Cowmooflage Convertible Car

Need help picking a convertible car seat for my son?

We're looking at putting our son in a convertible car seat. We have a 2006 Nissan Altima and I'm worried about the fit of the car seat in the back seat. We were looking at the Graco Myride 65 but it seems very wide and like it leans back way too much. His infant carseat right now pushes our passenger seat almost all they way to the dash. I need something that is obviously safe but also small enough when it is rear facing that someone can ride in the passenger seat. If you have any suggestions please let me know!

Hello -

One funny thing is many times, an infant seat actually takes up more room then a convertible.

An infant seat requires 45 degrees of recline (or the recline recommended by the manufacturer following the recline guides). Many of these seats require the handle be put down while driving which can also add depth. Finally, an infant seat really cannot touch the seat in front of it - also an issue.

A convertible seat does not need to be at the full 45 degrees if the child has head control and is not a infant. Most kids actually prefer to be more upright (as upright as 35 degrees allowed). Most convertibles also allow for the seat to touch the seat in front of it as long as it's not bracing against it. And beyond that, some convertibles actually allow you to "brace" the seat with the seat in front of it (so long as you don't have "active" airbags - the ones that turn on or off depending on a person sitting in the seat... active airbags can be tricked by a convertible seat pushing up on it)

There are TONS of seats on the market right now that make great convertibles. Britax is great, but it's not the only one who makes a great seat in this market anymore. I would strive for a seat that has either a 50lb, 65lb or 80lb weight limit on the harness. These are going to last you the longest and generally have nice rear facing limits.

Some nice seats to look at that are actually fairly reasonable price wise:

Learning Curve True Fit
Evenflo Triumph Advanced
Evenflo Symphony 65 (not the old one... that was a 40lb seat... make sure it says 65)
Graco My Ride 65
Any of the Radians by Sunshine kids
Britax Marathon, Roundabout 50, Boulevard, Decatholon, or Advocate

Babies r us will let you try the seats out in your car - so go there if you have one near you.

You can also post on www.car-seat.org - there are TONS of techs and chances are, one or two of them has an altima and can give you some options.

And in general, the center will give you a little more room to play with - but make sure you are using the correct install method when using the center - 90% of the cars out there DO NOT allow latch in the center - and you must use seat belt to install there.

Once you pick a seat, contact a car seat tech near you - www.seatcheck.org - to learn how to install it correctly!

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These days it seems everyone is looking for ways to save money, and buying used seems to be a no-brainer. But baby seats should never be purchased used. Here's why:

Baby Seats Can be Damaged Even Though they Appear to be Fine

Baby car seats are designed to protect infants from the incredible forces involved in a car crash. They are built to secure the infant safely, and also to absorb some of the energy released in the crash. They absorb the energy by flexing - if they were strong enough not to flex they wouldn't be capable of doing their jobs. But, the very fact that they do flex when stressed in an accident means that they can be damaged even when they show no signs of damage. If they are in another car crash they may fail, and break, instead of flexing causing severe injury or death to the baby they are supposed to be protecting.

Car Insurance Companies Don't Take Risks with Car Seats

If you attempt to purchase one used you have no way of knowing if it has ever been in an accident. It may look perfectly fine, but be still be damaged and incapable of functioning safely. This is why car insurance routinely pay for new baby car seats after accidents even when the seat has no sign of damage.

Don't Rely on the Seller's Representations

You cannot count on the representations of the person selling the used baby car seat. Even if they honestly believe that the baby car seat has never been in an accident, they could have simply forgotten about it because there were no injuries and no obvious damage to the seat. Also, it could have been damaged in another way, by being dropped or improperly installed.

Used Baby Seats May Not Meet Current Safety Standards

Finally, by avoiding used baby seats , and only buying new, you are ensuring that the seat conforms to the latest safety specifications. Many older baby seats - like other baby furniture - does not meet current safety requirements. Baby seats should be discarded, not resold. Never risk buying one used.

Find the best Cosco car seats at FindMyCarSeat.com, as well as more of my work.

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