Keep my SUV or buy a new Sienna?

[scatterbunny]

Scatterbunny, I have noticed that Aaron's head is sticking at the top of the seat already!!! He's 20lbs and I'm not sure what height he is, but his head definitely reaches the top of the seat! Is there a good Britax to move into from here? Or another seat you (or anyone) recommends instead? I don't mind the cost (not that I'm rich, but hey, peace of mind is worth it to me)

TIA!

If his head is even with the top of the seat shell then he's too tall to rear-face in the Triumph, at only 8 months old. And of course it isn't safe to forward-face him, not for a good long time! So a new seat is in order.

Any of the 65 pound weight limit Britax seats (Marathon, Decathlon or Boulevard) would work for him until he's 5-6 years old. They have a 33 pound rear-facing weight limit and a very tall seat shell, so he'll make it to 33 pounds rear-facing in one of these. They have 17 inch high top slots and will be outgrown by most kids at 45-55 pounds.

The Sunshine Kids Radian is also a good choice if it installs well in your car. Same rear-facing weight limit and same forward-facing weight limit as Britax. It has more installation issues than Britax seats, but it has the same rear-facing limits and even taller top slots, so it will last longer forward-facing.

The Fisher Price Safe Voyage Deluxe is the most "budget" higher weight limit convertible seat. It's made by Britax and based on the Marathon. Same rear-facing weight limit (but no rear-facing top tether like Britax and Sunshine Kids), same seat shell height, same top slot height, 55 pound weight limit.

Other than these, the only other seat I recommend is the $40 Cosco Scenera because it rear-faces to 35 pounds. Forward-facing though, it's short (14.5 inch top slots) and only goes to 40 pounds (but will be outgrown at 2-3 years old and 30-something pounds because of the short top slots). Still, it's a great value for the money because it can rear-face so long.

If I were you I'd go with a Britax Marathon.

 

[Aaron'smommy]

I have other questions about the Marathon then, but I think I should post them to the seat safety category, so I'm going to post it there! Thanks for anyone who might go look and help.

 

[twokidstwodogs]

Apologies if I missed this, but I don't think it was mentioned. If you keep your Expedition, you will eventually want to get top tether anchors retrofitted in it for when your son is forward facing. (You don't need them until then.) This will greatly improve the installation and reduce head excursion. (And the Regent requires them.)

 

[Jeanum]

A 2001 model Expedition would probably have factory installed top tether anchors in it already because it likely was manufactured after the requirement for top tethers went into effect for vehicles sold in the U.S.

 

[inezyv]

If you do decide to get a Sienna, go to the forums at http://www.siennaclub.org and search for terms having to do with loyalty checks. My husband got a generous loyalty check direct from Toyota. They told him not to tell the dealer, this check came straight to us. Basically, he told them that he wanted a Toyota Sienna and his wife wanted a Honda Odyssey, what could they do for him? I think the check was five hundred bucks. Anyway, the forums also have tons of information about what prices dealers are actually charging and so forth. Great negotiating tools and more obsessive information about Siennas than you can ever imagine.