Question Nissan Armada with Radian XTSL

Hi yall! I searched, but didn't see this specific question answered. We have a 2006 Nissan Armada + almost 5 children!

My 3yo and 6yo are in the back bench. My 8 yo is in the front bench seat in a booster and is by the right hand door so that she can get in and out for carpool line. We are in the process of adopting twin 9 month old girls who are already 20 pounds. We're going to borrow infant carseats if we get them home before 12 mos, but I'm shopping for convertible seats for them.

I've been swayed to NOT go with the graco nautilus for safety reasons, and the Sunshine Radian XTSL has come highly recommended. BUT I've heard they are hard to fit in some cars. Anybody have any experience with this? Again, we would need two of them to go in the middle seat (which has no latch) and the left door side (behind drivers seat).

Thanks in advance!

Sarah Underhill

The nautilus won't be an option for them at just 12m. You want a convertible. The nautilus is a combo or ff only seat.

What seats are all the kids in? Do you have any convertibles?

Also, congrats on your adopton!! Our nephew came home from Ethiopia last fall. Adoption is an awesome and wonderful thing.

Stefanie - CPStech in Iowa

If they are already 20 lbs, I wouldn't bother with infant seats a nice fitting convertible will be the ticket.

I would go to a place like Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby and try out different seats in your vehicle to see what fits. Do you have a budget?

Stefanie, ours are from Ethiopia too!!!

Our oldest two are in boosters (the 8 yo in a booster, the 6 yo in a highback booster). Our 3 yo is in a Eddie Bauer convertible.

I know I need a convertible (after all the research and great advice!), but just needing to know if that particular one fits. The Radian comes highly suggested b'c it is narrower (and a good car seat) so can fit more easily in cars. And Babies R Us doesn't carry that Radian brand so we can't try it out in the car. But someone on the Baby Cheapskate board told me to ask here about the specific fit of that carseat into an Armada b'c the cars vary... I know that's a shot in the dark of finding, but just thought I'd check and see if anyone had similar experience.

And we are on a budget of course, but I want to get good carseats for them. The graco is on sale right now for $125 so I'd love to go that way (but won't!), and the sunshine is at $300 right now at BRUs, $245 on Amazon. So I guess that's my budget. I don't want to spend money for fun, but don't want to skimp either... Make sense? If I could get both for around $350-$400, that'd be great!

Thanks!
Sarah

What eddie bauer convertible do you have? Is it a 3-in-1? If so, 40# or 50# version? If it is the 40#, I am guessing the 3y is outgrown it already. I would hand it down to a twin.

I would look at the safet1st complete air, radian or the graco myride (on sale at target this week for $100).

Get a graco nautilus for the 3y.

Have you gone for your first trip? My sis and bil 2nd trip was a month after the first trip.

Stefanie - CPStech in Iowa

I was going to pm you, but can't because you didn't log in. If you register I will or you can email me swelch0320 at gmail dot com.

Stefanie - CPStech in Iowa