https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:57:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2816418 Sun, 15 Apr 2018 13:37:24 +0000 meadow 2816418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought I posted but I guess it must never have actually submitted...doh! I just wanted to say thanks to all those on this thread for ideas. We wound up missing out on the BRU sales but will take all the advice above when we get our act together and go to a regular store. THANKS SO MUCH! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813625 Mon, 02 Apr 2018 11:03:36 +0000 Rocker2014 2813625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We use Britax Clicktights as our main seats in both cars (LO is in both regularly), but have been very happy with the Cosco Scenera that we use for travel and in grandparent/babysitter cars. It is much harder to install than the Clicktight, but not terrible. LO is still comfortable forward facing in it at 3.5 years old, and we bought it when she was still rear facing at 1 year. For the price, I don't think you can do better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813579 Mon, 02 Apr 2018 09:41:38 +0000 Sams Mom 2813579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a Graco Extend2Fit for the babysitters car, and a Britax Forward facing only one that my friend gave us when her son outgrew it as the one for my husbands truck. </p> <p>If you don't find something you want to spend the money on at babies r us or they're out of stock; I bought the Extend2Fit off of Bed Bath &amp; Beyond online with my 20% off one item coupon and got free shipping. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813564 Mon, 02 Apr 2018 08:51:49 +0000 krispi 2813564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a Graco Contender as our secondary car seat and have been very happy with it.</p> <p>For comparison, our primary car seat that we use the most often is a Britax Marathon Clicktight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813463 Sun, 01 Apr 2018 16:54:23 +0000 ShootingStar 2813463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: My kids are in DH’s car 99% of the time. He does daycare drop off and pick up, and on the weekend we only drive his car. He has a new minivan with all the bells and whistles that we love. On the other hand, I have a teeny tiny SUV that pretty much only I like riding in. </p> <p>The only time I drive the kids is for one off things, like last week I took DD to her 18m ped visit. Oh and we never go to the library (it’s pretty much only open bank hours, ie when we’re working). And we probably go to the park a few times in the spring and that’s it. I would pretty much never think to take the kids without DH. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813440 Sun, 01 Apr 2018 13:33:32 +0000 peachykeen 2813440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetCaroline: @Shantuck: Same for the Pria. We had 2 for DD1 and replaced both after only 1 was in an accident. We couldn't figure out how it would ever work forward-facing.</p> <p>On the other hand, no complaints about our 4 Chicco Nextfits! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813437 Sun, 01 Apr 2018 13:08:22 +0000 bhbee 2813437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennibenni: @DesertDreams88: we only had one set of seats until my oldest was 6 and old enough for a booster! Even now that is the only second seat we have, if both kids go somewhere they have to take the family mobile :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813433 Sun, 01 Apr 2018 12:01:18 +0000 Jennibenni 2813433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: It’s very common among people I know for kids to spend most of their car time in one car. The “other parent” trips to park etc that you mentioned happen generally all together as a family in the main “family” car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813421 Sun, 01 Apr 2018 08:16:24 +0000 Shantuck 2813421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetCaroline: Agreed! The pria is the worst! We have two and I am physically not strong enough to tighten the one in my husband’s car. I’m a grown woman. How is that possible?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813414 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 23:47:40 +0000 DesertDreams88 2813414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: @Foodnerd81: oh another thing I forgot is I feel very uncomfy driving someone else's car, even my husband's, bc its unfamiliar and I'm afraid of accidents. He often will take his car bc if something happened, I wouldn't want to drive his car to the hospital. So the idea of spouses switching cars regularly is foreign to me :) sorry this is tangential... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813412 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 23:33:20 +0000 PinkElephant 2813412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: Gotcha! My DH is gone 14 hrs/day Monday-Friday, so similar to @Foodnerd81: , if he needs to take more than one big kid somewhere on the weekend, he just drives my car. DD3 is still in a bucket seat, so technically we can put her in his car too using the vehicle belt. So between the two of us, we can always cover any combination of kids we need to transport (just not the two big kids in his commuter car, but that's fine, because we can always put the baby in her bucket seat in his car while the two big girls go somewhere in my SUV). His car is very much a commuter car, so if the kids were going to be in the car for a long time, we wouldn't be using that car, for our own convenience/comfort as well ;) :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813410 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 22:06:20 +0000 Foodnerd81 2813410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: in my situation, we have two car seats in my car. If DH is taking both kids somewhere he just takes my car. So we only ever need a seat in his car if we are splitting up and going to two different places. It happens, but not a whole lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813409 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 21:54:32 +0000 DesertDreams88 2813409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: I guess I'm always just surprised that kids don't spend roughly equal time in their parents' cars. I know that 1 parents normally does daycare pick up and drop off, but I'm just surprised that the other parent doesn't do trips to the park, library, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813408 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 21:51:52 +0000 DesertDreams88 2813408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ms.Mermaid: dang it, we have the Evenflo Tribute and DS was 36in back in January! Sooo he's probably at the limit and now I've got to buy another one. Boo. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813407 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 21:43:13 +0000 Ms.Mermaid 2813407@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would avoid the Evenflo Tribute. It’s great for travel but rear faces only til 37” so we had to flip our kiddo sooner than we wanted. Plus the strap loosening thingy is terrible and you can get your finger straps in it. </p> <p>I would go high end enough that it comes with strap covers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813406 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 21:39:00 +0000 PinkElephant 2813406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meadow: I actually like our Prias, but I wouldn't purchase them as secondary seats. They're big and cushy and great for long trips, but unnecessary in a secondary seat situation. Our secondary seat is a Safety First guide 65. It's pretty easy to adjust for either of my older kids (though it's not a non-rethread harness), around $100, and both seemed to find it comfortable. We've never used it RF though - we got it when DD2 was nearly 3, so I felt okay with her riding FF in the rare circumstance she was in my husband's car.</p> <p>@DesertDreams88: I can't speak for the OP, but typically people I know (myself included) purchase pricier, more comfortable seats for the primary car, and just want something safe &amp; easy, and in many cases, easy to adjust for multiple kids, in their other car. I personally wasn't shelling out another $250-$300 for a seat that gets used maybe once a month for one of my three kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813347 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 13:16:28 +0000 gingerbebe 2813347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have NextFits as our primary seats and have 2 cheap Cosco Scenera Next seats for our other car. They are cheap and like 9lbs and we use them when we fly so we went with the lightest seats. They aren’t as easy to install obviously but they just stay there unless we fly (like once a year) so it’s fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813346 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 13:10:42 +0000 DesertDreams88 2813346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Why wouldn't you just get the same type you have in your main car? That way everyone knows the features and guidelines. </p> <p>We have the same ones in our cars, and one travel one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813325 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 10:40:59 +0000 catgirl 2813325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meadow: I would look for one of the graco clones - mysize, fit4me, size4me. Even possibly the contender. They all last until 40 lbs rear facing (they have a rear facing height limit but it's practically impossible to hit) and will last a decent amount of time forward facing. </p> <p>My TRU had a ton of them left.</p> <p>For quick info once in store I would look for a review on car seats for the littles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813323 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 10:22:26 +0000 meadow 2813323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetCaroline: we have clicktights as our primary.</p> <p>@looch: still rear facing and they are smallerish....so probably will stay that way after 2.</p> <p>Thx for the feedback on pria &amp; safety first. Its nice to have some definite NOs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813313 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 08:07:38 +0000 pinkb 2813313@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got a graco for our babysitters car and love it. Our everyday seats are foonfs. We also have a Britax pioneer that I love. And I would agree with above we did not like the pria. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813299 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 06:40:47 +0000 looch 2813299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is your kid forward facing? If so, I would get a harness to booster seat and skip the convertible. You will get longer use out of it and it's essentially the same function once you are using a forward facing convertible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813294 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 06:32:50 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2813294@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Typically when we buy things without research, I'll pull it up on amazon in the store and see how the reviews look. </p> <p>We have a safety first extra seat that I don't like. Sides are too high and my son always complains it's not comfy. </p> <p>I like our diano radians a lot though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813293 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 06:25:23 +0000 SweetCaroline 2813293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure what your primary seats are, but the seat in our third car was a Maxi Cosi Pria (which is suppsed to be top notch) and hated it. It was SO hard to tighten the straps, I can't even imagine how it must (not) function FF, when you can't yank on the straps to help them along.</p> <p>I love Britx Clicktights and based on the feedback I've seen, wouldn't hesitate to buy a similar Chicco. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/buying-a-second-car-seat#post-2813289 Sat, 31 Mar 2018 05:23:46 +0000 meadow 2813289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH decided last night that we should probably have one convertible car seat in his car for times we want to go different places with the twins (22 months old) or so if he is going to pick up a sick child he doesn't have to switch cars with me. </p> <p>He wants to go to ToysRUs this morning &amp; buy one on sale. This is SOOOO not how I roll. I typically research stuff like this for 2 weeks! HAHA. </p> <p>So HB community...... any convertible we should avoid? We aren't looking at top of the line since this is a secondary car seat.</p> <p>TIA! </p>