Help me figure out

mamajava · Feb 15, 2012

What seats and what seating position for the child. Friend, K, needs to get the twins out of their infant seats, like yesterday. She has a 3 year old that is about 60 pounds in a Nauti. The twins are 18 months, 1 is about 30 pounds the other is maybe 25. She doesn't want to rf them. The vehicle is a 91 (?) Honda Civic. Any help figuring seats would be appreciated. All we have here is Kmart, Target, Walmart and Sears. She doesn't have a big budget.

MaKoski · Feb 15, 2012

Sorry, I would only have RF suggestions for 18 month olds. MyRide65 RF.

Kaitsmom · Feb 15, 2012

MyRides are way too big to do a 3 across in that car, and the Nauti might be too. I think she would need 2 Radians with angle adjusters to be honest. Have you searched the 3 across threads?

Brigala · Feb 16, 2012

Whether she wants to or not, I don't think she'll be able to fit all three kids without keeping at least one of the twins rear-facing. I think she needs a Radian for each of the twins and experiment to see what works best: Nautilus - RF Radian - FF Radian or RF Radian - Nautilus - RF Radian. She may need a Radian for the 3 year old, too. I know I wouldn't be able to fit a Nauti and two Radians in my '05 Civic, but the '05 is a particularly bad model year for three-across. Hers might be a little better. The only way I'd be able to make it work would be three Radians either installed RF-FF-RF (with angle adjusters for the RF ones) or FF-RF-FF (without angle adjusters).

I would suggest R120s for maximum flexibility.

Basically I think she needs to buy two Radians, see if she can make it work, and if she can't she needs a 3rd Radian.

If she absolutely can't come up with $600 for new car seats , then she probably has no choice but to move her 3 year old to the front seat. I would probably try to work toward eventually having at least one Frontier; If she's not going to rear-face the babies anyway, she could get Maestros for the twins for now and save for a Frontier later. Or if possible she could buy a Frontier for the oldest child, pass the Nauti down to the larger of the twins, and get a Maestro for the smaller twin. Eventually she can get a booster for the oldest, pass the Frontier down to the larger twin and the Nauti down to the smaller twin. She's got two kids who are pretty big for their age so I'm not quite sure how she's going to safely transport those kids without at least one Frontier eventually.

mylittlet · Feb 16, 2012

Does another adult ride upfront often? If so she can't move te oldest upfront.

mamajava · Feb 16, 2012

I would rather her rf the twins also, but that isn't going to happen so I am not going to push it.

Radians are not in her budget. She is a single mom to 3 kids living in a FEMA trailer and working very little.

No other adult rides with her. And I haven't checked the 3-across thread yet. The 3 year old and one of the twins are very large for their age and the other twin is smaller. I would love to see her rf the little twin and maybe I can talk her into that, but I am not sure I can.

Pixels · Feb 16, 2012

A 91 Civic is teeny tiny. I don't even know if three Radians would fit across the back. I think it's likely that she will have no choice but to put one of the kids up front.

Does she at least have tether anchors installed?

mamajava · Feb 16, 2012

I don't know if she does or not. I don't speak to her very much anymore. I am just very upset that she still has them in their infant seats.

Kaitsmom · Feb 16, 2012

Well if shes going to have to put one kid up front, and you could talk hwr into rfing, I know how stubborn people are I have lost this battle myaelf, then she could buy 2 40rfing Sceneras or Apts. I think Walmart has the bundle packs of Sceneras, and both are about $50 at Target. She could then sell their infant buckets and recoup some money. With Dorels rules they may not be tall enough to ff.

mamajava · Feb 16, 2012

I have picked my battles with her and I am not even going to push the rf anymore. I told her she needs to figure out how tall they are and their exact weight before I can help her anymore. Told her that she is going to either a)put H upfront and the twins in the back or b)buy 2 seats for the twins and install them when she takes them somewhere. She doesn't always have all them at the same time. And she very rarely takes the twins out.

Kaitsmom said:
Well if shes going to have to put one kid up front, and you could talk hwr into rfing, I know how stubborn people are I have lost this battle myaelf, then she could buy 2 40rfing Sceneras or Apts. I think Walmart has the bundle packs of Sceneras, and both are about $50 at Target. She could then sell their infant buckets and recoup some money. With Dorels rules they may not be tall enough to ff.

Kaitsmom · Feb 16, 2012

Has she contacted the health dept, WIC office, or if shes on it, MA provider to see if they offer any free or low cost seats?

mamajava · Feb 16, 2012

I did tell her to go to the health unit and get 2 seats, her reply was that she is to busy with work. So, I give up. She apparently doesn't want my help, even though she keeps asking me.

Kaitsmom · Feb 16, 2012

Hate to say it but I would wash my hands of her and walk away. It doesnt sound like she really wants advice, and how can she be concerned with money and yet make an excuse not to go get a free car seat?

cookie123 · Feb 16, 2012

The nautilus only goes to 65 lbs. The 3 yo could outgrow that fairly quickly. Maybe 2 SK 300s for the twins if they're big, but it seemed a little tight even for Matthew who only weighed 36lbs when I last checked. I wonder how well the GN would fit as a booster when the 3 yo outgrows the harness.
I agree you're fighting a losing battle.

cookie123 · Feb 16, 2012

How narrow is that Target Baby Trend combo seat? Maybe that would work. It seems cheaper than the SK but still has a 65 lb harness (I think.)

momtoo3 · Feb 16, 2012

Dh has a 2010 Malibu. I have no idea how that compares to the Civic. I do kow that a FF MyRide and a GN puzzle beautifully. If they would fit maybe get a MR and a Argos, since it goes to 70 pounds and the 3 yr old is 60 pounds, and give the GN the bigger twin. Put the MR in the middle and the Argos and GN outboard. If she gets to the trade in event at BRU the Argos would be $150 and a MR about $115.

ETA: I wonder if a Maestro would fit next to a FF MR. If FIL stops by I will try the Meastro from his car in dh's next to the MR. Many lower profile FF seats should puzzle well next to a FF MR. I bet the CA would if her kids are tall enough for Dorel seats.

Carrie_R · Feb 16, 2012

I know you said RNs are out of the budget, so this is likely a moot point, but fwiw RN/MR/RN (all same direction) will be narrower than even alternating direction RNs.

mamajava · Feb 16, 2012

We don't have that new BabyTrend seat at our Target. The only thing that is available here is Scenera, Apt, ComfortSport, an Eddie Bauer convertible, Nauti, Summit and Tribute.

I told her today to go to the health unit. I have tried to meet her at the store and she blew me off. So, I am not helping anymore.

Brianna · Feb 16, 2012

momtoo3 said:
Dh has a 2010 Malibu. I have no idea how that compares to the Civic. I do kow that a FF MyRide and a GN puzzle beautifully. If they would fit maybe get a MR and a Argos, since it goes to 70 pounds and the 3 yr old is 60 pounds, and give the GN the bigger twin. Put the MR in the middle and the Argos and GN outboard. If she gets to the trade in event at BRU the Argos would be $150 and a MR about $115.

ETA: I wonder if a Maestro would fit next to a FF MR. If FIL stops by I will try the Meastro from his car in dh's next to the MR. Many lower profile FF seats should puzzle well next to a FF MR. I bet the CA would if her kids are tall enough for Dorel seats.

The newest generation have a raised center seat, I wouldn't think a 91 Civic would. Malibus are roomier too. I don't think you could compare puzzling between the two cars.

kam1011 · Feb 16, 2012

Don't discount the MyRide!!!! My husband has a Chevy Aveo (clown car) and we used the MyRide because the base is incredibly small, so the lower profile seats puzzle well underneath it. It's literally the only seat that my 2.5yo can fit in in that car now that she has completely outgrown the CCO. So yeah, CCO a good option, btw, but pricey.

Also, I drive a Malibu, which is WAY bigger.

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