infant seat for tiny 2 door car?

[averlee]

We have a 2003 toyota echo, 2 door. My 3 year old daughter is currently front facing on the driver's side. I have 2 questions about getting a car seat for our new baby.

What car seat will fit well in our car? My daughter's convertible seat would not fit rear-facing in any position. We ended up using a "carrier" style infant seat, although I never used it as a carrier. It was impossible to put in or remove the car seat with the infant inside- to get the seat between/over the front seats, you have to turn it upside down. So I plan to leave the infant seat permanently installed, climb into the back seat and put the baby in each time. 

What positions can I put the car seats in, that will still allow access to get the baby in & out? I will need space to sit or crouch while I work the straps & buckles.

Expense is a concern for us. We can't get a bigger car, and we need a very cheap tiny car seat. I've seen some as little as $50, but I wonder if they are too bulky.

[shanniesue2]

I was able to fit a snugride (the 22 lb limit) in the backseat of a Beetle.  I don't know how the backseat of an Echo compares, but it can't be much smaller than a Beetle

[averlee]

Is this similar to your sungride? http://www.amazon.com/Graco-SnugRide-Infant-Seat--Victoria/dp/B002SR0NKA/ref=sr_1_5?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1294871861&sr=1-5  I hope so, it's only $35!

[shanniesue2]

We don't still have our snugride b/c I gave it to a friend.

But this is the one we had... the only difference I see is color of plastic and the cover pattern.  You might double check the measurements, though

http://www.cymax.com/Common/Product/CatProduct.aspx?ID=195859&Src=Amazon&SrcID=3892228

[mama2soren]

Are you set on an infant seat?  If not, check out the Coccoro.  It's more expensive ($150-ish), but it is a convertible seat and will last you years longer.  It's tiny!

[AnalogWife]

We used the Snugride in my 2-door 2001 VW Cabrio.

[averlee]

I see the combi coccoro is actually smaller than most infant seats, even the chicco. I also see it is for kids up to 40 pounds! My 3 yr old is only 30 pounds! Does anyone have experience using it as both a rear facing infant seat, and a forward facing toddler seat?

[goldingoddess]

Subbing

[LaurenAnanas]

We have a RF Britax Boulevard in the back seat of our Mini Cooper, and it takes up substantially less room front-to-back than did the Britax infant bucket we had. But, the Boulevards aren't really recommended for little infants (lowest shoulder strap setting may be too high?) and we did not use it until we were able to install it in a more upright position.

I'm more interested in how you're going to fit back there to install- we'll have a similar dillema soon. We can fit a loaded bucket in, so we can load DD into her RF seat and then load the infant bucket into the base. Does your backseat have 3 seats or just two? Ours has two buckety seats so that tightens things up.

Maybe you'll be able to load the baby in through the rear hatch, over the seat back?

[shanniesue2]

Originally Posted by LaurenAnanas 

We have a RF Britax Boulevard in the back seat of our Mini Cooper, and it takes up substantially less room front-to-back than did the Britax infant bucket we had. But, the Boulevards aren't really recommended for little infants (lowest shoulder strap setting may be too high?) and we did not use it until we were able to install it in a more upright position.

I'm more interested in how you're going to fit back there to install- we'll have a similar dillema soon. We can fit a loaded bucket in, so we can load DD into her RF seat and then load the infant bucket into the base. Does your backseat have 3 seats or just two? Ours has two buckety seats so that tightens things up.

Maybe you'll be able to load the baby in through the rear hatch, over the seat back?

To totally derail the topic.  I've thought about a mini after we no longer need to use car seats.  Will you PM with your thoughts on the car?
 

[McGucks]

I have a 15 year old son, a baby, and used to drive a Toyota Scion.  The 15 year old is around 6"1' and had to sit with his legs pulled up when baby's carseat was behind him.  We got an older Honda CRV instead because the legroom was much bigger.  There are websites that compare backseat leg room.  Just google it and something should come up.  You could also call a state carseat safety specialist--they are very knowledgeable about car/carseat compatibility.  Not all carseats fit all cars.  We were mighty surprised the day we brought our baby home from the hospital and tried to fit big brother in in the seat in front!

[averlee]

Originally Posted by LaurenAnanas 

We have a RF Britax Boulevard in the back seat of our Mini Cooper, and it takes up substantially less room front-to-back than did the Britax infant bucket we had. But, the Boulevards aren't really recommended for little infants (lowest shoulder strap setting may be too high?) and we did not use it until we were able to install it in a more upright position.

I'm more interested in how you're going to fit back there to install- we'll have a similar dillema soon. We can fit a loaded bucket in, so we can load DD into her RF seat and then load the infant bucket into the base. Does your backseat have 3 seats or just two? Ours has two buckety seats so that tightens things up.

Maybe you'll be able to load the baby in through the rear hatch, over the seat back?

With my older daughter, I always held her in my arms while I  climbed/sat myself into the backseat, then put her into the already installed carseat. There is no way to get a car seat in/out with a baby inside, and no access from the trunk to the backseat.  I'm really hoping to find a car seat small enough to allow me to fit back there to put the baby in- it should be possible, the backseat is a 3-seatbelt bench. If it would fit in the middle, right against my daughter's toddler seat, that would be perfect.