Best car seat for situation

[junkybird]

Here is my situation.  We have a 2010 Hyundai Sonata and two other cars (1987 and 1966) that only have lap belts with the tabs that you pull to make them tighter.  Our DC are DS 6.5 and DD 2.5.  At the moment, this is what we have for car seats.  In the Sonata, DS is in a Graco TurboBooster and DD is in a Graco Comfortsport.  When we drive the older cars, DS rides in a Nautilus and DD is still in the Comfortsport.  The Comfortsport expires this month, so I need to get something else for her.  Since we don't plan on not having the older cars, I have to have something that will keep her in a 5 point harness for as long as possible, because when they both grow out of the Nautilus and whatever else I get, they will be in a lap belt only.  Cringe :|

I have been looking at another Nautilus, but I feel that with her build (she is average, but I'm comparing her to my skinny son) the crotch strap might be an issue with her.  DS doesn't complain about the crotch strap at all and it doesn't appear to be too small for him.  Also, we may have another child.  When this happens, I will need three across the back of the Sonata.  There are no minivans in our future. 

So, if I was in the future to need a TurboBooster and some sort of infant seat (I will have to get new, as my Snugride is expired that I used for both kids), plus another seat FF, what is my best best for fitting all this in.  A Radian?  Will a Radian FF, a TurboBooster and, say, another Snugride fit across the back seat of a Sonata?

I am just trying to figure out what is the best car seat for the future of needing three in the back.  The Nautilus is WAY too big to have two of those and a SnugRide, right?  How about the Frontier, a Nautilus and an infant seat?  I am going to assume--no.  I do realize that with the Radian I will have to eventually get a booster.

Does anyone have suggestions?  This is my first post ever!

Jenn

Edited by junkybird - 12/20/10 at 10:47am

[chickabiddy]

Welcome!

The children must stay harnessed in the lap-belt-only vehicles.  They cannot use boosters or ride with lap-belts.  The Frontier85 has the tallest harness on the market currently, but it must be tethered after 65#, so you will need to look into retrofitting a tether anchor.

Girls usually don't complain about the crotch strap in the Nautilus.  It usually bothers boys more.  Ahem.

Nautiluses and Frontiers aren't usually great for three-acrosses.  Would you consider a convertible instead of an infant seat?

[junkybird]

So, is that a law that they have to be in a harness/car seat? Not that I don't want it to be or anything, lap belt only is very unsafe, but I need to let my husband know this. Are there other options? Like using the vests? At what age/weight/height is it legal to have only the lap belt? I live in SC. I should also mention that the times that we drive those lap belt only cars is extremely rare. What do people do that have old classic cars?

So, are you saying that a regular convertible is more narrow than the usual 'baby bucket' type seats? I don't have a problem using another Nautilus, except that I wasn't sure that a Nautilus, the Turbo Booster and another seat for a baby would all fit. That Nautilus is pretty wide with those cup holders, etc.

My main goals are to get a seat that will: 1.) allow me to eventually get in a seat for another baby 2.) work in my lap belt only vehicles for as long as possible What configurations will work in a 2010 Hyundai Sonata?

[chickabiddy]

It is not a law in SC that children cannot ride in lap belts only.  It is very unsafe, however.  Vests are an option if you are willing and able to have top tethers added.

There are convertibles that are narrower than buckets, but I'm still not sure that the Nautilus would work.  Two Combo Coccoros for the babies and a Turbobooster for your son would work easily in the Hyundai.

[an_aurora]

I must be missing some info from your post, but why can't she just go outboard in the other lap/shoulder belt when she does outgrow whatever seat you get her now?

[DahliaRW]

aurora - in two of the vehicles there are only lap belts.

First, I would probably see if you can get 3 point seatbelts installed in the older cars.  I know in some they can, not sure on cost.

If that's not possible and you want to get heavy duty tether anchors installed, you could look at the easy on harness.  That might be your best bet, and I think you can use it for a very long time.

Otherwise the highest harness is the Britax Frontier 85 and I'd get that.  And after it's outgrown I wouldn't risk my child's life letting them ride in a lap only belt in the older cars.

[junkybird]

Originally Posted by an_aurora 

I must be missing some info from your post, but why can't she just go outboard in the other lap/shoulder belt when she does outgrow whatever seat you get her now?

She can.  But that is not my concern.  I am quite sure that I am confusing people!  LOL :)  I have two different car set ups.  One car is a 2010 Sonata.  In this car they are using a Turbobooster and a Comfortsport.  The other cars are older classic cars that only have lap belts, so for DS I use a GN in it and move the Comfortsport every time we drive it for DD.  So, I need seats that will last as long as they can. 

But, this new seat also needs to be narrow so that I can fit 3 across the back when we do have another child.  I have two kids right now, DS6.5 and DD2.5.  By the time that I have another kid, they will be close to 8 and 4.  I am just thinking ahead.  I want to make sure that I get her a new seat that will allow me to fit a baby across the back seat, as well.  That's why I am looking at the Radian 65 for her.  My DS might even be out of the TurboBooster at that time.  Adding another Radian might be the best option then.  Two Radians (one FF, one RF) and one child not in a seat.  That should work, right?

Does that make better sense?  We hardly ever drive the older cars as a family, but when we do, we have to have harnessed seats, since they only have lap belts in them.

[an_aurora]

Ok, I see, I'm sorry I read 1966 as 1996 for some reason :o

[jocelyndale]

Would you consider keeping your toddler rearfacing?  At 2.5y, she'd be better off RF.  The Nautilus is a combination seat and cannot RF.