Pre-School and Daycare

Carseat "WWYD"

Friday I have to take our new car in to the dealership to have some accessories added to it.  They will have it all day, so they are giving me a loaner car.  The kids and I are going to be running around doing errands, etc. while they work on the car.  Even if it was otherwise an option, which I have things I need to take care of on Friday, we live too far from the dealership to take the loaner home for the day or to DH to help us with the seat.  I already asked about the mileage limits on the loaner.

DD is in a Britax Boulevard, which is NBD for me to install in the loaner and reinstall in our car at the end of the day, but DS is in a Britax Frontier, which I have trouble getting tight enough by myself.  Usually, I crawl into the seat, and DH has to pull on the latch strap to get it tightened.  I didn't ask for help when we were testing cars, but the sales guy volunteered that dealership employees are specifically NOT allowed to help with carseats at all b/c of liability.

The way I see it, I have three options. 
1) I can drive around all day (and then 40min back home until DH can help me again) with DS in a seat that isn't strapped in as tightly as it should be b/c I can't get it tight enough by myself.

2) I can try to put the Frontier in with the seatbelt, but I have never used a seatbelt on any of our seats and have no idea what I'm doing, which should be a very interesting experience b/c I'll also be corralling two kids in the dealership parking lot by myself while figuring it out.  (Admittedly, I could practice on our car at least on Thurs night, I suppose.)

3) I have DS' Britax Boulevard, which he just barely, barely (maybe 1/4in) exceeds the height limit  on, and he could use that.  He's still within the weight limit by a ton.

I feel like #1 is just a bad, bad idea.  #2 seems like a good idea until I imagine trying to keep DD (especially) from being run over by cars in the dealership parking lot while fighting the seatbelt.  #3 seems like the best of the awful options, but I'm leery of  using a seat that he's outgrown too.

WWYD?

 

Re: Carseat "WWYD"

  • An outgrown seat is not okay, not even for a day. If you're not sure you can install the frontier correctly do you think your son would cooperate to use it in booster mode for one day? A properly used booster seat is far safer than an improperly installed or outgrown harnessed seat.
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  • I have a frontier. After battlig with the latch an not bring able to tighten it enough for over an hour, I went to YouTube. There are so many videos how to put it in with the seatbelt. It was in and tight within 5 mins. I would practice tonight but it was really simple as long as the belt is routed through the long-belt path correctly (make sure not to twist it anywhere). I would say it's in too much harder than my marathon after doing it a few times.
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  • CD+ALCD+AL member
    Both of these are good ideas.  I don't know why I didn't think of them.  Obviously, I wasn't comfortable with any of the options I had thought of, so I really appreciate it.  Thanks!
     
  • ITA with the PPs.

    That said, I'm just curious...when you say he has outgrown the Boulevard in height, are you talking about his actual height? Because that's a general guideline. Since height can be in the legs, or tall/short waisted, etc... there's a chance he might still fit. The main requirements are that the shoulder straps be at shoulder level or above, and that the top of his head doesn't go over the top of the shell of the seat (I can't remember the exact requirements for this but if you google it, it shows the angle at which to measure, because it's not straight on, as well as which part of his head cannot be over the seat shell). And someone please correct me if I'm wrong! Anyway, my point was, he might not have actually outgrown the seat just yet.

    CP 3/07
    BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08.       BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
    TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
    BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
    BFP 11/14
  • imagedi0607:
    I have a frontier. After battlig with the latch an not bring able to tighten it enough for over an hour, I went to YouTube. There are so many videos how to put it in with the seatbelt. It was in and tight within 5 mins. I would practice tonight but it was really simple as long as the belt is routed through the long-belt path correctly (make sure not to twist it anywhere). I would say it's in too much harder than my marathon after doing it a few times.

     this! And as far as kids running around in the parking lot, I just locked my kids in the car with me while I installed car seats. They just loved climbing all over the car, something they aren't usually allowed to do. 

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  • CD+ALCD+AL member
    Yeah, he's too tall at the shoulders/straps.  I'll probably just use it as a belt positioner for tomorrow.  That's probably the easiest and most reliable solution, and it was so obvious too.  Not sure why I couldn't come up with that myself.  I guess I should stop trying to solve the world's problems at 3am.  Wink
     
  • Ok, so I just googled a bunch, because our Frontier is not installed tightly enough (no matter how hard DH and I have tried to tighten that thing). And you reminded me that I NEEDed to figure that out!

    Anyway, I read on other forums to pull the latch from inside the seat (like you pull the fabric away on the side and reach your hand in and pull the latch strap that way) because it gives you a better angle and is much easier to tighten.

    So I just went to the garage and tried it...it felt like nothing changed, I barely tugged on it....I check the seat and it's now installed WAY tighter then before! Indifferent Now I feel horrible for letting DD1 ride in a badly installed seat for the last year and a half :( But it was really simple and got it installed right... 

    Is that your only problem? Tightening it? If so, try doing that! I'm seriously sitting here in shock right now ;)

    CP 3/07
    BFP 5/07 - Kylie born 2/08.       BPF 2/09 - Alexandra born 10/09.
    TTC since 8/13 - diagnosed difficulty conceiving due to LP defect. Took vitamin B and Vitex Berry to help lengthen.
    BFP 2/14 - Missed M/C found at 8.5 weeks. D&C at 9w2d. Partial Molar Pregnancy.
    BFP 11/14
  • Another thing to toss out there is see if there is a highway patrol office nearby and get it in as tight as you can and head straight there to have it double checked, redone if necessary.
  • CD+ALCD+AL member
    imagebim38106:

    Ok, so I just googled a bunch, because our Frontier is not installed tightly enough (no matter how hard DH and I have tried to tighten that thing). And you reminded me that I NEEDed to figure that out!

    Anyway, I read on other forums to pull the latch from inside the seat (like you pull the fabric away on the side and reach your hand in and pull the latch strap that way) because it gives you a better angle and is much easier to tighten.

    So I just went to the garage and tried it...it felt like nothing changed, I barely tugged on it....I check the seat and it's now installed WAY tighter then before! Indifferent Now I feel horrible for letting DD1 ride in a badly installed seat for the last year and a half :( But it was really simple and got it installed right... 

    Is that your only problem? Tightening it? If so, try doing that! I'm seriously sitting here in shock right now ;)

    This really works!  I hurt my hand doing it, but I was able to do it by myself and get it pretty close to being as snug as DH can get it the other way.  Thanks!

     
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