Is it worth it?

tl01

New member
I'm thinking of getting one of the TV screens removed from the back of my car so I can install the infant seat in that seat. The screens are OEM and they sit off the back of the seat. If I don't remove it then I have to install the infant seat in the middle and will have to lift the baby seat to the center position. I will have a FFing Radian on one side and a Frontier on the other side. The Radian only gets used once a week. Also, I think I'd rather not have DS (in the Frontier) always right next to the baby. He might be very well behaved... but you never know. To get a screen removed it will be $215.

Here's the other dilemma. Which seat should go behind the driver's seat. DH likes to have his seat very far back. He's tall and likes his leg room. I don't like having DS behind him b/c then I don't like the distance DS has from the TV screen. I'm thinking that even with the screen removed though, the DH won't want the infant seat behind him. What is your minimum acceptable distance for a FFing child from the front seat? I don't even know if DH will permit the infant seat behind him. ARG!!

Here's a pic of the seat with the driver's seat back as far back as DH likes it. Would you feel comfortable with the Frontier on the driver's side?
d9918852.jpg


Here's a pic of the driver's seat where I have it when I'm driving.
107b9a7d.jpg
 
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Splash

New member
Why do you need to remove it? Will it bump up against it?

I wouldn't do it, because as soon as the kid is FF it's going to be a fight between them because one gets the TV and the other doesn't.
 

tl01

New member
Why do you need to remove it? Will it bump up against it?

I wouldn't do it, because as soon as the kid is FF it's going to be a fight between them because one gets the TV and the other doesn't.

Yes.. the infant seat will bump up against it.

We only have two more years of lease on the car and the baby will RF at least that long. I can always pay to have it reinstalled if for some reason we buy the car... but I won't do that b/c I hate the color combo of the car.

I'm thinking of taking the infant seat to the dealership today and testing it with DH in the driver's seat to see if he'd be comfy with the distance he would have if the screen was removed. DH hates doing this sort of stuff... but it is just to make sure he will still be able to drive the car comfortably.

Looking at my pics.. I think the back of the rear seat reclines a little bit more which might give DS a little more space from the screen. Hmm..
 

tl01

New member
Okay, I took DH and the seat to the dealership and he really doesn't fit in the seat with the SR installed. He'll deal with it for short trips but we'll
have to move the seat when we driver to my parents house. Not a problem. What is the rule on the SR barely touching the seat ahead of it. The front edge of the seat just barely rests on the sear back of the car. DH and I
need a huge car to fit with our long legs;). Our current is already
big.
5868bd75.jpg

c47f40a4.jpg
 

tl01

New member
The Keyfit and the Flexlock both sit low enough to be below the screen.

I only had a choice of three seats... SR, PV, and, MC b/c I want to use the seat with my stroller. We have a different infant in our other car. The Keyfit did not fit. Before I bought the car, I had the dealership go with me to TRU and brought out various infant seats to see what would fit. The KF wasn't even close:(. I didn't try the b/c everyone says it is a narrow seat and DS1 was not a narrow child:). Plus, the putting the seat in and getting it out with the screen there is a problem even if the seat doesn't hit. Undoing the lock is challenging when you can't access the seat from the front.
 

tl01

New member
Anyone else have any insight about the SR and how much space it needs where it appears to almost rest on the seat back?

Would you remove the screen or lift the infant seat over the other seats to put it in the middle? The other seats would be a Radian and Frontier. I'm thinking that unless I put the baby in a Radian after the SR, then I will have the same issue with convertible seats too... right? I'm thinking that removing the screens will likely make the most sense. Anything else I'm not thinking about.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
Graco doesn't have any rules on seats touching... it should be fine.

however, what I'd probably do is try this... the infant seat behind the passenger side, frontier in the middle, and the Radian behind the driver... it might fit, might not, but I'm wondering if it would, since the seat looks wide.

otherwise, with babies only being in the infant seat a matter of months, I'd be inclined to put the infant seat in the middle... a 4yr old should be fine next to a baby (heck, Damian was outright fantastic)
 

tl01

New member
Graco doesn't have any rules on seats touching... it should be fine.

however, what I'd probably do is try this... the infant seat behind the passenger side, frontier in the middle, and the Radian behind the driver... it might fit, might not, but I'm wondering if it would, since the seat looks wide.

otherwise, with babies only being in the infant seat a matter of months, I'd be inclined to put the infant seat in the middle... a 4yr old should be fine next to a baby (heck, Damian was outright fantastic)

I was thinking about trying the Frontier in the middle. I think I tried it at some point and didn't like the install but maybe I'll give it another try. I have to reinstall the Radian today anyway so maybe it is a good day to switch seats around. The seat is wide but the middle is a little higher than the rest and I think it didn't seem quite as wide as the Frontier. I'll check shortly.
 

tl01

New member
Graco doesn't have any rules on seats touching... it should be fine.

however, what I'd probably do is try this... the infant seat behind the passenger side, frontier in the middle, and the Radian behind the driver... it might fit, might not, but I'm wondering if it would, since the seat looks wide.

otherwise, with babies only being in the infant seat a matter of months, I'd be inclined to put the infant seat in the middle... a 4yr old should be fine next to a baby (heck, Damian was outright fantastic)

I remember why this won't work. I can't put DS's seat in the middle b/c then he can't watch his movies. The wireless headsets only work when you are sitting in the seat where the screen is mounted. Darn... otherwise that would have been perfect!
 

Splash

New member
The kid will live without a movie. If that scenario works best and safest (and it would be the safest), then vetoing it because he won't be able to listen to a movie is a bit daft. Heck, use that money it would take to remove it and buy another DVD player.
 

tl01

New member
The kid will live without a movie. If that scenario works best and safest (and it would be the safest), then vetoing it because he won't be able to listen to a movie is a bit daft. Heck, use that money it would take to remove it and buy another DVD player.

I'm confused as to why DS is safer without the DVD player. I can keep his Frontier where it is if I want. The question is whether I should remove the
screen on the other side of the car so I can install the infant seat there rather than in the middle. On the left side there will be a radian which would hinder putting in the infant seat. I don't believe any of my choices are daft. I paid a fortune for my OEM entertainment system to ensure
that nothing will come loose in a crash.
 

vonfirmath

New member
Those screens look like a massive pain, esp because of how they affect car seat placement (And being right there in front of their face, I know my son would be crying for a movie every trip!). How common is it to have the car screens like that? The one car we have that has a built-in screen it drops down from the roof when you -- well, I'm assuming there's a button somewhere to do it. I haven't actually looked into that.
 

tl01

New member
Those screens look like a massive pain, esp because of how they affect car seat placement (And being right there in front of their face, I know my son would be crying for a movie every trip!). How common is it to have the car screens like that? The one car we have that has a built-in screen it drops down from the roof when you -- well, I'm assuming there's a button somewhere to do it. I haven't actually looked into that.

I agree... I wasn't thrilled about the placement. The previous generation screens were actually in the headrest which seemed a bit better of an idea. Starting from day one, we had a rule that we only use the headrests on long trips or special occasions. Since we've stuck to that rule, he hardly ever asks for a movie.... thank goodness.
 

Splash

New member
Not safer without the DVD, safer in the middle. If he only gets them on long trips and never asks for them, why not install him in the middle and baby outboard and just switch them when you're having a long trip?
 

tl01

New member
Not safer without the DVD, safer in the middle. If he only gets them on long trips and never asks for them, why not install him in the middle and baby outboard and just switch them when you're having a long trip?

I guess I don't see how having an outboard child is a bad choice
given I'll have two children shortly. I feel I have made the best choices I can with regard to seat, car, and usage to keep
my child/children safe.
 

Splash

New member
I didn't say it was a bad choice. I never said it was a bad choice. I'm gonna have two outboard kids soon because Charlie's new seat won't fit beside Sam, and because he's tired of sitting beside his brother. But you stated that it would be perfect to have him in the center, but won't do that because he won't be able to watch TV in the car. What doesn't make sense is forgoing "perfect" option just so he can have a television.
 

tl01

New member
I anticipate using the screen more often once our new baby is here bc we will be spending even more time in the car to nurse on the go etc. I figure DS will be kept more at bay by being able to do something during those periods of time.... Especially if this baby is anything like DS who nursed for 45 minutes each time for at least the first 6 months.
 

Splash

New member
Oh gosh, Sammy would nurse through an entire Gymboree session, and then a nanny who had kids in the class would walk Charlie next door to Toys R Us and play with the train table for 20 minutes before Sam decided he was okay to quit. AJ nursed in the van all the dang time! Definitely a valid reason for having the DVD player for him.
 

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