Question Combination seat or another convertable then a cheaper booster?

I am wondering what seat I should buy next? I have a 4 YO 33lbs, 16 in torso FF in Radian from CT which only harnesses to 48lbs , a 2.5 YO 28lbs, 12-13 in torso, FF in an Eddie Bauer 3 in 1 and a 6 mon old 17.5 lbs but on last slot in the infant seat. I am also putting these 3 across in a Grand AM. I am wondering what I should do for seats? I have thought about the Nautilus not sure if it will fit or if we want to spend that much? Would it be better to get different seat which hopefully harnessed to 65lbs and then get a cheap booster when they are older?
Thanks

Would the following fit

2.5 YO RF (preferably) in Radian, 4 YO FF in Radian, Baby RF in 3 in 1 (with the base removed)

That would mean buying only 1 new Radian (pretty much the narrowest seat available).

I don't see a need to replace the Radian or 3 in 1 you have unless they are close to expiring. Also doesn't sound like your children will really need a 65 pound seat.

Does your 4 YO still fit in the harness (i.e. are shoulder at or below top harenss slot)? Is baby outgrown infant seat? It is outgrown when there is less than 1 inch of space between top of head and top of the car seat shell or when weight limit reached. Remember the straps have to come out of a slot that is below baby's shoulders.

Nenni

"I don't see a need to replace the Radian or 3 in 1 you have unless they are close to expiring. Also doesn't sound like your children will really need a 65 pound seat."

Wouldn't I just keep them in the seat until they reached 65lbs? The Radian has 4 years left I think and the 3 in 1 I'm not sure of the expiry but it was manufactured in 2005.

4 YO still fits fine in the harness and baby just had the straps moved to the top notch and there is more than 1" above head not sure how much I haven't measured to be exact. Baby's seat is approx. 16.5" wide is this narrow? wide?

I can try turning 2.5 YO RF but not sure DH would go for this? Could he get into the seat by himself RF? He is extremely independent and would be really! upset if we had to go back to putting him in the seat. Not a great reason I know but something that needs to be dealt with several times a day.
Thanks

Wouldn't I just keep them in the seat until they reached 65lbs? The Radian has 4 years left I think and the 3 in 1 I'm not sure of the expiry but it was manufactured in 2005.

If your 4 year old is only 33 pounds right now but has a 16 inch torso, I highly doubt he/she will ever make it harnessed to 65 pounds. The 2 65pound seats (Frontier and Nautilus) with the highest harness slots in Canada only have top harness slots of 18.25 inches, so that is about 2-2.5 years of average torso growth. It is very unlikely he/she would double his/her in 2 years. I would guess a similar situation for your 2.5 year old, at only 28 pounds now, ever unlikely that he would make it to 65 pounds in a harnessed car seat because it would be outgrown by weight first.

4 YO still fits fine in the harness and baby just had the straps moved to the top notch and there is more than 1" above head not sure how much I haven't measured to be exact. Baby's seat is approx. 16.5" wide is this narrow? wide?

That I don't know, if that is wide or narrow. But I do believe the Radian is the same width or a little narrower. Which is why I suggested buying a new Radian and sticking with the other 2 of your existing seats.

I can try turning 2.5 YO RF but not sure DH would go for this? Could he get into the seat by himself RF? He is extremely independent and would be really! upset if we had to go back to putting him in the seat. Not a great reason I know but something that needs to be dealt with several times a day.

I was also thinking rear facing for puzzling the car seat in place. Something to remember about where you position the car seat is that all forward facing car seats must be top tethered. He should be able to get himself in the seat, if you put that seat rear facing outboard. But if it wouldn't work for him, then leave him forward facing.

It would be a good idea to give the 3 in 1 to the baby since it will likely be outgrown soon by your 2.5 year old.

If you buy a new Radian it wil have a 65 pound weight limit. If your 4 YO still fits in the harness by height but gets close to 48 pounds, you could give him/her the newer Radian and give the older 48 pound Radian to the middle child.

Unregistered said:

a 6 mon old 17.5 lbs but on last slot in the infant seat.

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I just wanted to mention that the harness straps for rearfacing need to be at or below the baby's shoulders. The seat is outgrown once the weight limit is reached or there is less then 1" of hard shell above the baby's head.

The harness straps need to be at or below the shoulders for rear facing and at or above the shoulders when forward facing. A FF seat is outgrown when the weight limit is reached, the shoulders are above the top harness slot or when the top of the ears reach the top of the seat.


Since space is an issue as you're trying to do 3 across I would be tempted to just get another RN since you know it will fit. I'm not sure if the GN will work 3 across of your vehicle.

If you have an independent 2yr old who wants to climb into the seat it should still be possible even if the seat was RFing it would just be climbin into the vehicle, onto the FF seat and then into the RF seat and you would buckle.

Jewels said:

If you have an independent 2yr old who wants to climb into the seat it should still be possible even if the seat was RFing it would just be climbin into the vehicle, onto the FF seat and then into the RF seat and you would buckle.

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For some reason I hadn't thought of putting my 2YO in the middle the 4 YO has always been in the middle but it shouldn't be that hard at all to get in a RF seat when it's in the middle.

Thanks for the input I'll look into a Radian, is there a better place to get it than CT? When I got the last one it was the only place I knew of to find it and it was already almost a year since the date of manufacture.