Best for 3rd row Chrysler/VW routan

[kmom]

Hello, I am having a problem with figuring out what to do with my 6 year old (she is about 43"tall and 50lbs) when the new baby comes. I will have three car seats in my 09 VW routan. She has a GN and is about a half inch from outgrowing the harness. She also has a Graco Safety surround booster.

Here is my problem: The crazy shoulder belts being forward of the seat in the back would constantly cause problems with the retracting of the belt and I am worried that she will not get a good belt fit every time. The GN may work better (I haven't tried it) but I can't use latch with it in booster mode and it is a very heavy seat to have back there unteathered or anchored. Also if we were to get in a wreck I don't want all that weight on her too.

I really don't have the money to buy new seats. I wish I could just buy a frontier 85 and be done with it but I don't see that happening.

What are your suggestions. Maybe there is a solution that I have not thought of or found.

I have not tried a LBB with her yet, I do not really want to use one yet. I am just looking for some discussion and ideas of the best way to go or a list of seats that could work for her back there.

Thank you very much for any help!

 

[Phineasmama]

A low back booster probably wouldn't help because the shoulder belts back there will not even sit on the child's chest, because they are too far forward.

I know you said you don't want to buy more seats, but another member here said that the Recaro Vivo works well on the outboard sides- that is about $79 on Amazon right now. I've also heard rumors of the cheaper Evenflo boosters (like the Big Kid?) work back there. I have Kiddy brand boosters that work but they are super expensive so that doesn't necessarily help you.

Your other option would be to put the rear facing kids in the back row and have the oldest in the captains chair, which isn't necessarily that convenient.