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Need help buying car seats!  

post #1 of 43
4/17/06 at 5:02pm
Thread Starter 
I need to buy new car seats for my 33", 25lbs, two year old (girl) and 42", 40lbs, four year old (boy). Any advice? What would you buy?

I guess the budget is not an issue, which feels really weird to say.

Help me please!
post #2 of 43
4/17/06 at 5:24pm
Britax Marathon for your DD so she can still be rearfacing, and a Britax Husky/Regent for your son so he can be harnessed as long as possible.
post #3 of 43
4/17/06 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lasciate
Britax Marathon for your DD so she can still be rearfacing, and a Britax Husky/Regent for your son so he can be harnessed as long as possible.
I agree if you have the room in your vehicle and can afford them.

A little cheaper option is either the Radian or the Apex 65, both have high weight limits for 5 pt harnesses. But if you want to have your 2 yr old rear-facing then I'd go for Britax. But I would for sure keep your 4 yr old in a harnessed seat... way safer than a belt positioning booster
post #4 of 43
4/17/06 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
The marathon and regent are both what we're had in mind for them, especially dd. Ds has been in a highback booster with belt positioning (all dh's doing) and I wonder how well he'll do transitioning back (change is very hard for him) but I know it's safer and it is my intention to switch him back to a harness type.
Do you think I need to have dd rearfacing? I was looking at the marathon again today and eralized that she could go rear facing and wondered if that's what I'll want to do. Any input? How much safer is that for her? She's been forward facing for nearly a year now, but than, she's been in this crappy cosco seat too, and I now realize it's not as safe so I am open to change, I'm just not sure how much I actually need to change, yk?
post #5 of 43
4/17/06 at 5:47pm
Thread Starter 
Oh yeah, and I've been watching the thread here about the Radian, mostly because it's cheaper. My big concern is the shoulder straps twisting (that's been happening on the one we have now) which is clearly very dangerous, and the only seat I see with a good solution for this is britax. So it doesn't seem worth it to me to save money but lack what's needed. Any thoughts?
post #6 of 43
4/17/06 at 6:12pm
If you have the money I'd go for Britax, just because it's more well known and has been tested and reviewed longer than the radian.

As far as your 2 yr old rear-facing, I don't have any links but it has been proven to be safer. I know in other countries children stay rear-facing until 3-4 yrs old. I'm sure a car-seat tech or someone could give you more info. Somewhere I saw a video of crashes and how the body handles it in both positions.

I also had my 4 yr old in a belt positioner (graco turbo booster) for some time as it was the only way we could fit 3 seats in the back of a sedan and their wasn't as many options as their is now. We recently bought the apex 65 and she has not complained once about being harnessed. I think she likes it cause the seat is much more comfy than her other one. I feel so much safer now (she's 5 yrs old now and 44 lbs) and I know it will keep her harnessed for a while longer.
post #7 of 43
4/17/06 at 6:24pm
I'd go boulevard (rear-facing) for the 2 yr old and regent for the 4 yr old.

-Angela
post #8 of 43
4/17/06 at 6:29pm
I've always been told rear-facing is safest. We have the Marathon and have been very happy with it. It fit my very tall dd until she was 4. Ds (2) is using it now. I have a smaller car so the husky was not an option.
post #9 of 43
4/17/06 at 8:34pm
Thread Starter 
I've heard so often that rear-facing is better, I've just never been sure of exactly why. But it does make sense. I don't think dd will care either way. ds is the picky one.

alegna, why the boulevard over the marathon? I'm not even sure what the difference is.
post #10 of 43
4/17/06 at 8:42pm
Thread Starter 
another question, is the marathon a better choice than the decathlon? I can't really tell what the difference is between all these seats. I think I've just looked at way too many car seats.
post #11 of 43
4/17/06 at 8:44pm
Thread Starter 
Oh yeah, and Drummer's Wife, I looked at the apex 65, and that looks like a really great seat. I think I like that better than the parkway for ds, but I'm not sure if I like it better than the regent. I like the price better, though, ann for dh that may make a huge difference. Any thoughts?
post #12 of 43
4/17/06 at 8:47pm
two big differences between the marathon and boulevard- one important and one just nice:

important reason- side impact protection
nice reason- dial to move straps, SO much easier than rethreading.

Do a search here for a link to a site explaining why rear-facing is TONS safer.

-Angela
post #13 of 43
4/17/06 at 9:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lunar forest
Oh yeah, and Drummer's Wife, I looked at the apex 65, and that looks like a really great seat. I think I like that better than the parkway for ds, but I'm not sure if I like it better than the regent. I like the price better, though, ann for dh that may make a huge difference. Any thoughts?
yeah it's definitely cheaper and lighter and more narrow. That's why we bought it over the regent/husky. It was the only way to fit 3 carseats in the back of our small sedan and have all three kids harnessed (we have a rf marathon, a graco cargo, and the apex 65) The regent is huge, like it takes up a seat and a half but if you have the money and the space I would go for it over the apex which is made by safety 1st/cosco.... big difference in quality. Also the Britax will keep your child harnessed until 80 lbs and the apex only goes to 65.

I am however happy with ours, it's comfy and easy to use... and it was affordable. We did just buy a minivan though and I am dying to replace the graco seat with the Regent.
post #14 of 43
4/17/06 at 9:01pm
Sorry to jump in here. I really do not have much advise on brands and styles but it I know it is safer to be rear facing longer. Please beware, for years I have seen so many people get so caught up in the more expensive is safer mind set that they don't pay attention to the actual fit of the seat. All carseats do not fit all cars the same way. The majority of car seats are not installed properly and that is the real problem. Fortunatly the discussions I have seen on MDC show that the mothers here are aware of this but unfortunatly irl I have run into too many people who think thier kids are safer because they spent more money, even though the car seat was falling all over the place barely buckled in. Sorry I guess I was just venting about some things I have dealt with recently. Anyway, what ever seat you choose make sure you try it out in the vehicle you are going to use it in. I actually found that my 8yo's $30 booster seat was much safer than a $100 one I tested out since it really didn't fit my vehicle very well. Plus it was much better on my wallet but of course there is no price on safety.
post #15 of 43
4/17/06 at 9:12pm
Thread Starter 
I deff. plan to have the new car seats profesionally installed this time. We thought that was no big deal before, but we also thought it was no big deal to have the less safe seats.

Thanks, alegna, I didn't realize that the marathon didn't have side impact protection, I thought it did! and I had no idea about the dial to move straps, that sounds great! I just had to change the straps on dd's old carseat because she's not wearing her winter coat anymore - what a pita! Does the decathlon have either of those features?
post #16 of 43
4/17/06 at 9:47pm
lunar forest, the boulevard is what Sebastian has - it has those weird wing things on the side - that's the side impact protection as opposed to Aleks' marathon which just looks like an ordinary seat. you've seen them right?
post #17 of 43
4/17/06 at 9:54pm
I recommend the Boulevard for your dd (she is the exact same size as my DS, who is in a Wizard, the older version of the new Boulevard). It has the side impact protection and dials for strap-moving. The Marathon/Decathaolon (older and newer model of the same seat) are nice, but they don't have those two special features. My son is rear facing and very comfy and happy that way.

And the Husky/Regent for your ds (older/newer modesl of the same seat)
post #18 of 43
4/17/06 at 11:07pm
Thread Starter 
thanks Anna, that makes sense. They all look the same online in those little pictures! So, Anna, do you like one of those better than the other? And do you think a bigger kid would be bothered by all that extra stuff going on in the boulevard? (or me putting that big kid in and out of it?)
post #19 of 43
4/17/06 at 11:18pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, so I googled the seats I like, and I found both the Boulevard and the decathlon at baby center (whatever that is) and I can get them both with side impact protection, for appox. the same price (just under $300.) with free shipping. I can get both of the in the colors I like, I can also get the decathlon in "tribecca" which I like best of all and it's on sale for about $50 less! How it looks isn't a huge deal, but a pretty seat makes a difference to me - I mean, I have to see it everyday!

Boulevard Park Avenue: http://store.babycenter.com/product/...uctPg_Swatches
Decathlon Hampton: http://store.babycenter.com/product/...uctPg_Swatches
Decathlon Tribecca: http://store.babycenter.com/product/.../12557?intcmp=

What do you think?
post #20 of 43
4/17/06 at 11:28pm
I don't think the Decathalon has the side impact protection like the BLVD.

At any rate, there is a better deal at http://www.specialtybaby.com/britax.html where some of the less-popular BLVD patterns are on sale for $259 with no tax and free shipping. The Decathalon in Tribeca is $235
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