Car seat for '00 Jetta?

I have a nearly four year old son who is just about 40 inches tall, and weighs about 40 pounds. I'm considering getting a high back booster so that he can ride along with me in the VW. I like the Britax Monarch, and the Recaro Young Traveler (is that the right name?) so far because of the side protection. Please let me know what you suggest! Thank you.

The best side-impact protection is a 5-point harness, actually.

Technically, your child is old/big enough to use a booster seat, but children do not have the maturity to ride safest in one until they are around age 6. They simply do not have the impulse control to stay seated behind the seatbelt, not unbuckle themselves, etc. Fortunately there are now several options for keeping older kids in a 5-point harness. What's your price range?

Also, will he be riding in the center of the rear row, or will he need to be outboard? Being in the center will provide more side-impact protection in any case. Oh, and does your vehicle have side-curtain airbags in the back? My '01 Golf does, that's why I ask.

A Radian installs well in the center of your Jetta with seatbelt It also is narrow enough that two decent sized adults can comfortably sit on each side of it.

Other carseats will work well, but the Radian is going to give him the benefit of a 5-point harness. If you would like to continue harnessing him I think you would really like the Radian. If you do use a booster for him I would definitely install him in the middle position and engage the switchable retractor seatbelt to hold him in place better.

Well, I would prefer not to spend more than $250 or so. The reason I'm leaning towards booster is so that I won't have to buy yet another carseat, and also so that I can basically install this one and leave it in the back. He could sit in the middle, I'm not too concerned with seating space in the back for others. Our other car is a Mazda 5. That is the "family car". We have a new baby arriving next month, so I want something to put into my VW so that we'll be able to go out and do guy stuff together, while leaving the Mazda for my wife and new baby. Actually...I'll probably have to end up buying two new seats anyway....his harness is pretty tight on him in the seat he has already (5 point). Thanks for the suggestions so far, please let me know what you think of the update information!

Oh, and no side airbags in the back. Not sure if my other reply made it in here yet?

It didn't. Price range is 250 or so. We have a Mazda 5 with his five-point harness seat in there. It is getting tight on him now, so I suppose I'll have to get two seats at some point. We have a new arriving in March, so I'm looking for a seat to put in the VW so we can go out and do "guy stuff" and leave the family car for Mom and baby. Not too concerned about saving space in the back seat, so a wider seat isn't a deal breaker.

So if you had to choose between the Britax Marathon, the Recaro Young Sport, or the Radian 65/80...which would you choose?

You are still in moderation, so sometimes it takes a bit for your posts to show up..sorry about that.

Ok, the new Graco Nautilus might be a great option for you! It has very high top slots, and will TURN INTO a booster!

I understand your money issue, but remember once your child outgrows the five-point harness on say the Radian, then you can always pick up a $15-$20 backless booster. The Radian or Nautilus could really last him awhile. What seat is he in now? Where are his shoulders in relation to the top harness slot?

Hmm..the harness is tight? Is he wearing a coat while he in the seat? Most harnesses should provide enough room for a four year old.

Retrocon said:

So if you had to choose between the Britax Marathon, the Recaro Young Sport, or the Radian 65/80...which would you choose?

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My DD is about the same height as your DS, and I have a 2004 Jetta. :thumbsup: We've tried all of the seats you've mentioned at one time or another. I would go with the Radian 65 out of this group. It has a high harness height and doesn't sit up on a base so it's easy to get kiddo in and out of. It is also fantastic on airplanes, if you ever need to fly with a seat. Oh, and an 8 year expiration date, so it could be handed down to new baby at some point. I have not tried the Nautilus, but that would also seem to be worth considering in your situation.

Right now he is in an Evenflo Triumph 5, and then harness is all the way up to the top. It isn't too bad during the summer, but it is definitely snug in the winter with an average coat on.

After looking at the Radians, they look pretty good!! I hope that they'll be wide enough, but they look sturdy. The Britax Regent looks like a giant...and while I'm not concerned about backseat space in the Jetta, I'm not sure that it would fit in the Mazda 5. My wife likes the look of the Regent, but I'm more interested in the utility of the seat.

I'm also now thinking about the ease of installation, because if I decide to spend the money for a Radian 80...I definitely don't want to buy two of them!

Thanks again.

The Radian 65 and 80 have the same top harness height, and I doubt your DS will reach 80lbs. before outgrowing the seat by height. So unless you love one of the 80 covers, save yourself some $$$ and get the 65.

Retrocon said:

Right now he is in an Evenflo Triumph 5, and then harness is all the way up to the top. It isn't too bad during the summer, but it is definitely snug in the winter with an average coat on.

After looking at the Radians, they look pretty good!! I hope that they'll be wide enough, but they look sturdy. The Britax Regent looks like a giant...and while I'm not concerned about backseat space in the Jetta, I'm not sure that it would fit in the Mazda 5. My wife likes the look of the Regent, but I'm more interested in the utility of the seat.

I'm also now thinking about the ease of installation, because if I decide to spend the money for a Radian 80...I definitely don't want to buy two of them!

Thanks again.

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I think the Radian would give him many more years of use.

You don't want to have him in the carseat with his coat on. It isn't safe. Most parents don't know this until a technician tells them. The coat will compress in an accident and could eject the child, or not adequately restrain the child in the event of an accident. A thin fleece jacket is fine, or a sweater, but nothing more.

The Radian definitely has a bit of a learning curve for installing in a lot of vehicles. Once you know how to install it I think you will find it quite easy. Like I said, I know it installs in the Jetta.

I have an '03 Jetta and have a almost 4yr old, 44lb son in a Regent! It fits great back there and wasnt hard to install. At your little ones age and weight I wouldnt put him in a booster. You can get a Regent for around $200 soon/now and it will last many years!

I have installed my DD's Regent in my DH's '00 Jetta very easily. It fits really well. But good to know that a Radian fits well in the middle with a seatbelt since you can't use the LATCH there.:thumbsup:

Ok. So in the '00 Jetta, the Radian is the only seat that will fit in the middle properly? Isn't it better to put the seat in the middle of the backseat whenever possible?

Which is safer...the Radian seat in the middle, or something like the Regent or other seats like that in the outside seats? Should I just get something with LATCH for the outside seat? I'm not sure if the Jetta has LATCH, it has some sort of tether system but I haven't checked it yet. It has been a child free car up until now! Oh, and it has leather seats...does anyone recommend anything to go under the car seat?

Thanks! Absolutely confused here, and I appreciate the help.

The middle is considered safest if it's possible to achieve a proper installation there in the vehicle, and previous posters with Jettas have indicated the Radian installs in the center with the seatbelt. :thumbsup:

My LATCH manual indicates '00 Jettas made after Sept. 1, 1999 have lower LATCH anchors for the rear outboard seating positions and top tether anchors for all three rear seating positions. :thumbsup: VW doesn't allow lower LATCH installations in the center (also known as "borrowing" the outboard seating position's inner lower anchors), but again it sounds like the Radian installs with the seatbelt in the center. Using the top tether anchor with a forward facing harnessed carseat is always recommended even with seats like the Radian where it's not required to use the tether with a seatbelt installation. Think of it as the icing on the cake to help reduce head excursion (the amount of movement of the child's head forward/outside of the carseat's protective shell) in the event of a crash.

Just FYI, any carseat you buy with a manufacture date of Sept. 1, 2002 and newer in the U.S. would be equipped with lower LATCH connectors and a top tether because this is when the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) regulations went into full effect in U.S. seats and vehicles. Top tether connectors on carseats and tether anchors in vehicles were mandatory a few years prior to the requirement for lower LATCH connectors and anchors as full LATCH was phased in over several model years in vehicles and carseats. LATCH technically isn't considered safer than using the vehicle seatbelt to install carseats. LATCH is another installation method intended to simplify installations in theory, but in practice it has added another layer of complexity and potential for confusion to the task of selecting and properly installing a carseat. The key is to achieve a proper installation using whichever appropriate and allowed installation method achieves less than 1" of movement at the carseat's belt path. :thumbsup:

Generally, techs discourage placing anything between the carseat and vehicle seat because doing so can create a false sense of a secure installation. I had leather seats in my previous vehicle and had a carseat tightly installed in it continuously for several years. The leather survived just fine.

Retrocon said:

Right now he is in an Evenflo Triumph 5, and then harness is all the way up to the top. It isn't too bad during the summer, but it is definitely snug in the winter with an average coat on.....

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I know you're looking at buying a new seat for your VW. However, just want to point out that your child may have actually outgrown (or be on the verge of outgrowing) his current seat in the other vehicle. You mentioned in your first post that he's around 40 lbs., which I believe is the upper weight limit for the Triumph 5? Also, with the harness straps in the top position, are they still high enough for him (harness straps coming out of the seat shell at or above shoulder level is the rule for a forward-facing child)? If the straps are angling up from the seat to go over his shoulders, he's already too tall for the seat...

I may be misunderstanding, but it sounded like you were thinking of buying a seat for a secondary car. From the description of your child's size and the seat he's currently in, he may be due (or overdue) for a new seat in the 'family' vehicle also. In one of your posts you said "It is getting tight on him now, so I suppose I'll have to get two seats at some point" -- 'at some point' might be immediately, depending on if he's reached either the height or the weight limit on the current seat.

Katrin

Yes, you are correct. I do need another seat for the Mazda 5 as well. Looks like the Radian might be best for the VW...what about the Mazda 5?

Debbie ('Defrost') who posted earlier in this thread drives a Mazda 5 -- hopefully she can tell you how a Radian installs in that vehicle. Even if it fits, swapping a Radian back and forth between vehicles (I think you said you are not inclined to buy two at that price) may be challenging. Radians can be hard to install in many vehicles. If you happen to have two vehicles that are easy/quick with that seat, you may be in luck. I have a Radian (in a '96 Corolla), and reinstalling that seat in that particular car is something I'm only willing to do a few times a year, just as an example. The new Graco Nautilus might be another seat to consider (high harness straps, 65 lb. weight limit, converts to a good booster, $150, reported to be easy to install). I'm pretty sure Debbie has tried that one too, so, hopefully, she can report on how it fits in the Mazda also.

Katrin

Hi, I'm paying attention now! I have a VW Golf (very similar to the Jetta's in the back seat from what I understand) and a Mazda 5, and I'm completely obsessed with carseats so I've tried quite a few in those vehicles, so hopefully I can give you some suggestions.

I'll just give you a run-down on the seats I've got/tried in my vehicles, and then go back over the thread and try to find any specific questions I can answer. I'll add pics to show you how about how much space they take up.

The Radian:
Installs beautifully in the center of the Golf - like it was made to go there! Slightly more tricky outboard, but not bad. Leaves a lot of leg-room for the child:


The Radian is incompatible FF in the third row of the Mazda 5, but easy to install in the second row:


The Regent:
Installs fairly well both center and outboard in the Golf; it takes a few tricks and learning how to install it, but after that it's simple. Leaves a couple inches less legroom for the child than the Radian, though:


The Regent installs pretty easily in the second row of the Mazda 5; a bit tricky in the third row but quite possible:
(second row)


(third row)


Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to try out the GN in either of our vehicles, though I intend to do so as soon as my back is better (could be a couple weeks). However, I really don't anticipate it being a problem in any of our vehicles in any seating position, as the belt path is fairly high.

I think you'd be happy with any of the three in either vehicle, actually - the Regent, the Radian, or the GN. If I were buying two carseats brand-new right now, I'd probably get a Regent for the Mazda5 and a GN for the Golf, though. Much as I like the Radian, unless you'll be doing a lot of traveling by plane or squeezing it into 3-across situations, it's a small seat that won't fit your child as long. My dd in the pics above is very petite - age 7 but just 40lbs. You can see how the Radian fits her very well, but an average 7 year-old would be starting to get squished. Plus, I don't like the fact that it's incompatible with a seating position in my car - I like having options, and with the Radian, I simply don't have any choice but to put it in the second row.

I notice you asked about putting something under the carseat to protect the leather vehicle seats - a thin towel is acceptable. The seat protectors they sell are too thick, and they aren't safe, so don't waste your money.

Hope that helps! Feel free to ask me any other questions you may have. I love both our cars and playing with carseats is my hobby. :thumbsup: