3 across in a 2000 windstar

angelrabaa · Apr 2, 2011

I am wondering if anyone has a winstar with 3 across in the back seat? I just bought it and right now I have My 5 Year old in a recaro como, My 3 Year old in a Graco comfort sport and My 12 year old will have to squeeze in between the 2 in the back. Then My 7 month in a Chicco Keyfit 30 in one of the captains seats and My 14 year old in the other captains seat. At the very least I need to get something smaller than the recaro because that thing eats up the back row. Any input would be appreciated Thanks

My older Kids are way to big for booster seats and I will only use a 5 point harness for My 5 year old so boosters are not an option Him and My 3 year old Daughter are very small for their age both 10th percentile. My 7 month old is 95th percentile.

jourdysmom · Apr 2, 2011

Do you have a shoulder belt and headrest in the 3rd row center position? If it is a lap-only belt or does not have headrest it is not safe for your 12 year old to sit there.

Are the 3 year old's shoulders still below the top straps of the Comfortsport? The straps must be at or above the shoulders to be OK. That seat is notoriously outgrown VERY early.

I am wondering if 3 Radians would fit back there for the 3 smaller kids and have the big kids in the captain chairs.

mylittlet · Apr 2, 2011

Are the 12y and 14y in boosters or not? If they pass the 5-steps to ride without a booster then I would put them outboard in the 3rd row with someone in he middle. My guess is the middle spot is only a lap belt. Lap belts are only good for a 5-point harness.

If your 3y still fits the comfortsport, then try him there first. If he is to big then more him to the recaro and get the 5y a complete air or radian to use until baby outgrows the infant seat.

When baby outgrows the infant seat. Put baby in the recaro, put the 3y in whatever you buy now and get the 5y a booster. Move 3y to 3rd row middle, move 5y to a captain chair and have baby in the other captain.

Stefanie, cpst in iowa - mom to 4 great kids

Judi · Apr 2, 2011

Find another 3 across bench seat. I made mine an 8 seater.

Unregistered · Apr 2, 2011

jourdysmom said:
Do you have a shoulder belt and headrest in the 3rd row center position? If it is a lap-only belt or does not have headrest it is not safe for your 12 year old to sit there.

Are the 3 year old's shoulders still below the top straps of the Comfortsport? The straps must be at or above the shoulders to be OK. That seat is notoriously outgrown VERY early.

I am wondering if 3 Radians would fit back there for the 3 smaller kids and have the big kids in the captain chairs.

Why is it not safe for My 12 year old to sit there? My 3 year old is in the 10th percentile for height and weight. My 12 year old however is 5'7 and 140 lbs.

Unregistered · Apr 2, 2011

Judi said:
Find another 3 across bench seat. I made mine an 8 seater.

I was actually considering that hadn't had a chance to look at it yet. How would I get the kids in and out of the back they'd have to climb over the seat not fun in the snow.

Unregistered · Apr 2, 2011

pippi2077 said:
Are the 12y and 14y in boosters or not? If they pass the 5-steps to ride without a booster then I would put them outboard in the 3rd row with someone in he middle. My guess is the middle spot is only a lap belt. Lap belts are only good for a 5-point harness.

If your 3y still fits the comfortsport, then try him there first. If he is to big then more him to the recaro and get the 5y a complete air or radian to use until baby outgrows the infant seat.

When baby outgrows the infant seat. Put baby in the recaro, put the 3y in whatever you buy now and get the 5y a booster. Move 3y to 3rd row middle, move 5y to a captain chair and have baby in the other captain.

Stefanie, cpst in iowa - mom to 4 great kids

I was wondering how do You take drivers training if Your in a booster seat? My Daughters starting next week I think We would have an issue if She was still in a booster lol

Irishmama · Apr 2, 2011

I have a 2000 Windstar as well. I've done a three across with ff Radians and a ff Marathon. Another member found a rf My Ride fits very nicely on the passenger side, overlapping the cupholders. The Evenflo Maestro is fairly narrow, has high top slots, goes to 50 lbs, and is around $80.

You should be able to fit one seat outboard and one center, and put the 12 year old outboard in the lap/shoulder belt with the headrest.

ETA: If you haven't checked out the successful three across thread, you might get some good ideas here:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=33226

angelrabaa · Apr 2, 2011

jourdysmom said:
Do you have a shoulder belt and headrest in the 3rd row center position? If it is a lap-only belt or does not have headrest it is not safe for your 12 year old to sit there.

Are the 3 year old's shoulders still below the top straps of the Comfortsport? The straps must be at or above the shoulders to be OK. That seat is notoriously outgrown VERY early.

I am wondering if 3 Radians would fit back there for the 3 smaller kids and have the big kids in the captain chairs.

I tried to reply earlier but it never came through. My 3 and 1/2 year old is only in the 10th percentile for height and weight. My 12 Year old is 5'5 and 140 lbs. He's bigger than My Husband. I'm just trying to get ideas for different car seats that might fit. I know all the rules for car seats and how they should fit My Kids but Thank You

angelrabaa · Apr 2, 2011

Judi said:
Find another 3 across bench seat. I made mine an 8 seater.

I was considering this earlier but then couldn't figure out how I would get the Kids in and out in the winter without it being a mess. Any thought?

angelrabaa · Apr 2, 2011

pippi2077 said:
Are the 12y and 14y in boosters or not? If they pass the 5-steps to ride without a booster then I would put them outboard in the 3rd row with someone in he middle. My guess is the middle spot is only a lap belt. Lap belts are only good for a 5-point harness.

If your 3y still fits the comfortsport, then try him there first. If he is to big then more him to the recaro and get the 5y a complete air or radian to use until baby outgrows the infant seat.

When baby outgrows the infant seat. Put baby in the recaro, put the 3y in whatever you buy now and get the 5y a booster. Move 3y to 3rd row middle, move 5y to a captain chair and have baby in the other captain.

Stefanie, cpst in iowa - mom to 4 great kids

I'm wondering how My 14 year old would start drivers training in 2 days in a booster? lol

angelrabaa · Apr 2, 2011

irishmama3 said:
I have a 2000 Windstar as well. I've done a three across with ff Radians and a ff Marathon. Another member found a rf My Ride fits very nicely on the passenger side, overlapping the cupholders. The Evenflo Maestro is fairly narrow, has high top slots, goes to 50 lbs, and is around $80.

You should be able to fit one seat outboard and one center, and put the 12 year old outboard in the lap/shoulder belt with the headrest.

ETA: If you haven't checked out the successful three across thread, you might get some good ideas here:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=33226

Thank You for your input I'm going to check out the maestro although I've never been much of a fan of evenflo car seats. I was wondering how a nautilus or a frontier might fit. I took a glance at the Nautalis at target the other day but can't really remember how wide it was and I haven't checked out the frontier but have been considering it for a while for My 5 year old.

April · Apr 3, 2011

We're saying you can't put the 12 year old in the third row centre because its only a lap belt and no headrest. So that spot is only safe for a car seat, not a booster or anyone else.

Replacing the second row bench with a third row bench is your best option. Because of the way it sits, there is loads of room for them to get into the third row from the passenger side. Judi has a picture, but I can go take one of mine if I can get this baby off my chest.

My current setup is:

Driver Passenger

Turbo booster/KeyFit/9 year old

Parkway SG/empty/Nautilus

I tried like hell and could not get anything to work how I needed it to for three across in the third row. The only thing that I'm almost certain would work there is RF Evenflo Titan/FF Radian/12 year old. Or possibly a RF MyRide in place of the titan.
Posted via Mobile Device

Irishmama · Apr 3, 2011

angelrabaa said:
Thank You for your input I'm going to check out the maestro although I've never been much of a fan of evenflo car seats. I was wondering how a nautilus or a frontier might fit. I took a glance at the Nautalis at target the other day but can't really remember how wide it was and I haven't checked out the frontier but have been considering it for a while for My 5 year old.

Both the Nautilus and Frontier are pretty wide, so the only chance I think you'd have would be putting it in the middle with one of your older kids on each side, and then two of the little ones in the captain's chairs.

I think the second third row bench can slide a little towards the front of the vehicle to allow people to squeeze behind it to get in the back of the van, kinda like a two-door car. But I've never tried it, so Judi would have to confirm that.

It's pretty standard for posters to check on other issues, such as seat fit, booster use, etc. They are just making sure all bases are covered to make sure kids are riding as safely as possible.

Do you have a Babies R Us near you that you could try out a few different seats to see if they will work well for you, and to see if the seats fit the kids well? They would have the seats you are interested in. Sometimes you just have to try the seats out in person to really know if they will work for you.

Judi · Apr 3, 2011

I used mine as an 8 seater with 6 teenagers. They got in the back seat with no issues. Usually I would never use a lap belt unless it is for a car seat.

April · Apr 3, 2011

Okay pics. Sorry, its dark outside and the flash on my blackberry sucks. (Clickable thumbnails):

This is my second row:

Space between the Nautilus and Parkway in the third row:

I have more pics. Give me a bit.

Okay, space in the middle of the third row between a Nautilus and a Monterey: (ie. A Nautilus is NOT going to be workable if you want to fit three people in that row.)

valleyfam · Apr 3, 2011

Is your three year old rf? If not I'd put the 14 and 12 year old out board back row with a Nautilus or ff My Ride in the center back row. Then 7m old and other ff child in the captain's chairs. Honestly it's going to be tight back there but doable. I have ridden back there with ds1 in a parkway booster, Nauti, ff My Ride or SS1 in the middle, then me outboard several times. A rf My Ride fits great on the passenger side back bench but honestly with it there then a harnessed seat middle it is hard to get the rf child in unless you go in from the hatch and that gets old after a while. Would you only need all 7 seats on rare occasions or every day? I'd probably let the 14 year old ride in the front passenger seat to free up some space for every day use in the back. I know that's not ideal but the real world is not always ideal and hey 14 year olds can drive is some states. Keep replying I'll keep thinking.

angelrabaa · Apr 3, 2011

April said:
Okay pics. Sorry, its dark outside and the flash on my blackberry sucks. (Clickable thumbnails):

This is my second row:

Space between the Nautilus and Parkway in the third row:

I have more pics. Give me a bit.

Okay, space in the middle of the third row between a Nautilus and a Monterey: (ie. A Nautilus is NOT going to be workable if you want to fit three people in that row.)

Really great pics Thanks that helps a lot.

3 across in a 2000 windstar

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