Love my kids, hate my car

cso1997 · Aug 6, 2012

Thank goodness that I have more time because I haven't come up with a good arrangement yet. We are adding to our family in December and we barely have enough room in the car. Someone please tell me that I missed thinking of something.

Stats
6yo - 52lbs
4.5 yo - 46lbs
14mo - 20lbs
NB

We have a 2011 Ford Explorer. Tether anchors located 3rd row passenger side and all 3 spots in the second row. 60/40 split middle seat with the 40 on the passenger side.

Current Seats
Oobr - LATCHed in 3rd row
Frontier85 - LBP second row drivers side outboard (DD cannot buckle or unbuckle and has a drop off line at school)
Decathlon - LATCHed RFing (of course) passenger side outboard
Keyfit22 - TO BE DECIDED...ha ha

I really don't want to buy seats for my older two as I really like those seats. I will if nothing else works well. I will probably get a Foonf for my YDD. I don't really want to buy anything for the baby because the Keyfit is perfectly fine.

There probably isn't any help for me...ha ha. I just wanted to see what everyone else would do in this situation.

Judi · Aug 6, 2012

Looks like the Decathlon has to go to the back.

cso1997 · Aug 6, 2012

Thanks Judi. The roof is actually somewhat low and no one could buckle 14mo except my 6yo. Can't reach in through the hatch and likely impossible to reach from second row. That is exactly what I wanted to do. I have no idea what we would do when 6yo is not with us though...ha ha.

Ugh, I am probably wasting everyone's time just asking. I just have to pick the lesser of evils (an unLATCHed Oobr or an untethered FR85).

Judi · Aug 6, 2012

Wait, um, can you fit the FR85, RF BLVD, KF in the 2nd row?

macmomma · Aug 6, 2012

Let me try to recall how we did it when I had 5 kids.....
I had TF ffing third row passenger side and the FR85 LBP NO tether third row driver side. BLVD70 RFing second row passenger side and NO base Graco infant seat (not sure which one it was) I always buckled the infant seat up. And then my oldest regular seatbelt second row middle.
Using an infant seat with no base was the only way for us to make it work since there was no other way to get the two third row riders in the car.... The head rest are incredibly high in the third row where you can not load from the rear

cso1997 · Aug 6, 2012

Judi said:
Wait, um, can you fit the FR85, RF BLVD, KF in the 2nd row?

I don't think a 3 across will work without a 5 stepper. The seat hinges are unbelievably large and in the way. I can barely fit a Bubblebum in the middle position.

macmomma said:
Let me try to recall how we did it when I had 5 kids.....
I had TF ffing third row passenger side and the FR85 LBP NO tether third row driver side. BLVD70 RFing second row passenger side and NO base Graco infant seat (not sure which one it was) I always buckled the infant seat up. And then my oldest regular seatbelt second row middle.
Using an infant seat with no base was the only way for us to make it work since there was no other way to get the two third row riders in the car.... The head rest are incredibly high in the third row where you can not load from the rear

Yes, the headrests are freakishly high. My DH actually suggested a baseless infant seat. It just really sucks that the 40 split is on the passengers side. Let me just tell you how much we are kicking ourselves for not getting second row bucket seats. That would make 3rd row loading a lot easier. Thanks for chiming in with a first hand perspective.

macmomma · Aug 6, 2012

We had looked at the second row bucket seats but we frequently have several riders in our car and I just could not risk loosing a seat (even though the second row middle seat it is pretty much useless for car seat use) .... I just pray I never have to install 5 car seats.

I really think your best bet is a baseless infant seat.... Now, what you are going to do after the new baby outgrows the infant seat.... No idea

My five yr old can climb across the second row into the third row and buckle himself up- but with seats installed in the second row it is too risky for me in case of an accident not being able to reach the third row easily without totally having to uninstall a non- infant seat.

trippsmom · Aug 6, 2012

I have 5 riders + me in my vehicle most days. I would put the two rf seats on the second row with the infant base middle. You could place the fr85 lbp no tether at the empty spot or the booster without using the la, whatever you pick. Honestly I'd TA the fr85. I use a booster in my third row and the 6yo buckles it in when he gets out. Sure you aren't using all the available features of one seat, but to me that doesn't trump safety. Unless I don't know something about latching in boosters.

My setup in a much different 2004 explorer:
XTSL rf passenger second row (sb and TA)
XTSL rf center second row (sb and TA)
Backless big kid driver second row (stowed behind third row)
Fr85 driver side third row (lbp TA)
Amp high back passenger third row (sb)

Eta: I see that something in the middle isn't an option.

safeinthecar · Aug 7, 2012

Does the inset base of the DC not sit back far enough behind the hinges?

gsdguenter · Aug 7, 2012

I know you said you didn't want to get rid of the Oobr, but I think long term that might be the best solution

Here's why I think so: I wouldn't want the Oobr used un-LATCHED since it's soooo heavy. Personal preference, but just giving my opinion. Also, I wouldn't want the FR85 used without the TT. Again, preference, but there it is lol.

So, I'd keep the FR85 and use it TT.

I'd replace the Oobr with a booster that isn't quite so heavy and thus I'd be okay with using it without the LATCH. Maybe if the child using the Oobr currently got to pick out a new booster that would make it an easier sell?

Also thinking long term, do you think you'll keep this particular car for a long time? That would influence my thinking too, kwim. No, I'm not saying go out and buy another car, just if you knew you were going to then I wouldn't stress over it so much. If you're keeping it for quite some time, then you definitively need to figure out how to make it work

Sorry, I have no other advice.

cso1997 · Aug 7, 2012

safeinthecar said:
Does the inset base of the DC not sit back far enough behind the hinges?

The real problem is the recessed buckle and that the seat is very narrow. If a seat is in the middle, you pretty much can't use either outboard seat.

gsdguenter said:
I know you said you didn't want to get rid of the Oobr, but I think long term that might be the best solution

Here's why I think so: I wouldn't want the Oobr used un-LATCHED since it's soooo heavy. Personal preference, but just giving my opinion. Also, I wouldn't want the FR85 used without the TT. Again, preference, but there it is lol.

So, I'd keep the FR85 and use it TT.

I'd replace the Oobr with a booster that isn't quite so heavy and thus I'd be okay with using it without the LATCH. Maybe if the child using the Oobr currently got to pick out a new booster that would make it an easier sell?

Also thinking long term, do you think you'll keep this particular car for a long time? That would influence my thinking too, kwim. No, I'm not saying go out and buy another car, just if you knew you were going to then I wouldn't stress over it so much. If you're keeping it for quite some time, then you definitively need to figure out how to make it work

Sorry, I have no other advice.

I can't imagine not having a booster that is LATCHed. We have a Turbo in our other car and DD never buckles it. Not a problem really because we can easily reach it in that vehicle. No one can reach into the third row. Also, I am head over heels for the Oobr. The Turbo feels like a tin can in comparison.

I think I just have to find a way for 14mo to RF in the drivers side third row.

BW1426 · Aug 7, 2012

Do you think that with some focused practice over the next few months your 4.5 yo DD could master the frontier buckles? I know you don't want to buy a new seat for her, but is it possible if you got something else like a radian or a nautilus that she could buckle and unbuckle herself. It sounds like having the Decathalon in the 3rd row would be a pretty big pain.

My only other thought would be to attempt a three across in the second row. Do you think the KF, a Foonf and either a radian or coccoro would fit? If your 4.5 yo fit in the Foonf you could use it temporarily for her and then get a coccoro for the 14mo. If the 4.5 yo didn't fit in the Foonf you could do a Foonf for the 14 mo and radian for the 4.5 yo.

gsdguenter · Aug 7, 2012

Coccoro, Foonf and RN maybe?

momtoo3 · Aug 7, 2012

Is your 4.5 yr old 4.5 now or will she be 4.5 in Dec?

If she is 4.5 now, could you work on booster training her closer to Dec if she will be close to 5 by then? OR when do you feel comfortable with a booster? I'm just thinking that having 2 boostered kids in the 3rd row would be easiest and you could probably teach her to buckle a booster before the FR85. then she would be able to unbuckle for school and climb out. If she will only be 4.5 in Dec, then I don't know, it would depend on if she was booster ready or not and your comfort level. You could always booster only for school and use the FR85 for longer rides.

I'm in the same predicament for school drop offs starting in Sept.

cso1997 · Aug 7, 2012

BW1426 said:
My only other thought would be to attempt a three across in the second row. Do you think the KF, a Foonf and either a radian or coccoro would fit? If your 4.5 yo fit in the Foonf you could use it temporarily for her and then get a coccoro for the 14mo. If the 4.5 yo didn't fit in the Foonf you could do a Foonf for the 14 mo and radian for the 4.5 yo.

Ah Brie, I like your idea. I have been looking for a reason to get a cute little CCO for a long time. I already know that I want a Foonf. Wish it would come out already so I could try one. Hmm...something to think about.

momtoo3 said:
Is your 4.5 yr old 4.5 now or will she be 4.5 in Dec?

She will be 5 in December. She already does great in a booster. She can't quite buckle yet but she sits really well. Another very interesting idea. Thank you!

momtoo3 · Aug 7, 2012

cso1997 said:
She will be 5 in December. She already does great in a booster. She can't quite buckle yet but she sits really well. Another very interesting idea. Thank you!

Maybe your older child could help her buckle if she can't figure it out by then.

monstah · Aug 7, 2012

I'm a little lost so I'm tossing this out there blindly.

How old will the oldest be when the baby is born? Maybe you could switch the oldest to a LBB so it's easier to fold up the second row? Or into the third row spot that doesn't have a TT? A lite rider probably weighs about the same as a full water bottle and (I personally) would be ok with it sitting on the floor instead of buckled or latched in when not in use.

In any case, best wishes!!

canadiangie · Aug 7, 2012

Just throwing this out there...

3rd row passenger: frontier, tethered.
3rd row driver: rf decathlon, or something small the a Guide 65, or would your 14mo still be able to rf in a CCO?

2nd row driver: Oobr, latched.
2nd row: KeyFit base latched.

See if loosening the KeyFit base completely (use orange release lever) but leaving the connectors on the anchors allows you to tilt/slide the 2nd row passenger seat forward enough for you and kids to gain access to 3rd row. If so, all you'd have to do is quickly tighten up the base before docking the KeyFit.

You'd have to climb into the 3rd row to load and buckle the decathlon kid. I know you can't hatch load with those head restraints. I pulled up a pic of your backseat.

I dunno...

arly1983 · Aug 7, 2012

I think I would be doing BOTH of these options the PPs suggested for the 4.5 yr old.

I would be working like crazy with her to be able to buckle/unbuckle her frontier on her own.

SInce she is a good booster rider if in December she hasn't mastered the FR85 then I would consider buying another oobr for her since you love it so much. She should be able to pick up the buckling/unbuckling on her own fairly quickly. (OR: If you want to save some money then let your oldest use the frontier as a booster and let your then 5 yr old use the oobr as it should be easier to buckle)

cso1997 · Aug 7, 2012

arly1983 said:
I think I would be doing BOTH of these options the PPs suggested for the 4.5 yr old.

I would be working like crazy with her to be able to buckle/unbuckle her frontier on her own.

SInce she is a good booster rider if in December she hasn't mastered the FR85 then I would consider buying another oobr for her since you love it so much. She should be able to pick up the buckling/unbuckling on her own fairly quickly. (OR: If you want to save some money then let your oldest use the frontier as a booster and let your then 5 yr old use the oobr as it should be easier to buckle)

That is an interesting idea that I hadn't considered. Kinda forgot that I have a booster hiding under that FR85 harness. Thank you for giving me another great suggestion!

Everyone has been so helpful!

Love my kids, hate my car

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