Quick! Need a cheap, shallow RF convertible!!

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

I'm at Buy Buy Baby so if anyone can help in the next few mins it would be most appreciated!

I need a convertible for our second car. We hardly ever use it but the TrueFit I bought is WAY too big. We have an 02 Subaru Legacy and the SS1 BARELY fits behind the passenger seat when it's all the way forward. Any recs on a convertible? I'd really like to keep 2 yr-old DS RF. As mentioned in my title, I'd like to keep it cheap since we hardly drive this car! Thanks so much!

monstah · Mar 12, 2009

Triumph Advance maybe.

The Scenera also comes to my mind. :thumbsup:
But you will need another harnessed seat after that one.

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

hi and thanks! I was thinking Scenera bc I know it's recommended as a travel seat and the price is great! Is it nice and shallow do you know? I'm looking at a triumph right now and it doesn't seem particularly small but then again a convt really isn't huh?
Btw I don't mind buying another seat if we try a scenera. Just want the safest tmi g that will work in that car (that hopefully is under $200)

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

LOVE LOVE the BBBaby people. They just measured and the Triumph is much deeper than my SS1. Roundabout was the shallowest. Sigh. Would certainly prefer $40 over $200. Maybe I'll get a Dcenera and try. I'd like one for travel anyway.

Any suggestions that haven't been mentoned yet?

TechnoGranola · Mar 12, 2009

When you had the True Fit did you install it more upright? Ours doesn't take up anymore room than our SS1 did (for 2.5 year old RF child).

Stresch · Mar 12, 2009

The EFTA (actually any converitible) will fit differently in the car than the Safeseat, so it might work. The only way to really know is to install it.

mylittlet · Mar 12, 2009

What about the avenue? It has a taller back then the scerena. It will last longer ff too. And only cost $80.

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

TechnoGranola said:
When you had the True Fit did you install it more upright? Ours doesn't take up anymore room than our SS1 did (for 2.5 year old RF child).

No! Install people said had to be that reclined. Don't think I can installby myself either. Took 1 hour and two big firefighters to get it in correctly in my Suburban..... Unless the LATCH install is muchbetter?

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

pippi2077 said:
What about the avenue? It has a taller back then the scerena. It will last longer ff too. And only cost $80.

Sorry not familiar with this one. Who makes it? Good safety ratings? And not at all trying tobr argumentative jusy trying to understand-isnt taller seatbacl going to mean tajes up more space front to back? Thanks for the suggestion!

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

Stresch said:
The EFTA (actually any converitible) will fit differently in the car than the Safeseat, so it might work. The only way to really know is to install it.

What is EFTA? LOL at myself! Figured installing is the only way to know....doesn't so much make it easy!

snowbird25ca · Mar 12, 2009

mommydearest27 said:
No! Install people said had to be that reclined. Don't think I can installby myself either. Took 1 hour and two big firefighters to get it in correctly in my Suburban..... Unless the LATCH install is muchbetter?

LATCH install is definitely easier, and it's also much easier to install more upright - the lock-offs can be a bit tricky to get closed when the seat is installed at a 45* angle and that difficulty disappears when the seat is more upright.

I also just want to mention that the install people shouldn't just be installing your seat - it's really important that you know how just in case you need to do it for whatever reason. I'd also recommend double checking that they are certified CPST's. Sometimes stores offer installation services but the people doing it aren't actually qualified...

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

snowbird25ca said:
LATCH install is definitely easier, and it's also much easier to install more upright - the lock-offs can be a bit tricky to get closed when the seat is installed at a 45* angle and that difficulty disappears when the seat is more upright.

I also just want to mention that the install people shouldn't just be installing your seat - it's really important that you know how just in case you need to do it for whatever reason. I'd also recommend double checking that they are certified CPST's. Sometimes stores offer installation services but the people doing it aren't actually qualified...

Thanks. Definitely were certified. Not store people. And we did try to get me to be able to install. No way could I get the lockoffs closed with the seatbelt positioned correctly. But thanks. I'll try myself with a latch install in the subaru

Stresch · Mar 12, 2009

Sorry. EFTA= Evenflo Triump Advance

TechnoGranola · Mar 12, 2009

mommydearest27 said:
No! Install people said had to be that reclined. Don't think I can installby myself either. Took 1 hour and two big firefighters to get it in correctly in my Suburban..... Unless the LATCH install is muchbetter?

Well they were wrong.

It can be installed more upright (35°) once a baby has good head control (so your 2 year old can definitely have it more upright!).

Mine's installed with LATCH and I did it in about 10 mins. DH can get it tighter than me, so I then had him redo it.

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

TechnoGranola said:
Well they were wrong. It can be installed more upright (35°) once a baby has good head control (so your 2 year old can definitely have it more upright!).

Mine's installed with LATCH and I did it in about 10 mins. DH can get it tighter than me, so I then had him redo it.

thanks! That's what I thought but techs said had to be 45 degrees. Very encouraged you did yours so easily! I'm going to try myself this weekend.

jess71903 · Mar 12, 2009

The manual appears to indicate that it MUST be at 45 degrees (red line level with ground) but Learning Curve has said that it can be as upright as 35 degrees. My 18 month old's is that upright and I have had it in a Ford Focus RF. If I can get it in a Focus, surely you can get it in an Expedition

. And LATCH is a breeze IMO. Just make sure you thread the tail back up through the cover to pull it tight. It's easier that way than trying to pull on the outside of the seat.

mommydearest27 · Mar 12, 2009

jess71903 said:
Learning Curve has said that it can be as upright as 35 degrees. Just make sure you thread the tail back up through the cover to pull it tight. It's easier that way than trying to pull on the outside of the seat.

Thank you. I feel better knowing LC ok'd it. I assume that means it was crash-tested that way?

Thanks for the install tip too! You have a cutie!

Mommy0608 · Mar 13, 2009

I have the Triumph Advance and the SS1. The Triumph Advance takes up LESS room front to back than my SS1, because it can be installed more upright. The True Fit can be 35-45*, but other convertibles can be as upright as 30*.

You asked about safety ratings... there's no such thing for car seats, at least not publicly anyway. All seats on the market pass the same safety standards... we don't know if Seat A passes by a greater margin than Seat B though, just that they passed.

I agree that the CPST should be teaching you how to install rather than installing it for you. What if something happens and you have to move the car seats to another vehicle right away, and there is no CPST available? If they teach you, you'll be confident in moving seats as needed. :thumbsup: I agree that trying LATCH may be easier, however, LATCH isn't always easier than the seatbelt... depends on the vehicle and car seat being used.

Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions! That's what we're here for.

OH, and here's an interesting read about recline angles, both FF and RF. http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_update.htm#angleFF

TechnoGranola · Mar 13, 2009

Mommy0608 said:
The True Fit can be 35-45*, but other convertibles can be as upright as 30*.

Right. And the neat thing about the True Fit is that you can usually get that 35° recline in the same space as the 30° recline of other seats. So 5° more recline in the same space. I found that 30° with the Marathon was a tad too upright and my toddler had head flopping down to her chest if she slept. The extra 5° I got out of the True Fit in the same space solved the head flopping problem but is still upright enough for her to be happy!

Mommy0608 · Mar 13, 2009

TechnoGranola said:
Right. And the neat thing about the True Fit is that you can usually get that 35° recline in the same space as the 30° recline of other seats. So 5° more recline in the same space. I found that 30° with the Marathon was a tad too upright and my toddler had head flopping down to her chest if she slept. The extra 5° I got out of the True Fit in the same space solved the head flopping problem but is still upright enough for her to be happy!

Oh really? Good to know! I will need another convertible when DS outgrows his SS1, and am strongly considering the True Fit. :thumbsup:

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