Buy now or later?

The situation:

DS2 (4 years old, pretty average size) and DS3 (21 months, huge) both RF in the 3rd row of my Mazda 5, and I don't want to change that for at least a year. DS3 rear faces in our other vehicle, too.

DS2 is in a TWE in the Mazda; DS3 is in a Radian R100 in both vehicles.

On a recent morning, they decided they wanted to swap car seats in the Mazda. I was sure DS2 was still under 40 pounds, and I double checked his seated height, and let them go for it. I didn't even have to adjust the harness height on either seat.

Then I actually weighed DS2. He's over 39.5 pounds without his shoes on. No more RF R100 for him. But DS3 had a taste of the TWE and does not want to go back. Getting him into the R100 is a daily struggle now.

So I'm thinking about just getting a 3-in-1 E2F now. It can go in the Mazda, and they can sit wherever they want each day. (DS2 has proven flexible here, so I'm not too worried about them fighting over the same seat.) then in a year, DS2 can FF, maybe even in a booster, the E2F can move to the Ody (I expect DS3 to be approaching 40 pounds by that point) and one or both Radians will be retired.

I don't really need an E2F yet, though. And if they improve the harness adjuster on the regular E2F, or come out with new colors for the 3-in-1, or something new and awesomer comes out in the meantime, I will be very annoyed.

[emoji848]

Ok, excuse my ignorance. What's a TWE?


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MamaChirpy said:

Ok, excuse my ignorance. What's a TWE?


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Click to expand...

A Britax Two Way [Elite] I think.

_juune said:

A Britax Two Way [Elite] I think.

Click to expand...

Yep.

Well I'm not sure I am any help, since I wouldn't buy a new RF seat to RF a 4 year old. For you though, I'm a little confused on the big picture here. You listed three rear facing seats for two children in two vehicles. What is the 4th seat? Or are you not concerned with having your ds2 RF in the other car?

It seems like the only options you are considering are
(1) force ds3 to sit RF in a Radian so that ds2 can use the TWE, and
(2) allow ds3 to remain in the TWE and buy a new seat so that ds2 can continue to RF.

If that is the case then only you have an idea of how much trouble your ds3 will be if you try to make him go into the R100, so only you can really figure out which option to go with. He is fighting it now but he might give up soon (or not). Not to mention that if he is fighting to get into a seat, he might eventually start fighting the TWE too and then you're struggling with every car ride anyway.

If one of your primary reasons for buying a new RF seat is because you'll need something for DS3 when he outgrows the R100, then I'd wait because there will doubtless be new ERF seats coming out before he outgrows the R100.

DS2 FFs in the other vehicle, no need to change anything there. I want to keep him RF for now for my own convenience more than safety. And I wouldn't consider buying a new RF seat for him either if I were only buying it for him. Yes, it would eventually go in the Odyssey for DS3.

This morning was less difficult getting DS3 in. I think I'll hold off and see what my options are in a year or so.