2002 Malibu 3 across- Smart Seat, Radian, Marathon

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
My turn to play with the new Smart Seat. I was totally against buying this seat. I was told it was a beast and it looked to take up way to much room.

I wanted to see if it would fit in my Malibu.

Here are pics of RF Marathon, RF Radian (old boot), RF Smart Seat.

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The passenger seat is all the way back. It is not touching the front seat.

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The base.

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Forward facing.

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The one thing that I do not like about the Smart Seat is that you can not recline to 45 degrees. I measured 30-40 degrees. There is a bubble level on the side. The bubble must be iside two lines. I do think a newborn would be fine in it. I did not try my doll in it though for fit. Oh also, the manditory harness covers/pads. They must be used rear facing.

For comparison. Here is the Frontier 85, in place of the Smart Seat. It fits about the same. Well, basically. The frontier cup holder was under the radian. So really, the smart seat is a little narrower.

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DaniChildcare

New member
I cannot justify this seat
i cannot justify this seat
i cannot justify this seat

(right now)

ohhhh, but i want one!!!! :whistle:

Thanks for the pictures!!! :)
 

tl01

New member
Okay... so how did you get it to take up so little space RFing? Explain how you installed the base. In my car it takes up so much more space that I really wouldn't be able to have my husband drive the car if the seat was installed behind him... and I have a big car. I can also measure a huge difference when the seat is installed FFing too. I'll need to try again tomorrow. I want to keep it but with the current installs it just seems silly.
 

love-pink

Well-known member
Great pictures!!! Would you mind taking of a few next to the rn? Like out of the car to show the width difference. Do you think the ss will puzzle well next to a booster so buckling wont be so difficult?
 

Pixels

New member
Does the SS have an infant insert that provides more recline for a noob, like the Cco?

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org
 

featherhead

Well-known member
Wow, I'm impressed! Are the side bolsters not as big in the 2002 as the 2003? If they are the same how on earth did you manage that? Maybe they are squishier than mine.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
I think the 02 and the 03 are the same.

There is an infant insert. It was left in the house.

This seat lives over an hour from me, so can't really get pics right now.

Tara- Jess installed, but really, it is just a safe seat base install. Did you have the bubble at the correct place?
 
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featherhead

Well-known member
I think the 02 and the 03 are the same.

There is am infant insert. It was left in the house.

This sea lives over an hour from me, so can't really get pics right now.

Tara- Jess installed, but really, it is just a safe seat base install. Did you have the bubble at the correct place?

Interesting. I'm pretty sure if I tried it in my car it would end up majorly twisted toward the centre because of that bolster.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
Codi, um, go look. ;) You tell me.

When you separate the two pieces out, it is really not bad. No worse than the radian.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
Ok, I posted more pics above of the Frontier VS the Smart Seat.

Now here are pics of the TFP in place of the Smart Seat.

Without the headrest, the TFP takes up the same room as the Smart Seat, for front to back room.

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Side to side, the TFP takes up the same room as the Smart Seat.

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With the headrest on, I had to move to front seat up.

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And here are pics of the 3 across.

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WhatAboutPuppy

New member
Great pictures!!! Would you mind taking of a few next to the rn? Like out of the car to show the width difference. Do you think the ss will puzzle well next to a booster so buckling wont be so difficult?

Ok, I found when doing this 3-across that the SS doesn't really... uh... puzzle. Really. It reminds me a lot of my car. It's a box. lol It's too late tonight but maybe tomorrow evening I'll get some more pictures! I don't know if you'd want to but, the opening in the base seems like if you popped this seat out then your booster rider could buckle through the routing path. It might seem like a lot of work, but it would be less work than uninstalling an entire convertible... ya know?
 

featherhead

Well-known member
Ok Judi, you are the queen!!! I think I need to go out and try the TF and Radian side by side. I had them like that for a bit, but the Radian was so off center I never would have been able to get another seat in there! Not that it matters since my TF is now forward-facing anyways.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
Yes, I got the radian at 28ish degrees and had to mess with it to get it to 35 degrees.
 

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