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Carseat! Need help or car is gone!!

9K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  DGJ04RT 
#1 ·
So i have been real busy on a couple projects around the house along with getting my damn sales tax shit in order before the 20th, missed some good OT threads for sure. :agreed:

My problem is we are going to be adding our first Granchild in 6-8 weeks and my wife is pissed!! She cannot get a car seat to fit the stupid f-ing back seat in our spyder:noway:
Does anyone know how to solve this or know someone who has been able to do this succesfully? It is not looking good and since she will be taking care of our Granddaughter alot while both parents work this is a huge problem, i told her to just drive my jeep whenever she needed but in the summer i am super busy and need it.
This is a big problem as i do not want to get rid of my/her spyder yet! Any ideas welcome, Thanks as always for any help i get!! Tom.

Did i mention!!! I'm getting my first Grandchild :ndance:
 
#4 ·
If you are looking to fit the seat in the back, you can try to find a place that will show you how to properly install the seat. If you are having trouble, though it may not be your first time, let someone else figure out it can safely fit back there. I have heard of police doing this for you so you might have to look around and find out where they would do it.

And Congrats
 
#6 ·
Thanks Bitter, she cannot get a car seat to fit properly in the backseat, the bottom is to narrow and the back is straight up and down as we all know. I was hoping for a child seat that would fit but it looks hopeless,it fits with the baby seat in the wrong direction aka looking forward.Damn laws!! I got her calmed down offering up my jeep when needed i just am NOT ready to let go of my spyder yet!! I would remove the rear seats and build a built in car seat if it would still be legal, i was hoping for some good ideas at least.Thanks anyways,i have to go cut wood now you all have a great saturday:wavey:
 
#7 ·
I guess i should have had all the info before posting, the car seat will fit in the car but with illinois new law it MUST have a booster under it which makes it not fit! We will make it work somehow i just panickied when she said sell the damn car this morning.
Oh yeah!! told you i had to go cut wood:) I love my golf cart.
 
#16 ·
We will make it work somehow i just panickied when she said sell the damn car this morning.
Oh no no no, she really meant "buy another used car/minivan". Why is it the men always have to give up their cars? :dunno: Insurance shouldn't be much extra a year for a third car. (I think I pay $300/year for my third car.) And you can always pile more lumber in the back when the grandchild's not around :D Congrats on the grandchild!
 
#9 ·
Make a Car Specific booster adapter.

Using a garbage bag inside a large pillowcase and inside that wood spacers that position the seat the way you want it in place with the seatbelt harness attached. Calculate the approximate volume and mix a batch of expandable foam put it in the bag and seal it shut. After the foam expands and dries remove the pillowcase and cover the mass with a layer of chopped fiberglass and resin then chopped wool of the color you prefer.
 
#10 ·
Thanks to all replies, she is gonna use it without the booster under the carseat but i will talk to her about the front facing one. I do not think it will be legal either way, the first person to be completely legal can start throwing rocks now!!:)
WW,,, that was my next step,build a legal booster that works!! Thanks..
 
#18 ·
http://www.buckleupillinois.org/default_csp.html

Any child under 1 must be placed in a rear facing car seat. Its not just a legality issue, its a HUGE safety issue. The bones haven't developed enough in a child under the age of 1 to withstand a car accident. If you place a child under the age of 1 in a front facing car seat and you rear end someone, you will most likely snap the childs neck. Even slamming on the brakes could potentially cause great harm to a child under the age of 1......Again its not an issue of whether its illegal or not.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and NHTSA strongly recommend that children stay rear-facing until they are BOTH over one year of age AND over 20 pounds to protect their fragile head, neck, and spinal cord.
Also, I believe you are interpreting the law incorrectly.....you don't have to have a car seat AND a booster.....the law states that the child must be properly restrained by a child safety seat OR a booster seat. Once the child has outgrown the car seat, they must be placed in a booster seat until the age of 8.

Child Passenger Safety
Booster Seats

Illinois law requires all children to be properly restrained in a child safety seat or booster seat until age eight. After age eight, Illinois law requires everyone under the age of 19 to be properly restrained anywhere in the vehicle. Legislators in Illinois passed the “Booster Seat” law to protect children from their number one killer – motor vehicle crashes. More children between the ages of four and eight are killed in motor vehicle crashes than any other age group. It was commonly thought that children between the ages of four and eight were safe only in a safety belt. However, vehicle manufacturers design safety belts for small adults who are at least 80 pounds and 4 feet 9 inches tall. Safety belts are not designed for four – eight year old children. Booster seats raise a child up so that the adult safety belt can be properly positioned across the stronger bones of their body rather than soft tissue.
We have the same/similar law here in VA.

This is the rear facing car seat we used with my daughter (until she was at least one): Graco Alano Travel System - Melanie : Target
It comes with a base that stays attached in the car and as stated by another member is adjustable so that the baby sits at the right angle.

Once my daughter (currently 2 yrs old) was able to be forward facing, we picked up two of these (one for each vehicle): Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat - Maura : Target

Now, I never installed a car seat in my Stratus when I owned it and never installed one in an Eclipse so I am not sure about the fitment. As stated by other members, check with your local fire department.....they can help you with the correct car seat AND install it for you FOR FREE!!!!!
 
#11 ·
Actually, come to think of it, I did shoehorn a rear-facing car seat in there for my daughter once. Also, what wouldn't be legal? If it's belted in and doesn't move around, it's fine.

It's a tight fit, but it does fit. Having the top down simplifies installation a LOT.
 
#12 ·
i have a 1 year old son now, hes in a front facing seat now, which is WAY easier to fit in my backseat

but when he was younger i would throw the top back and move the pass. seat all the way up.. we got it to fit fairly easy minus the fact that if anyone was in the pass. seat they sat with knees to the dash
 
#13 ·
In Illinois you must have a booster under the car seat!! The car seat fits fine without it but since the NEW law went into affect NOW we will be using the seat illegally,gonna look into the front facing ones today to see if they would be legal.I sure appreciate the help,Tom.
 
#15 ·
Hey Tom, the car seat my wife bought is rear facing and comes with a snap in base (not sure if that's what you meant by booster...) and it has a dial on it to adjust the angle of it up and down. That may help you fit it in you car better... it fits in my eclipse with not problems... but I don't have a spyder.

We have this one but in a different color. Also any fire station will put the base in for you free of charge.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4089529
 
#17 ·
I just had a baby in December and the car seat will only fit in my car with the passenger seat all the way up, and won't even lock into position. Quite ridiculous if you ask me. Luckily I was given a free early 90's 4 door Honda to transport the baby in when necessary. But needless to say, time for the eclipse to go.
 
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