Help! Need concrtible carseat for Toyota Matrix: Tall baby, tall parents!

I need some help! My almost 5 month old son has passed 28 inches and is getting darn close to our Chicco KeyFit 30's height limit of 30 inches. I have a 2005 Toyota Matrix and I was planning on getting the First Years True Fit because of the removable headrest that helps it fit in small cars--until I read today that that feature is only good through 22lbs. As DS is about 19 lbs already, I don't think that's going to help us much. I need some advice for seats to look at! DH and I are both tall, and the Chicco Keyfit 30 requires us to move up the front seat of our car just about as far as we can comfortably, so I'm really concerned about finding a convertible seat that will fit. I would also like to find one that will last a while rear facing, but as DS is in the 90%ile for height, I don't know how much luck we will have with that. We're also on a tight budget, of course... I'd really rather not spend $200 on a carseat, we're on a single income and we just had to paint our house, so funds are low!!

I really appreciate any help anyone can give me!!! We do have a BRU nearby, but I know they don't carry everything to try.

The True Fit still may work for you. Older babies can be more upright when rear facing in their seats which takes up less front to back room. The True Fit takes up very little front to back room when rear facing as do the newest Britax convertibles. The True Fit has higher harness slots so it will last longer forward facing. I have installed a True Fit rear facing in a Yaris with plenty of room for a front passenger to sit comfortably.

The TrueFit doesn't take up that much room front to back even with the top on. It kind of angles more upright towards the top. Also the Premier version has a recline bar that makes it easy to install more upright.

They are now sold at Babies R Us under the name "Lamaze," by the way.

Re: Help! Need convertible carseat for Toyota Matrix: Tall baby, tall parents!

Thank you both! I didn't realize the recline would make a difference, so there's hope. I definitely will go check this out at BRU, thanks for the tip!

The TrueFit is nicely designed, but because it only rear faces to 35 lbs it would have been a bad choice for my tall baby. We are tall people of average build (mom 5'9" dad 6'9"), and my kid has always been symmetrically tall and heavy. He has a long torso, too. He was 36 lbs at his 24 month check up, so the True Fit (or any other 35 lbs RF seat) would not have allowed him to RF to 24 months as recommended by the AAP.

The MyRide lasted RF for my kid until 2 years+. He outgrew it by height before he hit 2 and a half, but that's a lot longer than a 35 lbs RF seat would have done for us. I liked the MyRide as a RF seat for younger children, too--it is nice and reclined and has a little bit of room for a more upright install for an older kid. It takes up less room front to back than the KeyFit, even though it's very wide. I also think it's on sale this week at TRU / BRU? I've heard rumors of $99 MyRides...

Just be aware that the model at BRU is the Premier version that has an anti-rebound bar that makes the seat take up more front to back room but it will give you a basic idea. You will be able to get a MUCH better price by buying online.

You may not need a convertible as soon as you think. If your son's head is not within 1" of the top of the shell, you can decide to keep using the seat. Have a look at this thread:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=129609

Also, I agree that the My Ride is a great seat for extended rear-facing on a reasonable budget. I like the True Fit better in many regards, but if your son is already 19lbs, you probably want a 40lb rf limit.

Is the matrix the same body as the Pontiac Vibe? I seem to recall that it is.

If so - my sister & BIL have the same issues, tall parents, tall & heavy baby. They had a Truefit in their for my Niece since birth and once the top had to be added it was very crowded in the front seat (they had it behind the passenger seat, it's BIL's car and he's probably 6'-2"+ (my sister is about 5-10/5-11). They moved the Truefit to their other vehicle and got a Myride and it fits much better in the Vibe!

aeormsby said:

Is the matrix the same body as the Pontiac Vibe? I seem to recall that it is.

Click to expand...

I don't think so. Pontiac is a GM brand and the Matrix is made by Toyota.

Ladyl said:

I don't think so. Pontiac is a GM brand and the Matrix is made by Toyota.

Click to expand...

They are essentially the same body

Ladyl said:

I don't think so. Pontiac is a GM brand and the Matrix is made by Toyota.

Click to expand...

It's the same as the Geo Prizm/Toyota Corolla phenomenon. Toyota manufactured the vehicles for GM. Or something like that. I'm not sure how much of it is similar (like the slope of the seats) but they sure look the same from the outside.

Vibe and Matrix are the same body and same engine/interior. They were designed together by Pontiac/Toyota and/or by Toyota for Pontiac I forget now.

The big difference between the two is that Pontiac allows bracing and Toyota does not.

If you are both tall and both in the car a lot it's not the end of the world. I have a Radian and a Marathon RF in mine. I'm short, but we share the car and the driver's seat has to go back farther than the passenger, so dh can drive, so there is nothing behind us. We have our MA in the middle and our Radian outboard passenger side.

I know Amber, here has a Vibe and used to put the Radian in the middle RF. We couldn't get mine there w/ a seatbelt install. My friend that helps me w/ installs is pretty good, but also very picky so...either way if you go w/ it, then make sure you can return it! $183 at Walmart.

We have a Marathon, which is the larger version of the Roundabout. $160 at allbee. If he still needs the seat reclined a lot, this is the way to go b/c both our seats are installed rather upright and still touch more than they should if you want the seat farther back. Our passenger seat is farther forward than dh would prefer, but he is in our car so rarely that he lives with it. I do all the driving and he rarely is in our car...

Sorry, I've never tried the TF in our car, it's pretty similar in size and install to the Marathon, so suspect the passenger seat would need to be up about as far as our MA. Our passenger seat is more forward (front back) and then we put it a bit more upright also (the back of the seat). If you don't and the child's car seat leans against it, it affects the seat belt sensor (and maybe?? the airbag one though I've never seen the light for that going just seat belt) and it beeps when there is no passenger in the seat. Seriously irritating if the child's car seat is touching the Toyota seat and not aloud! LOL

tam

Ok, well, we went down to BRU and tried out the True Fit and the My Ride. My DH did his best trying to install them in the hot sun, without instruction manuals or other help... so I don't think we really got them in there correctly. BUT, it looked like the True Fit fit behind the front seat significantly better than the My Ride (we left the rebound bar down since we don't plan on getting that model). The My Ride seemed to take up at least another inch or two front to back and was much closer to the front seat. Also the angle indicator thingy on it was showing that is was too upright, and we think we would have had to move the seat even further up for it to be the right angle--not an option for us. So, while I like the idea of the higher weight limit of the My Ride, it didn't look like it fit in our car... unless we really messed it up somehow?? (poor dh was sweating something fierce and doing his best to wrestle the seats)

Also, I checked DS in his KeyFit today... he's within two inches or so from the top of the shell, and it's getting harder to get him in or out. I think a new seat is in the near future, so I want to get this figured out. I think part of this may have to do with his huge cloth diaper butt... he's basically sitting on a pillow... So having a tall shell in the True Fit would be a good thing!

Any other advice?? Also, if anyone happens to know the best place to buy them online...

Oh, and BTW the My Rides were NOT on sale at BRU that I saw...

You may also like the Evenflo Triumph 65 or Momentum 65. They are similar shells, just a few different features. They also take up less space front-to-back than a lot of seats.
You can get them at BRU or many other stores.

As for the TF, I think Walmart.com has it. Diapers.com does.

Haven't read replies, but the MyRide is $99 this week with a 20% off coupon too!

If your baby has good head control, you should be able to install seats more upright.

Our BRU didn't have the sale marked in store but it's in this week's circular and online.