Car seat play time is over! *pics*

Now for what I learned in my suburban. Sorry for the glare. The sun was behind the truck.

The Maestro and the FR 85 play the nicest. The FR 85 is very close to hitting the door, but it fits and I can still raise and lower the seat that folds down. This is very important in my family.



The Maestro and Nauti didn't play well at all. The cup holders hit each other and knocked the Nauti side ways and into the door. It would probably work if I took the cup holders off the Maestro like the seats we give away at checks, but I'm not going to do that. I like them.



The FR and the GN play nicely as well....



Until I go to move that folding seat. I couldn't get it to move any farther than that.



And just for fun, this is my current set up in the Honda.



Any of my 3 youngest work in the Radian, but it's usually just me and CJ. He has yet to choose the RN over the BLVD since I've put it in. I don't know if it's because it's higher, more comfortable, or that he prefers the cover on the Britax. It's good to have it like this though because if I ever need to pick an older child up from school, any of them will fit with Caleb. A more practical solution would be to throw the Literider in the trunk, but that's not near as much fun.

After all this, I'm liking the Maestro more and more for it's simplicity and light weight. And I am really wanting to simplify lately. For example, I just realized I need to go out and take the safe stop off the RN for the girls. I will undo the tether if CJ ever chooses to ride in it. No complicated issues like that on the Maestro. I'm thinking I'm going to have a car seat clear out soon and keep only the ones I really need.

I also miss the super easy install of the MA. Britax (not that I believe in the bubble, it's the fit and finish of their seats and the great CS that I like) needs to make a 65 lb seat with straps as tall as the GN and an install as nice as the MA. Not asking for much, am I? :ROTFLMAO:

I love the Daisy GN.

I'm glad you figured something out!

Do you think the your Radian and the Frontier would fit next to each other and still allow that seat to be raised and lowered?

They do in my Tahoe. I have a ff'ing radian, and the fr85 next to each other on the 60 potion of the seat and then a rf ing eta. If I take the eta out I can fold the 40 part of the seat up and down!

mom of six said:

Do you think the your Radian and the Frontier would fit next to each other and still allow that seat to be raised and lowered?

Click to expand...

OP has posted previously about not getting good installs of the Radian in the Suburban

NannyMom said:

OP has posted previously about not getting good installs of the Radian in the Suburban

Click to expand...

:yeahthatsad: As you can see in my sig pic, I had it in good for a while, but the last few times I've tried, it's loosened over time. I think the seat has been compressed just enough now that no matter what I do, the lap belt will be at that bad angle.

I forgot one! I need to try the MA next to the FR85. I actually think that will work best, then I can use his favorite cover on it. I'd have to get a new MA when his expires in May but if I return the Target GN that still isn't here yet, that won't be a problem cost wise.

glockchick said:

I forgot one! I need to try the MA next to the FR85. I actually think that will work best, then I can use his favorite cover on it. I'd have to get a new MA when his expires in May but if I return the Target GN that still isn't here yet, that won't be a problem cost wise.

Click to expand...

But you can't tether the MA center

True, but I can't tether the Maestro either and it even says in the instructions that if you can't tether, it may be safer to use it as a booster. I know all seats pass the same testing and I'm trying to go with that as much as my gut says some are safer than others. I know it's probably a bad opinion to have as a tech, but I do feel the more expensive seats with the head wings, extra padding, and things like safe cell and such are safer. I'm having a hard time coming to terms with DS in an "econo" seat, but I'm trying.

I guess I could get one of the new Britax seats for the safe cell, but that's quite a bit more expensive than the $43 Maestro.

Would you shell out the dough in this case? Obviously, I want the boy safe. However, I'm a single mom going to school and relying on child support for my income. I drive a 4x4 suburban. Not much on the road is bigger/heavier than I am. That in itself adds to the safety. In addition to that, he's center so there's no seat in front of him. It's open space.

I'm about to have a major seat sell off. It's getting too cluttered around here so I could afford it if I have to, but I could also really use that money for daily expenses.

I don't know what to do.

I would want a seat that performed well without the tether in head excursion if I HAD to use a FF seat without a tether, and there was no option to install a HDTA (which might be the best choice if you can?) Radian, Nautilus, new-gen Britax convertibles... Possibly Frontier or ProSport, since they have a long belt path option with the shoulder belt at the top... Unless of course that's a lap-only spot?

It's a lap-only spot, as is third row center, and HDTAs aren't an option. (Unless I'm mis-remembering something, but I know this has been hashed out before. The 86Y would be so perfect if they were.)

In the GN-FR85 setup, who is the FR85 for? Can they fit in the Radian, and if so, what about GN center, RN outboard? I bet the seat would flip then, plus you'd have the better HE numbers of the GN...

Also, how old is your oldest? Can he ride up front, since xh doesn't need that seat anymore?

Someone, I think Defrost? had an 86-Y custom-made for a spot where a HDTA was not an option to install. I would think that's a possibility?

Yes, the oldest is 14 and he rides up front. He's taller than I am now.

I have
Oldest in passenger seat
2nd row - 7 year old behind me in a TB, 4 year old center, 12 year passenger side
3rd row - 10 year old in backless booster, center lap belt is open, 5 year old passenger side currently in the FR

The seat is a lap belt only seat. I was going to use the Frontier for Abigail (7 1/2). She rides in a booster now, but she and I are both tired of the acrobatics it requires to get that thing buckled. If I move Abi to the FR 85, Kaleigh will ride in the GN, and I still don't know what to do with CJ.

The Radian is not compatible anywhere in the vehicle. The GN doesn't work next to the Frontier unfortunately. So that leaves the new Britax convertibles. Caleb needs a different seat even if Abigail stays in a booster. The GN fits next to her booster, but I have to slide her and the seat half way out of the truck to buckle it. I could put her in her LiteRider and have more room, but I'm not ready for her to be backless yet. She leans towards Caleb and the shoulder belt is off her shoulder. She can buckle her own booster under the OS MA.

There is no way to retrofit a tether. I've been round and round. The only option was to buckle to the center of the 3rd row which will work now that ex is gone, but will make it very difficult for 10 yr old ds to get to his seat. I can also see him and Kaleigh playing with it when I'm not looking.

ketchupqueen said:

Someone, I think Defrost? had an 86-Y custom-made for a spot where a HDTA was not an option to install. I would think that's a possibility?

Click to expand...

Do you have a link? I'm not sure how that would work.

I'll try to find you one. They designed it differently to distribute the weight to other places instead. I know she's posted about it a few times.

Very cool!

Here you go, there are others, but this has a pic and all: http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=267440&postcount=52

Awesome. So you would put that where? The center seats have no head rest either. It's an old truck. I'm not positive, but I'm guessing Abi's ears are above the seat back. It's short.

Gabriel has his headrest raised all the way in the 3rd row and his ears are right at the top of the head rest. I'm going to have to decide whether to let him ride with a bad lap belt fit or with inadequate head support soon.

I wish a new vehicle were possible, but it's just not right now and won't be any time soon.

The 86-Y can be used with a high-backed booster, one that doesn't require support behind it. The Monterey is supposed to do well with it, and actually even approves its use officially. I'd use it for the lap-only position with a high-backed booster.

ketchupqueen said:

The 86-Y can be used with a high-backed booster, one that doesn't require support behind it. The Monterey is supposed to do well with it, and actually even approves its use officially. I'd use it for the lap-only position with a high-backed booster.

Click to expand...

Gotcha. Thanks!