The car seat game.... what to buy new, what to hand down

[american_mama]

My third child is outgrowing his seat and I need to figure out what to buy new, what to hand down. If you hate these kind of sagas - they always confuse me - please skip this post, but for the car seat gurus, I'd appreciate your expertise!

The seats in question are: Cosco Apex 65 (currently used as a booster) for my tall 7 year old DD1, Britax Marathon for my big 5 year old DD2, and Graco Safeseat for my 20 month old DS. That's the seat that has been outgrown. Everyone else is happy in their seats.

Should I buy DS a new convertible, probably a new Britax Marathon? Or should I hand down DD2's old Marathon (it's about 3 years old), hand down the Apex to DD2 and get DD1 a new booster? There are two reasons to do that: 1) DD2 is a big, solid girl and I wonder if she'll start to feel cramped in the Marathon, especially in the shoulders, or if she'll seem too tall in it, since it sits so high off the seat already. 2) I cannot fit all the kids in the second row in seats, and I'd like to be able to do that on occasion. I don't want to buy a whole set of narrow seats, but if there was a narrow booster seat that could fit in between the other two seats, I'd be interested.

I'm not too up on car seats, so please state the make and model for anything you recommend, so I can look it up.

[o_mom]

Do you happen to know when the Marathon and Apex will expire? The MA is 6 yrs. I'm not 100% on the Apex, but 6-8 yrs.

If the Marathon has a few years left, I would consider passing it down to the baby and looking at a Sunshine Kids Radian (any model) for DD2. That is usually a good bet for getting three-across and has quite a bit of interior room for as narrow as it is. It tends to puzzle well next to a Marathon, as well. What kind of vehicle are you driving (year/make/model)?

Are you happy with the Apex as a booster? You could also pass the Apex and Marathon down and get a booster for DD1. Then when one of those two expire look at a narrow convertible or a new combination seat depending on how old DS is at that point.

[Joolsplus2]

I'd probably hand everything down (do you still have the harness for the Apex?)
Getting three across might still be impossible as long as the Apex is involved, though, if you're serious about wanting that, I'd look at the Sunshine Kids Radian for your 5 yo... my dd1's a bit on the smaller side, but she fit in that seat a full year longer than she fit in the Marathon, till age 7.
But for keeping costs lowest, just getting the 7 yo a booster would be the best. Britax Parkway SG would be narrowest for possibly being next to other seats (but it has a crotch strap feature that skirt wearing girls may find a bit of a challenge). Graco Turbo Booster is least expensive, fairly narrow, but is actually available at many stores, so the most accessible choice (negatives are that it's not great for much bigger/older kids, it has a short back and shorter seating area...you aren't 'there' yet, but trying to think ahead for ya!). Recaro Vivo or Vivo Lite are nice, especially if you have any at your local BigLots! for a low price. Sunshine Kids Monterey is wide/huge/comfy and kids tend to love it, it also doesn't expire for 8 years, so you could theoretically use it till even the baby is about out of seats.

A super-inexpensive option for occasional 3-across that might work with your other seats would be the Harmony LiteRider booster. The Parkway used backless might also work.

Hope that gives you some starter info :). I'm glad your SS1 lasted ds as long as it did, too bad all good things must come to an end, huh?

And, I got your email, if I knew anything at all about how to deal with that situation, I'd have gotten back to you, but I'm stuck in 'ponder' mode :/.

[arivecchi]

Check out the new Radian XTSL for your youngest. It rear faces to 45 pounds, can be used with super LATCH to 80 pounds if you have a car manufactured after a certain point in 2005, is narrow and lasts 8 or 9 years. Really tall seat so it will probably fit a child until they are about 5.

[AnnieW625]

I would use the current seats you have until they have expired then look at something new for the baby when that happens. If it's another year or two that the seats are good for then your baby should be able to go straight to something like a Britax Frontier or a Graco Nautilus and that seat will be good for 9 yrs. from purchase.

[caleymama]

Far from a guru, but I'd probably hand everything down depending on expiration dates.

I would give the baby the MA, your middle DD the Apex (with the harness back on), and get a new HBB booster for your 7yo. Then in approx 2 years when the MA expires I would get your DD1 (then age 9) a new LBB, give the HBB to your DD2 (then age 7), and use the Apex for your DS (then almost 4) or get him a new FF seat like the Frontier or whatever is available then. Not sure what to tell you about the 3 across.

[american_mama]

I need to look at the age of the Apex and expiration date. I bought it when it first came out, when everyone was still confused about the name and availability, so I think that was fall 2005 or 2006.

How does the Sunshine Kids Radian 80 compare in size to the 65? DD2 is 50 pounds now, just turned 5. I wonder how fast she'll reach that 65 pounds. I'd like her to be harnessed until age 6 or 7.

Is there a backless booster that is really narrow? That would work for my occasional 3 in a row dilemma. I have a $15 backless booster already... maybe a Cosco, but it doesn't fit with my current configuration of seats.

I have a Ford Freestyle/Taurus X with a bench second row.

[o_mom]

I need to look at the age of the Apex and expiration date. I bought it when it first came out, when everyone was still confused about the name and availability, so I think that was fall 2005 or 2006.

How does the Sunshine Kids Radian 80 compare in size to the 65? DD2 is 50 pounds now, just turned 5. I wonder how fast she'll reach that 65 pounds. I'd like her to be harnessed until age 6 or 7.

Is there a backless booster that is really narrow? That would work for my occasional 3 in a row dilemma. I have a $15 backless booster already... maybe a Cosco, but it doesn't fit with my current configuration of seats.

I have a Ford Freestyle/Taurus X with a bench second row.

The Radian 80 is the same size as the 65. Actually all the Radian seats are the same size with the same harness height, they just have different weight limits and features (which we can walk you through) so if one fits, they all will fit. *Most* kids won't need more than 65 lbs in that seat. To give you an idea of how long, it has about an inch more in harness height than the Marathon and lasts 6-12 months longer.

I found this in the three-across thread at www.car-seat.org (http://www.car-seat.org):
http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=780964&postcount=244

I think a Radian would be very helpful longterm in getting three across and you may find that with that the booster width is a non-issue. If possible, try one out in your car first to see if it will fit.