Need help brain storming

Jessica61624 · Mar 15, 2013

I'm at a complete loss coming up with an acceptable 3 across. I have 40 inches of useable space. Plus maybe two inches on each side if the seat installs towards the bolster. This is in a 2006 Sonata. Comparable to a KIA optima.
Kids stats
Dd
J-5.5yr 48lbs outgrown everything but the frontier. I'm mainly looking for a booster unless somehow the frontier shrinks.

Dom-3yr. 37lbs would like him to rear face but am ok with ff at this point.

Damian-9months 21lbs obviously rf. Already upgraded to convertible.

So right now what's working OK is a ff radian behind pass rf Blvd center and wedged in/can't unbuckle turbo. I would be fine with this combo if I could get a booster to fit better. Being a pita to buckle is ok at long as the seat isn't wedged in.

I did have ff radian/rf radian/ Frontier. The center radian was a pita to buckle and get baby into. Frontier was crooked. When I tried to center it the buckle hit the radian and it came unbuckled. I'm not comfortable with this as is could happen during loading or in an accident.

So any booster suggestions or other thoughts? I'd like to not buy all new seats. But the car isn't going anywhere. I worked with Cryssy a few weekends ago and we made little progress.

One combo someone else did I'm going to try. I've honestly been avoiding it because I don't care so evenflo convertibles. I also wouldn't be opposed to a cco.

Carrie_R · Mar 15, 2013

My go-to combo is RF Radian & RF MyRide. I don 't know about getting it in 40" but you could try RF RN outboard, RF MR center (baby) and then a booster that puzzles with the MR other outboard. Maybe the RN could go center but I've had more success with the MR center - although with your bolsters it may just work outboard. If so, Monterey puzzles very well with RF RN. I have a photo somewhere if that interests you.

The MR is narrower at the base than the classic Britaxes so that's why I suggest it. It's 11".

Also is your DD able to fit in a Radian with shoulders above top slots? If so that would help a lot. Or, what about a RSTV for her? Have you tried the new Harmony booster?

I had 48" buckle to buckle and it was nearly impossible. Best of luck to you!

Eta: I almost suggested CCO, but thought it would be difficult to justify the price for the longevity, since D is already 9 mos. I missed that you mentioned it in your post. It puzzles with the RN same direction, trying to think what it worked with other than the ProSport.

CrazyBoysMamma · Mar 16, 2013

Is the frontier an old one or an 85? If it's an 85 they puzzle well with a RF radian. In my old Jetta I did either FR85/RF RN/RF britax, FF RN/RF RN/RF Britax or...crap, now I forget! At some point I did some combo with an old style pkwy, but that's not very helpful lol.

Jessica61624 · Mar 17, 2013

Carrie_R said:
My go-to combo is RF Radian & RF MyRide. I don 't know about getting it in 40" but you could try RF RN outboard, RF MR center (baby) and then a booster that puzzles with the MR other outboard. Maybe the RN could go center but I've had more success with the MR center - although with your bolsters it may just work outboard. If so, Monterey puzzles very well with RF RN. I have a photo somewhere if that interests you.

The MR is narrower at the base than the classic Britaxes so that's why I suggest it. It's 11".

Also is your DD able to fit in a Radian with shoulders above top slots? If so that would help a lot. Or, what about a RSTV for her? Have you tried the new Harmony booster?

I had 48" buckle to buckle and it was nearly impossible. Best of luck to you!

Eta: I almost suggested CCO, but thought it would be difficult to justify the price for the longevity, since D is already 9 mos. I missed that you mentioned it in your post. It puzzles with the RN same direction, trying to think what it worked with other than the ProSport.

The radian and Myride was too tight. They hit at the top. I was thinking about a cco but it wouldn't last very long. I don't like the vests.

Jessica61624 · Mar 17, 2013

CrazyBoysMamma said:
Is the frontier an old one or an 85? If it's an 85 they puzzle well with a RF radian. In my old Jetta I did either FR85/RF RN/RF britax, FF RN/RF RN/RF Britax or...crap, now I forget! At some point I did some combo with an old style pkwy, but that's not very helpful lol.

I did get a ff radian/rf radian/frontier. Its really tight and the frontier leans.

Cryssy Jane · Mar 18, 2013

Jessica61624 said:
I worked with Cryssy a few weekends ago and we made little progress.
.

Seriously. And they say subarus are tough. My car is a piece of cake in comparison. :-/

You should have seen us, we had 6 or 7 various seats in the red lobster parking lot (they weren't open) but some of the looks we got from the employees were pretty funny.

Eta:the bolsters on the side are like super heavy foam and have next to nil as far as any squish.

Brigala · Mar 18, 2013

In my Civic I can do a RF Radian (center) next to a RF RA55 (outboard) and it works quite nicely.

But I can't even get the door shut if I add a Frontier in there. Even if it's not 3-across and I shove the center-installed Radian over as far as I can make it go. If I remember correctly, I can't shut the door on a Turbo either.

I can puzzle a Britax PWSG next to the RF Radian, but only barely barely barely barely and it's really hard to buckle. Part of my issue there is that I also have big bolsters on the side so the seat has to wiggle into place between the Radian and those bolsters. And I'm not sure I'd be able to do it if I put another seat on the other side.

But I'm not sure whether my Civic is as bad or maybe even worse for 3-across than your car. I just know it's really bad and there are very few combinations that work. We couldn't even fit a Coccoro next to the Foonf last time we tried (though I did it before with an earlier prototype so I dunno).

Jessica61624 · Mar 18, 2013

Brigala said:
In my Civic I can do a RF Radian (center) next to a RF RA55 (outboard) and it works quite nicely.

But I can't even get the door shut if I add a Frontier in there. Even if it's not 3-across and I shove the center-installed Radian over as far as I can make it go. If I remember correctly, I can't shut the door on a Turbo either.

I can puzzle a Britax PWSG next to the RF Radian, but only barely barely barely barely and it's really hard to buckle. Part of my issue there is that I also have big bolsters on the side so the seat has to wiggle into place between the Radian and those bolsters. And I'm not sure I'd be able to do it if I put another seat on the other side.

But I'm not sure whether my Civic is as bad or maybe even worse for 3-across than your car. I just know it's really bad and there are very few combinations that work. We couldn't even fit a Coccoro next to the Foonf last time we tried (though I did it before with an earlier prototype so I dunno).

Where you able to fit a cco and a ff radian? The only issue with radian center and Blvd outboard is dom has outgrown the Blvd by height. So he'd have to be center and that would be a pita.

I was thinking possibly a ff complete air for him and rf radian for baby?

Brigala · Mar 18, 2013

Jessica61624 said:
Where you able to fit a cco and a ff radian? The only issue with radian center and Blvd outboard is dom has outgrown the Blvd by height. So he'd have to be center and that would be a pita.

I was thinking possibly a ff complete air for him and rf radian for baby?

Possibly... I don't think I've tried a FF Radian with the Coccoro, but I could. I'm fairly sure it would work. Probably better than RF Radian & Coccoro.

I know in MY car a Complete Air will not fit in any type of 3-across, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't work in yours. Seat shape and car door shape is everything. :thumbsdown:

trippsmom · Mar 18, 2013

Brigala said:
Possibly... I don't think I've tried a FF Radian with the Coccoro, but I could. I'm fairly sure it would work. Probably better than RF Radian & Coccoro.

I know in MY car a Complete Air will not fit in any type of 3-across, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't work in yours. Seat shape and car door shape is everything. :thumbsdown:

The two work in every car I've put them in.

Jessica61624 · Mar 18, 2013

trippsmom said:
The two work in every car I've put them in.

Cco and radian?

trippsmom · Mar 18, 2013

Jessica61624 said:
Cco and radian?

Yes. I use them in my dad's Jetta and they are in dh's car ff and rf right now.

Jessica61624 · Mar 18, 2013

trippsmom said:
Yes. I use them in my dad's Jetta and they are in dh's car ff and rf right now.

Do they take up less room than ff radian/rf radian?

Carrie_R · Mar 18, 2013

Jessica61624 said:
The radian and Myride was too tight. They hit at the top. I was thinking about a cco but it wouldn't last very long. I don't like the vests.

Hmm. They shouldn't. Does the Radian you tried have headwings? Do you have one without headwings?

Truly that combo (or RF Radian RF Coccoro) was the only thing that fit on my 60 portion.

Jessica61624 · Mar 18, 2013

Carrie_R said:
Hmm. They shouldn't. Does the Radian you tried have headwings? Do you have one without headwings?

Truly that combo (or RF Radian RF Coccoro) was the only thing that fit on my 60 portion.

Nope its a r120. Right now I got a ff radian, Rf radian, turbo. I don't like the turbo there. I'm thinking a sgl might fit better.

Jessica61624 · Mar 19, 2013

Brigala said:
Possibly... I don't think I've tried a FF Radian with the Coccoro, but I could. I'm fairly sure it would work. Probably better than RF Radian & Coccoro.

I know in MY car a Complete Air will not fit in any type of 3-across, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't work in yours. Seat shape and car door shape is everything. :thumbsdown:

Have you tried any other boosters?

So the radian is center. It ifs perfectly between the belt stalks. Ff radian passenger. And turbo drivers side. The turbo is a tad to wide to wedge in there. Dd is getting good at pulling it out ans buckling. Then I come around push it in and tighten.

Brigala · Mar 19, 2013

Yes. I've tried lots of boosters. :/

The Parkway is the only one that will work.

I'm not sure it would work in a different car with the same space. The way the center bump lifts the Radian up is just enough to make the Parkway puzzle into place. I actually have to shimmy it into position. There's like NO buckling room. I seriously take about 5 minutes trying to buckle the kid into the booster. Usually I just end up driving the Suburban when I have to transport the booster-kid. If she were MY kid, and I were doing this all the time, I would leave the Parkway buckled in and make her slide in and out under the belt.

But... my hope is that if your car has even half an inch more space there than mine does, it might actually work.

I don't suppose you want to try coming down to Portland for another car seat playdate? I have a CCO and a PWSG and a CA and two Radians... and an Evenflo backless booster... and an Onboard Air... and a FR85... yeah, those are my 8 seats. I also have access to a RA55; my husband's grandson is using it now but I could get it back for a day.

Jessica61624 · Mar 19, 2013

Brigala said:
Yes. I've tried lots of boosters. :/

The Parkway is the only one that will work.

I'm not sure it would work in a different car with the same space. The way the center bump lifts the Radian up is just enough to make the Parkway puzzle into place. I actually have to shimmy it into position. There's like NO buckling room. I seriously take about 5 minutes trying to buckle the kid into the booster. Usually I just end up driving the Suburban when I have to transport the booster-kid. If she were MY kid, and I were doing this all the time, I would leave the Parkway buckled in and make her slide in and out under the belt.

But... my hope is that if your car has even half an inch more space there than mine does, it might actually work.

I don't suppose you want to try coming down to Portland for another car seat playdate? I have a CCO and a PWSG and a CA and two Radians... and an Evenflo backless booster... and an Onboard Air... and a FR85... yeah, those are my 8 seats. I also have access to a RA55; my husband's grandson is using it now but I could get it back for a day.

I don't think I will EVER be taking these radians out! I'm going to try the sgl at bru today. She's pretty good at sliding under the belt. Once in awhile she locks it up. Thank you for the input! The bolsters really make it a challenge!

momtoo3 · Mar 19, 2013

I don't know if it would help but the Kiddy CruiserFix Pro fit in dh's car where the HBTB did not. Amazon has them on sale for $186 right now.

Jessica61624 · Mar 19, 2013

momtoo3 said:
I don't know if it would help but the Kiddy CruiserFix Pro fit in dh's car where the HBTB did not. Amazon has them on sale for $186 right now.

What's next to it?

Need help brain storming

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