Which RF Convertible for MDX?

[Debh2007]

Please help.
It is time for me to buy DD a convertible. DD is about 1.5" from the top of her Snugride (the 26" limit one). DD is nowhere near the weight but is tall (25" at her 4 month). She will be 6 months old later this month.

DS is 28mo. old FF in his Marathon and I plan to keep him there until he outgrows it. (Currently about 39inches/32lbs).
When DS was RF in the Marathon there was NO room for the front seat passenger and one of us had to ride in back. Now with 2 we can't do that.
DH and I are 6'4" and 5'10" respectively.
We need some room in front.

My question is - is there a very high quality convertible car seat that doesn't take as much room as the Marathon, but will last a long time and be able to keep DD RF for as long as possible?

The other question I have - DD and DS are tall and thin - is there a height limit on the Marathon?

Any suggestions of what to buy and also how to manage transitions with as few purchases as possible would be appreciated.
Quality is much more important than price to me.

Thank you,
Deb

 

[wendytthomas]

Sounds like a Roundabout may be good for you guys. It's a Britax, but with a shorter shell than the Marathon. It harnesses to 33 pounds RFing, but only 40 FFing. By the time your daughter is ready to move up you can sell it and put it toward another Marathon, or see what is available then.

As for the height, they're just guidelines. RFing seats are outgrown when there is less than an inch of shell above the head. Doesn't matter if they're 20" or 28" for an infant seat. Depends where they carry their length.

HTH

Wendy

 

[Victorious4]

Wow, I'm really surprised -- my dad is 5'10" & rode comfortably in my SO's MDX with a Boulevard RF (same shell as the Marathon). Although, my DD was almost 4 & the seat was quite upright. Only infants need the 45 degree recline....

Height limit RF is when the top of the head is within 1" of (or even with) the shell/frame, depending on the manual. Wendy is absolutely correct about how kids carry their height torso vs. leg

If your children are tall like you then it would be safest to have a taller shell carseat like the Marathon to keep them RF longer (AAP + NHTSA urge parents to keep kids RF until the maximum limits regardless of age) -- if this requires 1 adult sits in the back then that just means the kids will be more contented & that adult will be 40% safer in a crash

 

[joolsplus3]

A properly installed rearfacing marathon should take up no more room than a snugride. If you can stand to sit in front of the snugride, then you should easily be able to sit in front of the marathon, even rearfacing. It does not need to be reclined to 45 degrees for an older baby, it can be more upright. Why not give it a try before you decide? If it'll work, I'd get a Safeguardseat for the older child and put the baby in the Marathon. If you are seriously cramped in front of the snugride, then the Roundabout is going to offer you a little more leg room up front.

 

[TXDani]

I am able to put a rf'ing Boulevard and Decathlon (both are the same shell as the Marathon) rf'ing in the back of my MDX. I only put them in there to test them out since my youngest is still in his infant seat but they definitely fit allowing ample room for the front passengers. What year is your MDX? Mine is a 2007 which was a big redesign so maybe yours has less room then the new ones??