3 Across in a Mazda 3!

jacqui276 · Jan 10, 2013

The kids are as follows:

10.5 months, 28lbs, 31" tall, 12" torso (obviously RFing)
3 years, 10 months, 35lbs, 40" tall, 15.5" torso (FFing)
5 years, 6 months, 36lbs, 41" tall, 15.5" torso (FFing)

I need 3 new seats, plan to do FFing, RFing, FFing as the configuration. I am willing to do 3 radians if necessary but if there are any cheaper options I would LOVE to hear them since I am purchasing 3 new seats in one shot.. The vehicle is a 2006 Mazda 3 (sedan) and I am in Canada.

Any idea what combos would work?

snowbird25ca · Jan 11, 2013

Rf'ing my ride would probably combine really well with a ff'ing radian. You might be able to get away with 2 ff'ing radians and then rf'ing my ride behind the passenger. I haven't actually tried it though. Babies R Us doesn't carry the MR in stock anymore and I don't know what Sears return policy is like - there is a c-s.org member near Calgary who has those seats though and I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that she might be able to help you.

I've never done 3 across in a mazda 3 myself before, but there are often multiple choices available that will work - just a matter of getting the right combo.

jacqui276 · Jan 11, 2013

2 Radians and a MR was my initial thought. I would imagine that that should work well in there. I'm not sure on Sears' return policy, but it would be nice to get a seat there since MIL gets a discount (she works there) and I currently have a gift card for Sears.

How terrible is the Harmony V7? It looks narrow like a Radian and I'm thinking that Radians might be overkill to use with the kids as FFing only seats (although I'm willing to get them if that is what works).

canadiangie · Jan 11, 2013

I can help you if you want to try seats. I have radians out my ears, a MR, access to a V7. Just let me know.

jacqui276 · Jan 11, 2013

Thanks Angie! I will chat with my sister (it's her car) and will likely PM you to see if we can arrange something!

She just measured her kids torsos and they are 15.5" apparently so looks like the V7 might not last long if it only has 16" top slots. We are headed to Walmart to make them sit in it to see if it is even a possibility.

jacqui276 · Jan 11, 2013

Alright so the kids fit in the V7s, my nephew is just under the 2nd from the top slot, and my niece if just above it. So for $70 a piece, we decided to give them a try (and they are from Walmart so can be returned). I just have to say that I have developed a strong dislike for these seats (the kids love them, of course

). It took me forever to assemble them and I can't get them installed tightly in the Mazda 3 for the life of me with latch or seat belt. They seem to puzzle ok with the MR (picked up one of those too and Sears says that I can return it within 30 days if need be). I do however have a few words that I'd like to say to whoever designed that belt path in the V7.

I WANT these seats to work since with my gift card I only had to spend $170 on 3 seats today thanks to all 3 being on sale.

I also tried installing my Radian FFing with the MR in the middle, and it actually puzzles worse than the MR and V7 but of course, I can get a tight install with the Radian.

Anyways, I will be pming you Angie to see if you can maybe help. I have never had this much trouble installing a car seat in my life.

Nimommyof2 · Jan 11, 2013

Those v7 are horrible

Wouldn't install in my van at all with seatbelt I needed them in that position. They won't install with the latch either though?
What about the radian FF in the middle MR outboard Rf and than the other side FF?

jacqui276 · Jan 11, 2013

The seat belt install attempt was just stupid and I fought with that thing for what seemed like forever. I tried latch but it was dark out at that point. I almost got it tight enough that it was moving less than an inch, but not quite. I think I might haul the seats to my sister's tomorrow morning and give it another try with some sunshine. On the plus side, once her kids are old/big enough to be in boosters some day, the MR makes it easy to buckle since it sits so high!

I will try putting the MR outboard too. It seems to overlap the Radian much more than the V7, eating up all of the kids' arm space.

I can totally understand now why my Walmart was sold out of every seat other than a couple of Sceneras and about a dozen V7s! This seat is terrible. :thumbsdown: DD thinks that it is super comfy though and wants one to use as a backless booster.

jacqui276 · Jan 12, 2013

I battled with the V7s some more this morning in the light and got them in tightly with latch. The MyRide fit (barely) inbetween but overlaps the V7s so much with the cup holders that we figured that it would be annoying for day to day use for the kids sitting outboard.
My Radian fits perfectly RFing between the V7s so I exchanged the MR for another Radian. The Radian does not fit well FFing between them, but I hopefully have years to go before I need to worry about that. My sister is all over the extended rear facing so no issues there.

Sears was ok for allowing me to return the seat, although I left all the tags on it, put it back in the box and sealed the box back up. They will only accept returns if the box is unopened. Definitely not as easy to return things to as Walmart, but at least it all worked out.

My niece and nephew are super excited about their new car seats and thrilled that I got them in. My nephew was sad last night when I gave up and put his old seat back in the car.

Thanks for the input and thank you Angie for offering to help me out.

snowbird25ca · Jan 13, 2013

jacqui276 said:
Alright so the kids fit in the V7s, my nephew is just under the 2nd from the top slot, and my niece if just above it. So for $70 a piece, we decided to give them a try (and they are from Walmart so can be returned). I just have to say that I have developed a strong dislike for these seats (the kids love them, of course ). It took me forever to assemble them and I can't get them installed tightly in the Mazda 3 for the life of me with latch or seat belt. They seem to puzzle ok with the MR (picked up one of those too and Sears says that I can return it within 30 days if need be). I do however have a few words that I'd like to say to whoever designed that belt path in the V7.

I WANT these seats to work since with my gift card I only had to spend $170 on 3 seats today thanks to all 3 being on sale.

I also tried installing my Radian FFing with the MR in the middle, and it actually puzzles worse than the MR and V7 but of course, I can get a tight install with the Radian.

Anyways, I will be pming you Angie to see if you can maybe help. I have never had this much trouble installing a car seat in my life.

As a side note, you don't have to have the lap/shoulder belt under the black "tab" type thing on the side of the belt path. That should make a difference with the install.

The belt path is a big pain in it though and I've seen some incompatibilities - although that was before I got the clarification on the seatbelt routing. I've heard the seats are wonderful to use though and kids like them, so hopefully you can get them installed.

eta: I refreshed this page before replying but somehow I didn't see the last post before mine. Glad to hear that you got them in tightly. I hear that the European version of the seat has a different belt routing and that's why the belt path is partially designed like that, but I don't know what the routing is or if the seat is even out in Europe yet. Would be nice if they allowed an alternate install in Canada if it makes the seat easier to install, but I have no clue if it actually would make the install easier or not... I just know it's different.

jacqui276 · Jan 13, 2013

snowbird25ca said:
As a side note, you don't have to have the lap/shoulder belt under the black "tab" type thing on the side of the belt path. That should make a difference with the install.

The belt path is a big pain in it though and I've seen some incompatibilities - although that was before I got the clarification on the seatbelt routing. I've heard the seats are wonderful to use though and kids like them, so hopefully you can get them installed.

Good to know that the seat belt doesn't have to be under the black tab things on the side. That would probably have made it a bit easier.

I was sad to return the MR since it looks pretty cozy and was super easy to install but am glad that we've come up with a solution.

jacqui276 · Jan 17, 2013

Just wanted to update.. DS got his new Radian to make this work (yay)

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, my sister threw me for a loop and asked if we could put DS outboard so that he's easier to load and unload. So with some fiddling around (and having to install the V7s with seatbelts) I was able to get them all nice and snugly in there.

snowbird25ca · Jan 18, 2013

Awesome. Did the seatbelt clarification that I gave you help? I haven't actually tried a seatbelt install since I received the clarification from the company to know how much of a difference it makes.

jacqui276 · Jan 18, 2013

snowbird25ca said:
Awesome. Did the seatbelt clarification that I gave you help? I haven't actually tried a seatbelt install since I received the clarification from the company to know how much of a difference it makes.

Yes it did help tons, thanks! I still had the lap portion of the belt under the little tab thing, but it is much easier not having to put the shoulder portion under it's tab as it sat at a funny angle and made it hard to tighten enough. I also had to twist the buckle stalks down once even though they are already pretty short as they hit the belt path if I just left them.

snowbird25ca · Jan 18, 2013

jacqui276 said:
Yes it did help tons, thanks! I still had the lap portion of the belt under the little tab thing, but it is much easier not having to put the shoulder portion under it's tab as it sat at a funny angle and made it hard to tighten enough. I also had to twist the buckle stalks down once even though they are already pretty short as they hit the belt path if I just left them.

The shoulder belt sitting at a funny angle under the tab was exactly the problem I'd run in to in the class I'd taught. (Mine is a teaching seat, so we put it in a few different vehicles and saw the problem, and that's why I talked to the company about it.)

Good to know that the clarification makes a big difference so far as compatibility goes.

Dani_mummy · Jan 21, 2013

So is it safe to say that you don't recommend V7 seat? I was looking at it for what will be my almost 4 yr old when my youngest outgrows her infant seat. I initially planned for a Frontier but this has got my interest when I saw it at Walmart for $70!

snowbird25ca · Jan 21, 2013

Dani_mummy said:
So is it safe to say that you don't recommend V7 seat? I was looking at it for what will be my almost 4 yr old when my youngest outgrows her infant seat. I initially planned for a Frontier but this has got my interest when I saw it at Walmart for $70!

The v7 is a great seat if the harness height is tall enough to fit your child and it fits in your vehicle. Overall kids seem to find it really comfy, and the harness adjustment is incredibly smooth.

The clarification from the company posted later in the thread seems to make it more compatible with seatbelt in more vehicles. I'd still consider it a "try-it" seat, but walmart has a good return policy.

It's very different from the Frontier, probably most notably in the harness height, but if it fits your child and your vehicle, I think it's a good option.

jacqui276 · Jan 22, 2013

I agree that for the price, it is definitely a "try it" seat. The seat belt clarification that Trudy got from the company makes a big difference with the install. I was much less frustrated with the seat at my second attempt of a seat belt install knowing that I didn't have to worry about having it under the tabs on the side. Installing it with latch wasn't too bad (although it just has the standard hook-type latch connectors which I am not a fan of).

It has a very smooth harness adjuster, I like the recline-adjust knob on the front to help sit it flush against the back of the vehicle seat, I like that it is narrow, and both my niece and nephew find it really comfy (they were in Alpha Omega Elites prior to this and prefer the V7s).

The lack of harness height had me concerned (16" top slots) but this is how my niece fit in it with her torso measuring 15.5". She is just a touch below the second from the top slot (it's hard to see with the black cover) so it should last her a little while longer.

I would imagine that it doesn't make a fantastic high back booster since you can't adjust the height of the shoulder belt guide, but looks like it will make a nice no back booster (and even came with the attachment for the shoulder belt guide). DD who is 8.5 sat in it while I was building them and said that it was more comfortable than her turbobooster and literider.

The seats have grown on me a bit since I was initially cursing at them previously in this thread.

3 Across in a Mazda 3!

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