Regent and recline bar

[wendmatt]

I just called Britax customer service with a list of complaints and the lady there told me that as my seat was manuf before June 2008 (mine's Feb 2007) it did not require the recline bar. In the recall info I got it says I do need the bar. Any idea what is correct?
Also I am having a terrible time getting a good install with the short belt path in the middle of my Toyota Echo. I've twisted the belt tongue on both ends (you have to plug in the seatbelt at the bottom for the middle belt) Am I making sense?
I've been out there in tears pulling and heaving and kneeling and it's still wobbly. Plus the bar makes it forward in the seat so I'm starting to hate this seat. I tried to sell it on Craiglist but of course now the frontier is out, regents are cheaper and no one wants a used one. Remember last year when I could've made a fortune selling it?? I'm so frustrated!

[Joolsplus2]

If they gave you the go ahead to install it the old way, I would...I KNOW that seat is great without the bar and with the LBP in that car (I had a Super Elite in an old Prius and loved it, lol), and they didn't really have a 'recall', just an 'advisory' (ie, not UNsafe the old way, just possibly a little tiny bit safer the new way).

I want to invent a 'I hate recline bars' blinkie :32:

[postmodernmommy]

I have the same problem in my Echo. I simply can't get a decent install with the short belt path in the center or any position. The recline bar is a pain but I have my seat pushed back pretty far into the back of seat so it won't stick out too far. Make sure you have the seat sitting on it's bottom and not sitting on the recline bar. That helps.

After calling Britax they basically said the same thing- since our seat's DOM was before the magic date where you have to do it differently use whatever installation method that is going to work best. So we're recline bar with LBP, even though DD is over the new suggested weight limit.

Weirdly we got a fine install with the SPB in our '99 Camry. I simply LOVED the LBP install for this seat, it's rock solid every time.

Good luck with your seat!

Amy :)

[schums]

I just called Britax CS to ask about this (just wanted to triple check) and Helen said the magic date was June 28, 2007. So for my seat, mfg 8/21/2007, we still "have" to use the recline bar. Why can't Britax get it's act together and tell us the same thing, regardless of who we speak to?

I think I'm still going to reinstall without the recline bar, since DD has almost zero leg room right now. Can I do this without major mommy guilt?!

[cimberdog]

I have a Honda Element and was completely frustrated trying to install the Regent. At first, I took one of the two I purchased back, thinking I'd have to get something different. Then I spent some time on the car-seat.org boards and some techs there told me to do three things which made this thing finally install, tightly!

1. Use a runner mallet to tap the recline bar into the seat so it doesn't fall out during installation.
2. Recline the seat back in your car while you work the short belt path
3. Twist the seat belt stalk 1-2 times to shorten it. Without twisting the stalk, I could NOT get any kind of tight fit and could wiggle the seat right out.

After I got the seatbelt tight using the short belt path, then I went behind the rear seat, and ratcheted that up snug against the Regent. Finally, I had a tight install.

We ended up doing that very same thing in DH's Subaru B9 Tribeca.

FWIW, when I called Britax, they didn't mention not using the recline bar -- they said if I needed to reduce the seat slipping, to put that rubber shelf liner under it. But, I didn't end up needing that and wanted a tight fit without it.