Car seat decisions- what do you think?

[postmodernmommy]

First of all I'd like to say THANK GOODNESS for this board. It totally rocks on information. Thank you to all who contribute.

I've asked a few questions on this board about my car seat dilema (DD outgrowing RA, is 3 yrs 10 mos, 39 inches, 39 lbs, have a small Toyota Echo, want to keep her harnessed, worried about SIP since I have no side airbags and a small car) and I've come to two choices:

Scenario ONE: Buy a Regent for Daddy's car (Camry). Also buy a Boulevard for my car (Echo) that I'm guessing I'll get 1- 1.5 yrs of use out of and after she outgrows that move the Regent to my car and use the booster in Daddy's IF she is ready. I would also buy a 3rd seat, a booster, now, for those rare trips (while traveling, in someone else's car, etc).

Scenario TWO: Buy two Regents and be done with it. And let go of my worries about SIP and hope the Regent will provide enough protection. Also will buy a 3rd seat (booster)...(see above & below).

Booster (as the extra seat only)- am deciding between the Britax Parkway (LOVE the Tiffany and Woodstock designs at elitecarseats.com) and the Recaro Young Style. Am leaning toward the Recaro because it's wider (DD is "thick") and has some semblance of armrests. Additionally it's so very plush and comfy. Ugly colors, though.

ANY THOUGHTS/COMMENTS? Am I totally nuts for putting this much elaborate thought into this? Would I be wasting so very much $$$ on the BV for SIP for only a year or two?
TIA!
Amy :)

[mommyto4]

I think that the Regent and Boulevard are about the same price. Therefore I would go with two Regents because you would get more use out of them. They are great seats and very comfy. My 6 & 7 1/2 year olds use them and we love them. As far as the booster situation, keep in mind that the Recaro is good until 80 lbs. (same as Regent), and the Parkway is good to 100 lbs. Both are great boosters, just depends on how long you want to keep her in a booster after she outgrows the harnessed seat.
Melinda-mommy to Sarah, Kaylee, Jayci, & Davis
-Grammy to Trevor & Katie

[postmodernmommy]

Thanks for the input and the note about the weight difference between the boosters.

I think the Regent is around $249 and the BV is around $299 so there is a slight difference.

:)
Amy

[mommyto4]

With a $50.00 difference, I would go with the Regents, save some cash, and get more use out of it. Just sounds like a better deal to me. With the boosters, it's probably not a big deal for most kids (I think most would outgrow it height wise before weight wise). However, my with my 9 year old it was just the opposite (she outgrew her Husky by weight before height). She is a gymnast and is very muscular and muscle weighs more than fat. Anyway, she was still to short for a regular seat belt to fit her right so we got her the Parkway because of the higher weight limit. That is why I thought I should mention it.
Melinda-mommy to Sarah, Kaylee, Jayci, & Davis
-grammy to Trevor & Katie

[Scatterbunny]

Hi again, Amy. :)

I think I'd go with Scenario Two: get two Regents, one for each vehicle, and a booster for a spare seat.

The SIP of the Boulevard is nice, but if you won't get much use out of it, it's hard to justify the extra $$. Plus, with a convertible like that being so high up on a base, getting into and out of it in a small car like the Echo might be difficult. The Regent sits flat on the seat like a booster does, no big base, so it's easier to climb into and out of.

As far as boosters go, I prefer the Parkway, but have only ever seen pictures of kids in the Young Style. I actually think, based on the pics of the Young Style, that the Parkway would allow more width room, especially in the shoulders, when the child gets older and bigger. It looks like the Young Style has more wings around the entire body, where the Parkway torso wings stay low around the body and the shoulder area is open.

Also, the Parkway does not have an upper weight limit. It's the only booster that doesn't. My 105 pound, 5-foot-tall 12 year old sister fits the Parkway on the highest setting, and doesn't find it difficult to squeeze into, either.