Thank you so much for your response!!
You're quite welcome!
I want the Clek...so bad. Unfortunately it's just way to expensive. We are already past our budget affording the Radian :/
Yeah, it's quite pricey, - I don't think I would have paid retail for it, but I was able to get mine for about $339 with a couple of deals from Amazon - I think it was on sale for $399 and then there was a discount code on top of that.
We are going to borrow a Radian to play around with and attempt to get a tight seat belt fit before we purchase. So the seat belt lock is necessary to make this work? Where do I find one of these. I am almost positive our MR65 came with a metal piece...same thing? I have no idea how to use it.
It's not strictly necessary, but the problem is since it doesn't have the built-in lockoffs you have to lock the shoulder portion at the retractor. That tends to make the seat tilt over time unless you use a locking clip. It comes with one, so no need to hunt around for one - it'll just be a matter of mastering the technique of the install, which we can certainly help you with. Pretty much all you do is do a normal seat belt install, then pinch the belt webbing just above the latch plate as you un-buckle the belt. Then you just slip the locking clip over the webbing and re-buckle and you're done. It's not cosmic, but easier said than done and just takes some practice.
The other thing I'd recommend is getting an "Angle Adjuster" which is just basically a piece of foam that you slide under the seat. It makes it more upright, which is good for fitting it in the car, but it has the added benefit that you can get the install
almost tight enough, then just slide the AA under which will take up that last little bit of slack.
As much as I want to RF for as long as possible I am just not sure now if the Radian will be a good fit for us and our van now. What if I moved this seat to the middle bench in the back when we can no longer use the LATCH? Not easy having the youngest in the back, but if its easier and safer...
I don't think you need to sweat it too much - the Radian seatbelt install isn't impossible, like I said just takes some practice, and having one to borrow and play around with will be a big help.
Or we go with a completely different seat. I am thinking the S4M. My girls were able to RF until 5yrs in a 40lb rf weight limit seat...not so sure that will be the case with my son. He is already 18lbs at 6mos.
The S4M is also a great seat from what I hear (have not been hands-on with it myself) and will actually keep tall/skinny kids RF'd longer than the Radian. Most kids outgrow both the Radian and the Foonf for height well before weight anyway. Keep in mind though that the S4M also doesn't have built-in lockoffs, so you're probably going to have the same issues with seat tilt and having to use a locking clip.
One more question...what was the big change in the Dodge vans after 9-1-05? 3mos from the date...ugh. Wish i would have known more when we purchased it :/
Well, it's not just Dodge vans - it's all vehicles - the federal testing requirement for LATCH anchors went into effect for vehicles manufactured after Sep 05. In all likelihood your lower anchors are identical to the ones made 3 months later, but like all things carseat related, we just don't know, so we have to go with the most conservative answer. Honestly, the whole "SuperLATCH to 80lbs" deal can get pretty contentious since you are essentially disregarding the vehicle manufacturer's stated weight limits, however my argument (as well as Diono's) is that different manufacturer's having different weight limits is extraneous and confusing since all lower anchors made after Sep05 pass the exact same federal standard. For instance, Honda says child weight of 40lbs, Ford says 48lbs, and GM says CR+child 65lbs, but Nissan just says follow the CR manufacturer's instructions. Is there any actual strength difference between all of those vehicle manufacturers? No - they all pass the exact same FMVSS 213 testing, so IMO for post Sep05 vehicles the vehicle manufacturer's weight limits are simply to protect themselves from potential lawsuits.
Here's Diono's explaination:
http://us.diono.com/resources/safety-info