Can someone please help me w/3 across in '04 Corolla?

[AmbersMom]

We are expecting Baby #3 in October. DH has a Jeep Grand Cherokee, so no issues with getting 3 across in his car at any time. I like minivans but I really don't want to buy a new one just yet - I love my 2004 Corolla and since gas is extremely high right now, we'd rather keep the Corolla for time being.

This is what I have so far (and the children's ages are what they will be when the baby is born and the 3 across goes into motion):
Child #1, 5 yrs old - FF - will be getting her a Graco Affix Highback Booster.
Child #2, 3 years old - FF - possibly a Diono Radian?
Child #3, newborn - RF - not sure which seat??

I mostly need help on the baby's new infant carrier. I do not want a convertible for the newborn - it must be an infant carrier. Our Graco Safeseat that we used with the first two children is obviously expiring in a few months. I see that they've done a lot of redesigns to infant seats since we bought ours in 2009 before child #1 was born. So, which one would be the most narrow and work the best in a small 3 across situation? A Graco or a Chicco?

Child #1 is currently in a Graco Nautilus and child #2 is currently in a MyRide65. Neither of those will work in the Corolla with 3 across (believe me, I have tried!). So they are going into DH's car.

I'm obviously going to take my car over to BBB one day while the oldest is at school, and have them try to fit 3 floor models in my Corolla before we actually plunk a ton of money down. We don't have a ton of money to spend on new carseats and we also refuse to buy used ones - but we also don't want to have to buy new carseats every few years (with the exception of the new baby's infant carrier, which we will figure that out down the road when the time comes - but that is a non-issue as our babies have always been very small and able to safely use their infant carriers past 1 year of age).

Also, is a Radian really the best bet for child #2? They seem extremely expensive for a carseat. Child #2 will need to be in a 5 point harness for 2 more years at least.

Thanks.

 

[DogznKatz]

Congrats on #3! If you are set on an infant seat, you might want to try a Cybex Aton. the CA is narrow but pricy. Another forward facing seat is the Harmony Defender (combination seat). It is much less expensive than a Radian. Take a look at the Carseat Measurements pages. Keeping #2 in a harness longer should help with the spacing issue.

You will need to think ahead when the new babe needs to be in a convertible. The board's puzzling experts should pop in with some good advice. A radian might come into play then.

 

[ketchupqueen]

I did three across in an 03 for several years.

I can tell you that you won't want to use LATCH for an install as it will cost you space (including the booster) and the child in a booster will likely be unable to buckle. In my car with two radians I had to leave a Turbobooster (same base shape) buckled for my daughter to slide under the belt to fit three seats including it. A third harnessed seat would be much easier.

 

[AmbersMom]

I've never heard of Cybex before. We prefer to stick with Graco or Chicco for the infant carrier. I'm not worried right now about moving the baby to a convertible carseat. Our babies have always been very small and are able to use the infant seat past a year of age. By the time the baby outgrows the infant seat, we will most likely be getting a new car at that point.

I checked out the Harmony Defender for child #2, but it's too wide at 20". She will have to switch to a highback booster with a seatbelt in 2 years when she starts Kindergarten.

I think we're definitely going to go with the Graco Affix highback for child #1. She's starting Kindergarten in less than 2 months and she has to be able to buckle herself in and out, in the carpool line. School rules - they do not have time in the carpool line for parents to get out and buckle a child into a harness - they have to be able to get in the car and buckle themselves immediately. I'm not too worried about it. I'm just trying to figure out the most narrow infant carrier for child #3 and if I should get a Radian for child #2.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[carseatcoach]

You're probably not going to like this suggestion and I'm sorry, but it will be very difficult for your 5yo to buckle her own booster in a tight three-across. I would seriously consider keeping her in a harnessed seat and teaching her to buckle *that*. It will actually be easier than her trying to buckle between tight seats.

 

[safeinthecar]

If you csn find a Diono Monterrey to put outboard next the a ffing Radian, you will have a good amount of space to buckle.

 

[AZmamaof2]

Along the lines of ease of use with a harnessed seat vs a booster...
Can your daughter be taught to unbuckle her harnessed seat? I encouraged my 5.5 yo DS to unbuckle himself from his frontier85, which he now does. He has been able to buckle for some time. Then you might buy some time until you do buy a van.

Sidenote: I drove an '02 civic and 3 seats was not happening in there. It has a big bump for the seat in the middle. My third child will arrive in September, when my DS turns 6 and DD turns 3.5. We just bought an '09 Sienna, and it has been a pleasure to drive. Gas mileage around 20mpg in city.

 

[hollissmama]

I had three across in my tiny accent with 2 FF Radians and a Chicco keyfit30. It's a super slim infant seat. My son is outgrowing it now by height at 10 months. I'm trying to find a HBB or LBB for my 7 yr old b/c he's outgrown the Radian.
I'm going to try the Affix today at BRU next to the RF Radian and FF Radian. Hoping it fits b/c I like the latch. If not, any other booster suggestions?

 

[AmbersMom]

You're probably not going to like this suggestion and I'm sorry, but it will be very difficult for your 5yo to buckle her own booster in a tight three-across. I would seriously consider keeping her in a harnessed seat and teaching her to buckle *that*. It will actually be easier than her trying to buckle between tight seats.

I don't think it'll be too big of an issue for her to buckle herself in. Either way, it won't be possible to harness her. We have her in a Nautilus and she really cannot do the bottom buckle. She can do the top buckle just fine but not the bottom. Also, the bottom is WAY too hard for her to unbuckle. And being pregnant (and then recovering from a c-section in a few months) I cannot lean over the arm rest comfortably to unbuckle her without getting out of the car. I also have to follow the school rules and cannot hold up the carpool line.

 

[AmbersMom]

I had three across in my tiny accent with 2 FF Radians and a Chicco keyfit30. It's a super slim infant seat. My son is outgrowing it now by height at 10 months. I'm trying to find a HBB or LBB for my 7 yr old b/c he's outgrown the Radian.
I'm going to try the Affix today at BRU next to the RF Radian and FF Radian. Hoping it fits b/c I like the latch. If not, any other booster suggestions?

Were you able to try the Affix? How did it work for you? I really like that seat and am leaning towards it for DD #1. She's 42.5", 35 lbs, and just turned 5 years old. If she wasn't starting Kindergarten and if we weren't getting ready to have Baby #3, I would keep her in the Nautilus (and eventually use it as a booster). We ARE keeping her in the Nautilus though, but in DH's roomier car as her 2nd carseat (she's rarely in his car anyways). But my car being smaller like your Accent, she needs a more slim seat with baby #3 arriving in a few months. That's why we were looking at the Affix.

Is the Chicco KeyFit 30 more slim than the Graco Snugride or the Britax B-Safe?

 

[hollissmama]

The affix only works if I pull it out to buckle him in. Then I can't use the latch which is why I chose that seat. I moved it to my husbands car. I bought a harmony dreamtime HBB at target that fits and I like how cushy it is and how slim although I still have to pull it out to buckle.

I wish I could still keep him harnessed. So much easier. We are looking at a van trade in soon!

 

[AmbersMom]

Not looking to trade in for a minivan anytime soon.

I still need some help. It's EXTREMELY hot outside here right now, so I have been unable to head to BRU/BBB to have them test some of the floor models in my Corolla. I have to take a 5 year old and a 3 year old with me, plus I'm 6 months pregnant - so not exactly the easiest to do at the moment.

We're going to put DD #1 in a Graco Affix.
We're going to put DD #3 in a Chico Keyfit 30.

That leaves DD #2. What would work with those? It will be going on the end next to the Graco Affix (the Affix will be in the middle). She is almost 3 and 27 lbs. We have a Nautilus and a MyRide and I'm 99% sure that neither of those will fit. A Radian isn't an option at the moment (way too expensive).

We also have two Cosco Scenera's (that we use for flying cross-country). I really don't want to use those because they're NOT comfortable for my children at all - we travel across our state frequently and they're awful for my children to ride in for longer than 1 hour at a time.

What are some options that would work for DD #2?

 

[safeinthecar]

Regarding the Nautilus buckle, you can call Graco and request a new buckle. http://blog.gracobaby.com/2014/02/14/top-things-to-know-about-gracos-harness-buckle-recall/

 

[AmbersMom]

Regarding the Nautilus buckle, you can call Graco and request a new buckle. http://blog.gracobaby.com/2014/02/14/top-things-to-know-about-gracos-harness-buckle-recall/

Not sure why I would do that or what that has to do with anything? I did know about the recall a long time ago but our buckle is just fine.

 

[carseatcoach]

Because you said you had problems with the Nautilus buckle.

We have her in a Nautilus and she really cannot do the bottom buckle. She can do the top buckle just fine but not the bottom. Also, the bottom is WAY too hard for her to unbuckle.

 

[Lemonade]

I am also of the mindset, especially with how petite your 5 yo is, that a harness would be WAY easier to buckle and safer. While the graco boosters do fit little ones better than some other seats, she's just so tiny. My son was the same way. I waited until he was 6.5 and 40 lbs.

If you skip buying the affix, you could get the radian 100 for kid#1 (you wouldn't need the infant padding that the other models offer). I can't say for sure but you might be able to puzzle the radian 100 with the my ride and an infant seat. That older grace buckle is a beast. The radian buckle would be easier and she could probably learn to do it. I would get the replacement graco buckle because it's easier and while you don't have issues with yours now, you could in the future. And it would be great practice for her to buckle herself in daddy's car. Also great for her finger strength and fine motor skills. You could use the radian for kid #1 until baby is out of the infant carrier and then do and a booster, radian for 3 yr old, and my ride RFing for baby. As for the school drop off line, they can wait 30 seconds for your child to be safe. They have no right to tell you how to transport your child based on what is convenient for them. Another option instead of the radian is the Evenflo Sureride. It's tall and about half the price. Not as narrow but still narrower than the nautilus I think.

 

[AmbersMom]

Because you said you had problems with the Nautilus buckle.

Never said we had problems with the buckle. Only said that she can't do the bottom part by herself. She doesn't have strong enough muscle coordination in her hands for that.

 

[AmbersMom]

Thanks. The Radian is out of our price range at the moment, though.

 

[Lemonade]

Never said we had problems with the buckle. Only said that she can't do the bottom part by herself. She doesn't have strong enough muscle coordination in her hands for that.

What we're saying is that the new buckle is much easier to unbuckle than the old buckle. Therefore, if you get the new buckle, she may be able to unbuckle herself. This has nothing to do with whether or not you are currently having trouble with the buckle. The new buckle is a different kind of buckle that is widely used on many other seats by many other companies. It is well known to be easier to unbuckle for children and adults than the buckles graco was previously using. So while her muscles are not strong enough to open the old graco buckle, she may very well be able to open the new graco buckle than the old one.

 

[safeinthecar]

What we're saying is that the new buckle is much easier to unbuckle than the old buckle. Therefore, if you get the new buckle, she may be able to unbuckle herself. This has nothing to do with whether or not you are currently having trouble with the buckle. The new buckle is a different kind of buckle that is widely used on many other seats by many other companies. It is well known to be easier to unbuckle for children and adults than the buckles grace was previously using. So while her muscles are not strong enough to open the old grace buckle, she may very well be able to open the new grace buckle than the old one.

Exactly. There is actually a standard on the maximum reasonable amount of force needed to undo car seat buckles. (14lbs) the Graco buckles (the buckle is actually made by a third party and is found on other brands of seats as well) exceed that regulation and get even harder to release over time.