Car seat in a VW Jetta

[adbourgoin]

After going to Target tonight to try out the Evenflo triumph advance car seat, I flipped My daughters comfort sport car seat when we got home to see how much space I had to work with and its a TIGHT fit! It is hitting the back of the passengers sit which is sitting all the way up right and all the way up to the dash (My knees hit!) I don't even think I installed it right as its such a pain in the butt. (I promised I didn't take her on the rode like this! The only reason she is sitting in the car seat is so she didn't run off)

I'm starting to get frustrated about it! I'm getting no support from my family and friends (One friend is on my side but thats it!) about turning my daughter back rear facing they are all coming out with stupid reason why she wont like it. I was ready to throw the towel in but I wont!!! This is my child and I will make the decision for her.

Anyways enough with me moaning. Here is what the comfort sport looks like in my Jetta. Oh and the reason why its not in the middle is because my husband is 6 feet 3 inches and has to have the drivers seat all the way back and when the seat is in the middle it hits the side of his seat and makes the seat lay to one side more.

 

[Patriot201]

Hmmm... I was going to ask if it is at a 45* angle, because it doesn't need to be, but that seat looks pretty upright already.

Hmmm...


It does look like it is within the "reasonable" angle of 30* to 45*, so it should be okay just like it is.





By the way...

I was ready to throw the towel in but I wont!!! This is my child and I will make the decision for her.

GOOD FOR YOU! :thumbsup:

 

[adbourgoin]

Is there another seat that may fit better then the one she has now??

I just don't like how snug the whole fit is!

 

[Patriot201]

Is there any store near you that sells the Radian? It is actually bigger than the ComfortSport, but much thinner, so it might fit in between the two front seats without pushing on your DH's seat. Maybe.



I would also try the Marathon. While it is bigger than the CS, it fits differently. It might be worth a try.



Another possibility would be the Evenflo Triumph Advance. It is big, but some say it fits better than other convertibles in tight spaces. I don't know much about that, though.





I drive a Honda Civic and have been able to easily fit both a Britax Boulevard and a Cosco Scenera (both RF) in my car.



I would try out as many seats as possible to see what works best for you.
















You are doing a great job, by the way.

 

[adbourgoin]

Thank you so much for your support!

I did try out the Evenflo at Target tonight but my Daughter complained about the straps digging in her neck. Not sure if I did something wrong?

See you can see the red mark on her neck already in this picture and she was strapped in for maybe 3 minutes the most.

I have a toys-r-us near me would they let me test it out on my car before I bought it? (I know I can take it back if it didn't fit but I want to afford that hassle)

 

[Patriot201]

I did try out the Evenflo at Target tonight but my Daughter complained about the straps digging in her neck. Not sure if I did something wrong?

Nope. You didn't do anything wrong. That is a problem with that seat, with some kids. Some kids aren't bothered at all, but others are.

I have a toys-r-us near me would they let me test it out on my car before I bought it? (I know I can take it back if it didn't fit but I want to afford that hassle)

They should let you take the seats to your car. They usually just ask to hold your driver's license while you have a seat outside.



If they have a Marathon, I would try that one. Some here have fit the Marathon in a Scion Xa (I think that is the one... a coupe?), Porsche 911, Honda Civic, Pontiac Sunfire, Mini Cooper, and a bunch of other tiny cars. The key is installing more upright (30*-35*).

 

[adbourgoin]

Nope. You didn't do anything wrong. That is a problem with that seat, with some kids. Some kids aren't bothered at all, but others are.



They should let you take the seats to your car. They usually just ask to hold your driver's license while you have a seat outside.

Thanks!!

I will try there maybe tomorrow to see if I can't fit a Marathon in the back!

Does babies-r-us sell any other girly pattern besides the Brooke?

Thanks for taking the time to help me. I have been stressing all day about this darn seat.

 

[Defrost]

Hang on, I have a pic that might help you...

Here's how I get the max amount of room on our Golf with a RF convertible:

Now, the tricky part is getting the top of the shell to line up in that space! You have to play around with both the recline of the carseat (because as upright as possible doesn't always buy you the most space - as you can see in my pic, reclining the carseat a bit more actually bought us more space because it rested just below the headrest) and adjust the vehicle seat. You may find that having the seat just a click more upright gives you a lot more legroom.

ETA: That's a Radian carseat, btw, so don't panic if you notice how far forward the vehicle seat is in my pic; the Radian takes up an insane amount of front-to-back room when rear-facing!

 

[Calideedle]

I have a Jetta too

The Britax Marathon & Sunshine Kids Radian both fit great in my Jetta!

The Marathon was always right where your DDs seat is in the pic. With a more upright recline there is plenty of room for my DH who is like 5'9" to sit comfy.

The Radian fits great in the middle and fits right between the seats, again with a more upright install the top doesn't stick out into the front between them. It is also nice on the outboard too!

 

[Patriot201]

Does babies-r-us sell any other girly pattern besides the Brooke?

Target sells Brooke.

Babies R Us doesn't have any girly patterns in the store (at least not at my BRU) unless you decide to get a Boulevard instead. The Boulevard is available in the Meghan pattern.

My BRU sells Platinum,. They used to have Ashley Floral, which was girly, but they stopped carrying that one.


There are several "girly" patterns available in Britax HWH seats, though:
Shannon Boulevard
Meghan Boulevard
Mariposa Marathon
Ashley Floral Marathon
Brooke Marathon
Tiffany Decathlon


Then there are some couture covers, which are more difficult to find, but are available.

Trellis Marathon
Sunburst Marathon

 

[adbourgoin]

Thanks for the picture! i see just what you mean now about the head rest. I will have to try that this afternoon and see if that doesn't help just to hold us over until this weekend when I get the new car seat.

I guess the best way is to go to the store and try the Marathon and see if I like how it fits then order the print I like online because they have very select covers in the store!

Thanks a bunch!

 

[lovinwaves]

Get a Radian! Like Calideedle said, it will fit RIGHT BETWEEN the Driver and passenger seats. This way the front passengers aren't have to push their seat so far forward.

 

[adbourgoin]

Get a Radian! Like Calideedle said, it will fit RIGHT BETWEEN the Driver and passenger seats. This way the front passengers aren't have to push their seat so far forward.

I have to be able to fit a high back booster next to her.

The sit can be in the middle some days but others I have a 5 year old in a high back booster in the backseat and I want to find a seat that will work in the middle and behind the passengers seat.

Maybe I should just get a new car! lol

 

[Calideedle]

You can fit a High back booster there if I can fit a regent next to the Radian which is in the middle!

I have my 4yr old in a Regent behind the driver and the Radian RFing in the middle and there is room for an adult to sit behind the passenger seat.

Here is pic from when I first put the Radian in (I reclined it a bit more because I wasnt sure if it was too upright) PERFECT fit:

**dont mind the dirty seat and DDs dirty foot, lol**

 

[adbourgoin]

You can fit a High back booster there if I can fit a regent next to the Radian which is in the middle!

I have my 4yr old in a Regent behind the driver and the Radian RFing in the middle and there is room for an adult to sit behind the passenger seat.

Here is pic from when I first put the Radian in (I reclined it a bit more because I wasnt sure if it was too upright) PERFECT fit:

**dont mind the dirty seat and DDs dirty foot, lol**

Oh thank you girls for posting pictures for me! Thats helps tons!

Calideedle do you have a picture of your Marathon RF in your Jetta?

 

[Calideedle]

Here is one, it can be more upright too:

PLenty of room for my DH

 

[lovinwaves]

Oh the Radian is PERFECT for having to put another convertible carseat, booster, or adult next to it. I am 5'9" and medium sized, and I can fit VERY comfortably in the back of a Jetta next to a Radian rf'ing in the middle A high back booster is nothin' to put next to a Radian. So no issues there.

 

[adbourgoin]

Thanks!!! I'm so glad I asked because I feel much better about paying the money for a car set and knowing I will fit it in the car.

Did you have to slide the passengers seat all the way forward to get the car seat to fit behind it?

Any tips for installing it?

I'm still going to test it out but any help would be great.

I really appreciate all this. Thanks!

 

[Calideedle]

I know when I installed it I pushed the seat all the way forward but once it is installed more upright you can just slide the seat back more and have a lot of room for legs.

I love the seatbelt install but the LATCH install is rock solid too!

Oh to get it more upright when installing push down by where her feet go when tightening it makes it less reclined and easier.

 

[adbourgoin]

Thanks for the tips!!

I will let you know what i get this weekend.