Six in a Pilot? (Long, sorry!)

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
My head is spinning, so I'm hoping someone can give me even a bit of guidance, especially with width/3rd row/RF issues.

I'm seriously considering a Pilot (2003/2006) as my "new" vehicle. The third row, while short on leg room, seems to be okay width-wise, but I'm not sure how it would do with RFing seats. So, I'm trying to figure out if this vehicle can work for me, in both my "school year" and "summer" configurations.

At the moment, I own: Radian80SL, Scenera, MR, Cosco Ambassador (backup use only,) Apex (which we all hate.)

Summer, I think is do-able. I'll have six kids:

Z, 8, 53" and about 90lb. I think he'd fit in the 3rd row without a booster, but if not, either nbb or a Pronto.
A, 8, 49" and 60lb. Not sure about the boosterless fit, probably NBB as well.
C, 6, 49" and 65lb. Thinking about a Monterey for him, I was leaning towards nbb until he used one for a longer trip today, and this kid NEEDS a back still. For sleeping purposes, and for not leaning out of the belt to poke his brother purposes.
N, 5, 44"ish and 50lb. He's almost booster ready, but not for the time we travel in the summer -- so I think Nautilus is where I want him. But it's wide.
J, 3, 39" and 40lb. RF Radian, can turn it FF whenever he tops out on weight.
S, 16mos @ summer, mid-20slb. RF MR. (I'm willing to get him something different if I need to, but I really loved the MR.)

My thinking would be to have the three oldest in the back, enter through the hatch, and then move the nbbs into and out of place. Obviously if I get a Monterey it will stay put, but I'm open to something else, too. OTOH, I could put the RFers back there and load THEM through the hatch, but will RFing seats fit in that third row?

In either event, I'm pretty confident I could get something to work. My kids are monkeys, and I'll often find them coming "out" of the wrong row of my old van (ie, my 3rd row kids crawl down off of my 2nd row, because they've crawled up the RFing seats and jumped into the 2nd row.) So if they need to climb over/around seats, it's not a big deal.

More concerning is my school year setup. I still have Z, C, J, N, and S (everyone but A.) However, Z "shares" a spot with two girls I watch, CC (almost 4/38"?/32lb) and CS (21mos/tiny/19lb.) I have them while he's in school. Typically I keep a seat installed for CC at all times, and switch out Z's booster with CS's seat. I had CC in a TF, but she also fit in and liked a Scenera, and CS used a Scenera. I'm trying to decide (a) which of them gets to keep the Scenera, and (b) how I would go about arranging them if I got a Pilot.

Z and C need to get out for school dropoff. Their school, in their ultimate wisdom, decided it would be best if the children exited the vehicle via the driver's side. It's easiest if I can give them access to this, but I'd also be willing to do an alternate dropoff method (ie, stopping in a side parking lot and getting them out the back hatch, etc.)

So...
*Six in a Pilot?
*Monterey for C? Does it fit 3 across?
*RFing in that third row?
*Can I fit a MR and a Nauti in that vehicle, in a 3 across?

What else would you buy? Do I need to sell anything? I *can* get a Radian for CC/CS to fit them, but as little as I have them, I'd prefer not to if I don't have to.

Thanks for any little bit of experience or guidance anyone has. I can do a new vehicle, I can do carseats with my eyes shut, but trying to put it all together (and quickly!) is a little more than I can wrap my brain around.
 
ADS

rodentranger

New member
I have a 2003 Pilot and can tell you now you will not get three seats in the third row. Nor will you get rf seats back there.
The closest I've gotten was three MAs rf in the second row and a ff MA, Recaro Vivo and belted adult in the third.
 

Laurette

New member
A friend of mine has a pilot and I measured the back row at 4 feet. If you used Radians all accross it should fit, shouldn't it? Or maybe NBB, RN, MyRide. Those two seats fit beautifully together facing the same diection.
 

rodentranger

New member
The Radian will not install in the 3rd row unless you have magical superpowers.
I couldn't even get a RN to install ff in the 2nd row with the seatbelt.
If you're set on a Pilot, I'd try:
Z, 8, 53" and about 90lb. likely to fit w/o booster, or nbb 3rd row outboard
A, 8, 49" and 60lb. Not sure about the boosterless fit, probably NBB as well. 3rd row outboard
C, 6, 49" and 65lb. hbb 3rd row center. the 3rd row enter belt will need a belt guide. Even on adults, the fit is crap.
N, 5, 44"ish and 50lb. 2nd row Nauti driver outboard
J, 3, 39" and 40lb. RF Radian 2nd row center
S, 16mos mid-20slb. RF MR 2nd row pass
Due to where the vehicle belts and LATCH anchors are, there is slightly more room passenger outboard than driver outboard. (I can install my MA pass outboard with LATCH, but not driver side with a FN in the center.)
Honda has a 40 LATCH limit, so J and J will need to be installed with the belt.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Rodentranger, what's funny is that I would consider that my "ideal" setup. I would put Z on the flip-down seat, so that I could just have all three boys climb in there, then flip that seat up. You think I could fit Nautilus, Radian, MR across that middle row?

I'm willing to put the three youngest (and/or the girls) in Radians, but not C, although he could fit. He and I have an agreement regarding harnesses, and returning him to a harness on a f/t basis is not going to happen short of there being NO other option. Has less to do with the safety of it and more to do with his trust in me and me not going back on my word. Obviously the kids' safety is paramount, but I try my very very best not to break my word to them.

I don't have a problem with CC being FF, I should have said that earlier. I prefer her being RF, but she *is* almost 4. With the limited amount of time she's in my vehicle, I can deal with her FF.

No problem without using LATCH. For whatever reason, LATCH and I are not friends. I've helped several of my dcmoms install with LATCH, but apart from that, I've always done seatbelt installs. I can pop a seat in with a belt in about 1/3 of the time LATCH takes me. (I do love that the Pilot has six anchors, though.) Although the 2006 might be able to use the Radian's SL, no?

The good(?) news is I'm willing to do extra "work" and hassle in terms of loading/unloading if I can't get an ideal setup. Truthfully I have enough 'extra' kids float through my life that I end up switching seats out several times a week, although I try to minimize it. The goal is to be able to get each of my kids one seat, that works in one position, simultaneously. If it's a pain to load 'em up, or I have to pull over and get out at school to get 'em out, then that's what has to happen.

Nautilus would "eat" too much of that third row, right?

Thanks so much for all of your help, ladies. I really appreciate it. I can't get out and see the vehicles and trial install seats in them today due to the snow -- and I'd like to get this straightened out by the end of the week. Sigh. This weather sure does know how to mess things up.
 

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