1997 Nissan Altima-need help for a friend

[Auntie2Avi]

I need to get help for my friend. She drives a 1997 Nissan Altima. No top tether anchors that I know of. I will talk to her about going to the dealership and getting them installed if I get the codes that she will need.

She needs to fix 3 carseats in the backseat.

Children are:

1 year old daughter (22 ish lbs, average height (using lowest slots when RF in my TF and in the RA)
3 1/2 year old son (40+ lbs, average height. When using my TF he was using the 2nd slots down from the top)
5 year old carpool kid

1 year old daughter is riding RF in a Roundabout (yay, still RF!)
Currently the 3 1/2 year old and 5 year old are using Evenflo backless boosters.

Issue #1 is that the center seat is a lap only belt and that is where one of the boosters is being used. She said she can't buckle the booster if the RA is in the middle. I have not verified this myself but the backseat is small and I'm sure it isn't easy

Issue #2 is that the 3 1/2 year old needs to be harnessed. He is not at all ready to be in a booster.

5 year old is fine in backless booster for the short drive to and from school.

Please help me solve this dilemma. Budget is under $100 (since I will most likely be buying said seat. If a slightly more expensive seat would work I can stretch the budget to $125 but the cheaper the better).

Does anyone have experience with this car? I was able to get the RA in without a problem passenger side outboard. It was cold and dark so I didn't try it in the middle. I can try it in the middle tomorrow but it needs to work with at least one booster beside it.

Thanks!

 

[jjordan]

GOOD LUCK.

I have a 99 altima, so after the 98 redesign, and I can tell you it is going to be a huge challenge to get 3 across in my car. If your friend's car has less-contoured seats, she may be in luck. But one bad thing for her is that I think the Radian is incompatible with her car, and that's usually the go-to seat for 3 across situations.

Maybe a Maestro for the 3.5 year old?

ETA: The top tether anchor part # is 88894-89900. I think they cost about $25 each when I ordered some a few years ago.

 

[NebraskaMom]

For price, the Maestro is probably your best bet though at 40lbs already, I'd be concerned that he'll outgrow it in the next 18 months and you're going to be looking at a 5 year old in a hbb.

I know you can buy a Nauti for under $120 if you watch sales and such online, but I don't know how well it'll puzzle with the RA next to it since one of those 2 seats will have to be in the center position.

 

[rodentranger]

I need to get help for my friend. She drives a 1997 Nissan Altima. No top tether anchors that I know of. I will talk to her about going to the dealership and getting them installed if I get the codes that she will need.

She needs to fix 3 carseats in the backseat.

Children are:

1 year old daughter (22 ish lbs, average height (using lowest slots when RF in my TF and in the RA)
3 1/2 year old son (40+ lbs, average height. When using my TF he was using the 2nd slots down from the top)
5 year old carpool kid

1 year old daughter is riding RF in a Roundabout (yay, still RF!)
Currently the 3 1/2 year old and 5 year old are using Evenflo backless boosters.

Issue #1 is that the center seat is a lap only belt and that is where one of the boosters is being used. She said she can't buckle the booster if the RA is in the middle. I have not verified this myself but the backseat is small and I'm sure it isn't easy

Issue #2 is that the 3 1/2 year old needs to be harnessed. He is not at all ready to be in a booster.

5 year old is fine in backless booster for the short drive to and from school.

Please help me solve this dilemma. Budget is under $100 (since I will most likely be buying said seat. If a slightly more expensive seat would work I can stretch the budget to $125 but the cheaper the better).

Does anyone have experience with this car? I was able to get the RA in without a problem passenger side outboard. It was cold and dark so I didn't try it in the middle. I can try it in the middle tomorrow but it needs to work with at least one booster beside it.

Thanks!

I have a 96 Altima and have to admit I don't think I'd have much success getting 3 across. It's even home right now! I have half an hour before I have to go pick my boys up from school, so I'll be back in an hour hopefully with some ideas and pics. I'll start with the RN to see if it installs at all. I k now it's out of your budget, but if she can sell a seat that doesn't work, it can help offset the cost of one that does. My GN is at my SIL's house, but if you need me to I can go get it.
<runs out the door with a camera and a challenge!>

 

[rodentranger]

Okay, so a three across in the Altima is possible, but not fun or easy.
I was able to do rf Radian center and a ff Complete Air outboard on each side. I don't think a CA is a good option for a 5 yo, but it's a fairly wide seat, so space shouldn't be an issue. I installed the XTSL center, then the CA outboard on one side then the other, uninstalling the XTSL to verify independent installations.

I was able to get a nice tight ff Radian in both outboard positions and rf in the center, but I wasn't able to try ff Rn/rf RN/ff RN because I only have one RN to try.

For center rf RN installs, make sure the female buckle stalk is completely untwisted. This allows you to get the buckle fully inside the beltpath. It is quite reclined though because the center of the seat is very flat. I failed to get a side shot of the angle. I'm fired.

 

[StPaulMom]

I need to get help for my friend. She drives a 1997 Nissan Altima. No top tether anchors that I know of. I will talk to her about going to the dealership and getting them installed if I get the codes that she will need.

She needs to fix 3 carseats in the backseat.

Children are:

1 year old daughter (22 ish lbs, average height (using lowest slots when RF in my TF and in the RA)
3 1/2 year old son (40+ lbs, average height. When using my TF he was using the 2nd slots down from the top)
5 year old carpool kid

1 year old daughter is riding RF in a Roundabout (yay, still RF!)
Currently the 3 1/2 year old and 5 year old are using Evenflo backless boosters.

Issue #1 is that the center seat is a lap only belt and that is where one of the boosters is being used. She said she can't buckle the booster if the RA is in the middle. I have not verified this myself but the backseat is small and I'm sure it isn't easy

Issue #2 is that the 3 1/2 year old needs to be harnessed. He is not at all ready to be in a booster.

5 year old is fine in backless booster for the short drive to and from school.

Please help me solve this dilemma. Budget is under $100 (since I will most likely be buying said seat. If a slightly more expensive seat would work I can stretch the budget to $125 but the cheaper the better).

Does anyone have experience with this car? I was able to get the RA in without a problem passenger side outboard. It was cold and dark so I didn't try it in the middle. I can try it in the middle tomorrow but it needs to work with at least one booster beside it.

Thanks!

I would try this:
For the 1 year old: Buy a Cosco Scenera and put it RF in the center.
Put the 3 year old FF in the Britax outboard.
Put the 5 year old in the booster outboard.

If this works, the baby can stay RF (the new Scenera RF to 40 lbs!), the 3 year old can still be harnessed, and the 5 year old can use the appropriate lap/shoulder belt for the booster. And, you'll spend less than $50!
The Scenera is also fairly narrow, so it might puzzle RF next to the FF Britax. Worth a try, right?

 

[Auntie2Avi]

Thank you so much for your help!

Does the RN puzzle well with Britax seats (the RA?) I could try to look for a slightly older RN in swap since the seat doesn't have to last forever. Would you recommend a CA for a 3 1/2 year old? Does the CA puzzle with a RA when one is RF (RA) and one is FF (CA).

I could buy either the Maestro or the GN but I can't try it before buying. I could also buy a CA or RN but wanted a combo seat so the son can eventually use it as a BPB. That isn't necessary though.

I really really appreciate it!!

 

[Auntie2Avi]

I would try this:
For the 1 year old: Buy a Cosco Scenera and put it RF in the center.
Put the 3 year old FF in the Britax outboard.
Put the 5 year old in the booster outboard.

If this works, the baby can stay RF (the new Scenera RF to 40 lbs!), the 3 year old can still be harnessed, and the 5 year old can use the appropriate lap/shoulder belt for the booster. And, you'll spend less than $50!
The Scenera is also fairly narrow, so it might puzzle RF next to the FF Britax. Worth a try, right?

Thanks for your thoughts. The issue is that the son doesn't fit in the RA. He weighs too much.

 

[StPaulMom]

Thanks for your thoughts. The issue is that the son doesn't fit in the RA. He weighs too much.

DOH! Sorry, for some reason I thought you said Marathon, not Roundabout.

 

[rodentranger]

Thank you so much for your help!

Does the RN puzzle well with Britax seats (the RA?) I could try to look for a slightly older RN in swap since the seat doesn't have to last forever. Would you recommend a CA for a 3 1/2 year old? Does the CA puzzle with a RA when one is RF (RA) and one is FF (CA).

I could buy either the Maestro or the GN but I can't try it before buying. I could also buy a CA or RN but wanted a combo seat so the son can eventually use it as a BPB. That isn't necessary though.

I really really appreciate it!!

I tried the RN next to the MA and it didn't work at all. But I had the MA rf and the RN ff. I can try it switched tomorrow. I can also go get my GN from my SIL's house and try that in there.
The CA seems to puzzle well with the MA, so I would think it should puzzle well with the RA too. Oh how I wish I had kept my SIL's expired RA or she kept her Diplomat at home instead of in her DH's car so I could try it for you!

 

[Auntie2Avi]

I tried the RN next to the MA and it didn't work at all. But I had the MA rf and the RN ff. I can try it switched tomorrow. I can also go get my GN from my SIL's house and try that in there.
The CA seems to puzzle well with the MA, so I would think it should puzzle well with the RA too. Oh how I wish I had kept my SIL's expired RA or she kept her Diplomat at home instead of in her DH's car so I could try it for you!

Thank you so much for your help. If the RN doesn't work with the MA with the MA RF and the RN FF I'm not holding out much hope for the RN fitting next to the RA.

If you could try the GN next to the MA I would really appreciate it. I do like the CA but I think it is above my price point right now. Hmm.

Thanks so much!!

 

[jjordan]

Roundabouts are smaller than marathons, so it might fit next to a radian.

 

[Defrost]

How about an 86Y for the 3.5yo in the center with the lapbelt? That uses the seats she already has, and helps with the buckling issue. She'll HAVE to get a tether anchor installed, but she can have them use the one that comes with the 86Y, and if there are pre-drilled holes in her vehicle, she might even be able to do it herself or with your help. The 86Y runs well under $100, too.

 

[Auntie2Avi]

How about an 86Y for the 3.5yo in the center with the lapbelt? That uses the seats she already has, and helps with the buckling issue. She'll HAVE to get a tether anchor installed, but she can have them use the one that comes with the 86Y, and if there are pre-drilled holes in her vehicle, she might even be able to do it herself or with your help. The 86Y runs well under $100, too.

Is it easy to use? Not that my friend doesn't know how to use a carseat but her husband isn't the most advanced. iykwim?

 

[Defrost]

With a lap-only seat belt, yes. It's very easy to use. Once the tether anchor is installed, the harness can stay in place in the car. All dh would have to do is have the kid sit on his sit as usual, put the harness straps over his shoulders just like on a harnessed seat, then route the lap-belt under the first armrest, through the two loops at the bottom of the harness, under the second armrest, then buckle & tighten. Once the harness is adjusted to fit the child the first time, it can stay at the same adjustment.

 

[rodentranger]

How about an 86Y for the 3.5yo in the center with the lapbelt? That uses the seats she already has, and helps with the buckling issue. She'll HAVE to get a tether anchor installed, but she can have them use the one that comes with the 86Y, and if there are pre-drilled holes in her vehicle, she might even be able to do it herself or with your help. The 86Y runs well under $100, too.

The holes were predrilled in our 96. They were pretty obvious from inside the trunk.
What about an RSTV for the 3 yo?

 

[Defrost]

What about an RSTV for the 3 yo?

That would also be an option, but it takes a lot more work to get it on & off for daily use.

 

[rodentranger]

SIL installed my GN in her Dh's car, so she doesn't have it today. She wrote herself a big note to pull my GN and her Diplomat (same shell as RA) out of his car so I can snag them tomorrow to try stuff out for you.

 

[Auntie2Avi]

SIL installed my GN in her Dh's car, so she doesn't have it today. She wrote herself a big note to pull my GN and her Diplomat (same shell as RA) out of his car so I can snag them tomorrow to try stuff out for you.

Thank you thank you thank you. I don't want to buy a seat just to have to return it because it doesn't work. I really appreciate it!

 

[rodentranger]

Ok, so I spent several hours with Crystal (Crissy Jane) playing seat swap today. I brought my CA, WZ (same shell as MA), GN, and a Diplomat/RA. She had two RNs and another CA we could play with
First, the RA can't go in the center due to geometry issues. Neither of us were comfortable with the way the belt wraps around the bottom of the base. It's wraping about 1.5-2" on either side of the base.

Two RNs for the 1 and 3 yos would work beautifully but is out of the budget. It leaves plenty of room for a boostered child passenger outboard. I wanted the boostered kid there because it eliminates the risk of the child accidentally unbuckling the center seat.

A Nauti doesn't fit in the empty seat unless you have no intentions of actually closing the door though...
We didn't have any boosters to play with to see what truly fit there. I'd check the spreadsheet for measurments to find the narrowest booster.
Our best least expensive option is rf RA/ff RN/narrow booster, the only other option being putting the largest harnessed child in the front seat with it slid all the way back. IE, 5 yo in a Nauti front seat, 3 yo ff in Nauti passenger outboard or center, rf RA driver outboard.





Holy moly our car is gross.