Cosco Scenera?

[tlw]

Would you use the Scenera as a primary seat? It seems that after searching this topic, most use it only as a secondary seat. DH is unwilling to shell out the $ for a MA, which our DS would surely outgrow by height before weight, so that's a moot point.

Also, what rating does BBB give it? This seat is not reviewed in my edition, 4th, I think.

Any other recommendations in lieu of the MA or Scenera?

TIA~

[tjham]

Yes. I would. I am in a position to buy any seat. I already have an older Fisher Price Safe Embrace, and have bought a Roundabout and a Scenera for my 16 month old grandson. I also bought a Marathon, Bolero, Plat. Cargo and Chase for my 5 yr. old granddaughter. So I have seen lots of seats and how they work. Sure the more expensive ones are more padded, have more features, etc., but for safety, convenience (it's light) and economy, I do recommend the Scenera!

[o_mom]

Absolutely. My sister has used one for my niece exclusively until I found a clearance Marathon for her.

You child will likely outgrow ANY seat by height before weight, especially a convertible. The Scenera _might_ make_ it to 40 lbs, but you will most likely need at least one more harnessed seat before a booster, and possibly an over 40 lb seat. The other options for convertibles are even more likely to be outgrown. The only way to be 99% sure your convertible will get to booster age is to get a MA (or clone) or a Radian.

The Fisher Price Safe Voyage EX is a clone of the MA made by Britax. It only goes to 55 lbs, but maybe your DH would be OK with it as it is only $180? (55 lbs is adequate for most kids in that seat)

There is a $10 off coupon over in Bargain Alerts for BRU, but it's only good tomorrow. So, for $170 you don't have to buy another seat for 4-6 years :-) Or, you can get the Scenara now and see what you need when that is outgrown. Either one is a good option.

[tjham]

Does BRU have the FPSV? Cool! I thought it was just at Baby Depot and online!

[o_mom]

Yes! And it is the other pattern, not Circus Dots, just a tan and red. They don't show it on the website, but it is there (not sure if all stores have it, but ours does).

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

I would... and I have.

little story.

Ruthie was 2mo old and hated her baby bucket that was handed down from her brothers (it expired the december after she was born, so it was still good and in good shape)

we got the evenflo triumph because my mother bought the convertible seat for me and I had to go on her budget because I hadn't saved up for the convertible yet and it seemed great.

well, come to 10mo old and she was looking to outgrow it rearfacing by 18mo... so I wanted something to last longer.

Used the money I got for christmas and what I'd already saved to get her a Marathon on sale.

well, after finding out it wouldn't fit rf in dh's car, even with 3 noodles and stalk twisting, I needed a spare, since we'd given away the Triumph.

so we got the scenera and, with 3 noodles, it fit.

well, my van broke down, and a sedan with a convertible and two boosters, even with the scenera being narrow and dh's car being the buick lesabre, is a tight fit, so I decided to see how Jeffrey would take being in the Marathon.

he fit very well and had room to grow AND loved riding in it...
so after going back and forth after we got our van back and all, we decided to put Jeffrey in the Marathon and use the Scenera as Ruthie's primary seat.

we did that until we got the boys their Husky and Regent... then Ruthie got her Marathon back.

Honestly, the Scenera is very easy to use and install and I wouldn't hesitate to use it. I just feel really bad that I ever got the triumph.

the scenera's back is so much longer and Ruthie was just as comfy in the Scenera as she was in the Triumph.

But, if I'd gotten it, I might never have gotten the Marathon.

Kat

[kellyotn]

I would use one over the other options, easily.

We did use one briefly in my husband's truck - when my daughter outgrew her old-FP seat, until she outgrew the Scenera. It does have some quirks that drove my husband crazy, but I didn't mind. (The straps are in a loop under the kid's bum, so if you pull one side out, the other goes in. My husband didn't understand what was going on and was constantly messing with the adjuster vs. just pulling the strap back out.) The straps are kinda thin, but definitely not "bad". I personally don't like the chest clip, but its a pretty petty gripe.

Its got a nice, tall seatback. Decent slot heights. Easy to use and install. No, its not "cushy", but my daughter used it when she was old enough (3-3.5 years) to tell me she didn't like it vs. her MA. She never complained one bit. I WISH they made a MA-comparable size, a SceneraBig or something. (To 65 lbs and taller).

There is a "deluxe" version at BRU. Its $80 or so. I don't know if its really "worth" $40 more than the plain version, but $80 is still a good price if you do like it better.

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

it's not worth more at all... all they do is add a flimsy headrest for newborns.

[kellyotn]

Its not at all more padded?! Wow, that's one expensive newborn pillow! ;)

[tlw]

Thanks for the vote of confidence and all of the postive things you had to say about the seat! I bought it today at Wal-Mart for $39! (I deplore Wal-Mart but sucked up my disdain for a bargain.) After seeing it in person, I think the padding is fine. Actually, it's quite similar to that of my $100 SnugRide.

Thanks again~

[kellyotn]

That's great! Just know, that it is still likely your child will outgrow the Scenera before 40 lbs, just as most outgrow a MA before 65 lbs. Its pretty typical that the height limit is reached first.

My daughter got too tall for the Scenera at 3.5. She was pushing 40 lbs too though. Around 37-38 lbs, so not too "early", but if she still fit by height, she'd still be in it now 6 months later (and for who knows how much longer). She's pretty proportional - a bit taller than her weight percentile, but not a stringbean. I'd guess a stringbean kid could outgrow it in the low 30 lbs.

She's in a MA in my car, and has hopefully at least 2 whole years more than the Scenera got us. (I had to buy her a second MA at 3.5 years old after exhausting my other options!!) I sincerely hope that when your child outgrows the Scenera, there are better combo booster options available then there are now. There are lots of good ones, but most max out at 40 lbs for the harness, and that wouldn't work for us with her at 37-38 lbs.

Enjoy your new seat! It really is a great value for the money. :)

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

but the scenera is a lot less expensive... allowing the parents to worry about saving up for a higher-weight limit ff only seat.

the graco safeseat 2, for instance, will go to 50 pounds when the new version comes out.

the Britax Regent is also great and if you go scenera to Regent, that's actually the cheapest way to keep the kid harnessed the longest.

[kellyotn]

Totally true! :) I had just re-read her original post and saw the comment about the MA not making it to 65 and wanted to re-stress that the Scenera wouldn't likely make it to 40 either. That's all! :) (ie, I didn't want her wishing later she'd have gotten an MA from the get-go.)

That's one of the Field's gripes about the MA, that it won't last to the weight limit, and its always bothered me because its not ONLY true of the MA, but of most all convertible seats 40 lbs or otherwise.

Again, I really liked the Scenera and have no qualms about it as a primary or secondary seat. Scenera to Regent would be a great way to go. And, hopefully there will be lots more options in a couple years than there are now. When my DD outgrew the Scenera - Apex wouldn't work, GO wouldn't work, Radian wouldn't work, 40 lbs combos wouldn't work, Regent probably would work but I didn't want that large of a seat (didn't want to turn our truck into a four seater from a five seater). So, I had to get another MA. Doh! ;)

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

oh, I figured you were just clarifying, but I thought it was crucial to point out that the seat was still the best bet for a 40lb limit seat and that, combined with the Regent, that's your budget way to harness to 8yrs or longer.