3 accros in 07 Acura MDX - Canada

Hello,

We have a toddler who will be 2.5 when her twin siblings arrive. She is rf in a Clek Fnoof behind the driver in the 2nd row of our 2007 Acura MDX. We would like to keep her rf when the twins arrive. So we will have 3 rf seat at that time. We have not yet bought our infant seats, so looking for recommendations that will fit 3 across. We need to keep my daughter in an outboard seat as her fnoof headrest hits the top of the dvd player that is in the roof. So moving her to the middle is not an option.

Would I find it difficult to lift an infant carrier out of the middle?

Also, when the twins are big enough, we would like to put them rf in foonfs as well. AT that time, I suspect we would move my daughter to ff in her fnoof and she could then move to the middle of the 2nd row. However, with 2 rf fnoofs beside her, I'm not sure the feasibility of getting her in the middle and buckling her up. Anyone with experience here?

Thanks,
Amanda

Welcome, and congrats on the twin pregnancy! How exciting!

I don't have experience with lifting infant seats into the middle (I only have two kids, and no twins), but would installing a running board help you put it into the middle? We got one for our CRV because our daughter was 2.5 at the time, and she was then able to climb into the car by herself.

I also thought I'd pipe in with this link that will give you some pros and cons of different infant seats: http://vicarseattechs.com/our-favourite-seats/infant-seats/. The Foonf is a great seat that may work well for your 3 across when you move the twins into convertibles. Another narrow seat to consider is the Diono Radian. I haven't tried putting three across in your vehicle, but probably some combination of Radians and Foonf/Fllos would work.

I had an '08 MDX but not with RF 3-across. The headrest hitting the DVD player and then blocking my shoulder check view if outboard was the exact reason I didn't buy a Foonf for my RFer. One one hand, they are narrow, so would be good for fitting 3-across for you, on the other hand, you're going to run into the DVD issue again soon enough, so may want to consider something else rather than 3 of this seat.

Your main issue is going to be installing something with the seatbelt in the centre. You won't be able to use your centre UAS as it's offset to the driver's side. You can try and jam the seat towards the middle more, but it always ends up with a non-optimal install, so it's best to let it sit where intended which is towards the driver's side. And with the offset, it's hard to get something beside it. And I find the centre seat belt a pain in the arse and i can rarely get a seat decently tight. It's because the centre belt distance between the lower points are so close together.

Lifting an infant seat into the centre would be hard for me, even with the running boards we had. I was lucky in that my 3-across involved a teenager who wasn't in a seat so I could sit on the rear passenger side to buckle my RFer into the middle.

The Peg convertible works nice in the centre with UAS, a pain in the arse with seatbelt but can be done (my hubby had to do it, I could NOT get it tight enough and it was a pain for him). Same with the Britax Marathon. With UAS, they were both a breeze. Consider the Peg though as it might sit high enough that you can get 2 other seats under the sides outboard. And it won't hit the DVD player. Super nice seat.

I haven't been much help at this point...sorry. But wanted to toss in some thoughts to ponder at least.

There is also potentially options with using the 3rd row and flipping up just one side. You'd need to find a seat that fit RF in the 3rd row. It would need to be quite upright so possibly the Foonf although with the recline position it needs to be in for Canada, maybe not. And due to the uprightness needed for 3rd row, it would need to be for your oldest.

Then for your twins, have them centre and outboard driver's side. So theoretically you could still flip down the passenger side to get to the 3rd row to buckle in your oldest, then sit in to get the middle baby in while some else did the outboard baby. Problem with that is, you'd need to use UAS in the centre so the centre seat was shifted enough to be able to flip down the passenger seat for 3rd row access. And I'm not sure there are any infant seats that will work side by side with one shifted towards the driver. Possibly the Keyfit, but I'm doubting even that would work.

Is a new vehicle in the cards? :ROTFLMAO: I'm sort of kidding but not really. I absolutely loved my MDX. But if I was in your situation, I'd be looking at vehicles that would be easier to have 3 RFers. Which is something larger, or a van (unfortunate on both counts as the luxury larger SUVs are stupidly priced and vans are, well just vans. But lots of folks love them.)

Thank you everyone for your replies.

It is frustrating given the size of the MDX (and price!) that we can't do 3 rf in the 2nd row. Optimally, I'd like to get all 3 in the 2nd row so that I had the cargo area for a double stroller. But I'm not sure that is possible. Or even if it's possible to have all this work in this vehicle at all.

Obviously, the one solution is to turn my then 2.5year old ff and put her in the middle in her fnoof. I suspect it would have to be with a seatbeat as you are all mentioning that my middle uas is offset to the drivers side (I hadn't realized this). Not preferred as I'd rather keep her rf until the twins are in convertibles (she'd be closer to 3.5 then).

Anyone have the new 2014 mdx? I hear the 2nd row slides back so perhaps I could then climb into the 2nd row to buckle whomever is in the middle? I did read that it is more narrow now though, so not sure if it makes it worse.

Seems that my main issue is the 3 rf not necessarily 3 across. Even 2 rf is a challenge as I'm not sure, even if I flip my oldest ff in the middle how I would buckle her in, especially once the twins are in convertibles rf outboard. Or even how she would get in lol. ugg.. this sucks.

Other options? are buying a new mini van my only option? Open to other suv's (pref non domestic). And in a mini van, can I get all 3 in the 2nd row? or would I be buying one so I can utilize the 3rd row for one of them? How would I then do it? I suspect it'd be my oldest in the 3rd row, so she'd be rf in her fnoof. how do you buckle them in? And would I have enough cargo space for a double stroller still if using the 3rd row?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just not seeing a good option!

Thanks!
Amanda

I don't think FF your older one will solve any issues; other than the Foonf hitting the DVD player if she was in the centre. The seats all being rear facing or two RF and one FF, won't change the difficulty of the centre install or that using UAS the seat is shifted to the driver's side.

Your best bet is to actually try out seats to see what fits.

Given that the Foonf won't work in the centre, due to the DVD issue, you could look at leaving that outboard and trying two Keyfts centre and outboard. Maybe, just maybe, because the Foonf is narrow, you could put it driver's side outboard and then see if you could use UAS in the centre and outboard for the other two Keyfits.

Or, get a Radian for RF in the centre and install with seatbelt (if you can, I have not tried but I believe it does work). Then a Keyfit on either side. Or possibly another infant seat may fit. Then once you move to convertibles, you could bring your Foonf back into play, using it outboard and another Foonf outboard other side.

3-across in most vehicles requires fiddling to find the right seats. Larger vehicles are easier (remember, the MDX is a mid-size SUV, not a large SUV) but problems can be run into as well with incompatibilities or very wide seats not puzzling nicely.

Oh, if she was FF in the centre, you'd buckle her in by sitting in the front seat and turning around and leaning over the console and buckling her.

Another way to buckle if she was RF, is to climb into the cargo area and buckle her over the seat. This means you'd need part of the cargo area clear enough for you to climb into though.

I don't think there's any mid-size SUV or larger sedan that buckling 3 RFers would be any easier though. It just comes with the territory in those size of vehicles. I know someone with an Armada and 3 RFers is hard to buckle there as well without getting in the cargo area, as there just isn't anywhere to stand to buckle.

Even in my big arse truck, while I could stand behind a RFing seat in the centre, it would be a pain to climb under be outboard RFing seat to get there. And I'm a small person.

Vans give you that climb in capability with the large sliding doors and the centre console can usually be removed so you can walk through from the front.

I think it really just depends on how easy you need/want this to be. Some people are fine with it being cumbersome and others are not.

Thanks for the comments.

So sell me on a minivan. lets say the odyssey. How would 3 rf work in there? would I get them all in the 2nd row with no issues buckling in cause I could walk in there?

Also, anyone have the 2014 mdx? the second row goes back 6". just wondering if that would allow me to walk into it. I guess I could go check one out to see but just seeing if anyone knows off hand.

Thanks
Amanda

This review of the 14/15 MDX and car seats may be helpful to you http://carseatblog.com/28586/the-safest-vehicle-2014-2015-acura-mdx-review-kids-carseats-safety/

I'm not a van owner so can't help you there. But there are lots of Odyssey and Sienna owners around here so hopefully some chime in.

Thank you for that.

I just happened to come across the new Toyota Highlander Hybrid which has 2 captains chairs in the middle. Anyone have experience with this car? Thinking 2 infant seats in the captains' chairs, and then my toddler in her fnoof in the 3rd row. Not sure if she'd fit behind the captains chairs but if she did I could walk to the back to buckle her in. There is no latch in the 3rd row though, would that be an issue? I haven't tried ever installing her fnoof with a seatbelt.

Thanks all.

In previous Highlanders, I was told by Toyota that the 3rd row was not designed for car seats and they shouldn't be used. This was Toyota Canada corporate when I called to ask them some questions. I did not read the manual to see if it confirmed what they said. There also was not any top tethers for the 3rd row which means you couldn't ever install a FF seat there. They said there were no top tethers as it wasn't intended for car seats.

So, check the manual and check for top tether locations to see if they have changed anything.

Yes, in the 3rd row there is one top tether in the middle. no latch however (which is just plain stupid!)

mandy3 said:

Yes, in the 3rd row there is one top tether in the middle. no latch however (which is just plain stupid!)

Click to expand...

They've changed it then. So that's good. The 3rd row is now safe for car seats. :thumbsup: Definitely check that vehicle out then!

Your MDX doesn't have LUAS in the third row either; just top tethers. And the top tethers block what little is left of the cargo area when in use.

good point, thank you.

Just got to see if the fnoof fits behind a captains chair now as I don't think I'd be able to buckle her unless it did.

Anyone know if I could still fit a double stroller in the back of the highlander?

Would this be helpful at all? It's a US website, though. http://thecarseatlady.com/latch3rowvehicle/

Ok....I'm going to try and sell you on a mini van!

I'm a sienna owner with 3 kids. DH drives an older 5 pass Highlander, and my mom drives a new 7 pass Highlander. I install seats in them all regularly.

In my moms highlander the 3rd row is small. Like small! My oldest child rides back there in a booster, but we cannot use a highback because it's incompatible with the headrests that are non-removable. Total bummer. In the middle row I have one FF and one RF. My booster rider cannot access the 3rd row because we cannot roll the 2nd row seat as designed, because there is a car seat installed on it. This forces a cargo load, which is okay if you have part of the 3rd row seat folded down, but the second you put a double stroller on the cargo space that folded seat creates.....it becomes super hard for her to get in and out. Not to mention if the entire 3rd row is up.....then there's not much of a way into the 3rd row at all. I'm glad to hear they've added a tether anchor back there though. My moms doesn't have one, and I've encountered several parents at car seat clinics who are just devastated when we tell them they can't put a FF car seat back there. They bought the vehicle to specifically avoid a van and hadn't realized it wasn't going to be car seat friendly!!!

Vans offer so much more maneuvering space in the interior. They're lower to the ground and much much easier for little kids to climb in and out of by themselves. The huge sliding door gives you so much room to load kids and reach in to buckle, and when your stumbling to your vehicle with a car seat on each arm, a diaper bag around your neck and a toddler running freely several feet in front of you the button on your keys for the power sliding door allowing your toddler to climb in on their own will be priceless!!!!! in a large SUV would you have to set one of your infants on the ground to open the door for your toddler and get her into the vehicle quickly and out of a busy Parking lot?

So since you're going to have 3 kids close in age with many many years of car seat usage ahead of you (and RF'ing years....go you!!) I'd vote giving in and going over to the dark side until your kids are out of car seats. Then get another SUV.

I cannot think of any of our friends with 3 kids who haven't eventually given in to getting a van at some point....and no one regrets it. Do we feel like the swankiest people on the road? You bet your balls we don't!!! But practicality wins. Even the dads admit that

Someday I'll have a sweet SUV again....but right now the things that make my crazy life a little bit easier (every.single.day) are worth the step down in street cred!

That's my 2 cents!

Thank you for that!

You are right on the loading part, and I think that is what is swaying me. If I have a bucket in each hand, even just being able to open the doors with a key (they should make this keyless btw lol) would be priceless for not having to put a bucket on the ground (and I live in Edmonton, so that ground is gross).