Need to replace all seats

[boscopup]

Our truck's engine spontaneously caught on fire early this morning in our garage. All of our vehicles were in there, and thus all of our car seats. So I need to replace them quickly (thankfully, insurance covers the garage, vehicles, and contents). I'm thinking I might want to get different seats than what we had, since two of my kids are starting to move toward the next phase of carseatdom.

What we had in my van:
First Years Compass high back booster - almost 8 year old boy, 50-some-odd lbs, 52"ish - will stay in a high back booster.
Radian 65 (old version that rearfaced 35 lbs, or was it 33?) - 5.5 year old boy with a LONG torso... he was getting awfully close to outgrowing the harness height on this seat... 47", 45 lbs.
First Years True Fit - almost 3 year old boy, 31 lbs recently... not sure on height, but he has a long torso and still fit very well rearfacing in this seat.

For other vehicles, I had a Graco Turbobooster and a Graco Nautilus in the garage. I usually used those for the 7 and 5.5 year old, respectively, though sometimes I put two boosters in a vehicle.

So the 5.5 year old fits well in a Graco Turbobooster. I'm debating whether to put him in that or get another seat that harnesses and converts to a booster. I can kind of go either way, but I don't know that he'll have much more time in a harnessed seat. When he and his brother sit on a bench together, the tops of their heads are at the same spot. He has outgrown his size 6 long sleeve shirts and now needs size 7. Maturity wise, he is usually fine in a booster, but still has his moments.

And what about the True Fit? The almost-3 year old was going to outgrow it by weight rearfacing soon. I'm ok with turning him around, or he can stay rearfacing longer. I'm just happy I got him this far, since my others didn't have seats that handled the height that long! My DH hates the straps on this seat.

I haven't researched seats in the last couple years, so I don't know what all is on the market. I know Radians now rearface to 45 lbs, and I'm sure there are others like that too. These seats will go in a Honda Odyssey. I would like to have two seats that can be used for the little one (in case he needs to go in another vehicle, I don't have to move seats around). I'll still have extra boosters for the big boys for the other vehicles.

Suggestions for the 5.5 year old and almost 3 year old? And also a harnessing seat for other vehicles for the 3 year old?

 

[Brianna]

Oh no! I hope everybody was unharmed.

Do you know what vehicles you will be getting (The Ody?), or will you have rentals for a while?
Do you need to buy able to buy car seats from local stores, or can you order online?
Is the insurance company requiring anything specific?

 

[boscopup]

Oh no! I hope everybody was unharmed.

I am ever so thankful that our garage is not attached to the house! We were all sleeping soundly. My husband discovered the fire when he went outside to drive to work! The metal building contained the fire very well. It was basically like a giant oven.

Do you know what vehicles you will be getting (The Ody?), or will you have rentals for a while?

We will likely purchase a used Silverado diesel this weekend. I don't yet know if the Ody will be totaled or not. It was right next to the truck that was burning. All of the plastic parts on the outside of the Ody are melted. We're waiting for the insurance adjuster to come out. If we have to replace it, we'll get another Ody. I love my Ody.

Do you need to buy able to buy car seats from local stores, or can you order online?

I will need to at least get some locally so we can get to church on Sunday. I can pick up a couple Turboboosters easily, and I'm looking at the Radian R100, which I think Walmart would have? Or do Radians still have the evil install problems? I know I couldn't install one in my old Montana minivan, but it did nicely in the Odyssey with LATCH (captain chair). I don't think I ever tried it rearfacing in my Odyssey. I also know that installing anything in our old truck (F-150) was not fun because of the squishy seats. New truck should have LATCH though, so maybe that will be a bit easier. And I can forward face the little one in the truck for a bit if I need to.

Is the insurance company requiring anything specific?

I don't think so. They're going to give us some amount to get started, then have us turn in receipts for everything so they can pay us more as needed.

 

[bubbaray]

Will the truck be an extended cab or crew cab?? My comments are for a crew cab. If it is an extended cab, that changes things.

I would get a PW for your 7yo.

I would get a PW or TB for your 5.5yo

I would get a RN for the 3yo OR I would get a FR, depending on if you plan on RFg him again.

All of those seats should be fine in a newer crew cab silverado and an Ody.

 

[boscopup]

Will the truck be an extended cab or crew cab?? My comments are for a crew cab. If it is an extended cab, that changes things.

The full size back seat. I can't keep them straight, but it's 4 doors. And it looks like we're looking at a 2001+, so it may not have LATCH. DH just brought one home on a test drive so I could see what they're like.

If the Ody gets replaced (and I'm thinking it will), it would be probably 2006 or newer, so it would definitely have LATCH.

Do Radians install in a 2001 Silverado 2500?

 

[NannyMom]

I'd look at a Parkway for the oldest, I think that's one of the tallest high back boosters.

Frontier or Turbobooster for the 5 year old. If he still (barely) fits in the Radian, he could get another year or 2 in the Frontier. Then it could be passed down to the youngest.

Either another True Fit for the 3 year old, or a Diono Radian (maybe with angle adjuster?)

 

[Jan06twinmom]

Glad that your family was okay and that the fire didn't spread.

I was going to suggest the Frontier for your 5.5yo. It sounds like he could still benefit from being in a 5pt harness. I also think you'll want this seat for your 3yo down the road since he has such a long torso.

Maybe do the Radian for the almost 3yo. It would give him more time to stay rear-facing. If you get the Frontier for the 5yo, then you'll have that seat to grow into in a couple of years.

Melanie

 

[boscopup]

Ok, I really appreciate the advice here! I'm looking at the Parkway for the oldest, Frontier for the 5 year old (I do think harnessing longer would be a good idea)... Still waffling on the 3 year old. Question about the Radian: How does it compare to the True Fit when rearfacing, both in space taken up (running into the seat it's behind) and leg room for the child? The True Fit is fine on both accounts. Legs are crossed, of course, but he's comfortable and has plenty of room to put his legs. It seems nice and deep. The seat butts up against the seat it's behind, but I'm able to have my seat back far enough for my long legs. Also, is one more comfortable than the other? My 5 year old has issues with his legs falling asleep in the Radian (forward facing), and I suspect that's because it's not all that deep in the seat.

There is of course the option of just forward facing the 3 year old... I certainly got him rearfacing longer than my other two kids. If I did that, I could probably just get him a Frontier also?

I talked to our insurance agent, and he said to go ahead and replace the seats, and I can either get something comparable or pay the difference if I get an "upgrade". I'm not sure how much of an upgrade they will notice... I'm not going from $50 seats to $300 seats or anything, but we're also fine with paying whatever the difference ends up being.

 

[bubbaray]

Well personally I replaced my DD2s RFg MA with a FR after I was rear ended when she was 2.5. She was a couple of pounds away from the RFg limit of the seat. IMO it is a judgement call. Many here would be horrified at the thought of FFg a 2 yo but I personally wasn't going to lose sleep over it. I did my best in the situation.

FWIW she's been very happy with the FR. My only concern in your situation would be whether you can get a good install in an older truck. I don't know the top tether situation in that MY of that truck either.

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

 

[hboo22]

I know a FF Radian (it was a 65) fit well in our 2003 Silverado 2500 Crew Cab (I miss that truck)

 

[boscopup]

FWIW she's been very happy with the FR. My only concern in your situation would be whether you can get a good install in an older truck. I don't know the top tether situation in that MY of that truck either.

The one we were looking at had top tether anchors for all 3 back seats. That was a 2001. We're looking at no older than that... might be newer.