3 in a row in a Saturn View

[shllywlly]

Is this possible? We are thinking of becoming foster parents to an infant/toddler. I currently have a graco safeseat and a marathon RF. I have a Evenflo Titan that is not being used. With the marathon can be FF. Give me some options ladies.

 

[jen_nah]

Is 3 across possible in the Saturn Vue? Yes, But it's all about finding the right configuration & seats. What year is your Vue? If it is the late model design the nice perk with your Vue is you have LATCH in all 3 seating positions.

The Sunshine Kids Radian is a narrow convertible that might help with a 3 across situation.

 

[shllywlly]

I have a 2004 with latch. I would like to use the seats I have if possible. I guess I would just have to rearrange until I find the right place. Do they give you a seat for foster kids or just the money to get one?

 

[crunchierthanthou]

Using the seatbelt instead of lower anchors may give you the best chance- especially for the outboard seats. That way you can move them a bit closer to the door and hopefully have space for a third seat in the center. You can move them closer to the door as long as it doesn't hit them when it closes and they move less than 1" in any direction (side to side or front to back) at the beltpath.

Have you tried any configurations yet? Do you have any idea of the age of child who will be placed with you? Whether one child is old enough to ff may make all the difference for you. It can be easier to puzzle the seats together if they aren't all ff or rf. How are you at installing your SS1 without the base? You might need to do that to fit 3 across.

Remember as you are trying different seating positions that each seat must have a tight install independent of the others. It must still have less than 1" of movement if you remove the seat(s) next to it.

My first try would probably be MA ff center with Titan and SS1 rf outboard.

 

[snowbird25ca]

My first try would probably be MA ff center with Titan and SS1 rf outboard.

The MA and SS1 tend to not puzzle well together at all because of the handle of the SS1, regardless of whether the base is used or not.

I'd try MA/SS1 outboard and the titan in the middle. I'm not sure what the backseat space is like in the VUE. I know I can get 3 across the back of my outlook using a SS1 and MA with a radian for the 3rd seat. I've never tried with a titan though, and I'm not sure how backseat space compares - I know the Vue's seats are less contoured than mine. Another poster here has owned a Vue, she may know how different seats would puzzle back there.

If you have a 60/40 split, you might want to play with which seat goes outboard too, that might change if it would fit or not. The titan is a relatively narrow seat, so it might work for you.

 

[shllywlly]

The only issue with the titan in the center ff is that my ds has outgrown that seat by height. It would only work if I had a DFC that was old enough to ff. Although my 26 month old DS is still rf in the marathon. I'd hate to put a younger smaller child ff just because he/she's "old" enough. YK?

We're not even foster parents yet, I'm just tring to figure out if I have the resources to do it and carseats are a big thought of mine. I want them all to be safe and secure.

 

[Jeanum]

To clarify lower LATCH in the Vue: It's actually every '02-'07 model year Saturn Vue (all model years of the original Vue design) that are equipped with 3 sets of lower LATCH anchors. The newer '08 redesigned Vue has dedicated sets of lower LATCH anchors for the outboard rear seating positions only, and does not have a dedicated set of lower anchors for the center. Per the LATCH manual, GM does allow borrowing of outboard lower LATCH anchors to do a center lower LATCH installation if the carseat manufacturer also permits borrowing, but this would preclude using the outboard lower anchors to do an outboard lower LATCH installation.

LATCH may not be the ultimate solution for fitting 3 carseats across, however. As a previous poster suggested, due to the typical positioning of lower LATCH anchors closer to the center of the back seat, you're probably more likely to achieve 3 across if you use the vehicle's seatbelts to install the child restraints. It's a matter of finding the right combination of carseats to achieve independently tight installations and puzzle well together.