What seats should I use?

buggysmama · Jan 30, 2010

I really need help deciding what car seats to put in dh's car. His car is really the problem but that argument will have to wait for another time, for now I just want the kids to be safe when they do have to ride in it.

My car is a 2005 volvo xc70 wagon. ds is 4 years 8 months, 44" tall, 44lbs, 14.5" shoulder height. Right now he is in a frontier in harness mode. He fits really well, is comfortable and has lots of room to go in harness mode. We have him behind the passenger seat.
dd is 18 months old is 31" tall, 23lbs and 11" shoulder height. She is rf in a ra 33lb limit, in the center position. Still on the bottom harness slot. This combo works really well for us. I would like to keep her in the ra for now since it gives us more room then a higher weight rf seat. I can always put her in one of our others when she out grows the shell for rf. They both have tight installs and there is enough room for someone or another car seat to fit behind the driver.

dh has a 2 door 1996 bmw 328i convertible . There is no top tether

. Right now ds is ff in a bv. He is about to grow out of this seat. He has less then an inch 'till his shoulders reach the straps in the highest position. Shouldn't he have more room? I thought the straps were supposed to go to 17 or so inches. It does have a crazy tight install though

. I also have a radian 80 which he has a lot of harness room in but am unable to get a good install in this car. And when I say unable I mean it is loose and slides all over the place. I just use it for an extra seat if he is riding with someone who has latch or if we have another car seat passenger in the volvo. I am also concerned with him being so heavy in a high harness weight seat and having no tether. I have no extra seat for dd in this car which has been a pain but not terrible. With only 2 doors it is really hard to get a child in a rf car seat in this car when another car seat is installed next to it. There are only 2 seats with a bump in the middle. They are really bucket like and kinda slope backwards. When ds was rf we had him in the ra in this car behind the passenger seat. I would just sit in the seat next to him to get him strapped in. I really need something that is the same height. Maybe something that sits lower so there is more rf room then the ra and will last longer.

At first I thought I would get ds one of the regents on sale but with no top tether that is not an option. Would it be best to get him a pwsg? He only rides in this car about 4 times a month. I thought I read somewhere that some people think it's safer to be in a booster then ride in a high weight seat with no top tether and the child being old/ big enough. Also, with the slide guard and locking the seat belt on him he would probably be pretty snug in there. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

I really don't know what to do about dd. It seems like I should be able to make one of my other convertibles work. I think the problem is that I'm liking the ra in the volvo right now and it really should go in the bmw. The bv is just big enough that it makes things tight in the back seat of the volvo not to mention she seems swalled up in that seat with the huggs and the wings. When she is a little bigger I think it will work well but she is much more petite then ds was and ds was older and ff

when we got him the seat. I can't get a good install on the radian since there is no latch in the middle and latch is the only way I have ever been able to get a tight install with it. I was thinking about the graco my ride. I looked at it the other day and I really liked it. dd fit really well and she seemed really happy in it. It is too wide to put in the middle of the volvo though and I sat it next to a marathon and it was just about the same height which should be the same height as my bv which is too tall to fit rf in the bmw

. What to doo?!?

I took some pics of ds today in both of his seats so you can get a visual of how he fits. I'm going to try to figure out how to post them. If not I'll post a link to them.

I would appreciate any thoughts and suggestions any of you wise ones have. Thanks~natasha

noahsmom24 · Jan 30, 2010

Sorry I can't be of much help, but can you not get a Top Tether Retrofitted?

buggysmama said:
I really need help deciding what car seats to put in dh's car. His car is really the problem but that argument will have to wait for another time, for now I just want the kids to be safe when they do have to ride in it.

My car is a 2005 volvo xc70 wagon. ds is 4 years 8 months, 44" tall, 44lbs, 14.5" shoulder height. Right now he is in a frontier in harness mode. He fits really well, is comfortable and has lots of room to go in harness mode. We have him behind the passenger seat.
dd is 18 months old is 31" tall, 23lbs and 11" shoulder height. She is rf in a ra 33lb limit, in the center position. Still on the bottom harness slot. This combo works really well for us. I would like to keep her in the ra for now since it gives us more room then a higher weight rf seat. I can always put her in one of our others when she out grows the shell for rf. They both have tight installs and there is enough room for someone or another car seat to fit behind the driver.

dh has a 2 door 1996 bmw 328i convertible . There is no top tether . Right now ds is ff in a bv. He is about to grow out of this seat. He has less then an inch 'till his shoulders reach the straps in the highest position. Shouldn't he have more room? I thought the straps were supposed to go to 17 or so inches. It does have a crazy tight install though . I also have a radian 80 which he has a lot of harness room in but am unable to get a good install in this car. And when I say unable I mean it is loose and slides all over the place. I just use it for an extra seat if he is riding with someone who has latch or if we have another car seat passenger in the volvo. I am also concerned with him being so heavy in a high harness weight seat and having no tether. I have no extra seat for dd in this car which has been a pain but not terrible. With only 2 doors it is really hard to get a child in a rf car seat in this car when another car seat is installed next to it. There are only 2 seats with a bump in the middle. They are really bucket like and kinda slope backwards. When ds was rf we had him in the ra in this car behind the passenger seat. I would just sit in the seat next to him to get him strapped in. I really need something that is the same height. Maybe something that sits lower so there is more rf room then the ra and will last longer.

At first I thought I would get ds one of the regents on sale but with no top tether that is not an option. Would it be best to get him a pwsg? He only rides in this car about 4 times a month. I thought I read somewhere that some people think it's safer to be in a booster then ride in a high weight seat with no top tether and the child being old/ big enough. Also, with the slide guard and locking the seat belt on him he would probably be pretty snug in there. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

I really don't know what to do about dd. It seems like I should be able to make one of my other convertibles work. I think the problem is that I'm liking the ra in the volvo right now and it really should go in the bmw. The bv is just big enough that it makes things tight in the back seat of the volvo not to mention she seems swalled up in that seat with the huggs and the wings. When she is a little bigger I think it will work well but she is much more petite then ds was and ds was older and ff when we got him the seat. I can't get a good install on the radian since there is no latch in the middle and latch is the only way I have ever been able to get a tight install with it. I was thinking about the graco my ride. I looked at it the other day and I really liked it. dd fit really well and she seemed really happy in it. It is too wide to put in the middle of the volvo though and I sat it next to a marathon and it was just about the same height which should be the same height as my bv which is too tall to fit rf in the bmw . What to doo?!?

I took some pics of ds today in both of his seats so you can get a visual of how he fits. I'm going to try to figure out how to post them. If not I'll post a link to them.

I would appreciate any thoughts and suggestions any of you wise ones have. Thanks~natasha

buggysmama · Jan 30, 2010

messed up on pics

buggysmama · Jan 30, 2010

NoahsMom24 said:
Sorry I can't be of much help, but can you not get a Top Tether Retrofitted?

I don't think it's an option in a convertible but I should call bmw to make sure. I would really prefer to leave ds harnessed. He really CAN'T sit still at all.

wendytthomas · Jan 30, 2010

I'd look at the Nautilus for your son and put the Boulevard in your car for your daughter, then the Roundabout in the BMW. Maybe two Nautiluses for your son.

For a child as young as yours I'd rather an untethered seat than a booster. There's still less head excursion.

I'll look tomorrow if no one else grabs it to see if you can get tethers retrofitted. But it's not uncommon for convertibles to not have top tethers.

My daughter had about an inch to go in her Wizard (the older Boulevard) when she was 4.5. Her torso stopped growing then and two years later she finally outgrew it. So you may have far more time than you think. Or you might not. So a plan in place would be a good idea, but it may not be a rush. It's not uncommon for an inch of torso growth to take about a year.

Wendy

buggysmama · Jan 31, 2010

wendytthomas said:
I'd look at the Nautilus for your son and put the Boulevard in your car for your daughter, then the Roundabout in the BMW. Maybe two Nautiluses for your son.

For a child as young as yours I'd rather an untethered seat than a booster. There's still less head excursion.

I'll look tomorrow if no one else grabs it to see if you can get tethers retrofitted. But it's not uncommon for convertibles to not have top tethers.

My daughter had about an inch to go in her Wizard (the older Boulevard) when she was 4.5. Her torso stopped growing then and two years later she finally outgrew it. So you may have far more time than you think. Or you might not. So a plan in place would be a good idea, but it may not be a rush. It's not uncommon for an inch of torso growth to take about a year.

Wendy

Thanks for all your helpful info. I was thinking of the Nautilus for ds but I was unsure since I see a lot of people complaining about the buckle strap being so short. ds has major problems with the buckle strap being too short in the bv now so I would like to not have to go through that again. It definitely is in the running though. Is it lighter weight then the frontier? The Frontier is great in the Volvo with a tether but it's such a bear of a seat I'd be afraid to put it in the BMW. So if the gn is lighter I would feel better with that. Do you or anyone know how the side impact compares to the Frontier? Is it as safe of a seat? Or does that completely depend on the situation?

For dd I do agree that the best thing to do is to put the ra in the BMW and put the bv in the Volvo. If I can just hold off a few more months until she is a little bigger, she will fit so much better in the bv. The huggs practically take up her whole torso right now. I wish I could get a better install with the radian in the center seat. Even though it's got a taller shell then the bv I think the low profile and the narrow shell would fit her well and still leave room for another passenger. Does anyone have any experience with a belt install of a radian in a volvo? I checked the thread for successful radian installs a while back but didn't see my car on there. If anyone has any tips that would be great.

It would be great if you could find out about getting tethers retrofitted. If you can't find the info I'm sure I could contact BMW next week. Thanks again~natasha

flutie128 · Jan 31, 2010

You don't need to use hugs RFing if you don't want to.

wendytthomas · Jan 31, 2010

Ok, my book doesn't list part numbers (it says check your manual and talk to the dealership), and it doesn't list the existence of a 1996 3 series convertible. It just starts them out in 2001. However, the 2001s do have tether anchors in the rear filler panel, which is promising that maybe an older one can be retrofitted. Convertibles sometimes do not have tethers, even with lower anchors available, so I was concerned your car would simply not have them available at all.

Sorry the book isn't more helpful.

Also, like the PP said, the HUGS are removable rear facing. They're required forward facing, so don't lose them!

Wendy

buggysmama · Jan 31, 2010

flutie128 said:
You don't need to use hugs RFing if you don't want to.

That's great! I did not know that. It's been a while since I've read the manual

.

buggysmama · Jan 31, 2010

wendytthomas said:
Ok, my book doesn't list part numbers (it says check your manual and talk to the dealership), and it doesn't list the existence of a 1996 3 series convertible. It just starts them out in 2001. However, the 2001s do have tether anchors in the rear filler panel, which is promising that maybe an older one can be retrofitted. Convertibles sometimes do not have tethers, even with lower anchors available, so I was concerned your car would simply not have them available at all.

Sorry the book isn't more helpful.

Also, like the PP said, the HUGS are removable rear facing. They're required forward facing, so don't lose them!

Wendy

That info is encouraging. Thank you so much for checking for me you have been very helpful. I will call BMW tomorrow and see if I can get anywhere with them. I would like to check out a newer model and see where theirs are. The whole area behind the seat in dh's car is plastic. I wonder if it can be removed to get solid car.

I'm now excited to try dd in the bv without HUGS. Now if I can get my hands on a Madison cover for it we'd be set.

Thanks everyone.

buggysmama · Feb 1, 2010

Re: What seats should I use?**Update** in post 11

I spoke with BMW today and they do not have top tethers available for dh's car

.

So, is everyone thinking I should try the GN for ds even without the top tether? If for some reason I am not able to get one to install properly or the crotch strap is too short for ds or he just doesn't like it for some reason is there any other seats that you would suggest? I would like him to be harnesses as long as possible. I know it will be hard since he is in like the 95th% for height and weight but I would like to try. I really feel like he is not physically mature enough to sit in a booster. I could try my radian again but a friend has it right now so it will be a few days. I was not able to get a tight install at all last time. Would using a locking clip make it stay put better or does anyone else have any tips?

wendytthomas · Feb 1, 2010

A locking clip may help, but it depends on why it wasn't staying tight.

The Nautilus should probably work fine. In a convertible car, though, I might aim for a Ride Safer Travel Vest if your husband will use it properly. Does it have shoulder belts back there? It's a wearable five point harness, and with him sitting so low on the seat you don't need to worry about anything in case your DH rolls with the top down AND the roll bars fail (yeah, I've thought that far on it. The BMW dealer I spoke to once on the subject looked at me like I had three heads and said the roll bars had never failed). The Radian would be great. The Frontier may work well in there, not sure.

Wendy

buggysmama · Feb 2, 2010

It's been so long since I tried to put the radian in that car I can't remember why is was so difficult. I seem to remember something about it moving a lot front to back but I'm not sure if it was that car now. When I get my seat back from my friend I will try some different things out and get back you if it's still loose.

The vest sounds like a good idea too. I totally forgot that they were an option. Are they only available online or do stores carry them too? There are shoulder belts in the back they are just reversed (middle to outboard buckle outboard).

Wouldn't the Frontier be too heavy for no tether? If it's not wouldn't the Regent work as well or do they have different rules?

I just thought of yet another option if the Frontier works. I could put it in the BMW and put the Radian in the Volvo. Radian latch limit is 48lbs right? Just a thought.

wendytthomas · Feb 2, 2010

The Frontier requires a tether after 65 pounds. And most kids have outgrown the harness by 65 pounds, so it rarely comes up.

The Radian's tether limit is 48 pounds.

The vest would work really well, IMO. And I love reverse belts. They make SO much more sense to me. Let the door offer some SIP if it can, and let the belt catch someone toward the center.

Wendy

buggysmama · Feb 26, 2010

Re: What seats should I use? *Update*

Great news. I was finally able to get a tight install on my radian in DH's BMW using the tips from this post http://car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=28939
The seat belts aren't in front of the bight but the tips still worked to get a tight fit. Now I can officially move DS's blvd (33# rf limit) to my Volvo rf for dd and put her ra in the BMW ( which I am afraid she is close to outgrowing rf by height) and keep DS's Frontier in the Volvo without buying another seat. Ds is right below the second to top slots so I'm sure he can stay in this seat until he is ready for a booster. I am so happy! I have been distraught that I was never able to get this seat to work for us before. If I am able to figure out how to post pics I'll try again and you all can check my Radian install to make sure it looks okay. Thanks everyone for all your help.
Natasha

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