# 3 kids, 1 2008 Toyota Corolla - WWYD?



## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

We thought we were done reproducing, so we bought this Corolla to save on gas/preserve the environment, etc. Well, it turns out we weren't quite done.

WTH kind of 3-seat combination will fit in the back of a Corolla? I had hoped to get a Graco SafeSeat for the new baby, as it will keep him/her RF in a bucket for quite some time.

My 25-lb 2 y.o. is FF in the Britax Wizard I got for my son in 2004. It is time to replace that thing anyhow, and it takes up way more than its fair share of a backseat that must now be divided amongst three.

My 47-lb 4 y.o. has been in a Combi high-backed belt-positioning booster since he outgrew the Wizard. I took the back off recently so he could unbuckle himself without help, and the belt looks well-positioned and secure to me, but again, the seat is way too wide. I guess he needs a narrower booster? (Yes, I am aware that some people choose to harness kids of his age/size. No, I am not considering that - he hated it, I hated it, and he is mature enough to not to take his belt off or squiggle around. Besides, there's no way a harness seat big enough for him will fit in my backseat with the two other ones. If you are going to claim that it will, be prepared to produce photographic evidence. Heck, if you show me three kids harnessed in the back of a Corolla, you might even change my mind!







)

Anyhow, I am really hoping to hear from a mama who has BTDT with my car or a similar model, and what three seats she got to work. Thanks!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

3 radians should work.

The 2 yr old should still be rf. and the 4 yr old should still be harnessed.

A newborn can work in a radian also if you want.

-Angel


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

Woman, you are as consistent as the dawn.









I am actually open to making Sarah RF again - she was flipped more because of a conflict with the Britax and the new car than because I was bound and determined to have her FF. It seems to me that if her seat and the baby's seat are both RF, they might fit together better.

But three Radians are, not, I think, going to work. My rear seat measures 46" across, and every combination of three SK seats I try adds up more than 46".

That's why I'd really like to hear from a mama who has actually achieved three seat in a row in her Corolla - I know it can be done! I know it!


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## CompostMom (Jun 9, 2008)

Anyway you can think about trading it in and getting something a little bigger? I know it sucks but can you manage having the baby by the 2 yr old that close w/o something being dropped on the baby's head etc?


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

The measurement will be at the widest point, not the base. I would bet big money 3 radians would fit. two RF on the outer sides and ff in the middle. Radians are the skinniest seats out there- if they don't fit, you won't get 3 across... but I'm sure they'll fit









-Angela


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

Hmmm. I had not thought of that. I wish I could find a Radian retailer so I wouldn't have to ship one back if it didn't fit... maybe I can drive to a nearby city.

Trading in the car is definitely not an option unless all reasonably safe carseat configurations fail. We'd take a bath on it (just bought it six months ago!), and more to the point, drivbing the most fuel-efficient car we can reasonably afford is something that has become important to us. I''ll see where I can lay hands on some Radians to try out in person...


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

HAH! There is a "boutique" store, an overpriced place I never set foot in, right down the street that carries Radians. Hurrah!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smithie* 
HAH! There is a "boutique" store, an overpriced place I never set foot in, right down the street that carries Radians. Hurrah!











Yeah, I love the boutique stores for carseats









-Angela


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 









Yeah, I love the boutique stores for carseats










-Angela

that is the only reason i would ever step foot in one, i cant afford anything else there.. lol.

but yes i agree that those three should fit.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Congrats Smithie!









The only issue you might have with the radians is seatbelt install. You have to install with belt rather than LATCH once the child is 40 or 48 lbs depending on the car. And I know Toyota's can have install problems with radians. So I would be careful there. But I bet anything they'll fit.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Don't try adding up measurements. They never come out. I would bet you money you can get two Radians and your Britax, two Radians and a SS1, or 3 Radians across that backseat.


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## hockeywoman (Nov 6, 2007)

One other option if you didn't want to reharness your 4 YO (though I would advocate doing so), is the Fisher Price booster, which can be adjusted very narrow and bought from AlbeeBaby for cheap.

We have a Mazda Protege, and fit 3 across, all forward facing, with a Marathon, Radian, and Graco Nautilus. It's tight but all seats are independently installed. I'd bet your corolla is similar sized. In our sienna, we have 2 marathons and a radian in the 3rd row, and I'd bet that is narrower than your corolla's back seat.

Also for our Mazda, the Radian can fit rearfacing well in the middle, even for my tall DH it works. In our 2003 sienna, the seatbelt install of the radians is pretty difficult but we've gotten it tight.


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## cam&kat's_mom (Jan 12, 2006)

We have an 89 toyota cressida that we have 3 carseats across the back. It is tight and tiny but it does fit.
We have a britax marathon in the middle. a safety first somethign on one side and a compass booster on the other. They are all forward facing as they didn't fit with the britax rearfacing because of teh design and the arm rests on teh otehr 2 seats. I am not going out and buying new seats to accomodate that as it is DH's vehicle and they all fit fine in my car ( a minivan) and are only in that car once in a while. AND its' better than dh's soultion... 1 graco boosters, 1 no back booster and the britax. DD doesn't fit well in the graco booster and teh no back is out of date big time... So forward facing was better for us once i started working and they had to go in that car. once or twice a month.
IF we were in the market for new seats (which we are going to get another seat this winter for the baby on the way) I would look into these radian things... however all 4 kids will not be fitting in any little sedan so it's not even somethgin i need to consider.


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

Good thing my dh is a car seat installation superstar! Although it is very funny to see him wedged into the back of the Corolla working on a tight fit









I'll have to send him up to the boutique store to see how their floor model Radian fits in the Corolla with the seatbelt install. We prefer to use the belt rather than LATCH anyhow, but with three across I think the lighter kids may need to be LATCHed so everybody can fit.


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## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

With 3 across you may actually prefer having the older one harnessed. The seats will be close together and it might be difficult for your kid to reach between and buckle/unbuckle the belt. Plus, there's always the possibility of accidentially unbuckling the seat next to him instead of his own.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Smithie* 
I'll have to send him up to the boutique store to see how their floor model Radian fits in the Corolla with the seatbelt install. We prefer to use the belt rather than LATCH anyhow, but with three across I think the lighter kids may need to be LATCHed so everybody can fit.

Usually seatbelt installs give you more room anyway, since if you use the belts you can scoot the car seat over an inch or so more than the LATCH bars allow.


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

Well, here's the bad news: the boutique store is discontinuing Radians







The owner says that he luuurves them, and has his own 5.5 y.o. in a Radian 65, but just is not doing enough business on them to justify the stocking hassles. He sells mostly Britax models.

The good news: he installed his last 65 in my car, charged me $145 for it and is donating the entire sale price to a local child safety awareness org.

My daughter adores this seat. I think we will get years of use out of it. And y'all are right, I can very likely get 3 across if I choose to do so.

The damn Corolla has no LATCH in the center, so my ds will need to sit there (since the car only LATCHs to 40 lbs anyhow). We may wind up switching to a belt install for dd's Radian so the we can shove it over a bit. But for sure, that backseat has got a lot more breathing room with the Wizard out of it, and the LATCH install is very secure! This is the first tether install that I've really felt was at the right angle to have the maximum effect.

I hate car seat shopping, but this time it was fun!


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## nalo (Oct 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *crazydiamond* 
With 3 across you may actually prefer having the older one harnessed. The seats will be close together and it might be difficult for your kid to reach between and buckle/unbuckle the belt. Plus, there's always the possibility of accidentially unbuckling the seat next to him instead of his own.

YES! I used to nanny for 3 and had them all in the back of my Volvo sedan. When one of them switched to a booster/car seat belt (not my choice







) I had a hell of a time buckling and unbuckling each time. All 3 in harnesses is WAAAAAAY easier because reaching between tight seats like that is near impossible. And yes....you run the risk of accidentally unbuckling one of your harness seats and then wanting to cry because it will take an hour to redo.


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## wendy1221 (Feb 9, 2004)

Rear-facing kids should go in the outboard seats over a FF child anyway. RF kids are better protected.


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## RoadWorkAhead (Sep 8, 2005)

I fit a RF bucket and 2 RFing Sceneras (i think it was sceneras) in the back of my protege for an emergency trip. It worked though tight so I'd think Radians would definitely work. I too hate car seat shoppping so I totally understand!


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## Julia'sMom (Mar 12, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wendy1221* 
Rear-facing kids should go in the outboard seats over a FF child anyway. RF kids are better protected.









While I agree with the above. . .we found that a RF radian in a Toyota Camry left little to no foot room for the front passengers. Something you can live with for the passenger side, but wouldn't work on the drivers side.


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