Would you use an Avenue for a primary CR?

heyruthie · Apr 16, 2009

I've been posting lately about getting my DD a new primary seat--we need one. I wanted the TF, but since I want the seat for ERF, and people are unhappy with the harness adjuster getting buried RFing on the TF, I feel like I'm back to the drawing board.

Would any of you choose an Avenue for a primary seat? If not, why not? It seems like a decent seat. What might make a more $$$ seat better? Most people on here seem to only use it as a backup.

FYI: The Avenue is on sale in-store at Kmart (in my area at least) for $72 until Saturday.....so I have some incentive to buy, if I want that seat.

carseatcoach · Apr 16, 2009

I love the Avenue. My daughter's way too big for it now, but if I needed a convertible, and it fit well in my car, I wouldn't hesitate to use it as a primary seat.

Mommy0608 · Apr 16, 2009

Some have said that the harness adjuster on the Avenue/Uptown is also buried RF.

I don't know for sure though, I haven't tried it... so I don't know how it compares to the TF as far as accessibility.

I'm considering the Avenue also, and yes, I'd use it as a primary seat. Price doesn't equal safety. More expensive seats may have more padding, cuter covers, or ease of use features, but all seats on the market pass the same safety standards. We don't know if Seat A passed by a greater margin than Seat B though... all we know is that both passed. Hope that helps!

ketchupqueen · Apr 16, 2009

Yep. We have an uptown for a backup, the reason it's a backup is we have more expensive primaries. Well, that and it's harder to fit in our car than the Radian.

But it's great for fitting in pretty tight spaces (both front-to-back and side-to-side), fits my child who outgrew the Scenera RF and FF at the same time (though I don't know if she'll make it to FF in the Uptown either) and I find it reasonably easy to install and use. :thumbsup:

I haven't had a problem with the harness adjuster RF.

christineka · Apr 16, 2009

The avenue is my ds' current primary seat. Of course, I've also use a scenera as a primary seat, so maybe I'm not the person to ask. The harness adjuster for the avenue is pretty low and some people complain about it. I don't think it's a big deal- probably because I'm not used to fancy seats. I also leave the harness as it is unless it needs to be changed, which isn't very often. It would probably be a pain if you are the type of person to loosen and tighten the straps every trip.

mylittlet · Apr 16, 2009

We used the scerena as a primary seat w/o any hesitation. We only used it rf, but did so for over a year. I don't like the ff install in my car and ds got a new seat so dd got his bv. We had a scerena rf next to our bv ff. Complete different seats when it comes to $.

I would totally use a avenue.

NannyMom · Apr 16, 2009

I have a back up Uptown. I don't like how buried the harness adjuster is on it. And I think it's a little worse on the Avenue (because of the hole in the cover). So, same problem as the TF. Is the TF arb in your price range? How soon do you need a new seat? Can it wait until summer to check out the MyRide?

If my budget only allowed for the Avenue, and I knew it would last awhile (at least a year), I'd use it as a primary seat.

Mom2three · Apr 16, 2009

Right now DD uses the Avenue in my car everyday. It installs nicely in my car and she fits well in it. It is easy for me to use and I know she is comfortable in it. We have a RN and a BLVD, but I lent the RN to SIL (it doesn't fit well in my car anyway. And I prefer the BLVD in DHs pickup so I can tether RFing.

heyruthie · Apr 16, 2009

OK--then I'm starting to feel better about it. DD will probably only be able to RF for max of another year (I've posted some other threads about some speical considerations that will probably make me have to turn her sooner than I'd like to--but I think those factors can't really easily be avoided.) So since her next seat will only be used for RFing for max of a year, I could buy the Avenue, (which could be passed down to DD#2--arriving soon!) and then get DD1 a Nautiuls, Frontier, etc. when she has to FF at that point.

OK....now to decide between this plan and another EFTA. *sob* (I still want the TF Monet for DD :crying: )

ketchupqueen · Apr 16, 2009

Sounds like a plan to me. And btw, RF to 3 is awesome. My kids outgrew it by weight by age 2...

heyruthie · Apr 16, 2009

ketchupqueen said:
Sounds like a plan to me. And btw, RF to 3 is awesome. My kids outgrew it by weight by age 2...

thank you.

i honestly wish that i could see a way forward to keep her RFing longer, but i think the needs of the family will probably outweigh my desire to keep her RFing. so i just anticipate that the day will come that i'll need to turn her so i don't injure my back (bad back problems) and so boys can easily get in and out of the back seat of the van during carpool lines (when i'm not allowed to exit the vehicle to move seats.) you make me feel better.

jujumum · Apr 16, 2009

For me, I would prefer the FPSVD for $109 instead. I've been quite impressed with it and will only need it for a year or so, so the 08/07 DOM doesn't bother me. Unfortunately, I'm Britax-biased, so this is a tainted opinion.

heyruthie · Apr 16, 2009

jujumum said:
For me, I would prefer the FPSVD for $109 instead. I've been quite impressed with it and will only need it for a year or so, so the 08/07 DOM doesn't bother me. Unfortunately, I'm Britax-biased, so this is a tainted opinion.

that's a good option! what do you prefer about it? can you tell me more?

*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue* · Apr 16, 2009

I love my FPSVD. It is my favorite seat ever!!! If I could fit 3-across with another one I would get another one. albeebaby has them for 109.00, but date of manufacture is probally 07'.
I can install that seat in less than a minute with latch or seatbelt. It tethers too.

It is Logan's favorite seat and he is 4 years old. For awhile he was prefering the graco nautilus over all his seats, but he has learned that his head slump when sleeping makes his neck hurt. :-(

I have a scenera and probally will replace that eventually with an avenue or uptown. I do daycare so need a cheaper nice seat.

The scenera was used for Logan as a primary seat for about a year.

jujumum · Apr 16, 2009

The FPSVD is the same shell as the DC, but has an adjuster like the MA. It has extra padding at the head compared to a DC or MA, and it's cover is more padded than the two in the middle. There are great pics of it in the naked car seat thread. The extra padding at the middle seem to make the seat deeper than our DC & BV seems to offer a tiny bit more leg room - it's weird - it must be an optical illusion.

The cover is a little strange, and unfortunately not girly at all (so the Avenue in brown/pink would be way cuter for your dd), but it seems strong and durable. I'll take some close up pics tomorrow - it is hard to explain. It doesn't have mesh, but has a black nylon center part, and woven sides in beige that are smooth.

The harness adjuster is super smooth and it is easy to reach rf to get a tight fit, and I like that the shoulder pads are longer and help position the chest clip at the right location.

The base is the real difference from the DC/MA/BV. It has these funny feet things that stick out in front and in back to hold a towel or noodle in place. At first I thought they were flimsy, but once installed it makes sense. The seat doesn't have locking clips so we used an H clip and got a rock solid install rf.

We just moved the FPSVD to DH's car and put our new Aqua BV in my car, and I miss it. The BV wings are getting in the way when I put DS in the seat and the fabric is easy to snag. The FPSVD is a tough seat, and it was fast and easy to put DS in and adjust. The BV is a little more 'sensitive', so it takes a couple of minutes more each morning. I'll take pics & share.

skaterbabs · Apr 16, 2009

I would absolutely use it (the Avenue) as a primary seat if it fit my needs. I used a Touriva (precurser to the Scenera) as a primary seat for several months.

arly1983 · Apr 16, 2009

Sure, I almost bought one to try Mr. S in because he is screaming his bloody head off in his SS1 but then someone who shall remain nameless had an RA for sale and I couldn;t pass up having matching seats.

dawnp15 · Apr 16, 2009

Hi i'm new and was wondering what is a fpsvd?

Jeanum · Apr 17, 2009

FPSVD = Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe, a discontinued convertible seat that was made by Britax in 2006-2007. Albeebaby.com still seems to have some in stock: http://www.albeebaby.com/fiprsavodeco1.html

Unregistered1 · Apr 17, 2009

A's younger sibling will most likely be in an Avenue in my car and my mom's car - we need something to fit next to the GN. I'd get the same thing for A's mom's car and grandma's car but I don't want them to need noodles to install. But I'm totally comfortable with it being the baby's primary seat with me.

Would you use an Avenue for a primary CR?

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