Best Car Seat for an Old Car

ctbcleveland

Well-known member

• May 9, 2009

• #1

So, DH bought an old mercury. I am aware that the safety standards differ from today's vehicles - we don't need to dig into that.

I'd like to get a car seat to use in the back of the car.

Should I get a get something like a boulevard with lots of SIP protection and EPS foam that is easy to install? Or should I get a My Ride, which will let DS rear-face forever? DS is roughly 30 lbs and 2 yrs old.

Vehicle will have lap belts only..

 

jess71903

Ambassador

• May 9, 2009

• #2

I would chose something with built-in lockoffs for sure- BLVD, True Fit, MA...I don't know about the MyRide...Does it have lockoffs?

 

ctbcleveland

Well-known member

• May 9, 2009

• #3

No - I don't think the "My Ride" has lock-offs.

 

musicmaj

New member

• May 9, 2009

• #4

Do you even need lock offs with lap belt only installs?

I would get a my ride and keep him rearfacing longer.

 

M

Maedze

New member

• May 9, 2009

• #5

What sort of lapbelts? Belt/Tail, ALRs, or ELRs?

 

Pixels

New member

• May 9, 2009

• #6

Can you use lockoffs instead of a belt shortening clip for a lap only belt with ELR?

You don't need lockoffs for a belt with a tail or ALR.

 

M

Maedze

New member

• May 9, 2009

• #7

Locks offs are meaningless with an ELR lapbet, you'd need a belt shortening clip.

 

ctbcleveland

Well-known member

• May 10, 2009

• #8

I am not familiar with the different terminology - they are similar to airline seatbelts where you pull them to the desired tightness.

 

M

Maedze

New member

• May 10, 2009

• #9

Lap belt with a tail. Those are actually perfect for installing car seats (About the only thing they're good for!)

He's the deal with side-impact-protection...it's a buzz word with no legal meaning. A child who is in a five point harness, with deep side shells and EPS foam pretty much by definition has side impact protection. Once you throw in rearfacing into the mix...well....that's as much SIP as you could possibly have regardless of what the box says

 

ctbcleveland

Well-known member

• May 10, 2009

• #10

Then the "My Ride" it is....maybe I am just looking for a way to justify a new seat.

I've never paid much attention to the SIP hype - but that is because I drive two newer hondas, so they give about as much crash protection as any other car out there.

 

skaterbabs

Well-known member

• May 10, 2009

• #11

Installing seats with lap-only belts is pretty easy, your best bet is to just try seats until you find one you like.

 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member

• May 10, 2009

• #12

ctbcleveland said:

I am not familiar with the different terminology

Click to expand...

www.cpsafety.org > left side key: LOCKING IN A CHILD RESTRAINT

A non retracting lap-only belt center locks on its own at the latch plate, as long as the belt & its excess "tail" are parallel to eachother (not perpendicular).

A retracting lap belt might also lock on its own when the locking mechanism is engaged. This is called an Automatic Locking Retractor. An Emergency Locking Retractor (usually found on lap/shoulder belts) cannot be manually engaged.

A carseat (with energy absorbing foam) correctly installed & used in the center of an older car isn't that much different than in a new car (unless we're factoring in rear side curtain airbags) that I would worry about my child. I would worry much more about myself in an older car, especially if I'm up front. :twocents:

 

Thanksgiving_Twins_Mom

New member

• May 10, 2009

• #13

just my :twocents: : Since you're going to want to keep your LO in this seat for a loooooong time, I'd be more inclined to check out something like a Radian or TrueFit that has a lower profile, so that when he's 5 or 6 and sees more classmates riding in boosters, his seat won't look quite so obviously "convertible" as seats that sit higher on their bases like the MyRide or the MA/DC/BV

 

ctbcleveland

Well-known member

• May 11, 2009

• #14

Thanksgiving Twins Mom - This vehicle is a classic car - not an every day driver. We would probably use it once a week, at most, during the summer months only.

So - it is more of a treat to ride in it - I am not concerned about the stigma of riding in traditional convertible seat.

I thought about a true-fit - but I am getting 5 lbs less of rear-facing weight limit, still no rear-facing tether, and it costs more.

Papooses - thanks for the helpful explanation. We use LATCH in one vehicle and use a seat with a built-in locking clip in the other, so I am not as familiar with seatbelt terminology yet. Unfortunately, it won't be long because of low LATCH limits on Hondas.