Cheap RF seat for weekend in a Mercedes?

[suomi]

I am going to visit my in-laws for the weekend in a couple of weeks with DD 14.5 lbs 11 mos old. I am going to buy a car seat online and have it shipped to them so they can have it professionally installed before picking us up at the airport. I am trying to make sure the seat will at least fit in one of their cars well, but unfortunately can't find much information.

They have two Mercedes, one a 1994 C280 (MIL thinks has rear tether but not sure) and a 2006 E350 with Latch-type child seat mount & Mounting fitting for tether anchorage

Would a Scenera be an o.k. seat for either or both of these cars? I really don't want to spend much on the seat, because it may never get used again. Neither I nor my in-laws feel comfortable installing a RF seat, so hence why we are buying a new one. The reason I don't think it will get used again is next time we visit the kids will probably be old enough to drive there for a visit. I just don't want to order a seat that is known to be incompatible.

Thanks!

 

[NatesMamma]

The Scenera tends to install fairly easily in most cars, so that's a good bet, unless anyone here knows of a specific compatibility issue. I doubt there is one.

Also, you mentioned the tether anchor. That's a moot point for a RF seat. LATCH stands for "Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren." The lower anchors can be used with either RF or FF seats. (Assuming they're allowed by the vehicle and car seat manufacturers for the seating position in question.) The lower anchors are located where the bottom of the vehicle seat meets the back of the vehicle seat; this is known as the seat bight. The tether point is located somewhere behind the vehicle seat and is only used for FF seats. (The exceedingly rare exception in the USA would be a seat tethered "Australian style." Basically a non-issue, though. Don't worry about it.)

Neither I nor my in-laws feel comfortable installing a RF seat, so hence why we are buying a new one.

This is what I really wanted to address. Why aren't you comfortable installing a car seat? In all honesty, it's not terribly difficult, provided that you carefully read the car seat manual and also the applicable parts of the vehicle manual. (The sections on child restraints and air bags, in particular.) At any rate, it's very important that you become familiar with installing your car seat(s). Even if you don't think you will ever uninstall the seat from your car, you never know. Consider what would happen if your child somehow dirtied the car seat cover and you needed to uninstall the car seat to remove the cover for cleaning. Or perhaps you accidentally unbuckled the seat belt holding the car seat. Or you need to uninstall the seat to move the harness up as your child grows... Really, you just never know!

A good tech will teach you how to install the car seat, not just do it for you. There's a list of techs who are members here--someone can link for you, I'm sure. I recommend you make an appointment so that you can learn how to keep your child safe on your own. GL!

PS- Just throwing it out there that most people here would recommend buying a seat for your baby and taking her car seat on the plane. There are some minimal(?) safety benefits, but it's also much, much more convenient for you. FWIW, the FAA recommends all children ride in their own seats on a plane, including kids young enough to qualify as "lap babies."

Have a great trip!!

 

[wendytthomas]

What seat is your DD in now? The easiest thing to do would be to learn how to install your seat yourself (which you should know how to do anyway), and then take it with you on the plane. Safer for your baby (who will neither be an airbag nor a projectile if she's in her own seat) and for those around you. And more comfortable. Sit on the couch for as long as your flights are. Keep your DD on your lap. Every two hours get up and walk around your house, change her diaper, and sit back down. Make sure you keep her entertained in a space no wider than your lap. Having done it both ways, traveling with two seats for two people is far easier than one seat for two people. It's also safer. And with the FAA's regulations. And then you don't need to worry about installing the carseat, since you'll know how to do it yourself and it'll be a seat you're very familiar with.

When parents or grandparents come to be because someone is visiting, I don't just install the seat for them. We go through everything. It's an hour long check on when the seat is outgrown, when it needs to be turned forward facing, how to install it, etc. And they install it before we're done.

I'd be surprised if a 1994 Mercedes had a rear facing tether point. It may have a forward facing one, but I'd fall over if it had a rear facing one.

Wendy

 

[suomi]

I know it's safer for the baby to be in her own seat, but I also know that it is much safer to be in a plane than drive. So, i am leaving in less than two weeks and already have the tickets and she will be a lap infant. I have done a lap infant many times, including a three-leg 26 hour trip to Europe by myself twice, once with a 15 month lap infant, once with a 18 month lap infant and a 3 year old. So as far as ease of travel, I know it's a pain but I also know I can do it. We may nurse the whole way, but I know we can get there, and this little two-hour domestic trip with one baby is a piece of cake compared to what I have already done with the other kiddos.

I have seen posts about another Mercedes vehicle owner not liking the Scenera, but I couldn't understand why. I wanted to make sure that there isn't some issue with it fitting.

Even if I knew how to install it myself, I would still want it to be checked by a tech, so I think I can save myself some worry if I just get it installed by a tech at the outset. I have been shown several times how to install various seats, but whenever I have installed one and then taken it to be checked it was not right. Even my hubby, who is much more skilled than I in the car seat area , has great difficulty with RF.

I really do appreciate the advice, but I REALLY just want to get a new seat to use while I am there. I am trying to decide between getting the Scenera which might get used again, but probably not, or getting a cheap Evenflo infant seat, which has even less chance of getting used again.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[NatesMamma]

I can see your POV on why you want a tech to help your ILs install the seat. Don't necessarily think it's the #1 best way to look at it, but I see where you're coming from. Like Wendy said, though, be sure g-ma/pa is prepared for the check to take a little while.

Just to satisfy my curiosity, what issues have you had with RF seats?

 

[suomi]

We can never get the RF installs tight enough. They are always wobbly, no matter what the seat. Even DH's installs are not tight enough. They are something to go the two miles to the car seat tech, but not secure by their or our opinions.

So is Scenera a good idea for this situation?

 

[wendytthomas]

It is. I wouldn't buy an Evenflo infant seat. It probably won't fit (requires the handle down and 1.5" of clearance).

Where are you checking for movement? You need less than 1" of movement at the belt path. The head of the seat will move.

Wendy

 

[Brigala]

For the immediate issue of which seat to send to the grandparents, I agree that a Scenera is the right choice. And it's entirely reasonable to have them take it to a technician to get help installing it. However, they also need to learn how to install the seat (and so do you) because once you get there you'll probably want to take the seat out of the car and adjust it to your child and then reinstall it.

As far as not being able to get seats in your car rear-facing without professional help, I would definitely suggest you see whether any of the car-seat.org techs are in your area and can help you learn how to do it. Not all techs are created equally. I suspect someone who has the type of "philosophy" it takes to hang out on this forum will be able to take the time to teach you how to install your seat in your car with confidence.

 

[NatesMamma]

I'd be surprised if a 1994 Mercedes had a rear facing tether point. It may have a forward facing one, but I'd fall over if it had a rear facing one.

Whoops. Maybe I misunderstood the point/question. I was assuming the OP meant a tether point behind the seat (i.e. a place to tether a FF seat). Maybe, instead, she was referring to a dedicated place to tether a RF seat? If that is the case, sorry for the confusion OP. (Just for the record for anyone who might not know, there are a few brands of car seats that can be tethered RF, but they typically use an anchor point toward the front of the vehicle. This is called the "Swedish" method of tethering. The "T" in LATCH refers to a point toward the rear of the vehicle, and all seats currently on the market are compatible with the LATCH system and can/should be tethered when they are FF. The Scenera cannot be tethered RF.)

As I said previously, OP, I do believe the Scenera is a good choice for an inexpensive, relatively easy to install car seat for vacation.

 

[monica-m]

Where are the grandparents? I see you're in TX and if they are too I might be able to help them find a place to have their seat checked. You can send me a PM if you don't want the information being public.

 

[suomi]

I am in NC, they are in Indiana. The people from TX weren't me, the original poster of the question.

Someone else said Scenera is really tricky in a Mercedes and I should go for an Evenflo Tribute? Comments?

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[jourdysmom]

Someone else said Scenera is really tricky in a Mercedes and I should go for an Evenflo Tribute? Comments?

I would rather install 100 Sceneras than 1 Tribute. The foot that flips forward for RF on the Tribute is always in the way of an install and makes me crazy. It always leaves me a less than desirable install (just my personal opinion) .