Question Best RF infant/child seat - 2 door Scion TC

Posting for a friend -

CANADA

Please recomend a rf infant/child car seat suitable for a 2 door Scion TC. Child has outgrown his snugride22 by weight AND height at less than 6 months. Child is sitting outboard driver side. Driver leg room is an issue so I'm looking for recomendations that allow for a "range of angle acceptability" so that a more upright install is possible. Price limit is $250.00 CAD incl taxes (but less $ is better).

Older sib (> 2.5 years) is ff'ing in an evenflo symphony passenger outboard.

The family are Americans living in Canada. They know they should be using Canadian CMVSS certified seats (but currently are not).

Because the back seat is also kind of funky I'm attaching a picture of just how deep the outboard seats are.

Passing the symphony down to the younger one and purchasing a new seat for the older sib is also a possibilty. I've suggested erf'ing for the older sib but that's not going to fly given the weight limit of his current seat and the near impracticality of getting him in rf'ing with only two doors.

My list (if one can be found in stock!)
-Graco Myride
-SK/Diono Radian (sale is $219.00 @ snugglebugz)
-First Years True Fit (head rest extender removed)

The need is now; they can't wait for any 2012 compliant seat not yet on the shelves.

The base of a Marathon would fit perfectly in those seats. The marathon will get the baby to at least 2yo and still has a good recline w/o taking up a ton of space.

I'd suggest they try the EFTA. The 2012 compliant seats are in stock already and it tends to not take up too much space front to back and the base is small enough that it usually sits within contours. Hard to tell for sure with this one, but I think it will fit.

Radian I'd be concerned about the front to back space, but I know the Radian fits beautifully ff'ing in vehicles with scooped seats like that so it may be reasonable to hand the symphony down to the younger child.

Is there a reason why they don't put the rf'ing seat passenger side and the ff'ing seat driver side? Are they only able to access the back seat from the passenger side or can they access it from both sides?

HONEYhas3 said:

The base of a Marathon would fit perfectly in those seats. The marathon will get the baby to at least 2yo and still has a good recline w/o taking up a ton of space.

Click to expand...

MA is over their price range by quite a bit.

RA55

http://www.snugglebugz.ca/roundabout-55.html

Radian

http://www.snugglebugz.ca/2010-radian65.html


Trudy, is this the compliant EFTA? Will the compliant one have the same weights? (30rf and 65FF)

http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=11755096

@Snowbird: The rf'ing seat is driver side just because. It could be switched to passenger side AFAIK.

Thank-you both for your suggestiions.

So, it looks like the suggesions are:
-ff radian, rf symphony
-ff symphony, rf roundabout (not marathon; due to price point)
-ff symphony, rf EFTA

Other combinations or considerations?

Anyone want to say which they'd try first and why? I have my ideas but looking for your thoughts.

Thanks!

HONEYhas3 said:

Trudy, is this the compliant EFTA? Will the compliant one have the same weights? (30rf and 65FF)

http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=11755096

Click to expand...

Yes, that's the compliant one. (See the humps at the front? The old one didn't have those.)

It does have the same maximum weights as the old one.

As for what I'd try first? Probably rf'ing symphony and ff'ing radian just because I think as a ff'ing seat it's going to fit the best in terms of longevity. It's lower profile will also make it easier to load and unload as the kids get bigger and it has taller top harness slots which will work in their favor if either kid needs the higher height.

2nd choice would be rf'ing EFTA and ff'ing symphony. Having 2 seats that are on tall bases though would probably be a big drawback once both kids are ff'ing - it's no big deal for a 2 or 3 yr old, but by the time a 4yr old is getting in to a seat high on a base, it may be an issue in a car with small space. I think you'd have the same issue with the RA55 too.

Just reread you post and realized you DO want RFing ideas - I would say that the Radian will not RF outboard well if your looking for leg room - we have ours between our 2 front seat and it can be braced against the front seats so it works will. Our My Ride would not have been good long term since the sides were way to high but the marathon might fit really well but it might also be a challenge to get the baby it to the seat. Ideally if the 2 seats can fit side by side with a radian in the middle that is what I would do and have the FFing seat outboard on either side. Also I wouldn't put any other seat in the middle (not that that is what you are looking for) except the Radian since that hump thingy is just to narrow for any other seat but our Radian sits there really well with an amazing install.