Need HELP selecting add'l car seat

My ds1 sits in a marathon and is 34 lbs 40" and will be 3 yrs old in June. My ds2 7.5 months old and has outgrown the infant seat. I need to buy another car seat and don't have a clue what kind to buy.

We own one vehicle, a honda accord, and we plan to buy a honda odyssey this fall. We plan to have more children and like to buy higher quality items that will last longer although price is an issue at this point.

So my options: Do I buy a car seat for ds2 that is smaller than a marathon (roundabout or similar) and keep ds1 in the marathon until he outgrows it? At which point we would put ds1 in an average booster seat and ds2 in the marathon and perhaps baby3 would be in the picture too.

Or fork out the dough for a regent (just barely learned of this seat) for ds1 and use the marathon for ds2? I wouldn't want to buy a Marathon if I had the option to buy this seat, right? Are there any deals for the regent or is it $269 everywhere.

I'm also worried that the larger rear-facing marathon and a regent would not fit in our Accord very well but we could maybe manage for the next few months. Maybe the smaller convertible seat would make more sense, fit and economically too, I don't know. I NEED HELP!!

Thanks so much.
Tricia
ds1 6/04
ds2 9/06

[Joolsplus2]

Yeah, a smaller convertible might be a good 'stop gap' and 'spare' seat for later...the Cosco Scenera is a fine budget choice, and the Safety First Uptown is a little bigger, plusher, taller top slots...just costs more..89 at walmart, I think. But you have a really big little guy there, and you definitely want to keep kids harnessed to at least age 5, so go ahead and budget in a Regent when you start van shopping, is my advice :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

Need your opinions or advice.

I have singled it down to these two. One more factor is we'll be moving across the country in less than three months with both our boys. We'll be traveling in our car for long periods, max 12hr.

Would it be worth the extra $50 to buy the more comfortable uptown for our son's sake. We'll also be traveling by air in a few weeks. From what I've read both seats are great for travel? One more question about the straps on these seats... do they twist fairly easily or does this only happen over time?

Thanks so much,
Tricia

[Joolsplus2]

I think *I'd* rather sit in an Uptown for 12 hours at time... :). The straps on Dorel seats are super nice now, almost as nice as Britax... used to be you'd see a nice Scenera in someone's car with filthy twisty ropy straps, now you see a filthy Scenera with nice flat straps, lol.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx