Is one plan better?

Assume that all seats can be installed correctly in the vehicle.

If Ur trying to help a friend decide which seat to get after the infant carrier, and U want them to leave their kid RFing and then harnessed as long as possible, would one of these options be better? Cost is an issue.

Get the Scenera to use til the RF limit, then FF in it til they outgrow it. Next get a Nautilus or other HWH seat that converts to a booster later. (total cost under $200)

OR

Get a Marathon or other HWH convertible. Then when baby eventually outgrows that FF, buy a cheap booster. (total cost could be over $300 if U cant find MA on sale. But if U go w/ a EFTA and get less time to harness, U could go to a HBB instead of backless and still get in under $300)

Assuming all seats fit the vehicle and assuming that all seats on the market are safe...

If money is very tight I'd have no problem going with a Scenera now and then putting money aside slowly with the intent of purchasing a HWH seat when the child is FF'ing and the Scenera is outgrown. I won't say a Nautilus because you're talking about a couple of years down the line and who knows what seat will be on the market and be best for the situation at that time.

If the child will spend alot of time in the seat (like for long trips) and the budget can bear it I'd consider an Avenue instead of the Scenera.

Yep, I'd go with plan 1 but with an Avenue, giving more time to be harnessed in the first seat and also EPP foam.

I'd go with the scenera followed by nautilus or whatever wonderful seat is out by then. The avenue is a bit taller and will last longer- also more comfy. My dd, however balked at riding in the silver avenue and would much rather sit in her pink scenera. (I got boring colors due to the 8 year lifespan and having a little boy as well.)

But there are pretty pink Avenues, too, so that doesn't have to be an issue.

ketchupqueen said:

But there are pretty pink Avenues, too, so that doesn't have to be an issue.

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Yes, you just can't buy one separate. My point was that my child is happy with the scenera, so no need to spend the extra money on the avenue unless they want to. The scenera is $43 at walmart right now and often goes on sale for $35 at kmart. The avenue is a nicer seat, but more expensive. If they have the money and want to spend a little more, it is a great seat and better than the scenera.

Ah, gotcha.

My reasons for recommending it IF they can afford it are that it's more padded and has the EPP foam. Also it would give more time to save up for a Nauti or other combo seat.

I agree,option 1 is better. In fact, it's the option I am currently using for my son. He has an AOE that he will use Rfing until the limit..at which point he may or may not be able to FF in that seat, depending on height, but I wiukl get him a nauti.
Assuming the nauti is available for $140ish then like it is now, total cost would be $220, i got my AOE on sale at big lots of $80.
The scenera is also a perfectly good choice for the first seat, as is the avenue/uptown. Like the pp's said, for a little bit more money, you get a seat that many find to be more comfy, plush and it lasts a bit longer.

i have posted numerous times abotu this...at this point, with the nauti being such a nice affordable optio for extended harnessing and then boostering all in one nice package, i find no need for a hwh convertible. If you buy a hwh convertible, then you either do not follow it up with a nauti/frontier, in which case you are not harnessing as long as you could.......or you do follow it up with a nauti/frontier, in which case you have just spent more money than you needed to to achieve the same end result.
now, some people just love their Britax for ease of use or ther features, etc, and that is fine..and some people just have enough money that a couple hundred $$ doesn't mean a whole to them in the long run....or else they really NEED a radian for example, due to a 3 across situation, etc.
And all that is perfectly fine..but for a family on a stricy budget who is also committed to ERF an HWH, the cheap convertible plus nauti is the most cost effective solution on the market.

okay... what I would do depends on the kid in question.

the EFTA gives Ruthie ALMOST (not quite as much) room to grow as the Nautilus... but she's ALL torso, so I am glad I have it.

look at baby... how is baby built now?? It will probably stay that way until around age 4-6, when bodies tend to even out, if they will. For instance, Ruthie has finally grown legs... even though they still don't match her torso. She's still growing and hopefully her legs will catch up so she won't outgrow boosters as fast as she has been outgrowing carseats.

Anyway... I would scratch the Marathon... because the trend in booster pricing is that it's been going up (when turbos first hit the market back in the day, the highest priced ones were about 40-50... now they are the midpriced turbos and expensive ones are as much as the britax boosters sold for back then)

The efta offers the highest slots of the convertibles... and it and the Scenera/Uptown/Avenue rf about the same amount of time... so it comes down to torso height.

if all torso, I'd go Scenera/Uptown/Avenue (the other two are still affordable, but better padded if that becomes an issue) and follow with the Nautilus because while the top slots on the convertibles in this case aren't as high, the shells are still nice and tall for head room.

Now, if she's leggy, not only would I go ahead with the efta and then a booster because she doesn't need the height of the Nautilus, but because they will probably appreciate having that extra leg room the EFTA allows.

Plus, for a leggy child, it would then also buy them more time before they have to buy a booster, so they could save up for the Monterey (can you tell I love it??), which is deep for making leggy kids comfortable by supporting their thighs well.

bobandjess99 said:

I agree,option 1 is better. In fact, it's the option I am currently using for my son. He has an AOE that he will use Rfing until the limit..at which point he may or may not be able to FF in that seat, depending on height, but I wiukl get him a nauti.
Assuming the nauti is available for $140ish then like it is now, total cost would be $220, i got my AOE on sale at big lots of $80.
The scenera is also a perfectly good choice for the first seat, as is the avenue/uptown. Like the pp's said, for a little bit more money, you get a seat that many find to be more comfy, plush and it lasts a bit longer.

i have posted numerous times abotu this...at this point, with the nauti being such a nice affordable optio for extended harnessing and then boostering all in one nice package, i find no need for a hwh convertible. If you buy a hwh convertible, then you either do not follow it up with a nauti/frontier, in which case you are not harnessing as long as you could.......or you do follow it up with a nauti/frontier, in which case you have just spent more money than you needed to to achieve the same end result.
now, some people just love their Britax for ease of use or ther features, etc, and that is fine..and some people just have enough money that a couple hundred $$ doesn't mean a whole to them in the long run....or else they really NEED a radian for example, due to a 3 across situation, etc.
And all that is perfectly fine..but for a family on a stricy budget who is also committed to ERF an HWH, the cheap convertible plus nauti is the most cost effective solution on the market.

Click to expand...

I think it also depends which kid you are on.... if you are going to have more kids, a hwh convertible could ensure you don't have to keep buying more convertible seats... or that the convertible will be outgrown before the oldest is ready for a dedicated booster.

it also depends on kids build and rowing patterns, since the efta would get most kids to the age and weight that is good for a booster.