Trying to puzzle a Maestro (Pic Heavy)

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
In trying to help the grandparents I mentioned in this thread:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=183293 I tried a ton of seats along with the Maestro to try and get something to puzzle with it. Their goal was to get a RF seat next to a Maestro in their 05 Durango, and still be able to operate the folding seat to access the 3rd row.

In all, I tried the Maestro next to a RF: MyRide, True Fit, ComfortSport, Scenera, Onside Air, Triumph, and Radian.

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With the MyRide. This is in my mom's 07 CRV, sorry it's a phone picture but this was the worst combination, they hit each other directly in the widest places. You can see how much of the left outboard seating position the Maestro encroaches on.

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This is in my 98 CRV, with the Scenera 40. They fit together reasonably well, especially with the Scenera closer to 45 degrees reclined.

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Unfortunately though, it still took up too much of the bench, I didn't even have space for a LiteRider.

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True Fit - they puzzled together pretty well too, but the width of the two seats combined was still too much, overall space this combo was about the same as the Scenera + Maestro.

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Puzzled with the True Fit

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Just out of curiosity I flipped the TF and they fit together about the same RF & FF. (and yes, sorry my Maestro has Dorel harness covers on it... they rip into my son's neck otherwise)

I don't have pictures, but I also tried a Triumph and that was crazy huge, probably more room than the Maestro + MyRide was. Even the RF Radian and Maestro wasn't slim enough, the low profile of the Radian is STILL too high to slide under the Maestro.

That was all this weekend. Today, Grandma came back and I was armed with my best predictions to try. She had also traded in their ComfortSport over the weekend at BRU for an Onside Air, so we threw that into the mix.

8-31-11032.jpg

Sorry that this pic doesn't show much, but this is the Onside Air outboard with the Maestro center, showing how much the Maestro overhangs into the folding seat area. The cupholder hangs out about an inch past that outer lip of the seat, so it's a no-go. The Onside Air puzzled the same as the Scenera did, obviously.. fairly well, but not enough to be able to clear the folding seat.

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This is what we came to... Onside Air and Radian. It was the ONLY combination that fit.

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She's going to decide if she wants to return her Maestro and buy a Radian, or just put them both outboard and un-install the Maestro when they want to use the folding seat. A FF Scenera also fit next to the RF Onside worked with room to fold the seat, but the FF child is a tall 3 year old and he wasn't going to make it to booster maturity in a Scenera for sure.


So, that's what I learned today... hope it helps someone down the road!
 
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eyeslkethesky5391

Senior Community Member
aren't the scerena and the onside air the exact same seat? So technically it should fit beside the radian right? This looks like my exact problem right now but i'm not ready to buy a radian yet it just isn't financially possible for me right now but believe every giveaway I enter.
 

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
aren't the scerena and the onside air the exact same seat? So technically it should fit beside the radian right? This looks like my exact problem right now but i'm not ready to buy a radian yet it just isn't financially possible for me right now but believe every giveaway I enter.

Yep, exactly the same except the Onside has foam ... I think the shells are still the same. Anyhow, they fit exactly the same with the Maestro, I tried both of them today in her car and there was no difference.
 

Brycen'sMommy

New member
I made the parental decision to remove the cupholders on the Maestro based on this thread. It puzzles so much better without them. I have a very tight 3-across with the Maestro in the middle and a RF Evenflo Tribute and Graco TurboBooster outboard. It works great. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
 

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
I made the parental decision to remove the cupholders on the Maestro based on this thread. It puzzles so much better without them. I have a very tight 3-across with the Maestro in the middle and a RF Evenflo Tribute and Graco TurboBooster outboard. It works great. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I definitely thought about that after I saw that thread, and I even briefly mentioned it to Grandma when she said "MAN if the cupholders weren't there..." but I wasn't sure how to do it or if Evenflo would allow removing one since the institutional version comes that way. Both of the kids' parents are police officers and she was really concerned about modifying the seat, even if Evenflo agreed that it was ok.

Do they come off pretty easily though?
 

Brycen'sMommy

New member
You could always call Evenflo and see what they say. According to that thread, you can even order the caps to cover the holes. I will be doing that soon.

The cupholders just pop right off. Flip the seat over and there are two tabs. I just pressed on them and gave the cupholder a tug and it popped right off.
 

gigi

New member
Just in case this is useful info down the line (I know these grandparents want a convertible)...in my Subaru Tribeca the Maestro puzzles really well with the SR35 with the base and I can pop down the seat if I put both on the 60 side.

OP - do you think a RA50 would work? Those can be picked up fairly inexpensively and are up high.
 

MaggieQ

Senior Community Member
Did you try any of those combinations with the maestro outboard? Or is there a reason it needs to be center?

Sent from my EVO using Car-Seat.Org
 

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
Did you try any of those combinations with the maestro outboard? Or is there a reason it needs to be center?

Sent from my EVO using Car-Seat.Org

Partly because Grandma had an easier time getting the RF'er in and out from the outboard seat, but yeah I did try it anyway and it was no better. :/
 

Havah

New member
Thank you for this post! I'm working with a really tight budget and a '98 CRV. We've got a larger toddler, a larger pre-schooler, and a newborn on the way. I had been advised to do the Maestro and the Scenera, but I had my doubts (sounded too good to be true) - and your pics of the Harmony/Maestro/Scenera confirmed to me what I feared. Looks like we're going to have to invest in a Radian after all ... though I may take a look into the Safety 1st "Air" lines first ...
 

EmmaCPST

CPST Instructor
Thank you for this post! I'm working with a really tight budget and a '98 CRV. We've got a larger toddler, a larger pre-schooler, and a newborn on the way. I had been advised to do the Maestro and the Scenera, but I had my doubts (sounded too good to be true) - and your pics of the Harmony/Maestro/Scenera confirmed to me what I feared. Looks like we're going to have to invest in a Radian after all ... though I may take a look into the Safety 1st "Air" lines first ...

You're welcome - glad it was helpful! The 98 CRV is my primary vehicle, so I've tried a lot of combinations in it, most of them are in the 3 across thread but feel free to PM me if you have questions about a specific combo or want me to try something. The CA is one of the few seats I've never installed though so I can't comment there.

Just FYI though as you're thinking through things- the Radian is incompatible RF in the center position, though it does work FF. If you want to do it RF it has to be outboard, and it works, but it is a challenge. Takes 3 turns of the buckle stalk and a lot of muscle to get an acceptable install ... and over time mine is KILLING my seat cushion. It's digging so far into the bight that it's super compressed... I hope it comes back someday when I stop using the seat there. :)
 

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