying different combinations in your vehicle is the best way to find one that will work for you!
 
J

Julie

Guest
I like my starrisers, but find my rightfits easier to....

buckle next to other seats. the starriser is nice and narrow, but even on the narrowest setting, the armrests are somewhat difficult to work around when next to another seat. I've had fewer fit problems with my right fit. The Britax Marathon, though rather pricey, has a 65 pound weight limit and has a VERY small base, with the seat nice and high, and is great next to boosters...it would be a nice option for the middle of the back row (and with younger sibs to pass it down to, you'd get every penny's worth of use out of it!) good luck and have fun trying out seats! Julie
 

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