Question Help with 5 new car seats

We are looking to buy 5 new car seats for a 12 passenger Mercedes Sprinter van. Kids:

Age almost 9, 52 lbs, 48.5 inches
Age almost 7, 48 lbs, 47 inches
Age almost 5, 39 lbs, 42inches
Age 2.5, 23 lbs, 32 inches
Age 6 months, 15 lbs, 26 inches

I was leaning towards Graco extend2fit for the three littlest ones (RF) and Britax Pioneer for the older 2 (FF) at first. Then switched thinking to getting all Diono Radian RXTs. Now my latest is Britax - boulevard clicktight for the 2 littlest, Frontier clicktight for the 4 yr old, and parkway gsl for the 6&8 year olds. I went to the store today and spoke with the salesman who threw a wrench in my plan and suggested Parkways for the 8,6 and 4 year old then Frontier for the 2 yr old and a Boulevard for the baby. I'm getting overwhelmed and need some suggestions from mommas...help please.

I like your plan of the Boulevard Clicktight for the two youngest to rear face, the Frontier Clicktight for the 4 year old to forward face, and the Parkways for the two oldest to booster in.

Overall if I had those ages and was buying new seats, I'd rear face the two youngest, forward face the middle, and booster the two oldest.

Unregistered said:

I went to the store today and spoke with the salesman who threw a wrench in my plan and suggested Parkways for the 8,6 and 4 year old then Frontier for the 2 yr old and a Boulevard for the baby. I'm getting overwhelmed and need some suggestions from mommas...help please.

Click to expand...

Most of all, I'd recommend not listening to the salesman! in this case, because they apparently aren't really aware of safest recommendations. a 23# child would be much safer in a RFing seat so the recommendation for a Frontier is not appropriate. Also, as your original plan was, the almost 5 year old would be safest in a harnessed seat, not a Parkway booster...especially since your kiddos are so small(at least compared to mine!), I'd assume even with a booster, the car's seat belt is not going to be a great fit on your 5 year old.

I'd booster the two older, rearface the two younger and get a forward facing harnessing booster like the Pioneer for your middle kiddo. I think a frontier is overkill for your lightweight and not supertall kids. its a great seat but not sure it's worth the price for a smaller child.

Will you have room for 2 extend2fits? if not, I'd go with radians. they'll last your kids well into booster age and will free up space for the older kiddos to buckle their boosters.
actually, what is your preferred arrangement of the seats in your vehicle? 3 older in back? then you might want a narrower seat than the pioneer, or at least one that sits up on a base for your middle child so there's room for the boosters and space for them to buckle.

its so much "fun" to figure this all out, isn't it?

rachelandtyke said:

I like your plan of the Boulevard Clicktight for the two youngest to rear face, the Frontier Clicktight for the 4 year old to forward face, and the Parkways for the two oldest to booster in.

Overall if I had those ages and was buying new seats, I'd rear face the two youngest, forward face the middle, and booster the two oldest.

Click to expand...

Thanks so much!

Ok. Thanks for comments. This is how I'm thinking arrangement by kids...
back seat bench 4th row (4 seats): 13 & 11 year olds in vehicle lap/shoulder belts
3rd row (3 seats): 8 year old booster, empty seat in middle, 4 yr old harness FF
2nd row (3 seats): baby RF, 6 yr old booster, 2.5 yr old RF
Sometimes 6 yr old in booster would switch to middle seat 3rd row (so then 2 boosters and 1 FF harness there)

Pioneer over Frontier? I kind of like the clicktight part of a Frontier and more side impact protection. Or is that overkill? Then Boulevard, E2F, or Radian Rxt for rear facing? Is E2F over the top for my light, tiny kids? I love RF as long as possible but with E2F I could have my 8 year old RF still and I just don't see that working.

We've been lucky enough for all of our past and current seats have been gifted to us so I never had to really put this much thought and headache into purchasing seats. It's exhausting! Please keep the suggestions and comments coming. Thanks so much for helping me with this. I'm really hoping these are the last seats I'll be buying.

Your almost 5 year old is below the minimum weight for a Parkway, so definitely ignore that sales guy.

lgenne said:

Your almost 5 year old is below the minimum weight for a Parkway, so definitely ignore that sales guy.

Click to expand...

Ok. That's what I was thinking too. Thank you.

rachelandtyke said:

I like your plan of the Boulevard Clicktight for the two youngest to rear face, the Frontier Clicktight for the 4 year old to forward face, and the Parkways for the two oldest to booster in.

Overall if I had those ages and was buying new seats, I'd rear face the two youngest, forward face the middle, and booster the two oldest.

Click to expand...

I agree with this, especially the 2nd part.