Renting car seats while away

PeachyPie

New member
My family and I are going to North Carolina from Toronto next week. We will be taking our Complete Air but not our Maestro, since DS is only 11 months old and can fly for free as a lap baby (I'm comfortable with this), and i refuse to put a seat through the checked baggage. I will put DD (4 y/o) in the CA on the flight and then adjust it again for the car so that baby DS can RF in it. Will need to rent a seat for DD though. We will be renting a car from Hertz or Budget most likely. How are their seat selections?
 
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manitobamimi

New member
Personally I wouldn't rent a seat from a car rental agency. To me, it would be the equivalent of buying a used seat with an unknown history, not something that I would be comfortable with. Would you be okay with having your four year old in a low back booster for the trip? At 40 lbs and 42 inches I'd buy a literider for $17 and just bring it along in my carry on luggage. :) Is she mature enough to sit correctly in a booster. Also, do they charge you to rent carseats? it may be cheaper to simply buy a scenera when you are down in the states and then donate it to a women's shelter or something before you leave. (I think they are something like $39 down there)
 

creideamh

Well-known member
I would not use a backless booster for a 4 y/o. I would also definitely not rent a car seat (you can request one, but a lot of the time you'll get there and they won't have one for you.) Instead, I would use a Ride Safer Travel Vest. But... you're located in Canada (as far as I know, they aren't certified for use there yet), so I'm not sure if you can get one in time.
I'd much rather gate check a car seat (with a bag/box and bubble wrap, if possible) than rely on a rental seat.
 

mdsvc89

New member
I wouldn't rent a car seat. There's no guarantee they'll have one when you get there, or that it will install properly in the car, or that it won't be expired, crashed, etc.

If your 4 year old can sit reliably in a booster, you could buy a HBB that separates and carry it on in pieces -- I did this recently and was able to stow it in the overhead bin.

Otherwise, the best bet is for someone to pick up the rental car, then drive somewhere (target?) to buy an appropriate seat -- perhaps a Scenera for the little one?

Another thought -- buy a low cost seat and luggage check it in its original packaging. Just leave it behind in NC....
 

Brianna

New member
You could end up with an experience similar to this family http://www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/2007/dec/22/advantage-rent-cars-frightening-car-seats/

A few ideas:
1) Buy a seat in NC and sell it to a c-so member willing to buy it at a discount- you could end up out less money that paying for a rental
2) Find a cso member in NC willing to loan you a seat for your vacation
3) Buy a turbo, bring the bottom on the plane and back the high back part in your luggage.
 

PeachyPie

New member
This is exactly why I posted here... I wanted to know about the quality of seats at rental companies. So glad I found out that it's not a good option!

Anyone know much about the Cosco Pronto Booster: http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/cosco-p...yes&fromSearchBox=true&addFacet=SRCH:car+seat

It's only 54.97 at Walmart. As a PP said, I could buy this one and just check the back, and take the seat part on as a carry on. Then we'd have an extra seat at home for when she's fully in a booster too. Here in lies my next question: My DD is 40 lbs and 42" tall but won't be 4 until early December. Do you think it's okay to use her in a booster for just a few days? I'm thinking it's the best option I've got but maybe it's not safe.
 

Brianna

New member
I missed that he's not 4 yet- not sure why I didn't check your siggy. In that case, no I would not use a booster. Another option- find somebody willing to loan you an RSTV. Depending on when you leave, it's possible it could arrive in time. Well, with cross-border mail maybe not. Maybe it's possible a fellow Canadian has an RSTV you could borrow.
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
I would get the safe rider vest for the oldest to use when you get there. You will be able to use it for years to.come.
 

PeachyPie

New member
Ooook so I think what I'm going to do is bring our Maestro with us on the plane for DD to sit in (leave the bulky CA at home) and but a Scenera from Walmart and check it in the box both ways. We will use that RF for my son while we are there and then when we get home we will have a spare seat for him when we get home. Kids are all safe that way, and since we need 3 adults in the car from Norfolk, VA to Outer Banks, NC it will be better to have these two slim seats so I can fit in the middle seat between the kids.

My son is quite tall though, how tall can a child be in the Scenera before they outgrow it (in Canada)?
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
Do your scerenas come in boxes? Ours in the states don't. They come in bags. If you have to check it then I wouldn't use it after I got home.
 

Pixelated

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Ooook so I think what I'm going to do is bring our Maestro with us on the plane for DD to sit in (leave the bulky CA at home) and but a Scenera from Walmart and check it in the box both ways. We will use that RF for my son while we are there and then when we get home we will have a spare seat for him when we get home. Kids are all safe that way, and since we need 3 adults in the car from Norfolk, VA to Outer Banks, NC it will be better to have these two slim seats so I can fit in the middle seat between the kids.

My son is quite tall though, how tall can a child be in the Scenera before they outgrow it (in Canada)?

The Scenera is outgrown RF in Canada at a measly 32". Many choose to disregard that so long as there is 1" of clearance above the head.

Sceneras sometimes come in boxes here - Zellers for sure has them in boxes but Walmart doesn't. It would be cheaper, and less worry with checking, to buy a $39 Scenera in the US and leave it behind. Maybe one in your party can zip ahead to the rental place and go to somewhere close by and then come back and get you once you're retrieved your luggage.
 

agave

New member
Pixelated said:
The Scenera is outgrown RF in Canada at a measly 32". Many choose to disregard that so long as there is 1" of clearance above the head.

Do you have the 34" minimum to FF?
 

PeachyPie

New member
walmart.ca says that it RF to 32" (but I am comfortable stretching that to 1" below the shell, but I will have to try DS in it before I'd buy it) and FF to 40", RF and FF to 40 lbs.

That totally sucks that they come in BAGS! Grr. Maybe I'll try going to Zellers to get one in a box but they are closing and I have a feeling finding one might be a problem. I'll go shopping tomorrow.

I have THREE seats for my DD already in total (2 Maestros and 1 Nautilus) so I'd really rather not buy her another seat for down there.

There's no way we can pick up a seat there since no one can get one to us. My parents are going down before us but it's a 1.5 hour drive from where we'll be staying to the airport in Norfolk, VA, so they won't be making that drive just to drop off a car seat.

Oh logistics! I will figure something out.
 

PeachyPie

New member
If I buy a Guide 65 here, and airplane check it but keep it in the box both ways, would that be usable after the flight? I could use a second seat for DS for either my mom's car or DH's car for when we get home.
 

creideamh

Well-known member
If I buy a Guide 65 here, and airplane check it but keep it in the box both ways, would that be usable after the flight? I could use a second seat for DS for either my mom's car or DH's car for when we get home.

I would be comfortable with that and think it's your best option given the circumstances. :thumbsup:
 

PeachyPie

New member
Thank you. I think it may be the best option too. Things were so much easier when i was ignorant to car seat safety and would just check car seats without thinking anything of it!
 

PeachyPie

New member
Just got back from Walmart!

Went with the intention of buying the Guide65. My son's head is ALREADY 1" below the top of the shell!!! So he would fit in it now but not for much longer at all (he's all torso). So while it says 36" RF, there's no way he'd make it to that. He actually had more room above his head in the Scenera but since it doesn't come in a box, that one was out (and according to the 32" rule in the instructions, he would JUST fit now).

Sooo... I bought a Turbo Booster. I'm not super happy about the idea of DD riding in a booster while we're away but it's the best option I think I've got. She's big enough for it, she's just not quite 4 y/o yet. But I think i'm okay with it.

Now another question.... should I carry on the seat and pack the back in my bags? Or check it in the box?
 

Brianna

New member
Actually, his head can be even with the top of the headrest while rear facing as long as he is under 36", a more conservative approach would be to ensure he has at least 1" above his head- measuring from the headrest, not the shell.

From the American manual
Do not use this child restraint rearfacing
if the top of your child’s
head is above the top of the child
restraint’s headrest.
 

PeachyPie

New member
Well that changes everything. Maybe I'll return the TB then! So can his head just not go above those headwings that move up? I wish I could have read the manual before going there!!
 

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