3 across Honda Civic, help please?

orangemnms

New member
Hi guys and gals, I need help. I have:

6 yr old DS, 51.5 lbs
4 yr old DD, 35.5 lbs
2.5 yr old DD, 28.5 lbs

Heights unknown because I didn't pay close enough attention at the last ped visit. :D

I also have: 5 Wizards, 1 husky, 1 FPSE (nearing expiration I'm sure,) and 1 parkway.

I need to get three across in the backseat of a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid. From reading (and reading and reading, LOL, its now 2 am!) I *think* I can get 3 Radians across the backseat. I have tried EVERY other configuration I can think of (the employees at BRU must hate me by now) and I just cannot seem to get three harnessed seats back there in a way that I am happy with. I would say that if I absolutely had to, I would let DS sit in the Parkway, but the shoulder space seems to narrow for him to sit comfortably, and he is just too fidgety because he's not comfortable.

So, my questions are:

Has anyone actually been able to acheive ANY configuration of three across the back seat of a Civic with this age/weight of kids?

Is the widest point of the Radian towards the top? Meaning, if I stagger the seats, putting FF outboard and RF in the middle, can I save an inch or two? (Yes, I know they all have to be installed independently of each other :thumbsup: ) And, if my DS is too wide at the shoulders for a Parkway, will he even fit in a Radian?

Lastly, I am in the Central Valley of CA, but certainly more than willing to drive anywhere in the Bay Area where I might be able to get some real help finding and safely installing these seats. Anyone have any recommendations? In the past, I have driven the 73 miles to the only store I have known to carry higher end car seats and where the employees know a lick about CPS (Lullaby Lane in San Bruno.)

We normally drive a 2003 Ford Excursion (10.2 mpg :thumbsdown: ,) but with gas prices reaching $3.59 a gallon, we are trying to use the Hybrid (44 mpg :thumbsup: ) more often. Include an upcoming trip to southern CA, and the seats will have paid for themselves just in the amount of fuel we will save by taking the other car!

Any help or suggestions at all will be MUCH appreciated! :)
 
ADS

musicmaj

New member
Hi,
I have a few suggestions for you to try. Since you are using a hybrid and they are relatively new I am going to assume there are lap/shoulder belts and head rests in all positions, right?
The least expensive thing to try would be two wizards for the youngest two and then either the parkway or a ride safer travel vest for your oldest in the center. I am not sure how that would work as I have never seen a wizard in person, but it just might. Perhaps your oldest would get used to the parkway after a little while.

Depending on the torso height of your oldest and if the radian installs well, you may also be able to use three radians, ff, rf, then ff. My 6 year old has almost outgrown the radian by height, but there are lots of kids who can still fit in it at 6 years old. Another option for your oldest if a radian or parkway won't work would be a fisher price safe voyage booster seat. It is short. The highest shoulder setting on it is about 18.5 inches, but when the back is outgrown it can be used as a backless booster seat. It is quite narrow (13.5 inches on bottom and 17 at the back) and works great in a three across.
 

trailrunnermom

New member
Maybe buy an inexpensive narrow car seat like the Safety 1st Uptown ($80 @ wal-mart) or Cosco Regal Ride ($45 @ albeebaby.com, but an older model). (I have a Regal Ride on order so I can fit 3 across the back row of my Odyssey, so later this week I'll be able to comment on actually using the seat.) The 4-yo might still fit in one of these seats FF, or the 2-yo would still fit RF for a while, then FF.

The hard part is finding a narrow harnessed seat for the 6-yo; he may still fit in a Radian for a while. My almost-6-yo DS could probably fit in our Radian for another 6 months (he's about 52 lbs, 49", right below the top harness slots). If you got a Radian and it didn't fit him, it would be a good narrow seat for the 4-yo, at least! :)

Otherwise, I've heard the FPSV Booster is narrow -- I think you can find it at target.com or albeebaby.com. See:
http://www.specialtybaby.com/fiprsavobose.html

If the booster were next to a narrow carseat, then I think you would have room to buckle it without damaging your hand. :)

My suggestions are:

Radian65 FF - 6 yo
Safety 1st Uptown RF - 2.5 yo (or Wizard, if there's enough room)
Wizard FF - 4 yo
(Or put RF seat outboard driver's side so it's easier to buckle the child in, and 4 yo in the center.)

OR

FPSVD booster - 6 yo
Safety 1st Uptown - 2.5 yo
Radian or Wizard - 4 yo

HTH! Way to go for driving a hybrid! :)
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
This is going to be a *fun* configuration to test out :whistle: If your local retailers won't let you test before you buy, make sure they have a great return/exchange program & also make sure that wherever you buy from online has good refund/exchange policy as well....

The only other adivce I have (since you've already gotten some good ideas) is that the Ride Safer Travel Vest is a safe + very narrow last resort option for the center :twocents:
 

musicmaj

New member
Here is a picture of our three across with radian, regal ride, and fpsv booster. This will give you an idea of how they puzzle together. Do you see how the back of the booster sticks up high enough to allow it to overlap the rearfacing seat?
DSCN3353.jpg
DSCN3355.jpg


Here is a picture of my small 19 month old in the regal ride. I really like the seat for this configuration and my baby seems comfortable enough even though it is not very padded. It works great as a rearfacing seat.
DSCN3249.jpg
 

Loves2sing

New member
No one has mentioned the marathon. I don't have pictures, but i have been able to fit in my 03 Focus, 2 marathons RF in the outboard postions and ff Radian in the middle. The way they fit together, I am *almost* positive that you would be able to get FF Radians in the outboards with a RF MA in the middle. I would love to try this, and if I can get my BFF to come out to play I could try and maybe post some pics. :)
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Just remember that each seat must be independently secure: often, tight squeezes trick us into thinking they're secure when they really aren't.... Each seat must not move more than 1" at the seatbelt or LATCH path -- I install the center seat 1st, then outboard seats & uninstall/reinstall the center to test how secure the outboard seats are (sometimes I have to start all over again if reinstalling the center seat is too difficult with the other seats installed).

I've gotten 2 Britaxes convertibles + a Parkway in my Escape, but each vehicle year/make/model is different. Each carseat fits each position within a vehicle differently. It can probably be done, but it's probably not going to be easy :eek:
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
Like Jennasmommy said, we have fit 2 RF MA's outboard with a FF Radian in the center in her '03 Focus... all installs rocksolid and independent of each other. We have also fit FF MA (outboard), FF Radian (center), RF MA (outboard) in the same car... all rocksolid and independent of each other.

I have also fit 2 FF Radians outboard and a RF Marathon (center) in the 3rd row of my '03 Grand Caravan (48" of hip room). I can also do this with 1 FF Radian(outboard), 1 RF Marathon(center), 1RF Radian(outboard) in that same third row. All installs solid to rocksolid and independent of each other.

The MA overlaps the Radian when both seats are facing the same direction, which adds up to a few inches that would otherwise be lost on other seat combinations.

I would try two FF Radians with a RF Wizard on the outboard position. If that is a no go, than two FF Radians in the outboard positions and a RF Radian in the center.

The Radian is approximately 14" at the hip area and 18" at it's widest point in the shoulder area.
 

bestjob-mommy

New member
Like Jennasmommy said, we have fit 2 RF MA's outboard with a FF Radian in the center in her '03 Focus... all installs rocksolid and independent of each other. We have also fit FF MA (outboard), FF Radian (center), RF MA (outboard) in the same car... all rocksolid and independent of each other.

I have also fit 2 FF Radians outboard and a RF Marathon (center) in the 3rd row of my '03 Grand Caravan (48" of hip room). I can also do this with 1 FF Radian(outboard), 1 RF Marathon(center), 1RF Radian(outboard) in that same third row. All installs solid to rocksolid and independent of each other.

The MA overlaps the Radian when both seats are facing the same direction, which adds up to a few inches that would otherwise be lost on other seat combinations.]


hello,.......Is this safe for the middle child in the Radian to have the seat tucked under another? Just wondering if I can do it in my 01 honda civic.... thanks
 
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cryswilkins

New member
We have a 99 Civic, and I just can not see a Radian fitting RF, the take up a lot of room. Someone correct me if they have done it, but our Roundabout touches the front seats, and it is much shorter and able to be installed much more upright.

I would try FF Radian, RF Wizard, FF Radian. Good luck, and post pictures!
 

littleangelfire

Well-known member
I have a '99 Civic, too, and a Radian wouldn't work in it. But, the seatbelts very likely have changed since then and are no long forward of the bight. I can't see a Radian rear facing in there either, I had a really hard time getting a carrier and then a rear facing convertible in there. An MA rf in the middle runs into my shoulder and I'm not super tall.
 

1girltwinboyz

New member
love the config pic of 3 across -is that a civic? i cannot imagine getting 3 of anything across dh's 88 civic. the marathons leave NO room for even a diaper bag inbtw so I cannot imagine needing to put something else in there?

Just my few cents...:D
 

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