Grandmother needs a carseat....which one?

[poplar]

My mother would like a carseat for our 2.5 yo son (~32lb, 39 in)due to our youngest child moving into the carseat she currently has. I am confused as to what to suggest? I thought maybe the Graco Turbobooster since it would eventually become a booster seat for him, but now I'm unsure. Since it will not be a primary seat for him, we were hoping to find something less expensive than his current Marathon. Any suggestions or info would be soooo appreciated! Thanks!
Elizabeth

[Joolsplus2]

Well, the Turbo booster IS a booster (did you mean it becomes a backless booster later? Sometimes the word booster gets thrown around so lightly, parents can't begin to figure it out!).

For such a young, light kiddo, I would definitely look at a Harnessed/Combo booster, like the Graco Platinum Cargo or Evenflo Chase. That way you can keep him harnessed to 40 pounds and at least age 4 or so, then the seat will become a booster. I think if you go to Toys R Us, they are still having 15% off any car seat over $40, which makes the Platinum Cargo only $85. One very new choice on the market is the Safety First Intera, which is a convertible that becomes a highback booster and a low back booster. It's a bit more (pricewise), but nice. Sometimes grandmothers have a hard time with the puzzle buckles on those seats, so take that into consideration. Oh, I wouldn't look at any Cosco/Eddie Bauer/Safety First seats (besides the Intera), as they have low top harness slots and would be outgrown by height before he reaches 40 pounds.

I hope that helps a little bit, post back if you have any more questions, of course!
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[poplar]

Thank you sooo much for your input! I think we will go with the Graco Platinum Cargo and then buy a booster base later. I really appreciate your time.
Elizabeth