Does this sound reasonable? (seat choices in a friend's car)

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
A friend is giving us a ride to an activity Wed. morning. She has a 2000 MY T&C. I've asked whether she's had tether anchors retrofitted but not got an answer yet. If she has, I know they could be put behind each captain's chair and both outboard 3rd row positions, but don't know whether she will have had them all done. So when I find that out I'll obviously be more clear on my choices. :)

In the meantime, I just need a reality check to make sure that these are reasonable choices for this vehicle.

Children are:

Emma, 6 years, 41 lbs., excellent booster rider
Bridget, 4 years next week, 43 lbs., not booster ready
Maggie, 2 years next week, 37 lbs., rear-facing

There is another child in the vehicle, friend's son C, who is in an unknown seat that I don't intend to move, in one of the captain's chairs. He will be the only other passenger besides me (I'll be in front) and his mom (driver.)

So, available vehicle seating positions are all 3 back row seats (center is lap-only belt) and one captain's chair.

Available car seats are many, but Emma will be boostered in a high-back TB, as long as it fits 100% on the vehicle seat (alternatives include RSTV); Maggie will be in a CA unless you guys think I need to have a Radian available (we only have one 40 lb. RF Radian available; so we only have 2 seats that Maggie can currently use, and the Radian is currently installed in the Corolla so I'd need to know I might need it ahead of time); Bridget will be in the SafeGuard Child Seat (unless it does not fit 100% on the vehicle seat, which is a requirement for use with this seat.)

So far these are my scenarios:

If no tether anchors have been installed, Maggie will rear-face in Complete Air in the back row outboard, Emma will be boostered in the other outboard third row seat, Bridget will be in SafeGuard Child Seat in captain's chair, tethered to third row lap belt. If the angle is too great to third row lap belt, Bridget will be in captain's chair tethered to third row outboard belt, Maggie in CA center, Emma boostered on the other side of her.

Questions with this scenario: will a CA fit in the center with a TB next to it if needed, or will I need the Radian? Will a TB fit 100% on the rear seat?

If tether anchors have been installed in all available positions, Maggie will RF in captain's chair, in CA, and Bridget will be in the third row outboard, tethered, in SGCS, Emma boostered in third row.

Questions for this scenario: will the SGCS be able to be 100% on vehicle seat in third row? Also booster? Will I have problems with CA RF in captain's chair?

If tether anchors have been installed behind captain's chairs only, pretty much the same as no tether anchor scenario, Maggie and Emma outboard back row, except Bridget will be tethered to dedicated anchor behind captain's chair.


Any other concerns I should be aware of with this vehicle? I've installed in my in-laws' 98 Grand Voyager, which is a twin to the T&C as far as I know, but I don't know if there were significant changes between model years. I did have trouble with the Radian RF in the back row of that one, it only fit in the middle; that's why I'm planning to use the CA unless I need more room to put the TB next to a seat in the rear middle. I had no issues with the lightweight locking latchplates in my in-laws' but I've heard they can be an issue which is why I was planning on the SGCS, which has a lockoff, and the CA which is a bit more adjustable (with use of rolled towel or noodles) in how you position it than the Radian.

Thanks for any input and experience. :) I will need to do it quickly-- we'll already be getting there later than the rest of the group because friend teaches a piano lesson that morning-- so I want to have contingencies worked out so I can just walk in, look around, and get it done in as little time possible. :)
 
ADS

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I suppose Maggie in the CA in whatever position it fits in, Bridget in the RSTV, and Emma in the booster is also an option if we don't have tether anchors and there is some problem with my first scenario.
 

scoutingbear

New member
If it were me, and time was a factor, I might go with the RSTV, Turbo, and RF CA. Then you don't have to worry about tether anchors, you can put the older girls in the outboard 3rd row positions and not have to climb everywhere to install the CA. :twocents: But then again, I like easy unless I have lots of time to play with someone who understands my geekiness.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Well, my problem with that, is that it starts a fight if Bridget uses the RSTV. Also, I would have to climb in the back to buckle Bridget in the RSTV, then climb back up front, around and between car seats. Ick. If Maggie was back there, she could be loaded over the back, and I would just buckle Emma's booster first, and she knows how to get herself in with it buckled. I am also thinking that Maggie would be happier with a sister she can look at, instead of a boy she doesn't know very well. Though I suppose I could take her headrest off if I can find a safe place to stow it, so she could see a sister behind her... Hmmm.

I have to say, I don't find any of these to be difficult installs. I can probably do 2 installs in 5 minutes, 10 at the outside, even with checking to make sure they fit, etc.
 

scoutingbear

New member
I understand completely (like the fight between A's friend and C when I put friend in the Radian and C in the GN!) Then E boostered in 3rd row, B in SGCS in captain's chair (to tether to 3rd row if needed) and M in her CA in 3rd row. I don't have any experience with the particular vehicle but have found that the turbo has such as small base that it fits pretty much anywhere (including my 3rd row seat which is NOT deep at all! The GN overhangs by a fraction of an inch).
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
That's good to know! I haven't put the turbo in many cars but I do know it's not huge compared to many boosters, I just wasn't sure if the van might have a very shallow seat? I wouldn't think so but never know.

The SGCS actually has a pretty small base itself-- I think the base is smaller than the Nauti though it flares out in different places. So I'm not too worried about fitting it in a captain's chair, if the configuration works out.

I can always put her in a Radian tethered if I end up having to put her in the back seat (with a tether anchor.) I mentioned I have way too many seats, right?
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
Turbo and CA is going to be tight/impossible side by side on the rear bench. I'd have the RN handy just in case.

The angle is going to be too much IMO to use the rear lap belt for a RF tether, so you'll have to have that rear outboard seat available. Also, the belts are lightweight locking latchplates - is tethering to a belt even possible?

What about CA for the baby, RN untethered for the middle, and Turbo for the oldest as a last-ditch choice to prevent a war over the RSTV?
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I'd rather have the war over the RSTV than have Bridget in an untethered seat. Come to think of it, or get the Radian out of our car.

I think I'll have the RSTV as backup plan if the SGCS can't be tethered (but maybe leave Maggie and Emma in the back, and put Bridget in the RSTV in the middle. That would be easier.)

I don't think the angle would be too much IF the captain's chair that is free is on the correct side-- if it's on the same side as the male end of the belt. Up to 30 degrees from center, right?

It is definitely possible to tether to the rear outboard belt. :) I did it in my in-laws' vehicle. You buckle the belt, pull the lap portion up a little, make sure that the latch plate is held at an angle that locks it, roll the lap portion of the belt, and tether around the entire seatbelt. :thumbsup:
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Update: no tether anchors. (I did tell her they're free if she ever wants them. :) ) So, we'll see how it goes!
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
My first-choice scenario worked perfectly. Except that I had to switch the SGCS I was going to use for the other one-- because the headrest malfunctioned, wouldn't stay locked! Yikes! And drat, they're out of production. Not quite sure how to go about calling about that, guess I need to check their website. But other than that it worked great, CA went in great in the back seat (twisted buckle stalk once or so, rolled blanket under foot of seat), and tethered to the lap belt (it was on the OPPOSITE side I was hoping for but I realized that I could tether around the whole lap belt and still have my 30 degree angle. Dang that's a small back seat.)
 

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