Convertible for a convertible

[Ms B]

We need to get DS another convertible carseat.

In DH's Toyota Avalon, he rides in a RA55, which he seems to like a lot.

In my car (early-2000s Jeep Grand Cherokee, no LATCH, but probably soon to be replaced with a mid-size SUV of some type), he rides in a Chicco KF 30, but at six months he has grown so much that I think he only will get only another 60 days or so out of it.

With the help of the knowledgeable group on this board (:bowdown:), I had settled on either the Diono Radian or a Britax Marathon or Boulevard, depending upon price. All of these are pretty tall seats, which I need for tall DS.

The issue is that summer is coming and I normally also drive a Toyota Solara convertible (with LATCH) in the good weather. The Solara's back seat is smaller and the roof is low with the top on (which is the only way I would put DS in it at this point).

What will work in the Solara? Can I use the same seat in the Solara and the Jeep (or its replacement) or is that just crazy? Or is my best bet to get two new seats, one for each (maybe even something like a Cosco Scenara for the Solara since DS only would be in it for a short drives in town)? Or to get a different seat for DH's car and move the RA as weather dictates (although we have found that installing the RA in the non-LATCH Jeep is a pain in the keister).

Please do not tell me I have to give up my convertible for two plus years until DS can FF -- I do love that car and would miss driving it (even if I only could put the top down after dropping DS off at daycare)!

[Joolsplus2]

Try the RA55 in your Solara. If it works, the Marathon will, or get another RA55. Should fit fine in there, I'd think. Maybe even the Radian with the foam recline wedge would work (that makes the seat more upright, otherwise you just can't have a passenger in the front seat).

Heh, I put my convertible top down with my kids in the car. Not worried about safety, but they screamed and screamed in the wind (not surprisingly, they aren't thrill seekers even to this day, I save a lot of money not going to amusement parks :rotflmao:)

(oh, both the radian and britaxes perform very well without top tethers, since I'm not sure if your car has them for forward facing, that would be A Good Thing, but check your manual for top tether information just in case).

[TwoBees]

I installed a RA55 in MIL's BMW 328i convertible, if that helps any. It's not super easy to get DD in and out of the car, but it's not impossible either.

[Ms B]

Try the RA55 in your Solara. If it works, the Marathon will, or get another RA55. Should fit fine in there, I'd think. Maybe even the Radian with the foam recline wedge would work (that makes the seat more upright, otherwise you just can't have a passenger in the front seat).

Heh, I put my convertible top down with my kids in the car. Not worried about safety, but they screamed and screamed in the wind (not surprisingly, they aren't thrill seekers even to this day, I save a lot of money not going to amusement parks :rotflmao:)

(oh, both the radian and britaxes perform very well without top tethers, since I'm not sure if your car has them for forward facing, that would be A Good Thing, but check your manual for top tether information just in case).

Where would I find a foam recline wedge? Is that something that would come with the seat?

And am I correct in reading your post to say that we would have to mount the seat behind the passenger seat (as opposed to in the middle position)?

Thanks much for your help on this . . . so much to figure out on carseats and, pun intended, so much riding on them!!

[Joolsplus2]

I wasn't sure if your car even has a middle seating position....? (ie, a seatbelt).
The recline wedge for the Radian is sold separately, it's only 10 bucks, though.