New seats! Suggestions appreciated

[Mommy!]

Hi,

Two of our current seats are expiring at the end of Dec 2012, and we have bought a second car so basically getting ready to buy three new car seats. We are in Canada by the way. As far as budget goes, we would like to keep it as reasonable as possible, however I understand but safety comes first!

Our existing car is a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville, no latch, three top tethers (each back seat), lap only in rear centre, lap/shoulder in rear outboard. No latch but weve never had any trouble installing our current seats with seatbelts. R. is drivers side, L. is centre, C. is passenger side.

New car is a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria P71. Latch in rear outboard positions if I'm not mistaken, three top tethers, and lap/shoulder in all three positions.

My husband and I are both tall, he is 6'3", front seats generally have to be all the way back.

DD1, R. is 6 yrs, 49" tall, 26" seated height, 49 lbs. Currently in a HBB Turbo, with screw installed correctly , and we have bought another HBB for the second car. Fits well, belt is positioned correctly.

DS1, C. will be 4 yrs in two weeks, 41" tall, 22" seated height, 36 lbs. Just moved from FF in one of our Scenera's (that is expiring at the end of 2012) because he was getting close to the 40lb limit and R. vacated the Evenflo Generations that he is now riding in (FF, harnessed). I believe it expires in 2014 but will double check. I expect him to need to be harnessed for at least a couple more years; very hyperactive, impulsive, etc. He would keep using the EG in one of the cars, it has a 47 lb harness limit. Need a new seat for him for the second car.

DS2, L. is 2 yrs, 36" tall, 21.5" seated height, 36 lbs. Currently FF in one of the Scenera's, moved him from RF recently when he hit the weight limit. I would really like to RF him longer. His Scenera expires at the end of 2012 so we need two seats for him, and again I would really like to RF him.

In both cars they will obviously be three across. This has never been an issue in our Pontiac and the Ford is even bigger. In the Pontiac there is no chance of fitting a RF seat anywhere but centre, and in the Ford since it has three lap/shoulder belts in rear we would like to put DD R. in the centre to break up the fighting between the boys.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! It has been awhile since we shopped for seats, and we never had to consider heights etc so much when they were smaller.

Thanks!

 

[smackeen]

If you have a store around to test the seats out before buying, that would be the best.

HBTB works for the oldest.

What about the Harmony v7 for DS1? It harnesses to 50lbs and turns to a hb and a nb booster. Also the Evenflo Secure Kid 400. Bit more expensive, but harnesses to 65lbs (not sure if you need the extra weight though)

For DS2 I would look at a Radian with an angle adjuster.

Both seats are on the narrow side and should last quite a while for both your ds's.

 

[Mommy!]

If you have a store around to test the seats out before buying, that would be the best.

HBTB works for the oldest.

What about the Harmony v7 for DS1? It harnesses to 50lbs and turns to a hb and a nb booster. Also the Evenflo Secure Kid 400. Bit more expensive, but harnesses to 65lbs (not sure if you need the extra weight though)

For DS2 I would look at a Radian with an angle adjuster.

Both seats are on the narrow side and should last quite a while for both your ds's.

Thanks I appreciate your tips!

We have a toys r us fairly close I'll go check them there. For DS1 I do like the idea of harnessing to 65 lbs just in case.

I did some research and it seems like the Radian is the only seat to RF to 45 lbs here in Canada, all others I searched only RF to 40 max. I heard the Radian can sometimes be a bit difficult to install in some vehicles, do you have any experience with this? We would need to also be able to install with a seatbelt in my parents car occasionally.

 

[Nimommyof2]

Hi I believe the radian is the only 45lb RF seat at this time. I can be tricky in some cars to install, I've only had problems in one place and used the latch there if that wasn't available I think I could've got it to work with a locking clip. The RF is the same weight as the older one am I seeing that correctly?

I would look at the maestro as well for the other child though it only harness to 47lbs but looks like he is on a slower scale of weight gain so would think you may get a few years out of it, if not I would definitly look at the evenflo secure kid it looks like a great seat. Besides the Radian I'm not sure what else to suggest for RF I really like the Graco myride but of course it only RF to 40lbs you could always wait till November and see how much your younger child has gained, I take it your current Scenera only RF to 35lbs thats too bad its not the 40lb one.

 

[Mommy!]

Actually our current Scenera only RF to 30lbs. It is over 5 years old though.

DS2 has always been big, not chubby or anything just plain muscular. Where many children his age have just small arms and legs he is actually muscular, built like a little tank, which is why both boys weigh the same.

I am almost positive the Radian won't fit RF in the Pontiac, and we should have the Ford within a few days so I will be able to go to toys r us to check the Radian in there (well may as well in both cars).

 

[Nimommyof2]

Hi there is also an angle adjuster now available for the radian not sure if you know about it or not and it makes installs work in some of the vehicles it didn't before. You could also FF in the one vehicle and RF him in the other.

 

[smackeen]

I have my radian in a pontiac montana ( really reclined without angle adjuster). I also installed it in our ford focus and it was great. Too inclined with the angle adjuster.

Definitely try the seats out first. That way you know what will work.

I think the harmony may only be at walmart though. I have not seen it online at toysrus.

Toys r us should have the radian, secure kid and the maestro.

Good luck!

 

[Mommy!]

Thanks everyone for your very helpful suggestions! We ended up getting two Alpha Omega's at 50% off The last two on the shelf, we double checked that they were brand new, boxes never opened, and manufactured in April 2012!

I found out afterwards they seem to have a so-so reputation for install but we were able to install them three across in both vehicles, nice and tight whether we use the seatbelts or latch, and we were able to fit one RF in the Ford for our youngest, L. I noticed the 36" stated rearfacing height limit after in the manual, but Liam is not quite that yet, and still has a good 4inches between the top edge of the plastic hard shell and his head. Both boys are more "leggy" than torso anyways. I figure we will get at least a few years out of these and can get HBB in the future.

We went to BRU and could not get the Radian to fit RF in either car but hopefully a 40lb RF limit will take L. to age 3 or close.