# Multiple Car Seats in a Jetta?



## hey_baby (Feb 24, 2007)

WOE IS ME!
We just bought a Jetta after being told that it could fit THREE car seats without issue. We have a 5 year old in a booster, and are expecting our second baby in October.

We have the Chicco Keyfit infant rear-facing car seat installed on the rear passenger side right now because otherwise I cannot buckle my 5 year old into his booster seat.

As it is right now, the infant seat is pushing the front seat up so far that a front riding adult passenger could never be comfortable.

Help?


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## guestmama9908 (Jan 23, 2007)

Hugs Mama!

I too drive a Jetta. I don't see how you could possibly fit three car seats into the back seat. I have done it in a pinch while babysitting but I don't think it was very safe. The seats really scrunch together.

If we ever have another baby, we have two right now, we will have to buy a different vehicle.

I'm so sorry. Perhaps you could go back to the dealership and tell them there is NO way to safely get three car seats in there.


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## hey_baby (Feb 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *CalenandEllasmomma* 
Hugs Mama!

I too drive a Jetta. I don't see how you could possibly fit three car seats into the back seat. I have done it in a pinch while babysitting but I don't think it was very safe. The seats really scrunch together.

If we ever have another baby, we have two right now, we will have to buy a different vehicle.

I'm so sorry. Perhaps you could go back to the dealership and tell them there is NO way to safely get three car seats in there.

Thanks, it's causing me much stress to think that by putting my baby in an outboard position in a rear facing seat that I am somehow putting him in danger when we really have no alternative with this damn car. UGH!


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## LilyGrace (Jun 10, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hey_baby* 
Thanks, it's causing me much stress to think that by putting my baby in an outboard position in a rear facing seat that I am somehow putting him in danger when we really have no alternative with this damn car. UGH!

I know the more knowledgable mamas will come along and expand on this more, but you should put the least protected in the most protected spot - meaning your 5yo should go in the center if possible, and the rearfacing, 5pt harnessed infant should be in a side spot.


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## KatWrangler (Mar 21, 2005)

I agree. I don't see how you can possible fit three carseats in a Jetta. We just traded our 4Runner in for a 2008 Acadia. Reason being is we need room for 3 seats (I am pregnant with #3). Acadia has three rows of seats and the second set are bucket seats.


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## Poppy Bee (Jul 13, 2007)

Well crap! We've got a Jetta wagon, and while I've managed to fit two forward britax seats side by side without issue, it's going to be tough to do a rear facing convertible britax without either my 2 year old poking the new baby, or having to scoot the front passenger seat all the way forward. The Britax seats are tall, but they have narrow bases, so it's pretty easy to get them to fit in the Jetta. It's the "tall" part that's going to make this difficult.

We shall see how this goes... as long as the seats are forward facing, 3 would fit fine in my car, but I hadn't given much thought to that period of time where baby is too big for the infant seat, but not ready to face forward.


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

.... and that is why we ended up with a Subaru when we went car shopping last time....

Sorry. I think some of the poeple who say "No problem you can get three seats in there" are people whose kids were babies half a lifetime ago and are thinking of antique seats.

We actually took all our carseats along when we carshopped and tried them out. We were moving up from a 92 Saturn (this was '01) and knew (well, HOPED) we'd be having another child in the next year or two. We loved the Jetta wagon, but we could not get a rearfacing infant seat into it in the center position when the front-facing seat was outboard, and putting it outboard meant my knees were knocking my chin and my chin was knocking the dashboard...

Unfortunately, if you've already got the car, I don't know if there's an answer.







But to those reading who might be in the market - remember you can spend as long as you want with as many carseats as you want when car shopping!!


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## KatWrangler (Mar 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *savithny* 
.... and that is why we ended up with a Subaru when we went car shopping last time....

Sorry. I think some of the poeple who say "No problem you can get three seats in there" are people whose kids were babies half a lifetime ago and are thinking of antique seats.

We actually took all our carseats along when we carshopped and tried them out. We were moving up from a 92 Saturn (this was '01) and knew (well, HOPED) we'd be having another child in the next year or two. We loved the Jetta wagon, but we could not get a rearfacing infant seat into it in the center position when the front-facing seat was outboard, and putting it outboard meant my knees were knocking my chin and my chin was knocking the dashboard...

Unfortunately, if you've already got the car, I don't know if there's an answer.








But to those reading who might be in the market - remember you can spend as long as you want with as many carseats as you want when car shopping!!

Thats what we did. When we took the Acadia for a spin, hubby installed their seats (we all went). That way we knew for sure if the seats would fit.


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## hey_baby (Feb 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LilyGrace* 
I know the more knowledgable mamas will come along and expand on this more, but you should put the least protected in the most protected spot - meaning your 5yo should go in the center if possible, and the rearfacing, 5pt harnessed infant should be in a side spot.

That's a good point!
I wonder if I could possibly get the seatbelt to work for him in the middle seat with the booster. As it is right now, the middle seatbelt is too high and cuts across his neck funny.


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## hey_baby (Feb 24, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *savithny* 
.... and that is why we ended up with a Subaru when we went car shopping last time....

Sorry. I think some of the poeple who say "No problem you can get three seats in there" are people whose kids were babies half a lifetime ago and are thinking of antique seats.

We actually took all our carseats along when we carshopped and tried them out. We were moving up from a 92 Saturn (this was '01) and knew (well, HOPED) we'd be having another child in the next year or two. We loved the Jetta wagon, but we could not get a rearfacing infant seat into it in the center position when the front-facing seat was outboard, and putting it outboard meant my knees were knocking my chin and my chin was knocking the dashboard...

Unfortunately, if you've already got the car, I don't know if there's an answer.







But to those reading who might be in the market - remember you can spend as long as you want with as many carseats as you want when car shopping!!

Oh how I wish we could turn back time and just keep our old car (Honda CRV!) instead of thinking the Jetta is "safer" and therefor a better car for us. It can't be safer if the dang car seats won't fit in it! Blah!


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## Yooper (Jun 6, 2003)

We had a Jetta when dd was born. We could not get her rear-facing seat in any position except the middle. If we put the seat in either outboard position, whoever was in front was plastered to the windshield, which was not safe. I am all for small cars for families. Completely. But the Jetta failed IMO. There is NO WAY that I could see putting three seats in that car. I have put three car seats in a 1991 Ford Escort. I have done it in a 1994 Dodge Aries. I have seen it done in an Accord. But the Jetta? Nope. Plus ours caught on fire. The dashboard. While driving. Not good. Not that I believe all Jettas to be evil. Just left a VERY bad taste in my mouth....... Ours was a 1996 though. I am sure the newer ones HAVE to be better. Right?


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## Yooper (Jun 6, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hey_baby* 
Oh how I wish we could turn back time and just keep our old car (Honda CRV!) instead of thinking the Jetta is "safer" and therefor a better car for us. It can't be safer if the dang car seats won't fit in it! Blah!

Wow.

I am sorry. The irony......

We traded in our Jetta for a CR-V and I am very very happy with it in every way.


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## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

I wanted to reiterate that the least protected (IE forward-facing, or youngest rear-facing if all are RFing) should be in the middle if possible.
I think the Sunshine Kids Radian is the narrowest carseat available and I'm sure you could fit 2 Radians in a Jetta, and possibly 3, but I doubt it.


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## keriberry (May 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hey_baby* 
That's a good point!
I wonder if I could possibly get the seatbelt to work for him in the middle seat with the booster. As it is right now, the middle seatbelt is too high and cuts across his neck funny.

The middle seat cuts across his neck! What booster is he in? Backless?


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *keriberry* 
The middle seat cuts across his neck! What booster is he in? Backless?

YA, this! Please tell me this is not the case. At the very least, a 5 yr oild should be in a highback booster, although best practice would be a 5 pt harnessed seat, depending on height and weight.


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## Papooses (Dec 20, 2006)

I'm curious who said you would definitely be able to fit 3 seats across? It is possible -- we did it at the regional NHTSA conference -- but it's not easy & it is not possible with just any 3 seats + your choice of seats is obviously going to depend on the children's ages/weights/heights as well as your budget....

I suggest you post these stats & vehicle year/make/model @ www.car-seat.org for the many techs + advocates there to help you out









P.S. ideally, we do want the least protected passenger in the center (RF harness is safer than booster & highback booster is safer than backless) but safest practice also means equally distributing safety -- front seat occupants need at least 10" between face & airbag deployment surface -- boosters must not be used with lap only belts.... The safest place for any carseat is whichever backseat location provides the easiest, most secure, correct installation as per both carseat + vehicle manuals.


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## ScotiaSky (Jul 2, 2004)

My parents own a 1991 Jetta and we had no problem fitting a FF Radian center, RF Radian outboard and room for avg size adult in the third seat. I see no reason why another Radian would not fit.

In fact I am almost 100% sure that a third Radian would fit with no problems. The Radian is super narrow but still spacious for the child.

The year before we were able to fit an Eddie Bauer 3-1 FF center and an Evenflo Infant outboard. I was just able to cram myself in the seat and highly doubt a third car seat would work in that case.

Not sure if the newer models have less space in the back seats though.


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ScotiaSky* 
My parents own a 1991 Jetta and we had no problem fitting a FF Radian center, RF Radian outboard and room for avg size adult in the third seat. I see no reason why another Radian would not fit.

In fact I am almost 100% sure that a third Radian would fit with no problems. The Radian is super narrow but still spacious for the child.

The year before we were able to fit an Eddie Bauer 3-1 FF center and an Evenflo Infant outboard. I was just able to cram myself in the seat and highly doubt a third car seat would work in that case.

Not sure if the newer models have less space in the back seats though.

My parents had an '84 Jetta when I was a teenager, and I'm pretty sure the older Jettas had more space in the back. I was a 5'10" teenager iwth very long legs and was pretty comfy back there; when we tried on the '01, which was the first or second year of the redesign, it was much more cramped even before I tried to put a RF infant seat in place...


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## treqi (Dec 31, 2006)

At least you dont have one of these I can barely fit 1 carseat in there and then the seat in the back is useless to anyone that is bigger than a 12yo..... crazy dh


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## Mere (Oct 1, 2002)

We have a Subaru Outback (read: small backseat!) and fit three seats across. It's all about the seats! We currently have 2 Sunshine Radians (1 FF and 1 RF) and a Fisher Price Safe Voyage booster. Those are all the narrowest carseats available, and if they fit in a Subaru, they should fit in a Jetta.

FYI, we just switched ds2 to the RF Radian...before we had him a Peg Perego infant bucket seat, which was also super narrow.


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## polyhymnia (Jan 6, 2007)

I nannied from 2000-2004 for a family with three kids (baby born in 2000) and they had a Jetta, I think it was a 1996 Jetta. They fit three carseats across - first two FF and one RF infant bucket, and then two FF and one RF "regular" carseat (convertible, I think they are called) and finally two FF convertible and one high back booster seats. Now I don't know if Jettas have got skinnier or carseats have got wider, but I do wonder if it isn't possible with a different combination of carseats?


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