Musical car seats...which goes where?

[justKate]

I need your expertise ladies.  We need a 3rd seat for DD, to go in my parents' car.  She is 2.5, 34.75 inches, ~26 lbs, and rear-facing.  Right now she's in a Britax Blvd in my car (where she rides 90% of the time) and a TrueFit (the older one) in DH's truck.  I prefer the Britax, but the TrueFit was great when she was an infant.  Space isn't an issue in our cars.

My parents' car is a '04 Rav4, which means space is somewhat of an issue--the TrueFit will fit, but it is tight.  She won't be in it that much--maybe 2-4 times a month. We also have a new little one on the way, due in April, and I'd like to keep DD RFing in all cars until at least then.

So right now, I'm thinking a Scenera for my parents, because they're cheap and I think DD will be able to RF in it for a while yet.  Her other seats stay where they are.

Or maybe an Evenflo Titan or Triumph for my parents?  If cost weren't an issue, I would probably move the TrueFit to my parents' car and get a Radian for DD to go in DH's truck, but I don't think we can spend $299 on an "extra" seat right now.  Putting the new LO in the TrueFit when s/he arrives would also be an option....

Any thoughts?  What would you do?

ETA: Looking at car-seat.org, it looks like the external width of the Scenera and Radians are about the same: 17.25'', the TF is a little wider, and then the Evenflo and Graco are like 20''....

Edited by justKate - 8/3/11 at 4:55am

[Maedze]

I think a Scenera for your parent's Rav4 is a good plan.  I've installed a rear facing one in that vehicle myself, and it went in with little fuss. 

Despite what you read on line, the Scenera takes more width room up than a Radian, unfortunately.  However, it sounds like width is not the issue here, just back-to-front space?  

The shell is quite a bit taller than the Tribute or the Titan, so it would last longer than either of those seats. 

[TheGirls]

The scenera takes up little space front-to-back and installs pretty easily, IME.  You probably have a little time left RF in it, then it can be a backup seat for the babe when (s)he gets bigger.  IME the scenera is outgrown FF (shoulder strap height) around the same time as RF (by shell height), so you'll want to think about a plan for when that happens.  We started letting DD (very tall) FF in occasional use vehicles (like Grandmas car) around 2.75, which was the first time it really came up after she outgrew her Scenera around 2.5.  She was 34" at 2yo and 39" at 3yo, so she was somewhere in between when she outgrew it.  I'd guess 36"-ish.