What car to hire that will fit 3 seats

M

matilda

New member

• Mar 23, 2009

• #1

We will be visiting from Australia, and need to hire a car that will fit 3 car seats. I am not familiar with US vehicles and the car hire companies have been of little help.

The kids will be 4yrs 11mths, 3yrs 7mths and bub will be 9mths. We will be hiring cars in LA and Orlando using National Car Rental.

The 3 vehicles we have narrowed it down to are a Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Trailblazer or a Dodge Grand Caravan.

I have been told that the seats I can hire from National are the Cosco Scenera which I think will be too small for my older children. I can bring their booster seats, which are similiar to a Cosco Pronto, but are secured by an anchored tether strap, not the LATCH system. I would also prefer to bring bubs RF seat, so at least I will know it is clean.

I am thinking that the Caravan may be best in terms of space but I can not find any info on if there are anchor points installed.

Our luggage will consist of 3 cases, plus our carry-ons and a fold up stroller. We will not be touring so will only have the cases in the car to and from the airport.

Thanks

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• Mar 23, 2009

• #2

I would go for the minivan. There should be at least two top tether anchors, maybe 3.

 

Last edited: Mar 23, 2009

Mommy0608

New member

• Mar 23, 2009

• #3

I'd go with the Caravan as well. Do you know what model year you would be getting? It should likely have 3 top tether anchors. Even if it has only 2, that would work because your rear-facing seat will not require one (as far as I know - I don't know much about foreign car seats though).

As for renting car seats, I would avoid it if possible. You never know what shape they would be in, whether they are damaged, fit your kids, dirty, etc. You're right that the Sceneras may be too small for your children. Do you have friends and family here that you could borrow seats from (as long as you trust them to provide safe, appropriate seats)? If it's in your budget, you could purchase seats here. The 3 year old may fit a Scenera, depending on torso height. I'd also recommend keeping the 3 year old in a 5-point harnessed seat rather than a belt positioning booster if possible.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Mar 23, 2009

• #4

Most rental places have current model year cars available, if that helps with finding stats or anything.

 

Pixels

New member

• Mar 23, 2009

• #5

In any vehicle made since September 1, 2002, with three rear seating positions, there must be a minimum of two full sets of LATCH and an additional top tether point. Any rental will most likely be current model year, so definitely made after that date.

I believe that the Impala is favored as a sedan for getting 3-across. The Caravan would definitely fit everyone, since you don't have to do 3-across.

 

libranbutterfly

New member

• Mar 23, 2009

• #6

I would have a friend meet you at the airport with seats for your kids, whether they pick them up at walmart or have seats of their own to let you borrow. I would not rent car seats, alot of them are broken or expired. The three year old needs to be harnessed, and the baby rearfacing. What type of seat is your baby in? You may be able to bring the babys seat on the plane, and use it here. I would probably go with the caravan or the impala. Good luck!!

 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus

• Mar 23, 2009

• #7

If the Impala is cheaper and you need to cut costs, it should work just fine. It has a very roomy backseat and the trunk is big enough to sleep in.

As others have recommended, I agree that you should avoid renting a carseat at all costs, especially because it will be a U.S. seat that you're completely unfamiliar with. It will be harder for you to notice damage, missing parts, or mis-routed harnesses and other such risks.

 

M

matilda

New member

• Mar 25, 2009

• #8

Thanks for your help guys. DH is going to have a fit about driving a minivan, but I am sure he will get over it. He really wanted the SUV. Off to do some more research on the Caravan and US RF seats for bub.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Mar 25, 2009

• #9

How much do you want to spend? We can recommend good rear-facing seats for him in any price range.

 

M

matilda

New member

• Mar 25, 2009

• #10

I would like to get something cheap, but obviously safe. It will only be used while we are on vacation. I would prefer a convertible, as we may come back in the next couple of years. I would also prefer a narrow seat just in case we end up getting the Impala.

We are not travelling until October, when DS will be 9 months. He is a big boy, and also long (at birth he was 9 pound 6, and 23.25 inches long).

I need to be able to buy the seat somewhere around LAX. Maybe Walmart or Target. We will have to hire a seat for a day so we can get to the store.

Just so I can understand - these seats are installed using LATCH, not a tether, but they do have a tether? If the Caravan has 2 tethers, I can use those for my older kids.

I never anticipated travelling with 3 kids would be so difficult!

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Mar 25, 2009

• #11

Any car you rent will have at least 3 tether anchors. LATCH includes both lower anchors and a top tether anchor.

In the "cheap" range I would have 2 recommendations: the Cosco Scenera (should be available just about any store you go to; $40-$65 USD) and the Safety 1st Avenue ($80-$90 USD; available only at Sears and KMart.) Both are relatively narrow and are lightweight. Both come in a plastic bag with handle for easy carrying. The Scenera has no extra features, it's a bare-bones convertible, and won't last as long forward-facing. The Avenue will make most kids to its full weight limit of 40 lbs. by height (taller shell and top slots) and has a more padded cover and EPP foam (for more head protection in a side-impact crash.)

In either case, will you be traveling alone? If you're travelling with another adult I'd recommend them staying at the airport while you run out to buy a seat over renting a seat at the airport. To do so for one day will probably cost you about $12-$20 and you have no guarantee you'll get a safe seat at all. I've heard a few horror stories about the seats at rental places around LAX and I would not do it!

Do you have a friend who could buy the seat ahead of time for you and leave it with the airline's courtesy desk, or something like that? (I don't know if airlines even do that any more but they used to.) Or, leave it at the car rental place with a note with your name on it, to be given you when you ask for it?

 

M

matilda

New member

• Mar 26, 2009

• #12

Thankyou so much ketchupqueen for the recommendations. That has saved me so much time and confusion.

We don't know anyone in the US, so we are on our own. National are off-site so we get the shuttle bus to the depot. I will have to send DH to the store to purchase one (hope I can trust him to buy the right seat!).

Thanks again for your advice.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Mar 26, 2009

• #13

There's a KMart in Inglewood, not too far from LAX. There's a Target not too far from the KMart. There aren't any Sears or Wal-Marts very close to LAX. There's also a few Big Lots stores around there (Hawthorne, Inglewood and Culver City. Not sure I'd want to go to most of them but they're around. Some Big Lots still have the Safety 1st Uptown, which was the model that the Avenue replaced and has basically the same shell, but comes in a box. The Uptown and Avenue both have an 8 year expiration instead of 6 so even though they have March 08 manufacture dates they've still got 7 years of life left.)

Hope that helps! If I were any closer I'd offer to drop you off an Uptown myself but sadly (or happily, depending on how much traffic LAX is causing that day, lol) I'm not.

 

M

matilda

New member

• Mar 26, 2009

• #14

That is a great help. We will be staying at El Segundo. The other thing I thought of was seeing if I could order something online and having it delivered to the hotel. We have stayed in the area twice before, so I am sure DH could manage to drive that far on his own!

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Mar 26, 2009

• #15

If you call the hotel ahead of time there should be no problem with that. Just tell them you're having a package delivered and ask them to hold it for you. If you go that route (which I think is a good one-- he can get checked in and pick up the seat, come right back and it shouldn't take that long) I'd order from Sears or KMart (whichever has a better deal) and pay the little extra for the Avenue. It really is much more "comfy" compared to the Scenera, it has the extra protection of the EPP foam, and it will last much longer so you don't have to buy one again until he's 40 lbs. (Check www.retailmenot.com for codes before you check out! You can often find free shipping at the very least, or possibly a few dollars off.)

Just to warn you, in many cars the Scenera and Avenue both need a pool noodle or tightly rolled towel to achieve a proper angle and tight installation (even though he doesn't need a full newborn recline, they can sit REALLY upright in some cars with sloped seats. In my mom's car and mine both, I need a pool noodle or towel to even get a 30 degree angle, which is the most upright it is allowed to be.) So it might be worth it to bring a thin towel just in case. (Of course you can always have your husband borrow one from the hotel room when he checks in and picks up the car seat if you go that route!)

 

M

matilda

New member

• Mar 27, 2009

• #16

Thanks again, your information has been fantastic. Now all I have to do is survive the 14 hour flight!