Question Sunshine Kids Radian Premier in Mazda 3-sedan

Hi there,

I currently bought the Sunshine Kids Radian Premier to use rear-facing in my 2006 Mazda 3-sedan. I'm wondering if anyone can give me any tips for installing it because my husband seems to be having trouble. He told me that installing the car seat rear facing behind the passenger seat does not fit because you'd have to push the passenger seat all the way up. He also said that you can't install it in the middle seat either because that would cause both driver and passenger seat to be pushed up all the way. My son is only 17 pounds and cannot sit forward facing yet. I do not want to get another booster seat for him because I've heard such great things about the Radian. If anyone could help me that'd be great!! Thank you!

Unfortunately, the Radian is not the best seat for that vehicle.

The only way to make it slightly more upright, is to pull the base of the seat away from the vehicle seat bight (where the bum/back meet) 1 - 2 inches. Then push down where babies *feet* go when tightening the seatbelt/LATCH strap.

The resulting angle will be as upright as you are going to get it. If it doesn't provide sufficient leg room for front seat passengers, then it's not safe for your vehicle and you'll need to return it for a different seat.

I'd look at a Britax Marathon/Boulevard, Compass/First Years True Fit, or Evenflo Triumph Advance. They (all nice seats highly recommended here) can easily be installed at a more upright angle and allow the front passengers decent leg room.

Thank you for your reply. Do you think it's a good carseat for the fwd facing position in the Mazda 3- sedan? I currently have him in the Peg Perego SIP infant carseat and he hasn't actually outgrown it, it's just a pain when he has all his winter gear on...

Hi,

The bare minimum recommendation for forward facing is 1 year AND 20 pounds, but it's been long recommended by child passenger safety experts to rear face to the limits of a convertible seat - in the US, that's 30, 33, or 35 pounds depending on the seat OR less than an inch of hard shell above the child's head.

a 17 pound child must never be forward facing.

A child who can still fit in any infant seat must never be forward facing.

Rear facing is 5x safer than forward facing.

Pleae read these links
http://www.childrestraintsafety.com/rear-facing.html
http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx

Because this seat won't work rear facing in your car, it's simply incompatible with your child at this time. You can either return it, sell it, or keep it for future use (preferably not until at least age 2-3 when your child can safety ride forward facing). There are many great convertible seats on the market that work much better rear facing in smaller cars, the Britax Marathon, Compass True Fit, Safety 1st Avenue and Cosco Scenera are just a few.

Also, please watch this video - you shouldn't be using "winter gear" in a carseat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM1LJaOIu34

I didn't say I was going to forward face my child and I also never stated what his winter gear actually was. Before you lecture someone you should get the facts.
Thank you

Unregistered said:

I didn't say I was going to forward face my child and I also never stated what his winter gear actually was. Before you lecture someone you should get the facts.
Thank you

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I believe the reason the video was added is lots of people read the posts for info and many people don't make posts with questions so so many people benefit by your question and i think the comments were directed just as info
for everyone not to say you would ff your child or use bulky clothing

sharonstevens85 said:

Thank you for your reply. Do you think it's a good carseat for the fwd facing position in the Mazda 3- sedan? I currently have him in the Peg Perego SIP infant carseat and he hasn't actually outgrown it, it's just a pain when he has all his winter gear on...

Click to expand...

You said it's a pain when he has all his winter gear "on".

You also asked if it was a good forward facing seat for the Mazda 3.

We can only go by the words you post here, and the words you posted elicited the response I gave.

Unregistered said:

Thank you

Click to expand...

You're welcome!

Gypsy said:

You also asked if it was a good forward facing seat for the Mazda 3.

We can only go by the words you post here, and the words you posted elicited the response I gave.

Click to expand...

I currently bought the Sunshine Kids Radian Premier to use rear-facing in my 2006 Mazda 3-sedan. I'm wondering if anyone can give me any tips for installing it because my husband seems to be having trouble. He told me that installing the car seat rear facing behind the passenger seat does not fit because you'd have to push the passenger seat all the way up. He also said that you can't install it in the middle seat either because that would cause both driver and passenger seat to be pushed up all the way. My son is only 17 pounds and cannot sit forward facing yet.

Click to expand...

That's the first post which says that the seat needs to be used rf'ing. I understand how you interpreted the one reply and it was easy to forget the first post when responding to it. Sometimes it helps to keep in mind that we bring our own perceptions to what we read and the first thought we have may not be what the poster intended. The one post on it's own mentioning winter gear was maybe easier to catch because we see a lot of posts about that right now. I would frame it in asking what winter gear is as my kids wear "winter gear" in the car, but it doesn't consist of a bulky winter coat. It's most definitely only used in cold weather though so could be defined as winter gear. :thumbsup:

And asking if a seat works ff'ing well is good in terms of planning ahead. Which I suspect is what the poster was asking...

I just wanted to share another point of view. It never hurts to offer extra information. Offering it under the assumption that the poster is planning or already doing the things that are being advised against is often perceived negatively by the poster though. I'm not sure that that was your intention either, I think there may have been a mix up in interpretation on more than one end. :thumbsup:

The Radian fits fantastic FFing in the Mazda3... but as others have mentioned, you are a long way off from that.

If it doesn't provide the leg room you need for front seat passengers, then I would return it and nix it off your list. You don't want to turn at the minimums and if the front seat passengers are not comfortable with this particular RFing seat in the back, you could be very tempted to turn right at the minimums.

I haven't seen this suggested yet, but have you tried installing it more upright? I got the Marathon to fit just above the front seats in our Golf by doing that (center install.)

Here's my post with tips on installing the Radian more upright:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=32350