PSA: Britax Carseats on Sale

Married2MrWright · March 2011

At AlBeeBaby.com

https://www.albeebaby.com/britax-sale-items.html

We got a Boulevard 70 CS last month from BabyCatalog.com for $249 that we've installed in the CRV and we want a second carseat for our Accord, just in case (90% of the time she rides in the CRV, but you just never know!)...

Not sure if we'll go with a pricey Britax for the back-up carseat, or something less expensive since she'll rarely use it. Ideas?

lola808 · March 2011

We have two Marathons but just got Cosco Scenera 40RF from Target for $43 to install in DH's parents' car. They babysit once a week for a few hours at our house and have never had to take him anywhere, but I figured it was "safer" for them the have something ready to go just in case. The Scenera is one of those good bargain buys, but it's not the easiest to install, so I plan to just leave it in their car. We rotate one of our Marathons between DH's and my mom's car because it's really simple to install.

Married2MrWright · March 2011

Yeah, the Cosco Serena is on my list to look into further. Also the Evenflo Tribute. I am torn though...the budgetzilla in me says stay under $100 for the "back-up" carseat but since Libby is >95% for weight and >90% for weight another part of me is saying to go with a pricier model that she can be in for longer. I dunno...

lola808 · March 2011

True, since the Scenera is only good till 40 lbs. If A stays at his current percentile, he's good till at least age 4, so I figure that's long enough to make it a good value for us. Those Britaxes sure add up, though.

MrsZiz · March 2011

lola808:
Those Britaxes sure add up, though.

They are pricey! I will not be buying another one for DS because of several things. I tried the Sunshine Kids Radian seat (also very pricey) but it's way better IMO than the britax. It's also slim which is nice so we could have had 3 seats across the back of my civic if we would have bought the SKR to start. Does the Scenera have latch? I'm not familar with that seat but I love latch! Bella's only 21 lbs at 18 months so it would have been a good value for us if it did.

I don't like that the sides near Bella's legs are so high and I have to be very careful not to bump her head on the car when getting her in the seat since she's still RF. I also don't like the CS feature, it gives you a false sense of security because ours seems to click every time you pull it when there's still plenty of space for it to be tightened. I feel like the straps are somewhat difficult to tighten as well. Don't get me wrong there are SO many positives but before spending that much money I wish I would have known more than I did... I felt like I was educated before I bought it but now with experience, it's not a great seat for us.

SanHawaii08 · March 2011

MrsZiz:
I tried the Sunshine Kids Radian seat (also very pricey) but it's way better IMO than the britax. It's also slim which is nice so we could have had 3 seats across the back of my civic if we would have bought the SKR to start. Does the Scenera have latch? I'm not familar with that seat but I love latch! Bella's only 21 lbs at 18 months so it would have been a good value for us if it did.

The scenera does have latch, though I haven't used it. I think it's fine for occasional/back-up use, but I wouldn't use it as our primary seat. We bought one for my parents' house, and it took MH and me an hour to install (not using latch) Stick out tongue and we had to redo a few times in the 10 days we were there. It was really difficult to get right, and I felt like it would shift over time. It's the only convertible seat we've used, so maybe we're just not as good at getting them in, but I would hope that other seats are easier to install correctly. Or maybe with latch, it's easier?

I'm planning on getting a radian when E outgrows his infant seat.

lola808 · March 2011

MrsZiz:
lola808:
Those Britaxes sure add up, though.

I don't like that the sides near Bella's legs are so high and I have to be very careful not to bump her head on the car when getting her in the seat since she's still RF. I also don't like the CS feature, it gives you a false sense of security because ours seems to click every time you pull it when there's still plenty of space for it to be tightened. I feel like the straps are somewhat difficult to tighten as well. Don't get me wrong there are SO many positives but before spending that much money I wish I would have known more than I did... I felt like I was educated before I bought it but now with experience, it's not a great seat for us.

I agree. I only have experience with the Marathon, but I am often bumping A's head on the roof trying to get him in and out of the seat RF. I also read a lot of reviews on the CS feature before buying, since you think it's an upgrade and worth paying extra for -- only to realize that many people did not recommend it, and so we got the regular version. I'm happy with the seat overall, especially how easy it is to move from vehicle to vehicle. But it's true -- the most expensive or newest, latest model isn't necessarily the best fit for every car or every family.

Like Sandra said, I've read that the Scenera is not the easiest to install and so it will be the back-up that stays put in the IL's vehicle. None of us have newer cars, though, so we can't use the LATCH feature, which I think works if your vehicle is post-2002 or something.

mrspresley · March 2011

we have a cosco scenera in my IL's car for when we go to visit them. we're only there about once a year, if that, so it's no big deal for us. it IS a pain to install but not that big of a deal, i don't think. i think it just depends on how often you see yourself using it. if not often, i don't think it's really worth shelling out hundreds of dollars for a back up car seat. i can't speak to the weight/height limit for RF, though, b/c Miss A is only average in height and below average in weight so it's not a real concern for us.

MauiWedding08 · March 2011

We also have a cosco scenara - I don't find it to be that difficult to install - it usually lives in my mom's car (Nissan Rogue) but we also use it for travel so it has been in lots of different rentals and my IL's cars. J falls asleep just like he does in his other seats no problem so although it doesn't look to comfy to me, he doesn't seem to mind!

For the price it's perfect. J is off the charts for height and below average for weight so I'm not sure how his various seats will work out in the future.

SanHawaii08 · March 2011

MauiWedding08:
We also have a cosco scenara - I don't find it to be that difficult to install - it usually lives in my mom's car (Nissan Rogue) but we also use it for travel so it has been in lots of different rentals and my IL's cars. J falls asleep just like he does in his other seats no problem so although it doesn't look to comfy to me, he doesn't seem to mind!

Yeah, I think it was user error more than anything else Stick out tongue but we were also originally trying to get it into the middle seat, and that just didn't work as well for my mom's car. even so though, it made me really appreciate the ease of use of our infant seat!! But yeah, E took a ton of naps in there, though it doesn't look comfy to me either!

MrsZiz · March 2011

I ended up going to the car seat installation place and they helped us install both car seats RF in my tiny Honda Civic which I thought would be impossible. I found them VERY helpful, they didn't do it for us, they directed us so we both actually learned how to do it, which is really important. I find the LATCH system very easy to use. Maybe if you had trouble installing the scenera, try to go to one of the installation and have them teach you, which will make it quicker and easier in the end.

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