3 across honda accord - bubble bum for 5 yr old?

Hello-

I'm trying to get three across to work in my husband's car, which is an older (2006ish) Honda accord.

Children:
age 2 - riding RF behind passenger in a graco 4ever all-in-one convertible - installed with latch (I can't get a secure install on the leather seat with the seatbelt for this carseat, so I am losing an inch or so of seat width using latch to install it).
age 8 - riding in bubble bum with seat belt in middle seat (trying to make this fit - can't really buckle easily with current set up)
age 5 - riding in a Harmony Defender - installed with latch

Right now, I have the three seats all installed, and they fit, BUT my very skinny 8 year old can barely buckle the seatbelt and can barely fit as he is sandwiched between the two carseats (I can't actually tell if his back is fully against the seat, though he claims it is).

I am going to try to re-install the Harmony Defender with the seatbelt instead of the latch to see if it gives us an extra inch or so that we need.
IF this doesn't work, I am considering swapping the harmony defender with a bubble bum or a ride safer travel vest for 5 yr old. 5yr old son is 45in and 43lbs. Can he go in a bubble bum or should he still be in a 5 point? Are there other options I should consider? I have a RF Foonf, and 2 FF Radians in my car and really hope to not buy yet another expensive narrow seat. Thoughts?

Have you tried one of the narrow seats in place of the 4Ever instead?

Wendy

I haven't tried a narrow seat in the place of that one, mostly because I want to keep him RF and don't want to buy another seat if I can avoid it.

Is there a reason he can't rear face in one of the narrow seat?

Wendy

I have the three narrow seats wedged in to my car to get three across. I can't swap out one of the narrows for the 4ever because the 4ever wont fit in my car. There isn't even a paper-width or room left to spare.
I am reluctant to put a booster in my car (in place of one of the radians) because we travel frequently in my car and I feel better with them all in 5 points.

Or forward facing in a narrow seat, for that matter. You have 2 Radians and a Foonf. Any of those, rear facing or forward facing (assuming you can get a good forward facing install with a Radian, which I wouldn't necessarily count on) would be better than the 4Ever.

Have you tried a Defender or Graco Tranzitions/Wayz in place of a forward facing seat in your car? They're also quite narrow, and you have a Defender to try if you haven't. Then you could move a Tranzitions/Wayz or Defender in there and a Radian or Foonf into your car, only spend $100, and get everyone fitting in your car.

Is your five year old booster ready?

Wendy

Oh, I missed your last post. I would actually get an Evenflo Sureride over another Defender. If you want them all harnessed on trips, it will last way longer, and it should make it easier to make that 3 across work. Also, it's easier to install than the Defender. (The Sureride is wider overall, but puzzles really well with Radians.)

So in the vehicle that you want 3 harnesses in: FF Radian or Defender, FF Sureride, Radian facing whichever direction you want.

In the Accord, you'll have a Foonf, a Bubblebum, and the Defender (or FF Radian, if that works.)

Neither Evenflo nor Diono allow overlap, though.

Wendy