Sonata update...

[Tara]

I tried out a few combos today.
Rebekah, I'm sorry to tell you...there is NO way you're going to get a Regent in that seat with 2 other car seats. Not happenin'
This morning dh took 2 of the kids with him. That meant the FPSE was FF drivers side outboard, then the PW passenger side outboard. There was very little space between the two.
But once I got out there, I tried things anywho. I couldn't get anything in next to that FPSE. The Sonata's seats are just contoured enough, that you don't get any fudge room in the seat.

However...

I did get a good install with the MA FF outboard with seatbelt. And RF outboard with LATCH. I didn't try FF with LATCH because of how the LATCH clips are. That meant I would have had to swap them around and I wasn't up for ALL THAT at the moment. I do not like using the LATCH though. I got a great install with it and everything, but darn, maybe it's just that I'm not familiar w/installing with it, but I had a hard time finding the little hook in there. Once I found it *bam* locked it right down, was easy to adjust and all. I just had a heck of a time getting the clip in the right spot to grab the hook.

I tried the RA RF center, got a good fit. Seatbelt of course, no latch in center position. I didn't tether it, but it would need to be. It would help bring the top down to a nice level. But the base was in nicely.

I could get the RF RA center in next to the FF MA driver side outboard. So I'm sure another FF MA/RA seat would fit on the passenger side.

Shoot..now I can't remember what else I tried. I was trying to do as much as I could as quickly as I could...baby wasn't being extremely cooperative So my time out there was limited.

I think I tried the PW next to the RF RA in the above combo and it didn't work. I know one thing worked well with the PW next to it, another didn't work at all..so....

I had the PW outboard next to something...I am thinking it must have been the MA FF center. I had my son come out and check it, to see if he could buckle. It didn't seem to be any more difficult for him than any other arrangement he's been in. There was just enough space that he could get his other hand down to grab the buckle and hold it up to lock his self in.

But I couldn't get anything in next to the FPSE. And a PW in the center wasn't happening either. There's a tad too much 'hump' there for it to work.

And that was the extent of my installation experiments today. I didn't bother with the Snugride. Perhaps another day

Oh, forgot the BG. I'll see about doing something with that as soon as I can. I *did* want to try that because of the expanding width, that's right. Ok, forgot that one, oops hehe
I'll try to get to that one, see what will fit next to it.

Any questions? Anything in particular you want me to try? Double check?

Seats I have to use:
SnugRide - w/LATCH
RA
MA - w/LATCH
PW
BG
FPSE

 

[skaterbabs]

oh, well. I think we've decided to go with a van anyway. Thanks for checking for me!

 

[Tara]

No problem
If the seats weren't so nicely contoured..it coulda worked hehe

I'm glad I got to check things out though. I knew the Sonata had a 'roomy' rear seat, but was it *actually* roomy enough for 3 car seats...I had to know. So I *think* as long as they're not all facing the same direction, you cuold make it work with things like RA/MA/etc As I said, with RF in the center, I had a FF outboard on one side, I'm sure one would fit on the opposite side just as well. So, maybe ??? with FF in the center and RF in either outboard postion, that would work too? Not positive, didn't try it.
But I don't see a booster of any kind working in the center.
And you don't stand a chance of 3 across with anything wider than a MA.

I had fun hehe Of course, hubby just laughed at me.

But then he got my RA back in the center position in my truck!! Wahoo! I'm so happy about that. I'll try to get pics of the gang in their seats soon. Oh and I just wanted to double check something on that RA install as well.

 

[skaterbabs]

Yeah, one of the reasons we were looking at it was because we know that the MA will fit with either the TBs or PWs.But I *really* want Gregory harnessed, and I'm prettysure that means something with a 3rd row.

 

[Tara]

Yup, I think so too. Darn, we tried

So, uh, minivan here we come?? hehe

 

[skaterbabs]

yeah, but I have my neices and nephews every so often (they live about 35 minutes away), so it'll be nice to not have to take 2 cars to church when they're with me.

 

[Tara]

Yeah, big plus there.
Hehe I remember back when we only had one child (wow, was there ever such a time? hehe anyway...) we had a 12 passenger van. Overkill eh? LOL Dh was in Bible college at the time, we lived across the street from the school. We would always pick up at least a handful of folks from the school to take to church. The "good church" was a few miles out in the country and several of the students didn't have vehicles.
So, when our Accord was dying and we saw a 12 pass van alongside the road w/a 4 sale sign..we didn't think it crazy for one moment hehe Snagged that thing as quickly as we could. So, yeah, vans/extra room ... it's a good thing

 

[skaterbabs]

When the boys were babies I drove a 2 door Hyundai Excel hatchback. lol That thing was tiny! My biggest thing about driving a van is that 90% of the time it['s just Joyjoy and me in the car, so a van rally is overkill. lol

 

[Victorious4]

Talk about overkill ... I have just Leila, but drive a minivan JIC I mean, I'll be offering odd hours childcare within 2 months & plan on taking the daytime kids to the Zoo & Museum so eventually I want/need the space, but for the last month it's been rather silly I admit, I actually feel more "complete" now that I'm babysitting Leila's older half sister & the new baby more often again, LOL -- I love having the SafeSeat1 & StarRiserComfy in the 3rd row (thinking about testing the Radian & F.P. Safe Voyage to put outboard for a daycare kid) with RYSport & Husky in the middle row even though only 1 carseat gets used more than once a week!

 

[skaterbabs]

LOL I take the boys' boosters out of the car when they're not in them, saves the hassel of climbing over 'em.

 

[Victorious4]

Yeah, I would, too ... but with the harness seats, there's no way I'm spending time uninstalling/reinstalling -- just leavin'em in ... gets me the really good parking at the grocery store, LOL

 

[skaterbabs]

Well, yeah, that makes sense. The TBs just slip right out, and I like not having to worry about getting brained by one of them in a crash.