I hate my Frontier!

[sarahsthreads]

DD2 just hit 40 pounds with sneakers & outerwear, so I have to switch to a seatbelt install...the last time I tried to do this with the Frontier in my Odyssey it took superhuman effort and much cursing to get it reasonably secure.

Here's our stats:

DD1 - 8 years old, 48", 48 lbs.
Currently in a HBB (Graco Turbo) in both cars.

DD2 - 4.25 years old, 40", 40 lbs.
Currently in a harnessed Frontier in my car (original, expires in 2018) and a harnessed Nautilus in DH's car. This one I *think* expires at the end of 2013? It has a 12/2007 DOM stamped on the back. DD2 would be 5.5 at that point and I would be willing to put her in a HBB full time by then.

(I just realized both my kids are the same number of inches and pounds. Weird.)

Here's my thinking:
Buy a backless booster for DD1 in DH's car, move DD2 to the high back Turbo. They are in DH's car once a week, for approximately 5 minutes, all streets under 30 mph.

Move the Nautilus to my car for DD2, keep the high back for DD1. They are in this car for all other around-town driving and long-haul driving. Both still tend to fall asleep on long car rides, which is why I'd like DD1 in the high back still in my car for now.

Does this sound like a reasonable longer-term plan? Will the Nautilus be easier to install with a seatbelt than the Frontier? Should I just give in to everyone else's advice and put DD2 in a HBB? (She does sit very, very well in one. I just can't quite get over the terror of putting her in one on the highway or for long trips...I'll admit that I've been letting her "practice" nearly every day to and from school - the same 5 minute in-town trip DH does once per week)

And then is it reasonable to put the Frontier up on Craigslist? For how much? It's never been in any kind of accident at all, and still has 5+ years of useful life left, but I just really am so done wrestling with it. Heck, I'd give it away to someone if I knew anyone looking for a mammoth seat!

Finally, what are the current recs for backless boosters, for a petite kid? She fits really well in the high-back Turbo, should I just get a backless Turbo?

Thanks!
Sarah :)

[StantonHyde]

I put my frontier in the front of my house with a sign that said free--it was gone that day, That's how much I hated that danged thing.

[sarahsthreads]

I'm (sort of) glad I'm not the only one! I don't mind it so much LATCHed, it's just a beast to install it any other way.

To be fair, honestly, I had a pretty hard time getting a good seatbelt install with the Nautilus in my Odyssey tonight. I don't know if it's the darn slippery leather seats, or the captain's chairs, or just that I suck at installing carseats? (Really, though, I've installed them all with no issues in my old Subaru and DH's Jetta...)

So now I'm not sure whether to just wrestle the Frontier back in there or keep the Nautilus in my car? Probably I'm going to go back to the Frontier. Though DH just wants to go to boosters all around and be done with the harnessed seats, and he's beginning to wear me down.

Sarah :)

[OKKiddo]

I'm (sort of) glad I'm not the only one! I don't mind it so much LATCHed, it's just a beast to install it any other way.

To be fair, honestly, I had a pretty hard time getting a good seatbelt install with the Nautilus in my Odyssey tonight. I don't know if it's the darn slippery leather seats, or the captain's chairs, or just that I suck at installing carseats? (Really, though, I've installed them all with no issues in my old Subaru and DH's Jetta...)

So now I'm not sure whether to just wrestle the Frontier back in there or keep the Nautilus in my car? Probably I'm going to go back to the Frontier. Though DH just wants to go to boosters all around and be done with the harnessed seats, and he's beginning to wear me down.

Sarah :)

The biggest issue I had with trying to get a good install was when I was trying to use the short belt path. When I go to long belt path it's a rock solid install--and using a clothes pin or a chip clip to hold the seat belt so it can't retract is handy so you can use both your hands to make sure the belt isn't getting twisty inside the belt path of the seat. Oh, and I found that when I recline the vehicle seat a little that I get a tighter install faster.

I hope you can give it one more try and be successful!

[karstmama]

i don't think it's that hard, though of course i respect your experience. i thread the belt path, plug the belt in, then kneel in the seat while i tug the excess out from behind the seat. then i hold that part still and pull the slack out of the door until it starts to lock, then i feed all the slack back in. that way i'm not trying to do the install with the belt tightening while i'm tugging - which i did do a time or two until i refined my system, and it was awful, so that's why i'm writing. just in case you were trying to feed it while it's in lock mode already, give it another try this way & see if we all can't just get along. :)

[KrisM]

I've done both the old and new style Frontier in a Odyssey with leather seats. I do find it hard to get the belt through the long path, but I have a child hold it out for me and that works okay. But, once it's installed, it's very solid. Are you using the long path?

If you do want to move things around, what about using the Frontier as a booster in DH's car? Then you can keep the high back for DD1.

Oh, and my kids are linear, and I find it weird. Last year they were 36" / 35 lbs, 42" / 45 lbs, 48" / 55 lbs. This year they moved to 40" / 41 lbs, 46" / 51 lbs, 52" / 51 lbs. So, they are always 6" and 10 lbs apart. It's werid how they grow like that.

[roseyloxs]

No advice just thankful to hear I am not the only who despises the Frontier. Really wish I hadn't bothered getting Britax seats. They just haven't lived up to the hype for me. Oh well.

[arivecchi]

I am another one who did not have that much trouble installing the Frontier either. I used the LBP as well and I watched the Britax video which helped immensely.

In any event, I did buy a Diono Monterrey for our second car and really like it. DS will be 6 in Dec.

[stonecali]

The chip clip is a GREAT idea! I learned in my Ody, the only thing that works is the Long Belt Path (which, by the way, TERRIFIED me..... thank goodness for youtube videos showing how easy it was).

Now I can get it installed rock solid using the LBP and I kind of feel like I conquered my Long Belt Path fear. ;) My current method is to pull the belt all the way out and have someone hold it right at the point where it retracts, so I can do my thing without worrying about it retracting and locking and having to start over. The chip clip is a MUCH better idea and would totally work if I needed to do it solo.

[doberbrat]

yeah, the Frontier was a beast to install untill I got the brilliant idea to use a plastic clamp to hold the seatbelt from retracting. Then it got almost easy w/the LBP.

Now getting it installed in booster mode is making trying to install w/lbp w/o the clamp look easy.

:hug:

[KrystalS]

I hated mine too, so you definitely aren't the only one!! Only the long belt path would work which is a total nightmare, especially the first time. I definitely got better at it over time but I still hated doing it. I sold mine and I really, really hope something better comes out by the time my DS needs to move out of his Marathon. I'm not a fan of the Nautilus either, doesn't give a lot of support when sleeping.

[wellyes]

I don't love my Britax seats either.

What does his weight with outerwear have to do with it, though? You are supposed to take the coat off before buckling up, right?

[AnnieW625]

We always had our Frontier belted in when it was in harness mode. It was a pain, but then we figured out the LBP and it was okay, but I hear you on installing it. If the Frontier didn't fit my DD1 as well as it did when she was 3 or the Maestro was out then I probably would have gotten that instead. I thought I had sworn off Britax until they came out with the BLVD70, and the RA55. Those seats are awesome, but I purposely didn't buy a Parkway because if mixed reviews I had read on some boards, and heard first hand from friends.

Dd1 is in a Graco highback turbo most the time (we use the Frontier in booster mode for long trips, and not during the school year as it is hard to puzzle with a low back booster in he middle of the Pilot), but she isn't a huge fan of the Graco low back turbo, she much prefers the Harmony Cruz booster I bought as a spare or for her to use I other people's car. It is sold at Target, and Wal Mart for $15 or so. Harmony also sells the Dreamtime booster for about the same price, but I believe that is only available at Wal Mart. I have friends whose kids also like the Evenflo Amp Big Kid boosters as well.

[Joolsplus2]

I've never had a problem, but then I trained on the much-harder Britax Super Elite. (you younguns have NO idea :rotflmao:) Anyway, in a Honda, push the vehicle seat back (slide it on the floor), and recline it a couple notches. Install with the short belt path pulling up hard on the shoulderbelt at the buckle side (knee in the seat) to get the lapbelt tight, then pull the shoulderbelt all the way out, and then upright the seatback, and push it forward on the seat track if it still needs to be tighter.
And yeah, can't rave enough about the videos on the britaxusa.com site (or youtube, just google it). Wish the stupid thing would just have a lockoff, what's up with them leaving it off? Stupid.

[sarahsthreads]

Wow, everyone - thanks for all the tips! OK, so I did the long belt path with the chip clip and used the recline and pushing the seat back on the floor track tricks to get it in there pretty tight. The chip clip is genius - in order to get the belt to reach far enough to buckle it in, it has to pull all the way out and it (of course) starts retracting before can get it buckled! It's not cemented to the seat the way it was with LATCH, but it definitely has less than an inch (more like less than half an inch) of wiggle room at the belt path.

I may try the short belt the next time I have to do this (Julie, I didn't know that was an option with this car/seat combo) because I think part of what makes this so tough is that the little loop of seatbelt that prevents the buckle from sliding too far down the belt gets kind of "stuck" at that first red seatbelt guide and I can't tighten it any more. However, sliding the seat up a couple of notches took that slack right out. This would likely be a non-issue with the short belt path.

So, for now, DD2 is staying in the Frontier in my car and a HBB in DH's car for super short trips. DD1 is in a HBB in my car, and I bought her a backless booster for DH's car. I feel like that's likely to be the "carpool option" in most friend's cars, so she should practice sitting in that kind of booster. She's going to be in one for a looong time. She's got about 9 more inches to go - maybe by the time she's 12 or so? (Hopefully before she's getting her learner's permit, anyway.)

Thanks again, everyone!

Sarah :)

[LizLemon]

No advice just thankful to hear I am not the only who despises the Frontier. Really wish I hadn't bothered getting Britax seats. They just haven't lived up to the hype for me. Oh well.
Curious about those who have mentioned not liking Britax seats. What about them? We had been considering Britax for a convertible seat, along with several other brands.

[legaleagle]

Curious about those who have mentioned not liking Britax seats. What about them? We had been considering Britax for a convertible seat, along with several other brands.

Britax seats are very popular here! This thread is complaining about the original frontier, which apparently was very difficult to install, the current model (frontier 85) is quite easy to install and a great seat. I personally have 2. The convertibles are even easier to install and use and tend to fit well in just about every car.

[KrisM]

I've never had a problem, but then I trained on the much-harder Britax Super Elite. (you younguns have NO idea :rotflmao:) Anyway, in a Honda, push the vehicle seat back (slide it on the floor), and recline it a couple notches. Install with the short belt path pulling up hard on the shoulderbelt at the buckle side (knee in the seat) to get the lapbelt tight, then pull the shoulderbelt all the way out, and then upright the seatback, and push it forward on the seat track if it still needs to be tighter.
And yeah, can't rave enough about the videos on the britaxusa.com site (or youtube, just google it). Wish the stupid thing would just have a lockoff, what's up with them leaving it off? Stupid.

Oh yeah, I do this too (move the seat). I forgot!

[sarahsthreads]

Britax seats are very popular here! This thread is complaining about the original frontier, which apparently was very difficult to install, the current model (frontier 85) is quite easy to install and a great seat. I personally have 2. The convertibles are even easier to install and use and tend to fit well in just about every car.

:yeahthat:

I loved our Marathon - so much that I bought a second for DD2 when DD1 wasn't ready to move out of hers! I don't exactly hate the Frontier, just the installation, which I hear has been made easier in the newer models. ;)

Please don't be turned off to all Britax seats just because my experience with installing the original Frontier in my slippery leather captain's chairs sucks!

Sarah :)

[Joolsplus2]

And I didn't read right, either, you're right that the SBP probably won't work on the Ody captain's chairs, I haven't tried to do it since I got the seat in 2008, I don't think! (Worked in the third row, oddly enough...)

[AnnieW625]

Curious about those who have mentioned not liking Britax seats. What about them? We had been considering Britax for a convertible seat, along with several other brands.

My DD1 was crazy and didn't care for the Britax Marathon at all from the time she was about a year old until she was 2/1/2. She would fight me tooth and nail in the seat at first, and then by the time she was about 2 she'd try to loosen the straps and overall she was just not comfortable unless she was half asleep when I put her in the seat (which didn't happen a lot). For whatever reason by the time she was 2/1/2 or 3 the hatred for the seat had pretty much gone away, but still it was annoying at the time and after that kind of swore I wouldn't buy another Britax seat if I could help it. I ate my words on that one.