Question 3 car seats in a murano???

Hi,

I have 2 year old twins and a 7 month old (rear facing for 5 more months). We are most likely going to end up with a New Nissan Murano through my husbands work. I am wondering if we will be able to fit three car seats in this car and if so, is it safe to do that and what should the configuration be? I think I would need to but the baby on the outside versus the middle for ease of use. I currently drive a Quest and am worried about fitting in the Murano. we have to choose a new Nissan very soon and unfortunatley we will not be albe to get another minivan. The carseats we have are two Britax marathon's and we have a Peg Perrego infant car seat/carrier but will need to switch to a convertable soon. We have one already that is a Cosco Alpha omega. It will need go rear facing initally and then turn around. I would really appreciate any advice!

Nikki

Welcome. How heavy are your twins? And what is your budget for a new seat? Or seats, as the case may be.

A Radian would probably work really well, or maybe two Radians. They rear face now to 40 pounds, have 17.5" top slots, and have a 65 pound forward facing limit. They puzzle well next to a Britax when going in the same direction.

As rear facing is so much safer than forward facing, I'd definitely put the baby outboard and the two other kids in the middle and the other side. Unless you put all three rear facing in which case then it doesn't matter. Whatever is easiest. But a Britax, Radian, Radian would likely puzzle well, should fit across width wise, and should fit your kids for years to come, in either direction.

You're about to get pounced on for mentioning you're going to forward face a one year old, so let's see if we can head it off at the pass. A study came out in December 2007 saying that kids were 500% safer rear facing up to 23 months, and that the benefits didn't end there, they just didn't use kids older than that. Most of us here keep our kids rear facing to three or four years old. Since 2002 the AAP has recommended that children face the rear to the maximum limits of the convertible seat. A message in the AAP journal Pediatrics from February 2008 states that pediatricians should stop saying 1 and 20 and go for at least two, if not older. And a statement released in April, again from the AAP, says that while they haven't got a policy change in order, the minimum should be two years old. The BBC just released an article, using studies from Sweden and the 2007 study, saying that UK kids shouldn't be turned at 9 months, but should go to four years rear facing.

Links:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550 (first bullet under recommendations)
http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/6/398
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/extract/121/3/619
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx

Hopefully that'll be it for the rear facing brigade. You now have the information and you can make an educated decision. You may find you put all three kids rear facing back there. You may find they simply fit better that way. Sometimes in a three across you need to play with position and direction to find the best fit.

Let us know the answers to the above questions and we can help you out a bit more!

Welcome.

Wendy

I think it might be rough. Till recently I had a Murano and one child (20 month old in a Britax Boulevard). I'm expecting my second child and knew that we'd need a new car b/c my mother lives with us and travels with us often. With 2 car seats in the back, I didn't think there would be enough room for someone in the middle seat.

When we went shopping for our new car I actually took my car seat and put it in the car to make sure everyone would fit. I suggest doing that... Go to the dealer and take all 3 seats and put them in and see how comfy you feel with the fit.

Good luck!

I have a Rogue and I don't think it is any narrower than the Murano (just shorter). Honestly, I don't know short of 3 Radians with seat belt installs how you would do it. I have a Blvd (RF) and a Nautlius in mine and if I cannot sit in between mine. FWIW, I'm not a size 0 but I'm not very big either.

Funny enough, last night a friend of mine posted a pic of her 2 kids and her niece in the backseat of her car (all in car seats) on her Facebook page. I commented asking her what car she drives as I was impressed she got 3 across all rear facing. When she answered, "Murano" I was shocked. It appears she has a Britax Marathon, a Graco infant seat and the third seat I wasn't too sure about. Anyway, my suggestion is to take all 3 seats with you to the dealers and set them across the seats and see for yourself.

Good luck!

THe murano is a lot bigger then the rogue

I am willing to bet you could fit a rear facing radian in the center, and two base type seats (like a marathon, boulevard, or something like a recaro, or My Ride 65) easily three in a row.