starting from scratch on car seats

[HappiLeigh]

We were in an accident and I'm replacing both car seats at the expense of the other guy's insurance.

I have a 26 lb son, age 16 months, and a 40 lb daughter, 5 years. My son has been rear-facing in a Britax Boulevard and my daughter has been FF in a Radian.

What should I buy? My son is a solid little guy and growing fast; my daughter is slim and medium-height and doesn't mind being in a 5-point harness, though she is almost 5 and a half, so I want something that will continue to be useful to us.

What would you get?

(P.S. I drive a 2008 Honda CR-V that is currently being repaired; I prefer to have the kids next to each other and it's not a huge back seat. If I get two full-size car seats one of them should be a Radian or equally slim so I can continue this arrangement.)

[Maedze]

IF you want to do side by side, I'd go right to two Radians, one forward, and one rear facing, obviously.  It's your easiest bet.  Price wise, the Radian and the Boulevard are roughly equivalent, so it shouldn't be a problem from insurance perspective. 

[chickabiddy]

Where are your daughter's shoulders in relation to the top strap slot on the Radian currently?

[HappiLeigh]

Originally Posted by chickabiddy 

Where are your daughter's shoulders in relation to the top strap slot on the Radian currently?

Ooh, that's a good question. I don't know. It's at the shop with the car. I wonder if I could go pay a visit to my car and put her in it...

[chickabiddy]

Do you remember if she was on the very top slot or not (it's a good bit higher than the other slots)?

[HappiLeigh]

Originally Posted by Maedze 

IF you want to do side by side, I'd go right to two Radians, one forward, and one rear facing, obviously.  It's your easiest bet.  Price wise, the Radian and the Boulevard are roughly equivalent, so it shouldn't be a problem from insurance perspective. 

Yeah, this is one possibility. What is the benefit of having DS in a Radian instead of a Boulevard besides the slim fit? I can't remember--the Radian RF longer, I think, but DD would almost certainly be out of her Radian before DS hits the limit for RF in the Britax, so I could move him to it when the time comes. I think the Boulevard is easier to install RF (for me, in my car). I feel like I just got all these pros and cons worked out before DS was born and now I've totally gotten fuzzy on what is what, plus I don't know if there's anything new and better in the 18 months or so since I've thought about it.  Argh!  Pooh on the loser who ran a red light--and into my car. 

But thanks to you all for the help!

[chickabiddy]

FF Radian next to RF Radian is a very very small footprint and will leave the most room in the backseat.

[jocelyndale]

If you don't have to buy the same seats, I'd buy a combination seat for your daughter and a Radian for your son.  The Radian will RF longer than the Blvd and has a bit more leg room. Your daughter doesn't need another convertible unless you need the slimness of the Radian for an install.  She'd be fine in a combo seat like the Nautilus or Frontier, but I don't know how those work for side-by-side installs.  You can ask over at car-seat.org about which seats puzzle well together.

[Maedze]

I think the OP is aware of this; I recommended two Radians not because they are 'the same seat' but because most good combination seats aren't the best choice for installing side by side in a relatively small back seat.  

If the OP doesn't need to install the seats next to each other, a combination seat would be a great choice.   

Originally Posted by jocelyndale 

If you don't have to buy the same seats, I'd buy a combination seat for your daughter and a Radian for your son.  The Radian will RF longer than the Blvd and has a bit more leg room. Your daughter doesn't need another convertible unless you need the slimness of the Radian for an install.  She'd be fine in a combo seat like the Nautilus or Frontier, but I don't know how those work for side-by-side installs.  You can ask over at car-seat.org about which seats puzzle well together.