Question Which seats should I buy?

I am getting ready to send my 3 foster kiddos off to their adoptive family, and have decided my adoption gift to them will be carseats (this way I have more control over what kind they use). Help me decide what to get!!

The kids are ds1 2 1/2 and 26#, dd 19 months and #22, and ds2 7 months #18. All are RF in my car right now in a variety of different seats depending on the day!
DS2 has a Snug Ride that goes with him - expires in Nov (same month he turns 1), but I am sure he will outgrow by then or soon after. I also have an extra SS1 (exp 6/13) and an AOE (exp 12/13) that are extras that I am willing to part with. I am not wanting to spend a whole lot on seats, but want to get them as far as possible.
DS1 is on growth charts around 25-30%. He is very lean, but most of his height comes from his torso.
DD is around the 20-25%, and a bit more on the petite side. She is very average in her dimensions. She fits in the SS1 comfortably with the straps just barely needing to be at the 3rd slot - just for an idea of her size.
DS2 is in the 85-90% and is just real solid but proportional. He is like his brother with a very long torso. He still fits comfortably in the SnugRide for now.

I *think* that the adoptive family (they are a really great family!) will keep DD RF, and obviously DS2. I am not sure if they will with DS1 or not (they have a 2009T&C with captains seats, and a 6yo (boostered) so I am not sure if they will crawl in the back to RF a 2.5yo or not. One other thing to note is that though I do think they will take my advise for now, I doubt they will RF or harness as long as I would (which is to the max capacity of the seat and as long as possible in the highest limit seats that I can find). I am simply trying to get the kids to an acceptable age to transition to each step.

My thought is that I want to give them seats that will keep the kids the safest for the longest, and give them the most use as well. DS2 would benefit from a higher RF limit (at least 35lb), DD would probably benefit from a higher FF weight limit (I am thinking at least 50lb), and DS1 will probably need higher strap heights. It would also be a plus to get 3 seats that might possibly fit 3 across in dad's car - for in case the van is in the shop or something, at least all 3 kids could be picked up from daycare in one trip. I don't have a huge budget, so am looking for the most bang for my buck! Oh, and in MO, the law is kids up to 8 have to be in a restraint or booster, so I am trying to get them as close to that as possible so the only other seat they would probably have to buy would be a backless booster (depending on the child, but that's my goal).

I was looking into the Nautilis, and my two problems are that it doesn't RF (moot if mom and dad decide to just FF DS1), and that it is a little more than I wanted to spend. (I was hoping to stay closer to $100.) Also around that price range ($150 at our local WM) I have access to a used Radian65 with a DOM of 2/08 for $150. (The owner is my BEST friend and she bought the seat new, never in a wreck or anything.) The plusses of the R65 are that it can RF and it is a slender seat. Between these two seats, which would you suggest in this situation?

For DD, I have been toying with getting a Scenera since they are inexpensive ($49 on sale at K-Mart) and have fun girly prints, but my hang up on that seat is that it has a 40lb FF limit. My god-son (pretty average size in his class, not small) though, just outgrew that seat about 2 months before he turned 6yo, so she *may* make it to acceptable booster age.

For DS2, I was thinking the AOE would get him to about 5yo before it expires. If he fits in it until then, he could grow into DS1's seat (who would be 7yo) and DS1 could move to a booster.

I also have the SS1 I could give them for DS2 (he can probably get another year out of it), the AOE to DD or DS1, another ??? seat for the other one, and plan to keep in touch and get another larger limit seat in another year or so - so that it will last a year longer. Oh, and I have an extra Cargo in my stash that exp 12/10 - again a FF only seat that would only last a little less than a year and a half.

I just spent about an hour at Target and Kmart looking at clearance seats and finding nothing I liked! I am going crazy trying to figure out what to do!!! You guys are awesome with this kind of stuff, what would you do???

Hi. I'm not a tech but my first idea would be to talk to the adoptive parents and see what their opinions on rear facing are. If you can do that. They might be more receptive to keeping the kids ERF or harnessed longer FF if you include them in the decision about what carseats to use. And maybe they could give you more information about what seats would fit in their van, if and where they have tether and latch, etc. I would be so grateful if someone gave me a carseat but I would like it even more if they discussed which one to buy with me first.

Are these kids all going to the same family?

If so, and the Scenera will get the youngest child to the point the oldest child will need a new seat anyway... then a combination of seats to pass down might work out.

It is very hard to find long-lasting convertible seats at $100 each.

if they are all going with the same family, I might get radians seeing as they might need narrow seats for their car, if not, I would do true fits.

is it possible to find out what car the family/families have?

ETA I only skimmed the part about cost.. so what about safety first avenues? they are a little taller than sceneras.

Is the oldest FF or RF?

With a total budget of $300, I'd give Safety 1st Avenues if all children are RFing, or Avenues for the RFers and a Nautilus for the oldest if he's FFing (that combination may be slightly over $300, but there are some sales and coupon codes floating around).

What about the new AO's that go to 50lbs? If they take the base off it is a fairly narrow seat and I know there was one somewhere for $100. The Radian would probably be a great seat to buy for DS1 because it expires in 8 years instead of 6, so youngest DS could use it as long as he needs to. But I would definitely check with them about what the needs are (RF/FF and 3 across situations)

Oh, and I don't mean to be offensive or spendthrifty, but I would give brand new in box seats. I would not use a secondhand seat from someone I didn't know, and I definitely would not use a thirdhand seat. I'm sure you and your friends are absolutely trustworthy, and I don't mean to imply otherwise, but I still think NIB seats are a better idea.

I think that it's a great thing to do, to give appropriate seats to the adoptive family. But I think that you should talk to them about it first. For all you know, they may have already purchased seats themselves, or are at least planning on it. I think it would be best to tell them that this is what you would like to do and ask if it would be okay. Then find out how they plan to use the car seats and go from there.

I'd probably send convertibles for the younger two, so that they're not tempted to turn straight to FF right when the bucket is outgrown. I'd probably not send a Scenera. It's just not my favorite seat - it just feels cheap, and I wouldn't pick it for my kids to ride in full-time. I just don't think it's comfortable. I don't know what convertible I'd recommend. Something with more than a 40lb FF limit.

If they're going to FF DS1, I'd get a Nautilus for him.