Help! BIG Infant needs seat in tiny car!

Unregistered · Mar 11, 2012

Hi there,

My DS is just about 8 months old and he is almost 30 lbs and 32 inches long. We have a very small car - 2011 Ford Fiesta - so need a seat that is not very deep front to back. He's currently in an Evenflow Triumph but it only RFs to 30 lbs and he's going to outgrow it really soon. The only place in the car we can install a RF seat is behind the passenger seat, which is fine with me, but we need a new seat that will RF longer! I also own a First Years TrueFit which will not install in this car at all with the headrest on (works great in our truck though).

Please help! I need seat suggestions with a similar depth to the Triumph but with a higher RF weight limit!

Thanks,
Allison

wendytthomas · Mar 11, 2012

Who else is in the car with him back there? Why can you only install behind the passenger seat? Did you buy his current seat used?

Wendy

Phineasmama · Mar 11, 2012

I'm assuming they need the driver's seat back further to drive comfortably and that's why they have it installed behind the passenger seat...just from experience driving tiny cars in the past

OP I would have you try a Britax Marathon 70 or Roundabout 55 first. They don't take up too much room front to back and they rear face up to 40 lbs.

Do you have a BabiesRus near you that you could go to so you can see if it fits in your car?

wendytthomas · Mar 11, 2012

A Marathon or Roundabout, though, won't last a tall child long. They're on the shorter side of seats available.

I'd probably try a Radian with an angle adjuster.

Wendy

Phineasmama · Mar 11, 2012

I guess, but the Fiesta is SO tiny. My SIL has one and it's about the same size as they Chevy Aveo I used to own. I would definitely TRY a radian but I would only order from somewhere with free returns just in case.

Unless you have a BuyBuyBaby where you live OP? Then you'd be able to try it out...

MammaBear · Mar 11, 2012

See if you can get the Radian to work with an angle adjuster. My son was 34.5lbs on the day of his first birthday, and now at 2years 9 months he is 42lbs. He was RF in a MyRide until he hit 38lbs at a little over 2, and then we bought him the Radian RXT because I wasn't ready to turn him ff yet. Hopefully we can make it to 3 and a bit with this sesat.

mykidsmylife · Mar 11, 2012

I agree with the Radian with angle adjuster! I have gotten the Radian in many compact cars (granted European) and that was without the angle adjuster.

griffinej5 · Mar 12, 2012

The My Ride fits in an 06 Chevy Aveo Hatchback in the center position, and I push it toward the driver side as much as I can. I don't sit all the way back, and I like to keep my passenger seat as far back as possible if I have someone there. I imagine it would also fit behind the passenger if the seat was moved up, if that's what you're thinking of. So, if the two cars are comparable in size, that might be worth a try.

Brigala · Mar 12, 2012

I would bet that a Radian with an Angle Adjuster would work, and it's the best option for such a huge kid. In the long run it will also be the most economical.

Do you mind posting whereabout you live? The Radian can be hard to find in stores, and even if you do find it you might benefit from having someone with Radian experience give you a hand in a challenging vehicle. There might be someone on this board, either a tech or at least an experienced parent, who has a Radian you could try on for size.

LivingSky · Mar 12, 2012

This is the OP, just registered now

The seat is behind the passenger because in the middle or behind the driver, it makes driving completely unsafe. Even behind the passenger seat, it makes that seat unusable, so if there's a passenger in the car they sit in the back with DS.

I'm in Saskatchewan, Canada. I actually think one of my local maternity stores carries the Radian, so I should be able to try it out.

I did try a Britax back when I bought the Evenflow, but it didn't fit well. It did 'fit' but I couldn't get it installed securely and the angle seemed really off. I'm not sure which Britax it was though. I think part of the problem with the Fiesta back seat is not just how little space there is, but how steep it is - makes some seats really odd to install.

I've seen a lot of recommendations recently for the Maxi Cosi Pria 70. Lots of the literature on it says it fits really well in small cars. Any opinions on that seat, particularly in relation to my gargantuan child?

wendytthomas · Mar 12, 2012

At his age he doesn't need a newborn angle. The Britax could have sat more upright, but wouldn't have been a good choice for a tall child (the shell is too short, and there isn't much leg room). Same with the Radian, he doesn't need a newborn angle. Same with the Evenflo, actually. And the True Fit can sit as upright as 35 degrees. The Britax and Evenflo can go as upright as 30 degrees, the Radian can go as upright as he can handle.

The Pria is a great choice.

I'm going to move this to the Canadian forum, though, so we don't tell you to buy things you cannot get north of the border.

Wendy

MammaBear · Mar 12, 2012

LivingSky said:
I've seen a lot of recommendations recently for the Maxi Cosi Pria 70. Lots of the literature on it says it fits really well in small cars. Any opinions on that seat, particularly in relation to my gargantuan child?

Pretty easy to have an opinion on that seat as a Canadian.... We don't have them. They're American, and therefore completely illegal. Sorry!

EmmaGrace'sMom · Mar 12, 2012

I might try the true fit again. When you install it push down on the area that the babies feet are, you can also scoot it out about an inch from the seat back before tightening. Between that and pushing down in the feet area you'll probably be able to get it more upright.

Nimommyof2 · Mar 12, 2012

I definitly vote against the true fit it only RF to 35lbs I'd go for the MR if you aren't getting the Radian. It takes up as much room front to back as the Titan.

Nimommyof2 · Mar 12, 2012

What about one of the complete airs, they both RF to 40lbs. I don't know anything about their install though hopefully a tech can comment on them

featherhead · Mar 12, 2012

MammaBear said:
Pretty easy to have an opinion on that seat as a Canadian.... We don't have them. They're American, and therefore completely illegal. Sorry!

Apparently the Pria is coming to Canada soon.

OP I would try the Radian for sure, or the MyRide65 or Complete Air.

canadiangie · Mar 12, 2012

I know that an older generation baseless RF Alpha Omega installed quite upright forces the front passenger seat forward, even with the vehicle seat oriented quite upright. The backseat of the new gen Fiestas is very, very compact.

I would try a Guide 65 by Safety 1st. Both Toys r Us and Walmart carries it. It's about $125 and while it doesn't have the tallest shell, it does RF to 40lbs.

I always wish I knew more techs in Saskatchewan. I'd love to just hop over the border and meet you at a Toys r Us to try the Guide 65 in your vehicle. I suspect it will work, but that it will take some wrangling and tweaking. I love a seat challenge, lol.

LivingSky · Mar 13, 2012

canadiangie - I'll be in Alberta in September but I don't think the current seat will last that long

The Pria is being released in Canada March 31st - at least that's when a few of the Canadian websites have it available. That's why I was asking about that seat.

The Complete Air is from the same family of seats - same parent company, right? I've been wondering about those and how they install. I've seen them at Walmart but was always leary of anything Walmart carries, when it comes to safety

Still working on finding somewhere I can try out a Radian!

How tall/long does the Guide 65 go to?

Chila88 · Mar 13, 2012

LivingSky I'm in SK. Are you in/around Saskatoon or Regina? I don't mind helping you out....or helping you find someone who can!

MammaBear · Mar 13, 2012

LivingSky said:
The Pria is being released in Canada March 31st - at least that's when a few of the Canadian websites have it available. That's why I was asking about that seat.

Go figure! I guess it'll be the Pria 65 then, right? And if it only rf to 40lbs is there a difference between it and the MR65 as far as shell height is concerned?

Help! BIG Infant needs seat in tiny car!

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