Anyone else here w/ kids in carseats in their V?

[boingo82]

Yeah yeah, I know, most of you are young and more into customizing. I thought maybe us old farts could talk about child safety.

I have a 4yo and a 2yo. They are both forward facing, in a Britax Marathon and Britax Roundabout. I am able to install both seats very tightly with either LATCH or seatbelts, using the rear tethers. The fit is great. However, the space in between is quite small. I CAN fit in there but only in emergencies! We had the Roundabout rear-facing for a bit too and had no problems fitting it in, or fitting the driver in front of it.

I heard someone here has 3 carseats in back. I am wondering about the details of that - what seats are they, which are FF and which are RF, what order are they installed, etc.

So, any other parents here, and what are the details of your installs? Are you happy with the fit?

[DejaWiz]

Haven't had any forward facing car seats yet, but my wife and I do respite care for foster children; we took care of twins recently and both rear facing carriers fit very nicely and were extremely easy to get in and out of our V.

[CopyChief]

We only have one child, but my wife babysits twice a week for two other kids. My son is just in a booster. It's an EXTREMELY tight fit to get three seats -- even though one is a booster, one is a seat with a back and the other is a full-blown car seat, although forward-facing. It was uncomfortable for both the kids, hard to install and a challenge for the kids to get in and out. Two seats work just fine - but three... unless your carseats are slimmer than mine... I'd say three's a no go. It's possible, but it's tight.

(The Versa is my commuter car, so it's not a problem - her car is like a boat so it's wide enough.)

[Ever Victorious]

I have only one child and one car seat, but I can't imagine trying to fit 3 back there. One car seat takes up WELL more than 1/3 of the space. In fact quite close to 50%. I don't think there's any possible combination of seats that would work 3 wide... and be safe...

[powergrip]

I managed to fit 2 car seats and a booster. 1 rear facing on the very right, the booster in the middle with the armrests taken off so they could fit under the rim of the forward facing seat on the very left. I can't picture 3 carseats as I barly was able to squeeze in 2 and a booster.

[srellim234]

We've done three boosters in the back once, but not three carseats. For that we would just skip the Versa and use the Rendezvous.

[frankoV]

Yeah yeah, I know, most of you are young and more into customizing. I thought maybe us old farts could talk about child safety.

If you're and old fart what does that make me?

Quote »I have a 4yo and a 2yo. [/quote]I have a 24yo . . .

[srellim234]

Our kids are 24 (he will be on the 4th of July), 8 and 6. We're going to be celebrating our 30th anniversary in August and are guilty of family unplanning.

[frankoV]

27, 24, 21 . . . greatly planned . . . and at the stage of life we can leave them behind and enjoy travelling.

My condolences on 8-10 more years of finding babysitters followed by a half dozen years of worrying if you should have found a sitter.

[boingo82]

If you're and old fart what does that make me?

I have a 24yo . . .

Dad? :p

No, I think I am closer to your age, maybe not chronologically, but there's more in common with someone who pays a mortgage, and pays for adult stuff, than there is to someone who's still living with their parents, working for $8/hr, yet has hundreds to drop on wheels and tires. You know? I may be 26 but at this point my life is going to be more similar to a 36yo than a 16yo, by a LONG way.

I appreciate the replies. I guess there are several of us that take kids around regularly.

[ITasteLightBulbs]

Im 20 with a kid. I have one of the Graco car seats that have a base for the car and can fit on a stroller. When I put the seat in the car my front seats have to be all the way forward. Can someone give me the names and/or pics of some rearfacing seats that fit and allow the front seats to be back?

[boingo82]

ITasteLightBulbs, how old is your kid? Usually at some point you switch them to a convertible carseat that can rear-face or face forwards. And keep them rearfacing as long as possible, but at least 1 year AND 20 lbs.

We couldn't afford to get a fancy convertible seat, and the infant stroller/combo thing, so we used convertible seats from birth. The Britax Marathon needs the seats scooted forward if rear-faced. It's a really tall seat, going up to 65lbs and 49" tall.

Our other seat, the Britax Roundabout, is more compact and the front seat can scoot almost all the way back with it in. However, it only goes to 40lb and 40" tall.

That's kind of what you're up against - any seat that's shorter, and gives more space for the front seats, will not fit your child as long, and you will have to upgrade to a booster or something else sooner.

[KimberKenobi]

Yeah yeah, I know, most of you are young and more into customizing. I thought maybe us old farts could talk about child safety.

But I want it both ways...

[Ever Victorious]

I'll second the Britax Marathon. We only have to slide the seat forward 2-3 clicks to make it fit, but it's a damn good seat. You'll never have to buy another car seat as long as you have it, just a booster seat when your kid gets too tall for the forward-facing configuration.

We decided to go this route because we felt that it would be better than having to buy another seat when my son outgrew the click-in style one. They're also safer. When we transfer him out of the car, we use either an umbrella stroller or a sling to carry him.

[daan]

I have a 10-month old. Her seat (some kind of Britax, can't remember which model) just barely squeaks in behind the seat. I have to pull the front seat forward 1-2 clicks to fit the baby seat behind there. I can't imagine trying to cram multiple ones back there... Maybe once it's forward facing it won't be such a tight fit. I do have to say it's light years easier than in the Elantra I had before this car though.And I'm glad I'm not the only old-guy parent on here!

[srellim234]

It doesn't help that I'm also balding with grey hair. It took over two months for my youngest's kindergarten classmates to quit saying her grandpa was there to pick her her up at the end of school each day.

[Ever Victorious]

It doesn't help that I'm also balding with grey hair. It took over two months for my youngest's kindergarten classmates to quit saying her grandpa was there to pick her her up at the end of school each day.

That's what happens in a society where the norm is becoming having kids when you're 18-20.

People look at me funny when they realize that I'm going gray and my child isn't even a year old yet.

[frankoV]

Different up here, EV.

When I was 18-20 [sez he as he grabs his cane/tries to remember where his rocker is] the norm was to be out on your own, married, and getting ready to have your second.

Now at 28-30 people are starting to think of moving out of home [Failure to Launch struck a chord with me!] and maybe having a child or . . . one.

[ITasteLightBulbs]

ITasteLightBulbs, how old is your kid?

Actually my daughter should be born any day now. Someone gave me a front facing seat and it fits great, but im too tall to have my seat forward any to fit the infant seat..luckily my fiance's cars a little bigger.

Does anyone know if there is a roof rack that will carry a stroller safely?

[srellim234]

You need an old Subaru Brat. Rear facing seats in the bed so you don't have to listen when the kids start screaming back there.

[Driving Instructor]

I have 2 boys and sometimes I use the V to get the boys around. It's great!

I sometime use the front seat for my 6 year old. He weighs in at around 55 lbs so the air bag is disabled. He uses a booster seat. I usually run him in the front when it's justthe both of us.

I also have a 3 year old son, he always sits in the back in his front facing 3 point harness.

I am really happy to hear that the V rated top in the crash test! Beating everyone all the small cars in it's class.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mllf9NSsX1Q

Remember to secure your kids all the time!