I don't own a car, but I'll probably need a car seat occasionally.

[Neuromancer]

I've done some searching in this forum, but haven't found a similar thread yet.  Feel free to point me in the right direction if you know of one.

I live in New York City and do not own a car.  But the baby-to-be (I'm due late March/early April) has grandparents in two cities of another state, who do all of their travel by car (and don't have car seats).  And we have friends in the city with two kids (and an SUV) with whom we travel by car sometimes.  And we do travel places by plane, and then rent a car, occasionally. 

So my question is, do I have to buy a specific seat to match a specific car, or is there a safe alternative that will fit an infant of unknown size and length in a variety of vehicles for a while?  I'd rather not have something enormous, as our apartment is very small, and when it is not in use we will need to keep it in our apartment (we have no basement storage or large closet).  Additionally, I suppose it needs to be relatively easy to install and remove.  We're also not looking to spend a lot (or we'd be living in a bigger apartment and own a car!), but safety is my first concern, so I'll spend as much as I need to.

Thanks for any advice!  I'll keep searching through other posts for general info that might help me in my decision.

[Edited because I figured out how to edit my post!  ]

Edited by Neuromancer - 11/10/10 at 8:06am

[DahliaRW]

You don't need a specific seat for a car.  Most seats will install fine in most vehicles.

For a seat that would fit a newbie and last you a while I'd look at the graco myride or first years true fit.  If you want something cheaper that you will have to upgrade at some point, a cosco scenera (but that one is harder to install).

[Juvysen]

a radian fits well in most cars (not great in certain seats in a toyota sienna when rear facing, but fine in other seats), and is convertable from back to front... and folds up flat (and is narrower than most seats) which would be better for storage than one that doesn't.  In your situation, I'd go with that... but then, in my situation which is completely different from yours i went with it, too. 

[Neuromancer]

Thank you!  I had seen both of those brands/models recommended and made notes of them.  But I was seeing so many "I have X car; what model car seat will work?" posts that I was worried I wouldn't be able to find one that would fit in a small car, a station wagon, an SUV, and a mystery rental car -- not to mention an airplane and a corner of our apartment!

[Neuromancer]

Thanks for this!  I'll look into the Radian, too.  I don't think my parents have a Toyota Sienna.  I should probably know that, but I'm useless with most car-identification.

Originally Posted by Juvysen 

a radian fits well in most cars (not great in certain seats in a toyota sienna when rear facing, but fine in other seats), and is convertable from back to front... and folds up flat (and is narrower than most seats) which would be better for storage than one that doesn't.  In your situation, I'd go with that... but then, in my situation which is completely different from yours i went with it, too. 

[Juvysen]

*shrug* I have a sienna (it's the toyota minivan) and 2 radians.  It's not the end of the world if they have one. 

[CatsCradle]

Hey OP, we live in the city too and don't have a car.  I amazed, though, at how much we use our carseat!  Our seat fits in all cars, and we've used plenty of rentals of all sizes (including compacts) and have also installed it in our relatives' minivans, etc.  It is sort of a pain hauling it out of storage every time we need to use it, but I can't imagine not having it.  Carrying it in and out of our building with luggage and other items (including DD) has been challenging but you get used to it!

Edited to add that I don't even know the brand - my parents purchased it for us somewhere in New Jersey, possibly Target. 

[an_aurora]

I would probably go with the Coccoro--it's small, lightweight, and it even has a stroller attachment (although I don't know how practical it is).  Or a bucket seat with high weight and height limits--you can easily get 18m out of some of those.  I wouldn't want a big bulky convertible taking up space in the apartment if I didn't have to.

[klk197]

I'm in the same situation: no car, occasionally rent for trips to grandparents.  For a newborn and thru early toddlerhood, the Coccoro has been a terrific seat.  Its very easy to install (but it doesn't hurt to practice a few times to get the hang of it), lightweight to carry to the curb, compact for storing (we keep it on top of a set of drawers), and fits in all of the small cars we've rented.  Rather than getting the stroller attachment or frame though, if two adults are available, I'd recommend first installing the seat into the car and leaving it installed for the duration of a trip. Installing the seat with the baby in it might be your worst nightmare.  Wear the babe in a sling, Ergo, whatever, to and from the car and thru airports.  

My 26 month old still is RF, but will soon grow out of the seat at 27 lbs and 34".  I'm now doing the research to get a larger seat, and so far I've found nothing as perfect as the Coccoro.  I'm bummed!  

[DahliaRW]

I would recommend against a radian.  When installed rfing in a lot of vehicles it takes up a huge amount of room front to back.  Plus some vehicles the seatbelt install does not work with the radian at all. 

[Twinklefae]

Originally Posted by an_aurora 

I would probably go with the Coccoro--it's small, lightweight, and it even has a stroller attachment (although I don't know how practical it is).  Or a bucket seat with high weight and height limits--you can easily get 18m out of some of those.  I wouldn't want a big bulky convertible taking up space in the apartment if I didn't have to.

I agree. 

I would also recommend against the Radian in your case - it's a great seat, but I find it has a learning curve for installation, and if you aren't installing it regularly than it will be hard to get over that hump.  If you decide to go with a convertible from the beginning (and it's perfectly safe to do so, it just may not be convenient) then the MyRide and the TrueFit are good bets that are usually easy to install.

[Neuromancer]

Thanks to everyone who weighed in.  I think the Coccoro (without stroller attachment, to start) might be our best choice.  It's funny, every car seat on Amazon gets a range of reviews, including a bunch about how hard they are to install, and this one's no different but I'll just have to figure it out!  I think the fact that it's small and light makes it win over the Radian, even if I have to replace it sooner.

[urchin_grey]

I third the Coccoro!  Its small, narrow, and light.  It will fit in even the smallest of cars, so if you ever wind up needing to ride in a tiny car, you shouldn't be stuck without a seat that fits.  It fits well on small airplane seats as well. 

Now obviously, the fact that its small also means that it will be outgrown sooner than most other convertibles, but it will still last much longer than an infant seat!