Musical car seats anyone?

We have a 2008 Toyota Sienna and a 1991 Honda Accord without locking seat belts.

We have 2 FPSVD (man. in 2007), but 1 of the seats styrofoam shell is broken, so it's out of commission. Currently, the FPSVD is in the Accord for DS1 (4 years old), but he's got less than 1/4" till the top slot height.

In the Sienna, DS1 is in a Frontier, DS2 (3 years) is in a FF Radian XTSL, and DS3 (15 mo) is RFing in a Radian XTSL. And we'll need a Radian for #4 coming in August (hopefully).


So, the puzzle. In the fall DH will be doing some school pick-ups and drop-offs for DS1 & DS2, so he will need a seat for each of them. I was planning to leave the FPSVD in the Accord for DS2 (since it hasn't expired yet, does anybody know how long of exp date?), and we will need to put another 5pt in there with higher height for DS1. The different ideas were:

• Move DS2's Radian to the Accord and buy DS2 a cow Frontier. Buy #4 a new Radian
• Move #4 to DS2's Radian, get DS2 a cow Frontier, and get a new seat for the Accord (which one, though?)
• Leave everyone where the are and buy a seat for the Accord and one for #4.

DS1 is a very good rider, but I cannot get the seatbelts to lock by pulling them out (hence the reason I don't think they do), so I really don't feel comfortable even thinking about a booster. On top of that, he LOVES his 5pt harness!

I'm sure there was a lot of extra info, and forgotten too, but I have no idea what would best thing to do. Money is an issue, but we did plan on buying a 2 new seats, and our kids' safety is more important than saving a dollar!

Give the Radians to the baby (they fit newborns quite well if you plan on skipping the bucket).

Call Britax to get new foam for the FPSVD. Put your current youngest in those.

Re-evaluate seats when the FPs expire.

The seats in the Accord most likely lock at the latchplate. You'll need to lock them there or use a locking clip. I use a clip in my grandmother's '92 Accord.

You're quick!

I do have the locking clip in there for the FPSVD, and it fits great, but to me that was even more reason not to consider putting DS1 in a booster.

I couldn't get a very good fit RFing the FPSVD in the Sienna. It's been a year, so I can't remember why, but that was why we put them in the other car and got the Radians.

Wait a sec. I went back and read and I'm confused.

So you're saying in the Accord
DS1 (4yo):???
DS2 (3yo):FPSVD FFing?

In the Sienna
DS1 (4yo):Frontier
DS2 (3yo):???
DS3 (15mo):FPSVD RF(I'll try it tomorrow to see if I can get a good fit, and if not, why)
#4 (coming in August):Radian XTSL

And we have another Radian XTSL, so where would you put that? And what other seat would you get?

You can call Britax to get new foam for your FPSVD, or tape it if it's a simple break. It has a 6yr exipy.

I'd put 1 Radian and 1 FPSVD in the accord. Put DS3 in the other FPSVD in the van (it's similar to the Marathon which always installed great in my Sienna), and DS4 in the other Radian.

Wether you buy another Radian or Frontier would depend on 1 thing. Will you ever need 3 across in the Accord? If not, get a Frontier. If so, get another Radian so you'll have 3 to eventually put in the Accord.

So you're saying in the Accord
DS1 (4yo): fpsvd or meastro (what's he weigh?)
DS2 (3yo):FPSVD FFing

In the Sienna
DS1 (4yo):Frontier
DS2 (3yo): new frontier
DS3 (15mo): radian
#4 (coming in August):Radian XTSL

What's ds1 weigh?

Stefanie, cpst in iowa - mom to 4 great kids

pippi2077 said:

So you're saying in the Accord
DS1 (4yo): fpsvd or meastro (what's he weigh?)
DS2 (3yo):FPSVD FFing

In the Sienna
DS1 (4yo):Frontier
DS2 (3yo): new frontier
DS3 (15mo): radian
#4 (coming in August):Radian XTSL

What's ds1 weigh?

Stefanie, cpst in iowa - mom to 4 great kids

Click to expand...

DS1 is 42lbs, but his height is the reason he needs to upgrade from his FPSVD. His shoulders are so close to reaching the top slots. But the Maestro won't give us much weight to add. Is there another 5 pt that's inexpensive that has high slots and higher weight?

Truthfully, I'm a chicken. I don't think I'll be ready to booster him in 8 lbs, especially in the Accord. Does that make sense?

Get a meastro for him for now and then give it to #2 when #2 outgrows the fpsv or when it expires.

Or look at the graco nautilus.

Stefanie, cpst in iowa - mom to 4 great kids