Should I buy Radians to RF the kids in my Civic?

Kaleigh is 4 years, 7 months old and right at 40 lbs. She wants to face backwards, but she will only be riding in my car regularly until June. I know, no brainer. Keep her FFing.

CJ is 3 years, 1 month old and 35 lbs. He'll be in my car regularly until he's 5 1/2.

I keep going back and forth. It would be easier if Radians would install in my suburban, but they won't at all so the kids will be ff-ing in my Suburban. CJ in his MA and Kaleigh in a FR85 or GN.

Yes, there are other options than the Radian for CJ, but I don't trust dorel enough to buy a 40 scenera or CA for him. The MR is a huge seat for such a tiny car and I already was having trouble getting him into his rfing MA when he outgrew that. He's pretty big and the size of the opening between the seat and the door is not. So it would have to be a Radian.

Or do I just say screw it and keep him FF. He made it to 3 rear facing after all. I'm ok with it in the Suburban because of the vehicle mass, but it worries me in my tiny little civic. But then again, the only wreck I've almost been in in that car, we were almost rear ended by a guy doing 65-70 who managed to swerve at the last minute. We were stopped. So I think about that too...

I have to get one more seat so I have a seat for all of them in each vehicle. I was just going to get a Frontier 85 and call it a day, but I have this nagging voice in the back of my head saying I really should be rfing CJ at least in the Civic. Grrrr.

It seems best practice is a tough call ATM.

No opinions?

Yes, I realize I've beat this horse to death. It just weighs heavily on my mind.

If I had seats to RF them I would. (If the older kid actually wanted to.)

If I didn't, I wouldn't buy new ones.

What yr civic is it? I had a 2000 Civic and there was NO WAY a radian would fit. Even getting it fairly upright the front seats still required to be ALL the way forward.

It's an 2001. I can move the passenger seat forward as far as I need cause no one rides there.

I have to buy 1 seat regardless. I'm just debating whether to get Kaleigh the pink FR 85 she wants and keep CJ in his, or make her use his red one and get him a seat he can RF in.

Stupid reasoning but I kinda feel bad for KG. She always gets hand me downs cause she's the second girl, CJ gets née stuff cause my older boys have worn it out by the time they're done with it. It would be nice for KG to get her Pink seat she asked for. Plus shed be jealous CJ was RFing and she wasn't. Lol

A RFing Radian will fit just fine in that year Civic. I have a 2004 & I can drive with a Radian behind me. I'm 5'10" with a 34" inseam. They install really nicely with either LATCH or the seatbelt in that car.

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So now I know I can.... Thanks! But should I?

I say if they can rear face, do it. At least for Cj.

LISmama810 said:

If I had seats to RF them I would. (If the older kid actually wanted to.)

If I didn't, I wouldn't buy new ones.

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I agree with this.

I would for CJ. I don't know about Kaleigh. If she'll be upset to not RF and you have the means to, you can buy it now and then sell it on swap come June.