Second car seat

[mommy in flag]

My husband will be dropping our 18-month-old daughter off three times a week at Montessori school and I was hoping someone could advise me on purchasing a toddler/booster seat (don't want to keep plunking down money for second seat in future). We have a Britax Roundabout in my car (and will eventually get a Marathon/Boulevard when she outgrows) because I am an admitted worry wort when it comes to transporting my child. However, since she will only be in daddy's car three times a week for 15 min. at a time, I was wondering what people thought of (safety, ease of use) the following Consumer Report recommended seats:

Eddie Bauer High Back Booster

Safety First Vantage Pt. SE High Back Booster

Evenflo Chase DLX

Cosco Summit High Back Booster

Any other recommendations are welcome. I've heard good things about the Graco Ultra/Platinum Cargo but also know that its closed loop for seat belts is no longer recommended. HELP!!!!

[Joolsplus2]

Honestly, if you are planning on a Marathon in the future anyway, I'd get one now, while they are on good sales (like $186), and see what much better combo seats come out in the next couple months or year, because there are some snazzy ones on the horizon.

And if you do go with the Combo seat now, I'd really only look at the Gracos or Evenflos. Don't worry at all about the belt guides, because that is like 4 years before you have to even think about messing with them, and they aren't required for a child who is tall and heavy enough to stop using the harness (the Cargo kind are GOOD, actually, they clamp the belt like a locking clip so a child CAN"T pull it out and introduce slack in the system...it's also a good seat for such a tiny little kiddo :) ).

The Cosco/Eddie Bauer/Safety 1st seats are plagued with low top harness slots, poor padding, terrible top tether adjusters, and LATCH straps that aren't very well designed, so I'd just skip them, personally.

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

[mommy in flag]

Thanks so much for the informed--and quick--reply.

Wading through so much info. is totally confusing. You confirmed my fears about the Cosco/Eddie Bauer/Safety 1 seats.

I think I'll wait on getting the next Britax, at least till we're pregnant with number 2.

Now let's hope either the Graco Cargo or Evenflos fit in my husband's '97 Passat! I don't place a lot of credence on that car seat compatibility database. Last year, I read that the Marathon wouldn't fit in my Subaru Forester (and therefore I got a RA, which turned out great) but I just tested it yesterday and it fit great.

Thanks again!

-Natalie
mommy to Bella, 18 months

[Joolsplus2]

Oh it should fit fine in the Passat, I think :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[mommy in flag]

Oh I hope so. I have to order the seat online as I live in Flagstaff, AZ and there aren't too many stores of that nature here!

[TahliasMom]

We have the Cosco Touriva for a second car seat and it works fine. It is skimpy on padding but for being used only 4-5 times a week for short trips we couldn't justify spending more than $50 on a 2nd car seat. We just came back from a 3 week trip to Europe and took the Cosco for DD, 12.5 months, to sleep on in the plane and for taxis/etc and she managed fine. We just put a blanket underneath while on the plane since that's where she slept most. We could not have imagined dragging the MA.