Inexpensive Car seat for 2nd car

We are buying a second car where our 3 year old, 27 lb little one will ride infrequently. Our primary car has a Britax Marathon, and it is going very strong.

We are mainly looking for an inexpensive (< $80) car seat that can be later converted to a booster in few years when the little one out-grows. He will be riding in the 2nd car infrequently, and for short trips, so we don't want to splurge on this one.

Any suggestions? I was considering the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 and planning to take the kid to TRU this weekend to try it out if they have one on display. Any other seats you would suggest?

Hello!

The Nautilus tends to be out of the price range that you gave, so although it is a well-loved seat (and for good reason), it will likely cost more than you want to spend. Both the Evenflo Maestro and the Harmony Defender are less expensive and good options to consider.

A seat that is less-often recommended, but might be a good option for you, is the Evenflo Chase LX. The weight limit on the harness is just 40 pounds, but since your child seems very light, it will probably be enough for her.

You can also expect that any of these "budget" seats that I've recommended will require that at some point in a few years, the child will outgrow the booster portion of the seat (by height) and you'll need to buy a separate booster. However, I wouldn't let that put you off a seat, because there are lots of really great, inexpensive boosters available.

On a related note, another option to think about is getting a convertible seat (that can't be used as a booster), namely the Evenflo SureRide, which has a very tall harness and will last until your daughter needs a booster. This would make sense if you can foresee a situation in which having a convertible seat (that can be installed facing the rear or the front) would be advantageous.

Hope this helps!

Thanks jjordan! I bought the Evenflo Maestro using the BRU trade up 25% discount. Cost me $60 plus tax. It may not be the best deal (i've seen it sell cheaper), but it's a decent deal without waiting for a better deal to show up.
Thanks for your detailed reply!

Glad to help! That's a great deal on a Maestro!