no latch system- does this affect seat choice?

[PlayaMama]

i'm getting a convertible booster seat for my ds (looking at the britax frontier) and both of our cars are older and don't have the latch system. does this make a difference in seat selection?

[leighi123]

If you are getting a combination seat (one thats a 5pt FF and a booster), then they all come with LATCH already, but you dont have to use it.  How old/heavy is your ds?   LATCH only goes up to a certian weight anyway

Does your car have top tethers?  If not, have you looked into getting them installed?  A lack of top tether would influence my choice in seats, if you dont have a top tether AND cannot get one installed, then you will want a seat with good head excursion numbers.

[PlayaMama]

my ds is 47 pounds. i'll have to look for the top tether. i know our one car doesn't have it and i have a new to me volvo that is a 1991 that might? thanks for your response!

[PlayaMama]

actually, supposing that the car does not have one, which seats have good head excursion numbers? or where would i find that information?

tia!

i found it! looks like the frontier is higher than quite a few other seats. darn!

[leighi123]

I dont know, a 1991 car isnt required to have top tethers, so it might not.  Check your car's manual.  

If it doesnt have them, call your local volvo dealer and see about getting at least one installed.  

Your DS is close to or over the LATCH limit anyway (sometimes its 40, sometimes 48), so you would have to install with the seatbelt even in a car that had it.  

Here is the head excursion chart:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/Cars/testing/comply/fmvss213/Janu2010ed.pdf

I would try to get and use a top tether, but as long as your seat is properly installed, then he should be fine in whatever you choose.  

[PlayaMama]

thank you!