latch in legacy? good for rf install?

[floydaloyd]

Hi. I can't get the subaru brochures to download and I have to decide by tommorrow because I have a deposit on a 2005 jetta GL wagon but I found a nice subaru on the internet. Before I drive >100mi. to look at it, I wanted to know if..
1) The subaru website seems to say the 2005 legacy 2.5i wagon has no latch. The salesman says it does. Does anyone know for sure?
2) I found info on older models but does anyone have a good rf Britax installation in either of these particular cars?
Thanks so much
Melissa
http://b1.lilypie.com/JSe1m4/.png

[ellies mom]

The 2005 Legacy has to have the latch system. We have a 2001 Outback and we have an RA RFing (behind passenger seat). We have it tethered. We did have to put a rolled up towel under it, but that thing is a rock. Also, there is quite a bit of room for me in the front seat and I'm really big on leg room. HTH

[Joolsplus2]

They both have LATCH, in the window seats, not the center seat. The Subaru will be easier to find a place to tether rearfacing (a Britax only, of course) than the Jetta (but not much...that's kind of an obscure quibble on my part, lol).
Yes, a Britax WILL fit great in either car :)
Does www.iihs.org have crash test results on these cars? Maybe that will be the ultimate deal-maker (they do tougher crashtests than the government required, but I think they are probably both really, really safe)

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[khalloc]

I have a 2005 Subaru Outback and it has LATCH. I haven't used it yet, but it has it.

[khalloc]

Can't you put the seat in the center and LATCH it to the side anchors? I thought I read that you can do that.

[Joolsplus2]

Nope, most cars specifically prohibit it, as do most car seats. You have to have approval from BOTH manuals to do it, otherwise it could fail in a crash.

Bummer, huh? Fortunately, center seatbelt installations are fine.
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[khalloc]

Wow. I did not know that. I think I read in the Subaru manual that you can use the side LATCH to anchor the seat in the middle. I have a Graco snugride. Do you know if the snugride says its ok to use the side anchors to put the seat in the middle? I guess I have to read up on this. My baby is due in November so I better get started.

Thanks!

[Joolsplus2]

Unless it's a super-new Subaru that has changed the rules, then it's definitely a no-no. And Graco will only allow you to use LATCH anchors that are the standard, government mandated 11 inches apart (Britax allows 11-20 inch distances, they have done some extra testing).
I'm glad you asked! It's ok for a mom-to-be not to know these obscure details, but when I get a seat that another tech installed this way because they didn't bother to read the manuals, I really have to shudder :/.


:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[khalloc]

Thanks for all this info. Mine is a 2005 Subaru, so it is pretty new. I read the Graco manual and it says the LATCH things have to be 11.02" on center, and not to use the LATCH for the center seat if it exceeds that length. What exactly does that mean? Does it mean that the LATCH should not be more than 11" from the center of the middle seat? Or does it mean that the 2 LATCH anchors(one from each side seat) that I use should only be 11" apart?

I am planning on going to a police station that has a certified car seat tech to install my seat for me, but I would like to have an idea of whats right and wrong when it comes installation time.

Thanks for your help!

[khalloc]

Well I just read my Subaru manual and they dont recommend installing a carseat in the center of the back seat. But a A/ELR seatbelt is provided there. It says

"Some types of child restraints might not be able to be secured firmly due to projection of the seat cushion. In this seating position you should only use a child restraint system that has a bottom base that fits snugly against the contours of the seat cushion and can be securely retained using the seatbelt."

So to me that means that I definitely shouldn't use the LATCH in the center seat. But I might be able to put my Snugride there using the seatbelt to secure it if the base can sit tight and securely. Does that sound right?

[Joolsplus2]

Bingo, you got it. Have you tried with the LATCH yet? If it fits great with the LATCH, it should be just fine with the seatbelt. And what A/ELR means is that you can pull the shoulderbelt all the way out and it will retract tightly and stay locked. (oh, YOU typed that, right? lol...well, that's what that means, for our avid lurkers ;) )
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[daniele_ut]

I thought that I saw an entry in www.carseatdata.org about a 2005 Subaru that said it was not possible to get a good fit in the center with a SnugRide or a Britax due to the hump. We looked at replacing our 2001 Outback Sport with a 2005 Outback, but we probably won't given the difficulty we have had getting a good fit in the center of our 2001 (we haven't been able to). I don't want to go through that again!

[khalloc]

I haven't tried it with LATCH yet because I want the seat in the center, but I thought we just figured out that I can't use the side LATCHs to secure the seat in the center? Honestly the entire Snugride manual is so overwhelming that I am looking forward to having someone else install it for me. I dont want to do anything wrong!

[Joolsplus2]

Gosh, my question made sense to me when I wrote it, but now it looks dumb! What I meant to say was, if you tried it in the center with LATCH and it fit (even though thats INcorrect), then you would know if it fit in the center with the belt. Does that make any sense? Don't wait till you go to someone to try it out, or you won't learn anything...you have to struggle with it a little before you have someone teach you how to do it, so that you'll just be crystallizing your knowledge. Infant seats are a breeze, actually, nothing to be afraid of :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[floydaloyd]

So I called my local dealership and they matched the price of my used internet subaru with a new 2005 and there was a rebate and I absolutely loved it when I drove it. Don't know where this car was when I checked with them 2 weeks ago but oh well, I have a beautiful new car, and I was right to delay on the jetta.
Thanks to everyone for all their comments and bringing this car to my notice
Melissa
http://b1.lilypie.com/JSe1m4/.png

P.S. You'll probably be hearing from me again when I have to install the blvd.

[mommy2maya]

My ford freestar manual says you can use the latch on the bench to install a single seat in the middle of it- I think it is recommended for an infant seat, cause then it will let the seat slide all the way up, and the baby is basically between teh two front seats.

[Joolsplus2]

Fords are ultra speshul... the have tested all their anchors at different angles... most EU and Japanese cars don't give a rat's patoot that they are making people's lives difficult by not allowing center LATCH use :P. One day they'll get the idea and things will change, but we're still waiting for that day....


:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Joolsplus2]

Cool beans! It's always good to wait that extra day or two before making a deal, especially when dealers are so desparate for a sale as they are now ;)
You know we'll be here when you need us!

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx