Britax Regent for 2009 Town & Country?

I have a 2009 Town & Country. The 3rd row bench is really slanted (backwards). I'm not sure if it's my imagination; but my sons who are in a Roundabout and Decathalon seem like the are reclined even though the car seats are in their full upright positions. Is this typical? If we install with the seatbacks straight up, the bases of the restraints will not sit flat on the seat.

I'm wondering if a Regent would be a better alternative for my older son who is currently in the Decathalon. He's 3.5 yrs old; 36 pounds and 40 inches. My older son is typically awake while in the car and lifting his head off the seat in order to look around. My point in making this switch would be to get him sitting up straighter. Thus, my question is: Will the Regent in the 3rd row of a 2009 Town & Country install more "straight up" than a Decathalon? Or do you have a better suggestion?

Thank you.

Bumping this back up to the first page for input from those with experience with your vehicle.

I can try to install my Regent in the rear bench of my 08. I will need it there this summer anyway when number 3 arrives. The seat bottom is angled a lot, so it most child seats will probably have a gap under the back of the seat. In case you do not know, the 3rd row seatback can be reclined as well. I'll try this tonight and get pics.

Currently, I have only installed my Regents in the middle Stow N Go Captain chairs.

I spent a little time with the Regent in the 3rd row of my 2008 T&C. I was surprised the Regent fit so well in the middle/driver side using LATCH. There was not as much gap underneath the rear of the seat as I expected. I reclined the seatback, pulled all three LATCH straps tight, then pulled the seatback upright as much as I could. It ended up with a great angle and more important, super solid. I think the straps could be a little looser for an even more upright seating position, but I think this angle would work well for my DD. She was asleep already, or I'd get a pic with her in it. I had plenty of room to sit in the 30% (6'4", 200 pounds) next to it. Or, I could fit another child seat there, maybe the Marathon I have for example. I did not try both seats. I did not try any seat belt installs either. Both these seats have been in the middle StowNGo captain chairs.










For fun, I placed, but not secured, the Regent in the 30% seat. I was hoping it could go there leaving the 70% open or available to fold for more cargo area. Unfortunately, the Regent is wider than the 30% seat and the 70% cannot be folded. But I found a great spot to tether in these 2005+ Chrysler/Dodge vans with stowing 3rd rows. Right to the metal frame/foot of the seat. I cannot think of any reason why this would not be safe for a forward facing convertible or another Regent.







The van is going in for some warranty service tomorrow. If anyone has anymore Q's or requests, I'll try to accommodate. I also have a 2007 T&C with the same 3rd row seat I could play with until this van is returned.

My DD has been using the Regent for about a year, just prior to her 3rd birthday. She's about 36# and 42" currently and happy in her Regents. It's a huge seat! Every time I think about using something else, I am reminded of some good points about it. It will not work for 3 across in my Jeep Compass, so I'll move that Regent into the T&C for DD and DS when DC3 moves out of the infant carrier, probably before this winter. Then I'll have to buy new seats for my Jeep, like 3 Radians or 2 Radians and a Monterey if DD is ready @ 4.5.

Aaron

Hi, thanks for posting about the third row installations and providing the pictures. A couple of questions/concerns after a quick look through them. What is the date of manufacture of your Regent? If it was manufactured after approx. late June 2007 (known as a "post-advisory" Regent stemming from when Britax issued revised Regent installation instructions), then it requires using the recline bar with any installation, and I don't see the recline bar in your photos. Also, double check the owner's manual for your van(s) to verify what seating positions correspond to the third row's tether anchor because my '09 edition of the LATCH manual lists a third row center tether anchor without specifying whether it may be used for an outboard installation. Another thing to double check in the vehicle manual would be how much the vehicle seat can be reclined with a carseat installation as the third row appears somewhat reclined in your pictures. You also mentioned tethering a forward facing installation to a vehicle seat leg support or seat railing, but tethering a FF carseat to anything other than a vehicle's designated tether anchor is not recommended.

Thanks for letting me post while unregistered. Maybe I'll register some day as this place provides a lot of value to me.

I have not found anything relating the seatback angle and child seats in any of my vehicle owners manuals. Is there anything specified in the LATCH manual? The seatbacks are not all the way upright. I'll set the other one full upright for comparison.

There is only 1 set of 3rd row lower anchors and tether in the 2005+ Chrysler vans with folding seat. It is almost centered in the 70% seat. My first set of pictures show the seat centered between lower anchors and the tether is off-center from those. Besides the twists in the tether and possibly removing the head restraints, it is installed correctly using LATCH. The owners manual suggests the 3rd row LATCH is in the center seating position. It is more centered in the 70% seat, not centered in the vehicle.

I understand the recommendations for where to attach and support a child seat. However, attaching to something like a bolted seat anchor is at least as strong as any tether. I have been particularly interested in and hope for updates.

I thought the recline bar would come up and almost commented on it before. I have post-advisory 9/07 DOM seats (2 of them) and do not use the recline bar in either vehicle. I have read the Britax advisory release, the Regent owners manual, and the vehicles owners manuals. I've read a lot on the internet that it is required, but not any details on why. I may try it again with the bar based on [url=http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=302814&postcount=14]Defrost's install or contact Britax directly with some questions I have. If I try installing with recline bar, I will post more pictures. I understand the consequences of not using the recline bar and do not recommend everyone do as I do. That was not the intent this thread so I did not address it earlier.