Tight RF situation

Lenae

Active member
I need some serious help here. DH drives a '91 Subaru Legacy Wagon. It has like zero room in the back seat. It was never a problem before, as DS was an only child, and his MA and TF both fit RF in the center between the seats. Now, DD is here. Normally this isn't an issue, because if DH goes anywhere with the kids, he takes my van. But, my van is not running well, and won't be in the foreseeable future. So now I need to get two seats RF in DH's car. DD's SS1, and neither of DS's seats fit RF behind the front seats without the person in them kissing the dash or steering wheel. So, we'd probably put the SS1 in the center. OR, we can put Ds's TF or MA RF in the center, and a smaller RF seat outboard. I was thinking the Coccoro. I LOVE the colors, but never felt the need to get this seat, because space was never an issue before. Putting on of DS's seats in the middle will only work if the Coccoro will fit next to it. So, several questions.

1. How well do SS1, MA, or TF puzzle RF with the Coccoro, in a VERY tight backseat? Three small adults, and I mean 90-100 lb adults, fit super tight back there without car seats at all.

2. If the TF, MA, or SS1 don't puzzle with the Coccoro, I could probably swing two Coccoro's, if I sell the MA. But how long would DS have left RF in it? I recently posted a pic of him in DD's SS1, and he's right at 1" above his head, if he isn't already slightly over.

3. How much do Coccoro covers cost? DH will not be stoked about DS riding in a strawberry shake cover, which is the one I want for DD. But I thought about putting DS in the Coccoro, until he was ready to FF, then put DD in the Coccoro after that. Which would mean I would buy one now with a boyish cover, maybe cool mint, I like that one, then later buy a strawberry shake cover.

So, to recap. We can put a MA or TF center, with a Coccoro outboard. The SS1 center with a Coccoro outboard, or two Coccoro's next to each other, if they don't puzzle well with the other seats.

DH said, why don't we just FF him? Looking at me like I was an idiot for trying to think of another way. DS is 2 yrs, almost 3 months, and like 24 lbs fully clothed. He's a tall kid, but ALL leg. I'm just not ready for him to be FF full time. Money is tight, so if there is an option cheaper than the Coccoro, then I'm more than willing to look at that, but I couldn't think of anything. I'm not necessarily looking for longevity in this seat, for this situation. I just need one to last until DS is at an acceptable FF age. I hope someone can figure out what I just babbled on about.
 
ADS

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Have you tried a MyRide RF back there?

It seems insane, because the seat looks HUGE, but of all the seats I have and have tried, it's one of the smallest ones RFing. It also puzzles well with lots of other seats. Go figure!

Right now, I have a super-tight 3 across 3rd row install, which is Radian-MyRide-Coccoro. The MR and Coccoro puzzle well together, and the Coccoro doesn't take up *that* much less RFing room than a MR. They're also similar price points, I think you can get a MR for 120-130 if you use a coupon, and I got my Coccoro for around 150 with price matching.

Trust me when I say that is NOT the combo that I thought would work, but hey, sometimes puzzling surprises you, lol.

I can try to take a picture if that would help you, but I'm not sure how well that would turn out.

Also, when I had both a TF and a MR, I want to say the MR took up less front-to-back room. The trick with the MR is to put tons of pressure on the "foot" area, which gets it really upright. The interior is really reclined, so I haven't felt like I've ever gotten the seating area too upright, but the seat itself can go pretty upright, if that makes sense? I've never had any Britax, so I can't help you there, nor can I tell you how the SS1 and the MR puzzle together, but maybe someone else can help with that. :)

HTH :)
 

Lenae

Active member
A MR is an interesting thought. I'll check into it. How wide is it though? Is it any narrower than a MA?
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
That's what's weird about it. It's really wide, but at the same time, it's not...

I dont' know how wide the MA is, but the MyRide is 20.5, at its widest point (cupholders.) However, it's on a high, narrow, boxy base, which means it sits over many things. In my van, I was able to put the base to the outer edge of the seat, and the cupholders of the seat went over top of the cupholders of my vehicle, which increased the seat space literally by inches. It would do the same in my Pilot, if it were outboard, but it's center, so it puzzles on top of the Radian, lol.

I went out and measured without uninstalling, and my best measurement is that the base is just 11" wide. From the outside of the base to the outside of the cupholders is somewhere between 4 & 4.5" wide. So, even if one cupholder is in the seating area and doesn't puzzle well, if the most outboard one can overhang, you only need closer to 16" for the seat, which is pretty narrow.

Again, I'm not familiar with the MA so it's hard for me to know, but from what I can recall about an MA, I would guess although it's technically wider, it may take up less space side to side, and I believe it definitely takes up less front to back space.

If it puzzles with the SS1 even somewhat well, you could probably put the SS1 center and the MR outboard, especially as your son is older and you could have that MR pretty upright. I'll take my phone out and try to get a pic to illustrate the space it takes up vs the Coccoro, but I can't really uninstall right now (my install is a BEAR to redo, and just shy of impossible by myself) so I'm not sure how effective it will be.
 

Lenae

Active member
I would really appreciate pictures of the MR compared to the Coccoro. Unfortunately, I won't be able to look at them until later. DD is in the hospital right now, complications from RSV (and I do not smoke, nor was she a premie, go figure). The hospitals wifi is limited, so I can't see most of the pictures on this site. But DD is expected to be released sometime this afternoon, so I'll check out the pictures later. But I would totally appreciate comparison pics. Thanks.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
I'm so sorry to hear about your DD. RSV is one of the scariest things for me, I'm so glad to hear she's expected to be released this afternoon. :D Please take your time in responding, your children are far more important than my pics.

Here are a couple of pictures... first the originals then the clarifications. I'm not entirely sure what you need and what you're familiar with, so I hope this helps somewhat.

First -- MyRide in the center of a 3-across. If you're familiar with the Radian, it should be obvious how much it overlaps it. Second picture points out about where the base is; under the visible part it's essentially free space to tuck another seat (or the vehicle side, if it works that way for you.)

downsize-17-1.jpg


downsize-17-2.jpg


Here is the depth each seat takes up. The Radian is almost impossible to see, but it is pretty firmly braced against the seat in front of it. The MyRide does not touch the seat in front of it, nor does the Coccoro. However, the bench in front of these seats is slid up more in front of the RN/MR than it is in front of the CCO. I attempted to annote that (perhaps poorly) in the second picture, so I'm not sure how much it helped, but I did outline the back of each seat in that picture.

downsize-18-1.jpg


downsize-18-2.jpg


If there's another angle or measurement I can get to help you, let me know. I think the best thing for you to do is going to go to BRU and try the seat. I cannot stress enough trying this seat FULLY INSTALLED in the vehicle, and putting your child in it, in the vehicle, WITHOUT the infant padding. Of all of the seats I own, this is the one that changes its properties the most in and out of the vehicle. It's a bit ridiculous, really. But I :love: it and am consistently shocked how and where it will fit.
 

Lenae

Active member
Thank you for your concern. She is really doing MUCH better now. Thankfully, we caught the bronchiolitis and pneumonia early, so treatment of both was very easy. She's actually sleeping on me right now, without supplemental oxygen. The first time since last Friday. :D And thank you for the pictures, I take a look when I get the chance later tonight, after the kids are in bed. As far as BRU goes, the nearest is 2 1/2 hours away, and the one we actually go to the most often is five. But I know some people who work at my local Wal-Mart, and I'm going to see if I can finagle a test run of the display model. :cool: As long as no one gets in trouble for it.
 

Ahzryn

Active member
Is that a booster behind the passenger seat? What is it?

By process of elimination from her siggy, I'm guessing it's the back of the Nautilus. But, it looks like there are 6 seats total in the vehicle (7 with someonthing on the passenger seat maybe just sitting there?!?), so that may not be right.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Glad to hear she's doing better! Sounds like the worst is behind you, is she home yet?

The WalMart sounds like a good plan, I bet they can swing it. Their model is just the same as the BRU one, lol. If the MR doesn't fit, then you could try the Coccoro, but the MR will last you a lot longer and could honestly work for either kid. I :love: it with the infant padding, it's so cute!

Yeah, there are seven seats in my car right now. I have two older boys that I have before/after school, while I have the girls *during* school, plus random other kids here and there as I help out friends, so the seats get switched around a lot... ends up making it easier to keep them all in there. Otherwise some seat ends left in a garage somewhere and I end up in a pickle... :whistle:

I *think* the seat you're asking about is the Monterey. Driver to passenger in the second row in those pictures are a Nautilus, RF Scenera and Monterey. There's a Pronto in the front, not sure if you can see that or not. It is buckled in, trust me, after my experience in my accident nothing "just sits there" if the vehicle is moving, lol.
 

Lenae

Active member
Thanks for the pictures. I see now that the MR is potentially a good option. I'm definitely going to try it out. Do you know if a SS1 will fit under the edge of the seat, next to the base? I'm excited if this seat will work. It would easy to fund one, too. :) And yes, DD has been released. She's still on medications, and has to use a nebulizer several times a day, but she's on her way to being 100% better.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
Glad to hear it about your daughter :)

I'm not sure about the SS1 fitting under it. It really depends on how it's contoured. How does a SS1 compare in size to a SR22, or an older 20lb model, does anyone know? I might be able to get my hands on one or the other of those tomorrow to check it out.
 

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