Where do you have your convertible car seat?

LizzyG11 · January 2014

We have a rav 4 and unfortunately there isn't a LATCH system for the middle back seat, just either side. The middle back seatbelt is also in an awkward position (rav 4 users probably know what I'm talking about, the seatbelt is connected to the ceiling behind the row of back seats all the way to the driver's side). I know the middle is the safest but I'm unsure of whether or not we'll be able to put it there. I don't think it will fit behind the driver's side and leave enough room for me and DH to drive comfortably (we're both tall) so would it be ok to put it on the passenger side? Would you just try and secure it in the middle with the weird seatbelt?

Where do y'all have your seats? Any rav 4 drivers care to chime in?

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

Our cars haven't had a middle seat until we got an escape recently and now we have two kids, so it is a moot point. We buy Britax car seats with really good side impact protection and I pray that it's enough.

KLJ3 · January 2014

I have a 2012 RAV4, and yeah, the middle wasn't gonna work. We got an Evenflo convertible seat and put it on the passenger side. It sucks for my husband because he's tall, but there really isn't any way around that. (Driver's comfort comes first! Lol.)

The Evenflo has a really good side impact rating. I'm just hoping we never have to test it.

TradeMama · January 2014

I have a honda odyssey so maybe not that helpful... But ours is behind the driver so that our older kids can get out curbside when we drop them off places.

D&S724 · January 2014

Right now I have the infant seat base in the middle of my boys' boosters, and it's really cumbersome for me to reach over to put the baby in. It's really the only thing that works, though. I drive a Honda Pilot, and we need to keep the seat behind the passenger free because that folds down to lead to the 3rd row. My oldest sits behind the driver's side, and when I do school drop off, he goes out of that door.

bumpuser8130818 · January 2014

Ours is behind the driver's seat. We have a Nissan Rogue, which doesn't have a latch for the middle seat either, and I didn't trust my husband to do a seatbelt install. I might switch it if we can get someone to install it who is qualified, but for now that's where I feel it's safest.

sundaesprinkles · January 2014

I think I read somewhere on the bump (in a thread) that if you can't put it in the middle the next best place is the passenger side. I think it has something to do with statistically the passenger side is less likely to be hit than the driver. Anyone else remember reading this?

mommatotwo2 · January 2014

makeupgeek said:

I think I read somewhere on the bump (in a thread) that if you can't put it in the middle the next best place is the passenger side. I think it has something to do with statistically the passenger side is less likely to be hit than the driver. Anyone else remember reading this?

We were actually told by the car seat safety inspector, that when you have 1 kid, putting them behind the driver is preferred, because you are less likely to be distracted by your child when they are directly behind you. When we had 1 kid, she went behind the driver. Now that we have 2, our oldest is behind the passenger and the baby is behind the driver.

sarajim06 · January 2014

mommatotwo2 said:

makeupgeek said:

I think I read somewhere on the bump (in a thread) that if you can't put it in the middle the next best place is the passenger side. I think it has something to do with statistically the passenger side is less likely to be hit than the driver. Anyone else remember reading this?

We were actually told by the car seat safety inspector, that when you have 1 kid, putting them behind the driver is preferred, because you are less likely to be distracted by your child when they are directly behind you. When we had 1 kid, she went behind the driver. Now that we have 2, our oldest is behind the passenger and the baby is behind the driver.

This exactly for us. DS1 is forward facing behind the passenger and DS2 is rear facing behind the driver.

sundaesprinkles · January 2014

sarajim06 said:

makeupgeek said:

I think I read somewhere on the bump (in a thread) that if you can't put it in the middle the next best place is the passenger side. I think it has something to do with statistically the passenger side is less likely to be hit than the driver. Anyone else remember reading this?

We were actually told by the car seat safety inspector, that when you have 1 kid, putting them behind the driver is preferred, because you are less likely to be distracted by your child when they are directly behind you. When we had 1 kid, she went behind the driver. Now that we have 2, our oldest is behind the passenger and the baby is behind the driver.
This exactly for us. DS1 is forward facing behind the passenger and DS2 is rear facing behind the driver.

There is a good chance I may have this info backwards....oops.

MommaG123 · January 2014

The passenger and drivers side are equally safe. The middle is technically the safest but only if you can get a good install there.

We have C (DD1) behind the drivers side so I can get her in and out last and first respectively. I need her to be standing by the car while I get M (DD2) in and out.

emmy236 · January 2014

I have an equinox and we tried it in the middle but the way the top of the car seat goes it would stuck in between the top of the seats if that makes sense. So he's behind the driver seat. We have the Maxi Cosi Pria 70. Our thought was that I can see him in his little mirror better when I'm driving by myself and if we're both in the car, who ever is in the passenger seat can get to him if he needs something or has dropped his paci for the 100th time.

jesselayne8 · January 2014

My 2yr old is behind the driver and my 7month old is behind the passenger seat.

jedimindtrick · January 2014

Our car seat tech told us that the passenger side is statistically the next safest place after the middle. They installed the car seat at the hospital and chose the passenger side with Latch over the middle with seat belt. We will put the convertible in the same place.

PumpkinAndThePeanut · January 2014

@shantxtell, did you need the angle adjuster for the Radian? I think this is the seat we want to buy but I'm nervous they won't fit in our car. We have a Mazda 5 which has backseats like a minivan but it's smaller than a minivan.

jesselayne8 · January 2014

PumpkinAndThePeanut said:
@shantxtell, did you need the angle adjuster for the Radian? I think this is the seat we want to buy but I'm nervous they won't fit in our car. We have a Mazda 5 which has backseats like a minivan but it's smaller than a minivan.

DH and I both have a radian in our cars without the angle adjuster. I have a small SUV and DH has a full size SUV. It probably depends more on how tall you are and how far back you need to have your seat backs than just the size of the car.

PumpkinAndThePeanut · January 2014

^ thanks! I'm only 5'5" and have short legs so I don't need much leg room but DH is 6' and needs more room than me. If you can get them in the back of a small SUV then I'd think we should be good.

FmrAFBrat · January 2014

beaubecca said:
We have a Santa Fe and have the convertible in the middle seat. Eta I actually preferred it on the passenger side but it was a really tight squeeze even in the SUV. Car seats are huge!
We have no idea what seat to get for DHs Honda Fit.

I have a Santa Fe & it's fine after LO hits 22lbs and the seat is more upright...my 2 year old is behind me rear facing with no issue.

My DH has a 3 series BMW & this seat fits perfectly behind him:

https://www.walmart.com/msharbor/ip/19514414?adid=1500000000000012981640&veh=mweb

It's not a nice as mine, but it installs easy & leaves a lot of room, even rear facing (40 inches/lbs). It's a nice second seat.

huzzahuzza · January 2014

We just upgraded my Dodge Caliber for a Ford Escape because J's carseat really cramped the car. We have his convertible carseat on the passenger side mostly because I couldn't get J into his carseat in the middle of the car very easily.

PumpkinAndThePeanut · January 2014

@FmrAFBrat, we had a 3 series...we had to trade it three days before our babies were born because we couldn't get our Keyfit 30s in the backseat. Most impractical car ever.

PumpkinAndThePeanut · January 2014

I don't know why I'm obsessing over this decision anyway. We drive our car once a week to get groceries about a mile away. We buy gas about once every three months.

FmrAFBrat · January 2014

PumpkinAndThePeanut said:

@FmrAFBrat, we had a 3 series...we had to trade it three days before our babies were born because we couldn't get our Keyfit 30s in the backseat. Most impractical car ever.

Yes it sucks. We had to go to BBB and try infant seats-we ended up with the Safety 1st (with an $80 base) because it was the only one that fit....barely. My DH loves that car & is still mad about getting rid of his Z-3. I wish he'd get something else.

LizzyG11 · January 2014

Thanks ladies! It is installed now behind the passenger seat

C loves her new big girl seat!

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