Question any FF seats that do NOT require top tether in Canada?

[whippetmama]

fitting 5 seats in 2008 Town & Country

Ok, here's my dilemma. I am in Alberta and I have a dayhome. Next fall I have to drive my son to preschool so all the kids must come with me. I will have four 3 yr olds and in January an infant as well. The T&C has 3 tether anchor spots and the dealership says I cannot put more in. This will mean RF two of the kids on the back bench with a FF in the middle. Any suggestions on how to make this work?

I am thinking Diono Radian for the middle FF but what will fit around it and extended RF the toddlers? I also have to be able to get them in and out and bucked up of course. Help!

I have a Britax Frontier currently and a Safety 1st but not sure that one is big enough for the 3 yr olds. My Marathon is near expiry so will be replacing that.

 

[whippetmama]

This would also solve my issue of getting 5 in the T&C van. Is this possible? If not anyone have good ideas for 5 seats in my van that has 3 anchors and dealer says we can't put any more in. Help!

 

[amyd]

No, there are not. Sorry. If you'd like to post with kids stats & what seats they are currently in, we'd be happy to help

 

[Brigala]

Maybe 3 high-capacity RF seats (probably Radian R120s) across the back bench, and load the kids through the back? Radians will rear-face average-sized children until they are old enough and big enough to use a belt positioning booster.

 

[whippetmama]

are Radian R120's different than other models?

Not sure how I would load them thru the back, maybe I could climb in the back to buckle though...

 

[whippetmama]

I totally appreciate the help. I'm very frustrated and confused on what to purchase. I can't afford 3 Radians. Everyone I know just installs tether anchors but I'm told that is incorrect and I want all my kids legal and safe!

 

[Brigala]

Three Radians would be pretty expensive. I'm just trying to think of a solution that would work until you can use boosters.

I don't have much more advice than that, though. I'm not super familiar with what's available in Canada, except that you do have Radians.

I was thinking R120 because it has a 45 lb capacity for rear-facing - the highest available in Canada. The R100 only has a 40 lb capacity for RF, which would be pushing it to get the kids going straight from RF to booster.

 

[whippetmama]

Once they are in a booster it is likely I will no longer be driving them but yes 45lbs would be good just in case. I also need to be able to pop one out easily so my 8 yr old can ride in his booster. Ack. Is there anything more economical with a higher RF weight?

 

[MommyShannon]

For loading, one member here has a set of stairs (I think pet stairs) her kids use to climb in through the hatch. When I had my baby in the 3rd row, I kneeled on the bumper to buckle her or just stepped in. It's not nearly as bad as it sounds. The tough part is getting 3 seats back there. As for popping a seat in and out easily, I like my Britax Marathon for that and the new Britax Frontier is easy too. If one of the kids will fit rf in a Britax or other seat, then you could take it out even easier without dealing with a top tether.

 

[Pixelated]

I don't know that three Radians fit - do they? - but this is by far the best price on a Radian right now, $270 for an RXT but only this colour. http://www.amazon.ca/Diono-RadianRX...8&qid=1386119348&sr=8-1&keywords=radian+rugby

Alternately you could open an ebates.ca account, and then click through from there to shop.ca, and then search 'Radian Rugby' to get this: http://www.shop.ca/c/diono-radian-rxt-rugby-23198694

You will get $25 off if you are new to shop.ca, you'll get $25 more off if you also pay with paypal, and if you click through from ebates.ca (it's a shopping portal) you'll get 10% off again, but you have to wait until February when they issue the quarterly refund cheques. Sounds like a scam, but isn't.

Taking one Radian in and out to accommodate your 8 year old won't be the most fun thing in the world but it's certainly a higher capacity seat than a Marathon or other Britax seat.

 

[murphydog77]

Re: fitting 5 seats in 2008 Town & Country

Hi. Can you do Radians across the 3rd row bench? If not and you can only do the ff Radian, how about a couple of Evenflo SureRides?

 

[safeinthecar]

Re: fitting 5 seats in 2008 Town & Country

Thinking outside the (carseat) box, could you maybe give one of the parents of your dayhome kids a discount for taking your child to school after they drop their child off to you?

 

[Lee-B-]

Re: fitting 5 seats in 2008 Town & Country

Thinking outside the (carseat) box, could you maybe give one of the parents of your dayhome kids a discount for taking your child to school after they drop their child off to you?

This is a genius idea. If that doesn't work you can look to hire someone to run your child to school. It wouldn't cost too much money a day...compared to buying 3 radians! Maybe look for a retired person that is looking for something to do? I do see ads for this on kijiji fairly often.