So I've been thinking about convertible car seats because Xander's a tall baby and will probably outgrow his infant car seat in the next few months. I'm leaning towards the Evenflo Symphony 65, but wanted opinions!
Does anyone have this car seat? Do you like it? Is it easy to remove/install (ideally we'd just get one and leave it at daycare so Hubs and I can still share drop-off/pick-up duties)? Do you hate it and have another suggestion?
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
We have a Graco myride, which I believe is similar. I would not recommend using it to be installed every day. It is hard to thread the belt through and the latch system is all one piece (rather then two separate straps). I would much prefer installing my Britax boulevard every day.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@T.H.O.U.: So I don't know anything about the Graco, but supposedly the Evenflo is supposed to have this easy latch system that you just snap on the two latch parts and then push down and the thing is installed! I have no idea how easy/hard it is though!
Thanks for the suggestion about the Britax though! I'll have to take a look at that! 
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@Adira: Is the Symphony the one with the base? I don't see it on the website?
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@Adira: OMG, how is it time for us to start researching these?
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@T.H.O.U.: It's this one:
http://www.evenflo.com/product.aspx?id=332&pfid=4281
It's supposed an all-in-one and can become a booster seat for older/bigger kids!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@Adira: I saw the website that shows that. It looks interesting, but I'm not sure I would trust it for a secure fit.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I am really intrigued by that seat, TBH. I would consider something like that if we had a newborn now.
I have a Graco My Ride and a Boulevard and what's the plan, to leave the seat at the day care and then install at pick up? I can only tell you that my son would use that time to cause some major trouble, so I wouldn't want to mess with an install every pick up. Not to mention the stress of making sure it's installed properly.
I'd get two seats and keep them permanently in the car.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@Smurfette: Well, maybe you don't have to worry about it yet, but my infant car seat has a height limit of 29" and Xander was 26" at 4 months, so I'm concerned we might hit the height limit soon!
@T.H.O.U.: I wonder if there's a way to try it out without buying it to see how easy it is to install and remove...
@looch: haha - I would probably drop the kid off at daycare and THEN go and remove the seat and leave it there. And do the opposite at pick-up - install the seat BEFORE picking up Xander from his room, so that he's under supervision by the daycare teachers while we're messing around with the car seat!
I was interested in the Evenflo because it LOOKS like it might be really easy to install, and if that's the case, it might be totally doable to just get one! I know others at daycare leave their convertible car seats because I see them sitting in the entrance, so I know it can be done! Maybe I should do some scouting and see what ones they use, haha.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@Adira: Haha, I hadn't thought about that, I would totally scope the scene and see what others are using.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@Adira: No, this makes me wonder what mine is. She was 24 5/8 at 4 months, so she isn't in as high percentage as when she was first born.
grapefruit / 4079 posts
@Adira: we just registered for the one based on the recommendation of the sales person at BRU who's helped us pick our stroller and car seats. I also started a thread on it and someone here who was a car seat tech said it was a great seat. The guy at BRU said it was a super easy install.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@Smurfette: I think most infant car seats go up to 29 or even 30 inches, so you might be good for a while! Plus I think I read somewhere that babies grow about an inch a month until six months, and then only half an inch a month (or something like that), so you might be able to get six more months out of yours (or more!). Xander just seems to keep getting taller, so I'm worried we'll need a new car seat soon for him!
@looch: Good idea - I don't know why I didn't think to inspect what other's are using, haha. I just saw that the Evenflo Symphony was rated well with Consumer Reports, so that's what I was basing my inclination on.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@ladybee: I actually saw your post! I was doing a HB search for the Evenflo and saw that you were leaning towards it, but I wasn't sure if that's what you eventually went with or not! Thanks for adding your input!!
grapefruit / 4681 posts
@Adira: We have this seat for DH's car! We like it for how much it gets used. We have a Britax in my car and that is our everyday seat. The Symphony (at least the one we have, may have been updated since?) does require you to thread the belt with the latch through the base of the seat like @T.H.O.U.: was talking about, BUT that was only an issue when we move the seat from RF to FF (you have to thread it through a different position for RF vs FF), otherwise it's just click the latch, tighten (since you will be changing cars) and go. DH needed to unhook it often when it wasn't being used and a taller passenger was in the car when it was RF and never had a problem. It seems like a very cushy comfy seat for LO!
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@anbanan15: Thank you for your input!! I did see in the manual (I was trying to read the manual on-line to get more info, haha) and did see that the belt had to be changed for FF vs RF, but since we'll primarily be just doing RF for a while, I figured that wouldn't be a huge issue. Glad to hear that you guys haven't had an issue with it and it seems comfy! Thanks!!!
grapefruit / 4681 posts
@Adira: Yup changing it from RF to FF is basically a once and done so not really an issue! We got ours at BBB with a 20% off coupon. Not sure if you have one of them. Good luck picking out a seat
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@anbanan15: Thanks! I'll probably wait till I have a coupon! Or... it appears to be on sale on Amazon, so maybe I'll get it there.
persimmon / 1420 posts
I was curious about this too, and I'm glad to know about the switchability of the Symphony. We have three cars that car seats need to go into, and the cost was just blowing my mind.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
So the car seat that's being left at my daycare IS an Evenflo!!! I have no idea which one though, haha. But it makes me optimistic that the Symphony would be a good match for me!
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