Question 3 across in a 2002 Saturn SL2 and 1999 Civic??

[suomi]

We are expecting baby #3 in August. The baby will join 5 yo 40 lb big brother and 2.5 yo 30 lb big sister. I measured the back seat of the Saturn at the edge by your knee and it is only 51". I would like to use my Snugride for the baby (it is not expired yet) in the center RF and have the two older kids outboard. What are my options? Right now I am thinking of using 2 ride safer vests in both cars. Is there anything else super-narrow that will fit. Luckily I have skinny kiddos!

FYI these will not be used much. We have an Odyssey that is our primary vehicle. The Saturn is for emergencies when we might not have the Odyssey, and the Civic is my babysitter's car.

Thanks!

 

[suomi]

Still haven't had a response. Is there something someone can at least tell me about the Ride Safer Vests--do kids usually like them, are they miserable in the Southern heat, are they really safe enough, etc.

Really, really need to figure something about the three across!

Thanks.

 

[Judi]

Just because you have 51" doesn't mean that any more than that won't fit in your car. Car seats may puzzle well, which gives you extra room. What seats are the kids in now? Did you check the successful three across thread?

 

[Unregistered]

I had a 96 SL1 and was able to get 3 across in the backseat. It all depends on the car seats you have. I had an Evenflo infant seat plus 2 Graco backless boosters. I stuck the infant seat in the middle and had one arm of each of the backless boosters fit under once the infant seat was snapped into the base. I did basically have to get the baby in first, then put the other seats in. Wasn't ideal, but it worked!

 

[Spam]

My sis drives a 99 sl2 and that's a tiny backseat. I don't know your budget. Maybe a Radian for your 2.5 yr old and if your 5 yr old is in a booster then that might fit.

 

[Unregistered]

We have an SL2 and have gotten 3 seats in. I am pretty sure we have gotten in a britax marathon, roundabout, and a booster seat in there at the same time. We have also done a marathon and 2 boosters (buckling is a pain but it does work). I did try a graco nautilus and that will NOT work with 2 other seats. I have found that using the seatbelt, not latch, works best. You'll just have to try several combinations to find what works. Oh, we also had a marathon and a snugride right next to each other so I could tend to the baby on long trips, I imagine a booster would sit outboard w/ the snugride rear facing if I could fit in that spot. Good luck finding something that works, it really shouldn't be too hard!

Becca

 

[Jeanum]

Thanks for chiming in, Becca, with seat suggestions for the Saturn. Just curious, are you sure your SL2 has lower LATCH anchors and that it's an SL2 rather than a mid-sized LS/LS1/LS2 model by any chance? Just double checking because Saturn had some confusing model names and also because the mid-size L-series is roomier than the S-series (I've owned both, lol, but never did 3 across in them). Saturn S-series cars weren't equipped with lower LATCH anchors to my knowledge before they were discontinued after the 2002 model year. The mid-sized Saturn L-series models were factory equipped with lower LATCH anchors beginning in the 2002 model year.