Question $900 in new car seats or a new car?

HeWants4 · Sep 18, 2011

I'm in a bind, stressed and confused. We are in the process of taking in a foster child. She is a relative and se are already raising her biological sister.

We currently have a 3.5 yr old girl who is 41 lbs, a 3 year old boy who is 33 lbs, and the newest addition is 2, and I don't know her size.

I drive a 2007 Toyota Prius. That is the dilemma. I love the car and I really need to save on gas, as I drive far daily for work.

The only carseats. That will fit (at least I hope they'll fit) are the Radian seats. It will be about $900 to buy 3 of these. I think it only makes sense to buy the new models so I don't have to buy boosters in the next few years.

My car has 93,000 miles so it won't last a whole lot longer.

Should I buy the seats now, or just get a different car? We are also not financially in a position to really do either, which is the lessor of two evils?

If anyone has had a similar dilemma, is be grateful for advice.
Thanks!

Judi · Sep 18, 2011

The new radian is outgrown harness and booster about the same time. Have you checked the three across thread yet? What seats do you have now?

If I was going to get radians, I would get the old ones. It would cost you about half.

HeWants4 · Sep 18, 2011

I haven't checked. I've measured and I have 51.6 inches across. All three seats would be 51.

I thought the new Diono brand radian went turned into boosters after harnessing. Correct me if I'm wrong.

creideamh · Sep 18, 2011

No advice, for those ages I'd get the old Radians, but I just wanted to say my old '05 Prius (my bro drives now) has 180K miles and still going strong, and my '06 is at 85K and still great.

ETA- they are, but the headrest from what I understand doesn't move up higher past the highest part for the harness, if that makes sense, and it has a 50lb weight minimum to use as a booster.

ETA2- sorry I explained that badly. The tops of the ears can't be higher than the top of the car seat shell, so the booster part will be virtually useless after the harness is outgrown. Someone else can word it better!

HeWants4 · Sep 18, 2011

Currently we have 2 Britax Marathons and 2 Costco Senera (sp).

Judi · Sep 18, 2011

Are they both forward facing?

wendytthomas · Sep 18, 2011

With a 50 pound minimum for booster use, I'd not get the new Radians, as I don't know how well that'll work for you. The 3.5 year old would probably be ok, but the 3 year old may not be 50 pounds for many many many more years yet.

How about three Radian 65s and save some money?

Wendy

Jessica61624 · Sep 18, 2011

Even if they do work as boosters they will be outgrown before your children are ready for an adult seat belt. You'll eventually need a dedicated booster.

crunchierthanthou · Sep 18, 2011

HeWants4 said:
It will be about $900 to buy 3 of these. I think it only makes sense to buy the new models so I don't have to buy boosters in the next few years.

I disagree. It seems that the Diono Radians won't make all that tall of boosters and might not get them to seatbelt age/size anyway. Plus, they have the 50 lb minimum and no one has seen the belt fit on them. I think it makes more sense to go for bargains on the SKJP Radians (the 65SLs have been hovering around $175 on Amazon), and then spend $50-100 on dedicated boosters 3-5 years from now as the kids outgrow the Radians. :twocents:

tam_shops · Sep 19, 2011

Unless you are Canadian, you can get Radians for far less than $300/seat. So, much less that there is no point in waiting on the new ones b/c buying $50 turbo boosters (or the small/narrow one from Walmart) won't cost you enough to bother!

45# RF and 80#FF
40# RF and 65#FF

And, that's just Walmart, I see people writing they got far better deals than that all the time, but I'm Canadian and our seats are $300/each, so I try to ignore it! LOL

As for the fit, I (currently) have a friend w/ a Prius and she had 2 FF RN and an old Peg bucket in hers. Then, I know she bought a SKJP booster (pain to install w/ 3 across) and assume she put it in the Prius but don't quote me on that! LOL

Either way w/ 2 FF and 1 RF or the opposite, I suspect it'll fit for under $600 and that's with out shopping around too much! Just saved you $300, unless you're from Canada and then I've annoyed you, but you'd be used to the Canadian prices! LOL

HeWants4 · Sep 19, 2011

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I don't know ANYTHING about boosters, so I appreciate all of your comments. We hadn't planned on our family growing so quickly! ;-)

HeWants4 · Sep 19, 2011

They are both FF. I was planning in putting the 2 year old FF as well, but I could put her RF for a while. I was concerned if 3 would fit FF for the future also. I'm tall and have the seats the Prius all the way back. RF is hard in this car.

An Aurora · Sep 19, 2011

I would keep a Marathon and get two Radians. That combo takes up less room than three Radians all facing the same direction, as the Marathon overlaps the Radians perfectly.

HeWants4 · Sep 19, 2011

An Aurora said:
I would keep a Marathon and get two Radians. That combo takes up less room than three Radians all facing the same direction, as the Marathon overlaps the Radians perfectly.

Thanks. I'll try this. I have to buy the Radian's online. I can't find them anywhere in town.

cupcakepirate11 · Sep 19, 2011

I agree with what Aurora said keep the marathon and get two radians.

Toyotas are known to last forever! I would not think that your car is going to die soon especially since it has less than 100k on it. Mine finally died with 260,000+ miles on it. My current car has 130K and purring like a kitten.

I know that is not car seat related but I hope it helps to hear that heh

also I don't know if you watch the Office where Andy sneaks up on Dwight in his prius. Hillarious.

agurlsride · Sep 19, 2011

I agree with the PPs, keep the MA, get two old style Radians (XTSL)
AND being that your car is a Toyota, at 93,000 I can guess you'll get another another 100k mi from it (if not more). My mother's Camry is a 1993 with almost 170k miles and still going strong. There's not sense in buying another car at this point.

ketchupqueen · Sep 19, 2011

The good news is that the sum total of the width of car seats doesn't tell the whole story. Sometimes seats "puzzle" together. I think you could probably make just one Radian, your Marathon, and a Scenera work, though of course it would depend on having the right configuration. And using all seatbelt installs will give you more room to work with, too. Good luck!

emandbri · Sep 19, 2011

93,000 miles is nothing for a toyota! lol Our old 92 camry had 160,000 miles on it when we traded it in and only because we needed a van. I think 1998 sienna had 118,000 miles on it when we traded it in. Brian's 2000 has I think 120,000 miles on it now and going strong.

HeWants4 · Sep 19, 2011

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I'm finally starting to calm down about everything! I'll buy one radian now and see if I can make it work.

Brianna · Sep 19, 2011

HeWants4 said:
My car has 93,000 miles so it won't last a whole lot longer.

I just wanted to say that my step-mom has an 05 Prius with almost 160,000 miles on it and she hasn't needed any major repairs :thumbsup: Yours might last a lot longer than you think!

Question $900 in new car seats or a new car?

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