3 across in Olds Alero?

covigirl

New member
So I searched the three across thread for Oldsmobile Alero, and didn't find anything. Ours is a 2004 (the last model year made), and is our second car. Our third child is due in about a month, and it would be so nice to be able to fit three across in that car on occasion. The seats we have won't work: Safety 1st Enspira (not the OHS version), Evenflo Tribute (not the OHS version) and Graco Snugride. I'd like to fit at least the Snugride without a base. I will have two RFing (2 1/2 year old and new baby) and one FFing (5 year old). I'd like to have the FFing seat in the middle because she can buckle herself.

I've been thinking of two Sceneras, one RF and one FF plus the Snugride. Does anyone know if that should work? I'd really like for the Tribute to fit in there instead of one of the Sceneras, but it is an oddly wide seat. I've only had it puzzle well with a Graco LBB, but we are not even close to a booster, let alone a LBB. We could potentially just dump the Tribute (we are planning to replace it with a GN in our main car), but it doesn't expire until 2012.
 
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Maedze

New member
Hi :D


What is your five year old currently riding in, the Intera? How much does he weigh and how tall is he? Most five year olds will have outgrown the Intera by height and weight (unless you're using it in booster mode).

Does your center seatbelt have a shoulder belt, or is it lap belt only?

If you believe your five year old is mature enough, I would buy the new Britax Parkway SafeGuard and use it in the center position (it has a crotch strap in booster mode, great for younger booster riders). Put the baby outboard in the Snugride on one side, and take the base off the Intera and use it rearfacing for the 2 year old on the other.
 

covigirl

New member
Hi :)

My 5 year old is currently in the Tribute, she is 33 lbs. and ~40" tall. (The seat has 33 lb. RF limit and 40 lb. FF limit.) I think her torso is somewhere around 14", give or take an inch or so. She has an inch or less until she is even with the top slots. While I think she is mature enough for partial booster use, I'm thinking she is still way too small. I'd like her to be 40 lbs. before starting booster training.

My 2 1/2 year old is RF in the Enspira (not Intera--there is no base), she is 25 lbs. and not sure how tall, but still has plenty of room above her head.

The center seating position is lap belt only. This IS the second car, so it isn't vitally important to fit three across. I'd like to, but certainly can't with the seats I have. :)
 

Maedze

New member
You have wee ones! (Sorry about the enspira/intera gaffe...) Every once in a while someone comes along who actually did get their money's worth out of the 'tiny' seats, and you seem to have done it nicely :thumbsup:

I'm actually surprised you can't put the Tribute center position and squeeze the Enspira rearfacing outboard and the Snugride on the other side.

If that doesn't work, the next step would be a Radian for the forward facing center position, which almost certainly will work.
 

Stretchy Glue

New member
My mom had a 2003 Malibu which is very similar to the Olds. We've had a booster, an Evenflo Chase and a Snugride with base in their several times. The 6 year old was able to buckle into the seatbelt quite easily. I'm sure there are many other combos that would work.
 

covigirl

New member
I tried the RF Enspira, FF Tribute, Snugride and the door wouldn't *quite* close. All were installed with belts, btw. I think I also tried RF Tribute, FF Enspira, Snugride, and if I did (pregnancy brain having a hard time remembering), it didn't work either. I don't think I could talk my husband into a RN, since they are so expensive. I've heard that the Scenera is a narrow seat as well, and cheap. On the other hand, I doubt it would get DD1 to 40 lbs. harnessed because she is tall for her weight (as is DD2). :( Maybe I'll just scrap my ideas of three across and just go for being able to take one or two kids around without the gas-guzzler.

I already want a GN for when my DD1 outgrows the Tribute for our main car, and I've gotten him to agree to that, since it is supposed to convert to a good booster as well and should take her to at least 40 lbs. harnessed.
 

Maedze

New member
It's more of an issue of the seats being installed correctly. Obviously if the door won't close, they're not installed correctly, but they can *appear* to be installed correctly and actually aren't.

The best way to make sure your 3-across is installed correctly is to install the middle seat first and then the two outboard seats, making sure everything has less than 1 inch of movement.

Then take the middle seat out and see if you STILL have less than an inch of movement in the outboard seat. If you have more than an inch of movement, the seats weren't independently tight and the install is no good.

The Sceneras are somewhat narrow, but they don't puzzle well because they gape at the sides. You might have better luck with a Safety First Avenue, which has less 'flair' in the seat shell, and also has EPS foam and higher top harness positions.

However, the Tribute and the Enspira are not *huge*seats, so if a they don't fit, I don't think a Scenera is going to offer any more room.

You can get a Radian at Target right now for 185.
 

covigirl

New member
I figured that if the door wouldn't close, that meant mainly that particular combination of seats wouldn't work at all, so I didn't worry about checking the individual installations at that point. I know the Enspira is pretty narrow, but the Tribute seems wider.

Thanks for the help! I think we are going to end up skipping the idea of 3 across in that car because we'd have to buy at least one new seat now and probably two more when the baby outgrows the snugride (it's the 20 lb. model, but my children have stayed in it for close to a year each, and I didn't know about the 1 inch above the head guideline...I moved them out based on overall height and they were both still under 20 lb.). Edit: I should also mention that my snugride was bought for my oldest child and expires in December of 2010, though we will most likely stop using it before then.
 

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