Compact Car, Compact Budget, Comapact Carseat?

funpandamachine

New member
First of all, thank you so much for being here to answer everyone's questions. I thank God I found this website.:thanx!:

I have purchased the Graco Comfort Sport for my 9 month old twins, but have decided to return it (not used yet). Based on the information I have seen here, I believe I have it narrowed down, but would appreciate some comments.
My car is a 99 Honda Civic, and we are eating the dashboard with the infant carriers. We are, um, larger people. Both really tall. This is a huge factor, but I will continue to munch on dashboard if it means getting the best carseat.

Money is an object for me, but I would cut off my arm to make sure my babies were safe. It appears, because they are made by the same company, that the Fisher Price Safe Voyage is just as good as any with the Britax name? I thought I had read that the Britax has TSIP. Is the same true of the Fisher Price? Any other seats out there with TSIP? I have also considered the Evenflo Triumph Advanced. Money no object, which would you choose based on safety? I really don't care too much about pretty fabrics, altough it would be nice, I don't want to pay a bunch extra for it.


Again thank you SO much for being available to answer my questions. :thumbsup:
 
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scatterbunny

New member
Glad you found us! :)

Good idea to return the ComfortSports, they are the soonest-outgrown of all the convertibles because of the very short top slots. Since your twins have tall genes, I think you've got it narrowed down to great choices--the FPSVD and the Evenflo Triumph Advanced.

If you have a store nearby that carries Britax seats (Babies R Us usually does) I'd try your babies in the Marathon and see how they fit, since they will fit the FPSVD the same way. Hopefully your BRU will have the Triumph Advance, too. Babies R Us lets you try seats in your car, too, so definitely try them out. The Triumph Advance has a slightly higher rear-facing weight limit, which is great. Both will last about the same length of time forward-facing, I'm guessing, since the top slot measurements appear to be about the same (most seats are outgrown by height--shoulders over top slots--before weight).

Any five point harness seat provides great SIP, especially rear-facing. The Britax Boulevard is the only convertible with TSIP, as in, designed for SIP and crash-tested for it.

One thing that might help you guys out, in a small car with tall adults up front, is knowing that older babies with good head control don't need a 45 degree recline angle anymore. You can install the seats as upright as is comfortable for the babies. The FPSVD can also touch the front seat(s). I'm not sure about the Triumph; I seem to remember an old rule that it couldn't touch the front seat(s), but I could be mistaken. Hopefully someone who knows for sure can pipe in. :)
 

musicmaj

New member
I have the fisher price safe voyage seat for my toddler. I love it. It is a really nice seat. I also have one of the older triumphs. The triumph advance looks like a really nice seat. The triumph (and it looks like the triumph advance is the same way) is hard for me to install rearfacing in a more upright angle. I can get the fisherprice more upright though. This may be important for you because you will have more room in the front seats if you can install the convertibles a little bit more upright. Since your babies are not newborns the seats do not have to be at a 45 degree angle when rearfacng.
 

lovinwaves

New member
Just adding to what the PP's have said already.

The Triumph has an usual way of tightening and loosening the straps. It has some knob adjusters on the side of the seat. I have heard they are difficult to use rear-facing as well as forward-facing. Some people don't mind them, and some despise them. So when you are "playing" with the seats do try loosening and tightening the straps to see how well you like that since that is something you will be doing ALOT.
I also have had problems where the seatbelt has interferred with the knob adjusters.

I have the Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe Seat and LOVE IT! I also own 3 Marathon's and feel like I ripped someone off because the Fisher Price is such a great seat for the price. It is just not going to have all the bells and whistles like the Marathon has, but it does have "key" safety features in it like EPS foam.
 
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UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Beware: Burlington Coat Factory has one of the worst return policies anywhere. If you get it there, be 100% positive that it's exactly what you want before you pay for it.
 

lovinwaves

New member
Beware: Burlington Coat Factory has one of the worst return policies anywhere. If you get it there, be 100% positive that it's exactly what you want before you pay for it.

Their return policy is 30 days money back. I wouldn't think that is one of the "worst" return policies?
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Maybe it's changed, or maybe it varies from store to store? Last I heard, it was not nearly that good.
 

lovinwaves

New member
Maybe it's changed, or maybe it varies from store to store? Last I heard, it was not nearly that good.

It has changed thankfully! :)

Back in '04 when I went there to look at bedding for DD's nursery I was literally at the checkout when I just happened to ask what the return policy was, which I never do. Anyways, I was worried that Dh wouldn't like the bedding so I just wanted to make sure I could return it. The checkout lady told me I could return it for store credit. I was like "um...no thanks", so I left the bedding there and walked out.
 

ZephyrBlue

New member
I think enough people complained re: Burlington's return policy that they changed it. I remember reading on a mom's message board that there were 2 cases where familys had either a stillborn baby or one lost very late in pregnancy, and Burlington wouldn't accept returns for the brand new with tags items for anything but store credit. THEN they changed their policy to reflect that if you brought an official document from a doctor/death certificate for your baby, they would accept returns for refund. That turned me waayyy off of Burlington. Their new policy allows returns w/in 30 days with a receipt. I was at our local store yesterday and there are no FP seats left :(
 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
I have a compact car too (well, somewhat)- a 2006 Honda Civic. I am 5'9", so my seat is fairly far back. I have has absolutely no problems having a RF BRitax Boulevard (same size as a FPSVD), a RF Britax Marathon (again, same size as the FPSVD), or a RF Cosco Scenera behind my seat because I had the two larger seats (the Britax seats) at less than a 45* angle.

Good luck!
 

Suzibeck

Active member
I'd say the Fisher Price seat would be your best bet, only because the new Triumph is just released so we don't know what bugs or quirks it may have yet. My dh has a Volkswagen Jetta and I can put a Britax Marathon (same shell as the FP) and a Cosco Scenera rearfacing and still get the seats most of the way back. The ability to put the seats in more upright, for older babies, is a huge help and giving the driver and passenger more room.
 

funpandamachine

New member
Wow, thanks so much for all of the responses. What a nice group of ladies and jellyspoons!:D

I am pretty much convinced now to get the Fisher Price. However, is there anyone who can help me get over the compulsive, nagging in my head :hitselfonhead: that if I don't get the Britax with the TSIP something bad will happen? Is really so much better than regular old SIP?

Thanks again!
 

cryswilkins

New member
I have a compact car too (well, somewhat)- a 2006 Honda Civic. I am 5'9", so my seat is fairly far back. I have has absolutely no problems having a RF BRitax Boulevard (same size as a FPSVD), a RF Britax Marathon (again, same size as the FPSVD), or a RF Cosco Scenera behind my seat because I had the two larger seats (the Britax seats) at less than a 45* angle.

Good luck!

I just wanted to add that the 99 civic and the 2006 are different. We have a 99 and my best friend has an 2006 and her back seat is much larger. We have a Roundabout and a Marathon both fit, but the MA is tight. I love our Roundabout, but for the height and weight it is not the best value around, and with 2 to buy for that would really be a chunk of change.

If you and hubby are tall maybe a Scenera would be good for now. It rear faces for a long time and at only $40 ( X 2 ) it will not break the bank to buy a nicer FF seat later when they are ready in 2 maybe 3 years.
 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
I just wanted to add that the 99 civic and the 2006 are different. We have a 99 and my best friend has an 2006 and her back seat is much larger. .

Quite true. That's why I wrote the part I did about "well, somewhat." I know the 2006 is quite different than the '99.

My post was simply saying that my car is also a compact car (or somewhat compact).
 

funpandamachine

New member
I hate to be a pain, but can anyone tell me if there is a huge difference between TSIP and SIP? I would love to get the FPSV, but if the Boulevard is going to be alot safer than I will find a way to make it happen. I think I am just obsessing a little here and was hoping someone could make me feel better about buying the cheaper one. Pretty please?:eek:

Thanks again!

Ok, ETA is it better to have one in the middle and one on the side, or is it ok to have them both on the sides (outboard?)?
 
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