I need help choosing a seat (or seats!)

[mom2juliarose]

Currently we have a '97 CRV and an '05 CRV. DD is now 5-stepping *sniff!*. In my car (the '05) we have a Snugride 30 with DS2 in it and a Radian 65 with DS1 in it. In DH's car we don't have a base or seat for the baby (he takes my car when he has the baby), there's just a Diono R100 in there for DS1.

Well, DS2 HATES the infant seat. This weekend we plan on trying him in the R100 in my car. I'm not sure if that will work, though, as if I recall correctly the R100 is over-reclined in the center seat of my car, and he's too young for me to feel comfortable using the angle adjuster. But we'll see. He HAS to be in the middle and DS1 has to be outboard on the driver's side with DD outboard on the passenger side. I can't have it any other way due to how school drop-offs work. Plus I need DD next to the baby for comfort.

DS2 is in the 90% for height and weight. At 10 weeks he's 13lbs 12oz and 24.5" long. I'm honestly not sure of DS's stats but I'm guessing he's about 50 pounds and he's 46" tall. He'll be 5 in November and is nowhere near being ready for a booster. I'm guessing he'll need to be harnessed until he's at least 6.

Also, the Radian 65 we have will expire in September of 2016.

So, what seats would you buy for whom to get the most bang for our buck? We're not rolling in the dough, but thinking long-term we could afford to splurge if seats will last us a while. (The Radian65 we have was DDs and now DS1s!)

If the R100 doesn't work in my car we'll need a convertible for my car and one for DH's car (probably something basic, but could fit a bigger kid for as long as possible) for the baby, and if the R100 does work in my car we'll need a seat for DS1 in DH's car and again a seat for the baby for DH's car.

So, what would you get/buy?

 

[ketchupqueen]

So you could pass down the Radian in at least one car right?

In the one where it overreclines would the AA just correct the overrecline?

If you pass those down (or one of those) I might look at the SecureKid next to it.

If you can't pass those down do you want a longer lasting seat? The Safety 1st Advance Air + EX is a bit huge, but worth a try in the center of a car. Otherwise, a 40 lb rf seat won't lose you anything over an R100, and a Graco Contender/Size4Me/MySize etc might do.

 

[mom2juliarose]

So you could pass down the Radian in at least one car right?

In the one where it overreclines would the AA just correct the overrecline?

If you pass those down (or one of those) I might look at the SecureKid next to it.

If you can't pass those down do you want a longer lasting seat? The Safety 1st Advance Air + EX is a bit huge, but worth a try in the center of a car. Otherwise, a 40 lb rf seat won't lose you anything over an R100, and a Graco Contender/Size4Me/MySize etc might do.

Yes, the Radian could get passed down in at least one car. I have an AA but I thought there was like an age limit on when you could use them?

I will look into the Advance Air, too, but right now the baby and DD share the "60" of my split 60/40 back seat, and a wide seat might make it hard for her to sit there and buckle.

It's been so long since we've bought seats that I don't seem to know any of the current ones!

 

[cryswilkins]

I'd pass at least one radian down. Then get a FF only for DS1. Maybe a defender, secure kid, frontier 90. Then for the other car I'd look into one of the Graco clones. I love my Contender and I don't feel like it's overly wide.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Even on ones labeled with an age there is retroactively no age limit. Just when they have good head control. (Since in some cars it's the only way to prevent overrecline!)

 

[Mary_Ann]

The Frontier 90 puzzles really well with a RF Radian with AA.

 

[JlynnB]

I have an '06 CRV, and I couldn't get my R100 to work there RF. I didn't check with a tech, but I did get some advice on here when I posted a thread about it. It over-reclines on its own, but I can't even use the angle adjuster there because there's only like 9" between the seat belt stalks. The best seat I've had in that spot is a MyRide, because of the super narrow base. The other recommendations I got were for a Pria or a TrueFit, which of course was discontinued, though I still see a few for sale. Even though the MyRide is wide, I can still fit a hbb driver's side for my oldest because of the 60/40 split, so that might even work with your seating arrangement. But the Graco clones might be a better choice if they have a narrow base, too. I'm just not familiar with them. Be aware, though, that a seat with a wide base will sit on top of the seatbelt for the rear passenger side. Good luck!