Please help! Car seat/booster for tall skinny 4yo. Nothing fits the car.

[pimms]

Hi there - I've been a longtime member, but I rarely post, and I just had to change my login b/c I couldn't remember it. Oops. I'm at a point where my research has failed me.

Anyway, we have a 1999 Toyota Avalon, and something about the seat shape does not work with most car seats. We've been using a Roundabout with good success both with LATCH and seatbelt in the middle. The car does have one set of LATCH connectors in the middle seat. However, when I try to install any other seat with the seatbelt, it moves around a ridiculous amount. We have locking seatbelts, I have read every tech's recommendations about getting a snugger fit, but nothing works well. The middle seat has a slight hump. The side seats are fairly deep with a big curved seat and back (kind of bucket-style), which prevents a carseat from sitting flush, and the bottom bars on some of them don't even reach the bottom of the seat (suspended in mid-air). I'm desperate for some suggestions!

My son is 4, weighs 38 lbs on a good day (and I doubt that he will gain much any time soon), and is 42 1/2 inches tall. His back length is 15", but when in the car seat, he needs at least a 16-17 inch tall harness. He has been growing about 2 inches every 6 months very consistently. I was hoping to keep my son in a harness seat, but can't find one that fits him and our car. I'm now considering the Clek booster with LATCH, although I worry about his weight. I've tried the Radian, the Regent, the Apex, the Como, with no success. Other seats don't have a high enough harness height. Very sad and frustrating, and I've lost some serious sweat and blood wrangling each of those into the car in various configurations and squeezing my body into them to add weight and oomph to the install.

We have the Safe Rider vest for travel, but that seems to fit funny on my skinny guy, and I would need to install a tether in the back window.

Any suggestions from you seasoned pros out there?

Thank you so very, very much.

(: Samantha

[Joolsplus2]

So let's talk about LATCH... um.....you don't have it. No cars had it that year, no cars have it without having a top tether anchor. So I'm not quite sure what your seat was attached to, but it's not LATCH bars. (could be seat hardware that 'looks like' LATCH, it's easy to get confused).

So the clek is out...it would be anyway, because it's backless, which isn't appropriate for a kid until they are too tall for a highback booster.

The Como...I can see that not working...the base is really slippy (and the shouder area is so narrow... not sure if they put kids in that seat, or just stick figures...:P )

How did the Apex not fit, specifically? Cosco seats usually fit anything.

Maybe the Evenflo Triumph Advance? That has a base that might fit on the hump fairly well, and it's even roomier than a Britax Marathon.

But assuming you have to go to a booster, the biggest, most confining one you can find would be my choice for a 4 yo... Recaro Start, Britax Regent, Jane Indy, or Sunshine Kids Monterey (not out till February, but looks NICE) would be good choices.

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

[pimms]

Thank you Julie- I know it's not technically Latch - the CPS tech said it was okay to use the hardware though. I can't find any info that says one way or the other. Every time I've approached our dealership about retrofitting LATCH, they keep arguing that it's been done already, and I've given up on them helping with this. They also want to charge 200 for installing a $15 tether bolt. Love Toyotas, hate the dealership.

The Apex just wouldn't tighten up in either the center or side position - it kept slipping and tipping. The Start's price is prohibitive. The regent was a monster to wrangle and dwarfed my enormous backseat (the car's). (; I wish I could try a Jane indy in person - I've spent a lot of time and money sending car seats back and forth in the mail. The Monterey sounds really promising, but I don't think I can put it off much longer. My biggest concern with the boosters is slippage on turns. I can lower the seat belt shoulder height on the side position, which may help secure him. I'll check out the triumph and maybe take the britax parkway on a test drive with my son.

I really appreciate your suggestions and your time.
-Samantha

[murphydog77]

Oh, time to find a tech that gives a hoot! It's very dangerous to use hardware in a vehicle that isn't specifically approved for car seat use. We just don't know how it will perform in a crash. It may hold up just fine in a crash or it may come completely apart. Crash forces are extreme.

Are you in a city that has a specialty baby store or a Babies R Us? Stores like that let you try-before-you-buy. The Britax Marathon should work well outboard with its small base (though I hate to suggest it because it will only last another year or so). The Triumph Advance, like Julie mentioned, might also work well outboard with a little effort. For a booster, have you considered the Compass B510/B530? I'd try the B530 first since it's a bit taller. It's designed to fit into scooped seats better than other boosters. It's wider and squarer than other boosters, though.

The problem with the tipping booster on turns is something your ds will have to learn to work through. He'll need to balance himself in the seat. You can help for the first few rides by locking the seat belt on him.

Here's a link to find a new tech to help you: https://ssl13.cyzap.net/dzapps/dbzap.bin/apps/assess/Webmembers/tool?pToolCode=TAB9&pCategory1=TAB9_CERTSEARCH&Webid=SAFEKIDSCERTSQL

Heather, CPS Tech/Instr.
http://www.CarSeatSite.com