3 yr old already outgrowing Graco Platinum CarGo?! HELP!

[rhk]

Hi,
I apologize if this is a duplicative question - I've been reading these boards and am getting very confused! There's so much info. to navigate!

My son just turned 3 years old - is 39 inches and 35 lbs. He was in a Britax Roundabout until our daughter outgrew her infant car seat. Then we bought a Graco Platinum Cargo for him. It says the 5 pt harness is good until the child is 43 inches. We just bought it about 4 months ago, and we have to buy everything in duplicate for our car and our babysitter's car.

To my horror, I discovered this weekend that I think his shoulders are now above the top slots for the harness. Does this mean I will have to use the vehicle belt now? Is that safe for a 3 year old who is less than 40 lbs? And why should he be outgrowing the seat when it says the harness should be fine until the child is more than 43 inches? I am REALLY annoyed! The prospect of shelling out even more money for 2 more car seats when I just bought the CarGos is maddening.

Please help - all advice welcome.
Thanks!

[strollerfreak]

I can't imagine that he would be over the top slots at 39" tall. My oldest is 42" and is quickly approaching the top slots and with his winter jacket on it does appear that his shoulders are above, but it's from the bulk of his coat.

This are older pictures, summer 2004, but he wasn't any more than 39-40" at the time...he had plenty of growing room in his Cargo then. When I took these pictures he was in that grey area where he could techically use the seat either way, as a harnessed seat, or as a booster, he was like 34lbs and 40" tall, IIRC. He's now 37lbs and 42"tall.

http://www.strollerfreak.itgo.com/carseats/ReillyHarnessSlotHeightUC.JPG
http://www.strollerfreak.itgo.com/carseats/ReillyHarnessedUC.JPG

His UltraCargo is in his dad's vehicle, otherwise I'd go out and snag a couple pictures of him in it NOW...he's got about 1/4" before his shoulders hit those top slots.

[rhk]

Thanks for the quick response and especially for the photos, I really appreciate it. I took the seat out of my car this evening and had my son sit in it without his winter coat, and you are right, there is still some room to grow. Probably only an inch, but I'll take it! I can breathe a sigh of relief, for now. I have a feeling this will only buy me a few months, but who knows, maybe we can keep him in the seat/harness until his 4th birthday.

Do you have trouble tightening the harness on this seat while your son is in it? I've seen others post about this and we've had this difficulty too - very frustrating!

I'd still be interested in the experience of others who own this seat, or have tall 3-year-olds they're trying to keep in a 5-pt harness (without investing in the Husky or the like), if you feel like posting!

Thanks again.

[Spencers Mom]

We had the same problem only it was the 40lb limit that put us in this position. We've had the new Cosco Apex seat (that will harness to 65lbs) for a few weeks now and love it so far. I've not had any problems worth speaking of. I got it for $130 at my not so local BRU. Read a few of the recent posts about it. It has been found in the store with several different names. If you go to the BRU website search for alpha elite apex (insane!) It's not a Britax by any means, but we are happy with our choice and the techs on this site seem to think it's safe.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007XIEPI/qid=1134575505/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-6224590-4492729?v=glance&s=baby

[Spencers Mom]

I found this photobucket (part of one of the reveiws on the BRU website) with several pics of kids in the Cosco Apex. I'm not sure what the last few pictures mean/show. Maybe someone else can shed some light on that.
Alison

http://photobucket.com/albums/y247/cpsnisi/Cosco%20Safety%201st%20Apex/?

[Joolsplus2]

The slots are only a bit (maybe an inch?) higher on the Apex compared to the Cargo... And the last pictures are showing how the top of the seat moves a lot and why it *required* that a vehicle headrest or seatback be behind the child's head at all time (so basically, you have to imagine the seat is the same as a no-back booster and the vehicle provides whiplash prevention, but the Apex doesn't)

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

[momtogirls]

I had a problem tightening the straps too. It never seemed like it got tight enough. I tried loosening the seat to adjust where the connector was located in the back & it didn't help. I returned my Platinum CarGo to Babies R Us & bought the Regent (which I love) from Baby Universe.

The big surprise at Babies R Us was that they told me they have to destroy the seat (which was less than a week old) b/c the original tags were no longer on it. I guess it makes sense since they don't know if it has been in an accident, but that would explain why seats are so expensive!