Cosco Touriva vs Evenflo Tribute or Express?

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jan 18, 2005

• #1

Hi, I am looking for some advice. I have three children and drive a 2000 Toyota Sienna.

My oldest child is 7 and sits in a Cosco HB booster in the far back passenger side.

My middle child is 4, 31 lbs and sits in a FF Britax roundabout in the far back driver side.

My baby is 1, 16 lbs and is outgrowing her baby "bucket" seat. She sits in the far back middle position. She likes being there because she can play with her big sisters.

Our finances are really, really tight right now or I would go buy another Britax seat. However, I am being offered an Evenflo Tribute 5-pt or a Cosco Touriva 5-pt for the baby or an Evenflo Express w/ Harness for my 4 y.o. for $25. All are new and being offered through car seat safety programs for low-income families.

A friend of mine has the Cosco Touriva which fits in between the other seats quite well. I'm not very impressed with it though. It just seems flimsy. However, I'm comparing it to my Britax which is wonderful.

So, I am looking for any and all advice on which seat to get, seating positions, etc. Thanks! Dawn

 

M

mamamia

New member

• Jan 18, 2005

• #2

I would use the Roundabout you have for your baby, because it will be the easiest seat to deal with RFing. I would suggest you put her in a captains chari though, because I can't imagine tightening a RFing seat in the rear middle position, or any third ro seating position in a pre-2004 Sienna.

I would use the Evenflo Express with harness for the 4 year old.

If the one year old doesn't like being alone in the middle row, I would let one of the other kids sit in the other captain chair-preferably the 4 year old because I am assuming the 7 year old can buckle herself, and life would be easier I would think, if the two seats you need to buckle are in the second row. At least I find it kind of difficult to access the third row in my sisters 2003 Sienna.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jan 18, 2005

• #3

My sienna has the bench seat in the middle. With the seatbelt strung across to the passenger side, it's difficult to get in the back seat. I almost always keep the bench seat folded down so we can reach the third row.

Also, I forgot to mention that I bought the roundabout about 6 years ago. Does this make a difference? Thanks, Dawn

 

M

mamamia

New member

• Jan 19, 2005

• #4

The Roundabout has a 6 year life before it expires, so it may be time to replace that seat as well. If so, i would go for 1 touriva for the baby and the evenflo booster for the 4 year old.

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jan 19, 2005

• #5

Why would you take the touriva over the evenflow tribute for the baby? Thanks! Dawn

 

M

mamamia

New member

• Jan 19, 2005

• #6

Mainly because a lot of people like the new touriva. I don't know anything about the other one. Maybe you could try them both out and see which fits better in your vehicle, which has the highest top slots (because that's the seat that'll last longest) and which is easiest for you to use in that third row.

 

B

bjssweetone

Guest

• Jan 19, 2005

• #7

One thing I noticed is that the tribute has a 3 point harness with a shield, I didnt see a 5 pt one on Evenflo's website.

Here is the link to the seat:

http://www.evenflo.com/pr/co/prco_tribute.phtml

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Jan 20, 2005

• #8

Shields vs. 5-point

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/fivepointshield.aspx
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/shieldbooster.aspx

 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jan 20, 2005

• #9

Evenflo distributes 5-point Tributes to programs that help people with lower incomes, and sells more of the overhead shield seats at Walmart, so it's hard to judge, but very few seat distribution programs utilize shield seats, they almost always have 5-pt versions.

The Touriva is a much better seat, in my experience, though.

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Jan 20, 2005

• #10

Maybe I'm confused ... it is that kind of day

Is your Roundabout expiring soon? I'd think that'd be a great seat for the little one & your middle kiddo would need a combination seat?

 

M

mamamia

New member

• Jan 20, 2005

• #11

Unregistered said:

Also, I forgot to mention that I bought the roundabout about 6 years ago. Does this make a difference? Thanks, Dawn

Click to expand...

So yes, this seat is likely either expired already or very close to it. I would use it past an expiration date only if I had absolutely no other options.

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Jan 20, 2005

• #12

Doh ... reading comprehension ... sorry

 

U

Unregistered

Guest

• Jan 21, 2005

• #13

Ah ha! I was starting to wonder if I had dreamt that she said that the Evenflo Tribute would have a 5 pt harness. Then I found this link which shows a picture.

http://www.safeamerica.org/downloads/Car Seats/Evenflo 3792098 Tribute V.pdf

It looks like it may be a nicer seat than the bare bones Cosco Touriva. Dawn