re: Car Seats

i have my three year old in a britax marathon

and i have my infant who will be out of hisinfant carrier in about a week or so when i get back my taxes cuz i feelhe is just too big even though he is not by gracos standards my question is should i buy landonthe same carseator would it be better for me to buy dominic (three year old) this carseat


cuz i just saw this carseat at bru and realized they are the same price and this one actually can go up to 100 lbs as a booster also so would it be better to do this so my boys will always be in a britax (sorry that was typed wrong had to fix it)

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS} landon/dom:“ i have my three year old in a britax marathon and i have my infant who will be out of hisinfant carrier ... [snip!] ... booster also so would it be better to do this so my boys will always be in a britax (sorry that was typed wrong had to fix it)”

Is your 3 year old forward facing? If so, the Frontier is a pretty good seat. The drawbacks are: it goes to 80 lbs in the harness, but the top slots are not really high enough to accommodate a 80 lb child. It also can be difficult to install. It does make a tall, great booster, so that is a plus. I would go back to BRU and see if you can get a good install with it before you buy.

If you can't get a good install with it, look at the Graco Nautilus (there's a pic in my siggy). It goes to 65 lbs harnessed, and then a booster to 100 lbs. I'm finding though, that the Nautilus makes a poorly fitting booster, and even though my (almost) 7 year old still fits well in the harness, we are selling it and getting him a booster for his birthday.

I'd pass the Marathon on to the baby (rear facing of course).

Quoting Andie.:“ Is your 3 year old forward facing? If so, the Frontier is a pretty good seat. The drawbacks are: it goes ... [snip!] ... we are selling it and getting him a booster for his birthday. I'd pass the Marathon on to the baby (rear facing of course).”

well i have a plus on that lol i used to work at bru so i am pretty knowledgable on installing carseats i mean i am not a pro by any means but i know how to do it and i have done it for other people and they have taken them in to have them double cked and only had to be moved a smidge or something like that and i have learned from those mistakes lol so i dont know if i would have problems installing it and of course the baby is rear facing and will be extened rear facing after reading all the review on how much better it is but that was not the thing when dom was little i wish i would have known and the drawbacks about the carseat dom is a petite 3 year old most 11/2 years old are the same size as him so i dont know if that will be an issue with the way he grows but you never know some day he could shoot up like a weed haha

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS} landon/dom:“ well i have a plus on that lol i used to work at bru so i am pretty knowledgable on installing carseats ... [snip!] ... so i dont know if that will be an issue with the way he grows but you never know some day he could shoot up like a weed haha”

Glad to hear you are extended rear facing! If I would of known about it when my oldest was a baby, he would of too.

If he still can rear face (less than the max weight limit and more than 1" of seat shell above his head), I'd get another Marathon for the baby and rear face him again. Most kids don't mind going back in my experience. It's more comfy and they have somewhere to put their legs. It's like sitting in a easy chair.

If you want him forward still, the Frontier says the child has to be over 2 and over 25 pounds to use it. I know techs that have had troubles installing it, so I like to point the difficult installation out.

Another good seat is the True Fit. It goes to 35 lbs rear facing and 65 lbs forward facing. Should get most kids to booster age and then you can get a dedicated booster for them. It's comparable to Britax, IMO, and about $100 less.

Quoting Andie.:“ Glad to hear you are extended rear facing! If I would of known about it when my oldest was a baby, he ... [snip!] ... kids to booster age and then you can get a dedicated booster for them. It's comparable to Britax, IMO, and about $100 less.”

dom will be three on the 28th and he weighs 32 lbs so i mean he is pretty much over the extended rear facing from what i have read but i could have been misinformed hmmm now i am stuck on what to do but i need to do something quick cuz my baby is deff ready to get out of the infant seat!!

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS} landon/dom:“ dom will be three on the 28th and he weighs 32 lbs so i mean he is pretty much over the extended rear ... [snip!] ... hmmm now i am stuck on what to do but i need to do something quick cuz my baby is deff ready to get out of the infant seat!!”

Yep, he's almost too big, especially if the has the older 33 lb limit Marathon. Add clothes and shoes to that 33 lbs, and he's probably already too big. I'd say the Frontier or the Nautilus. I think that BRU carries them both, so you can try before you buy.

Quoting Andie.:“ Yep, he's almost too big, especially if the has the older 33 lb limit Marathon. Add clothes and shoes ... [snip!] ... already too big. I'd say the Frontier or the Nautilus. I think that BRU carries them both, so you can try before you buy.”

thanks for all your help i will go try those two out and see which one we like better i am just all for the britax that is prolly the route i will stick to cuz i love how easy they are to use and clean and what not!!

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS} landon/dom:“ thanks for all your help i will go try those two out and see which one we like better i am just all ... [snip!] ... just all for the britax that is prolly the route i will stick to cuz i love how easy they are to use and clean and what not!!”

Good luck! I have no experience with Britax seats yet. Working on getting some.   I can tell you that the Nautilus is the easiest seat I've ever installed though.

If you have a top tether anchor, make sure to use it, as it helps reduce head excursion (flying forward).

i drive a 2001 gmc jimmy so i dont have the anchors in my car or latch     which is very depressing but i do have cargo tie downs backbehind the seatsand someone told me i could use those i mean they are the big hooks that are in the back welded into the frame on the floor but i dont know if that is safe or not so i have not done it yet what do you think???

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS} landon/dom:“ i drive a 2001 gmc jimmy so i dont have the anchors in my car or latch     which is very depressing ... [snip!] ... back welded into the frame on the floor but i dont know if that is safe or not so i have not done it yet what do you think???”

There are 3 tether anchors in the back, on the floor of the cargo area. Check your car's manual, it should tell you where they are.

Usually using the cargo tie downs are not ok unless the manufacturer says different.

Quoting Andie.:“ There are 3 tether anchors in the back, on the floor of the cargo area. Check your car's manual, it should ... [snip!] ... it should tell you where they are. Usually using the cargo tie downs are not ok unless the manufacturer says different.”

i tried to find a pic but could not find one to show you what i am talking about but i know they are like the 4 of them in the shape of a rectangle two behind the seat and two by the hatch thing i dont use them cuz i am sure that is not what they are for... my mom has a brand new jeep and it has latch and i sooo wish i had it!!! do all cars have tether anchors or just ones with latch??? i will read the manual when i head home which is in 15 mins yay!!!

Quoting *beck-i* {JAS} landon/dom:“ i tried to find a pic but could not find one to show you what i am talking about but i know they are ... [snip!] ... do all cars have tether anchors or just ones with latch??? i will read the manual when i head home which is in 15 mins yay!!!”

Some cars have tether anchors in them even though they do not have latch. I retrofitted 2 top tether anchors into my 1998 Sable just recently - I don't have latch. The lower latch anchors became standard in 2001 (not all 2001 cars got it though), but most companies will install the upper anchor for forward facing seats in models '89 and up. Latch is another way of installing seats, it's supposed to be easier. It isn't superior to seat belts, so don't worry.

Some manufacturers ok the use of the tie downs as tether anchors - I'm pretty sure that your Jimmy is this way. Just check your manual and make sure you are using the correct one. You have 3 that are approved and 4 total. So 1 of them is not ok to use with car seats.  

I just came across that terrible thread, where that little boy died.

Im glad I came across it. I am having problems with my carseat and Im concerned. I dont think it fits right in my back seat. Its the Grace Deco convertible. The base always tilts, when I pull the carseat in and out. I wish it would stay tightly put, is this supposed to happen? It feels wobbly to me.

Is it safer to use the base? I apologize for asking without completing reading page 1, I will go back....Im also wondering, are the fire stations the best places to go check? Thanks in advance.

Quoting ♥1teaspoon♥:“ I just came across that terrible thread, where that little boy died. Im glad I came across it. I am ... [snip!] ... reading page 1, I will go back....Im also wondering, are the fire stations the best places to go check? Thanks in advance.”

If you have a base that you have in your car is it supposed to go UP (towards the back of the seat) AND DOWN (where it sits on the seat) to a point. 


It is NOT supposed to go side to side. 

I think it is more safe and EASIER to have the base in the car and just snap the car seat in there every time you go some place. 

As for fire stations being the best place... not necessarily. There is a link where you can find a CERTIFIED INSTALLER in your area... I don't recall what page it is, but I used it and there are 2 people in my area. 

Quoting ♥1teaspoon♥:“ I just came across that terrible thread, where that little boy died. Im glad I came across it. I am ... [snip!] ... reading page 1, I will go back....Im also wondering, are the fire stations the best places to go check? Thanks in advance.”

I am having trouble figuring out which seat you have. I only see 2 seats made by Graco in the Deco pattern. Which one?
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Also, how old, heavy and tall is your little one?