shellebelle
Senior Community Member
I actually have a car seat question for once!
This is for my good friend's kids in her 2008 Sienna, below:
A1 - 5 yo, 32lbs, MA 70 third row passenger
A2 - 3 yo, 28lbs, MA 70 2nd row passenger, captain's chair slid to the middle
C - 10 months, 20lbs, KF, 2nd row driver
I unfortunately don't have heights on these kids, but they're all teeny tiny. They'll fit in anything and will eventually outgrow things by height and not weight. Eventually.
C's KF is expiring so he needs to inherit A1's MA and a new seat needs to be purchased for A1. A1s friends have Frontiers, so we're familiar with the "expensive" Britax and like it. However, cost and longevity among the three kids is a consideration. My friend and her husband are fond of Britaxes, so the Pioneer is an affordable option given their needs. But what is right for their situation? Pioneer or Frontier?
The plan right now is that A1 hangs out in this new seat until A2 outgrows her MA in a few years. Then they'll evaluate if it's time to move A1 into a booster and A2 into the Pioneer/Frontier, or will get another Pioneer/Frontier for A2 that C will eventually inherit. There may be an inexpensive dedicated booster somewhere in the mix down the line too. Or, should they be looking at something else for A1 now and then when A2 outgrows her MA they'll either buy a Pioneer or a dedicated booster?
A few questions:
Thanks for any help and insight. Also, I seem to recall a list here of vehicle manufacturers' LATCH weight limits, and then that list being broken down by seat: i.e. Toyota has 40lb kid + car seat weight limit. So, if a 15lb MA is being used you have to discontinue LATCH at 25lbs. Does anyone know where that list is? Need to check my friend's kids as they're starting to get close.
This is for my good friend's kids in her 2008 Sienna, below:
A1 - 5 yo, 32lbs, MA 70 third row passenger
A2 - 3 yo, 28lbs, MA 70 2nd row passenger, captain's chair slid to the middle
C - 10 months, 20lbs, KF, 2nd row driver
I unfortunately don't have heights on these kids, but they're all teeny tiny. They'll fit in anything and will eventually outgrow things by height and not weight. Eventually.
C's KF is expiring so he needs to inherit A1's MA and a new seat needs to be purchased for A1. A1s friends have Frontiers, so we're familiar with the "expensive" Britax and like it. However, cost and longevity among the three kids is a consideration. My friend and her husband are fond of Britaxes, so the Pioneer is an affordable option given their needs. But what is right for their situation? Pioneer or Frontier?
The plan right now is that A1 hangs out in this new seat until A2 outgrows her MA in a few years. Then they'll evaluate if it's time to move A1 into a booster and A2 into the Pioneer/Frontier, or will get another Pioneer/Frontier for A2 that C will eventually inherit. There may be an inexpensive dedicated booster somewhere in the mix down the line too. Or, should they be looking at something else for A1 now and then when A2 outgrows her MA they'll either buy a Pioneer or a dedicated booster?
A few questions:
- Is the Frontier worth $100 more? - From what I can tell, the Frontier has 20lbs more capacity in the harness, the ClickTight installation system, and improved foam around the head? Would these small kids ever make use of the extra capacity?
- Can the Pioneer last a kid until seat belt or lowback booster readiness?
- Can the Pioneer be latched in booster mode? - I have concerns about such a huge seat being used as a dedicated booster for A1 (too much load in a crash) - she really is crazy petite even though she will be much bigger before she would use this seat as a booster.
- Any experience installing a Pioneer in a Sienna with the seat belt? - I have installed a friend's Frontier in the third row and had some troubles. I would need to double check, but IIRC it was just about incompatible with a seatbelt install third row driver (where this new seat will go)? I think it had something to do with the seatbelt buckle getting into the ClickTight system. When I had trouble I just moved everyone else around because that was faster and we had somewhere to be. Without the ClickTight business, it seems like the Pioneer would be a bit more forgiving of the long buckle stalks? Are three twists still allowed? I'll try to get my hands on a Pioneer to test before they buy of course. Moving the seating locations in the van is not ideal.
Thanks for any help and insight. Also, I seem to recall a list here of vehicle manufacturers' LATCH weight limits, and then that list being broken down by seat: i.e. Toyota has 40lb kid + car seat weight limit. So, if a 15lb MA is being used you have to discontinue LATCH at 25lbs. Does anyone know where that list is? Need to check my friend's kids as they're starting to get close.
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