Infant car seats

**speed_racer** · 09-13-2015 02:46 PM

So, I have a newborn coming at the end of November.

Some car seats are so damn cumbersome.

Im looking for some suggestions on a good infant car seat that would work well both in my S4 and in our Jeep.

Whats everyone using? Pros? Cons?

Thanks in advance

**Shimmy** · 09-13-2015 03:16 PM

Congrats on the new addition!!!

There's a thread on this somewhere on here. Try searching a little and it'll come up.

I'm running a graco snugride 30 (classis connect) w/base. Fits easily on the passenger side or middle, but not behind me. For a seat protector, I'm using the Lionheart cover.

**maga4** · 09-13-2015 03:23 PM

Congrats on the new one! We are having our first in November as well!

Here is the thread that Shimmy referenced (I believe): http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-one-fits-best

We picked up a Recaro and it seems to fit pretty well in my C6 A6, although best behind the passenger seat (as Shimmy alluded to).

**chaos2984** · 09-13-2015 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by maga4

Congrats on the new one! We are having our first in November as well!

Here is the thread that Shimmy referenced (I believe): http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-one-fits-best

We picked up a Recaro and it seems to fit pretty well in my C6 A6, although best behind the passenger seat (as Shimmy alluded to).

Let me know how you like the recaro. Im going to be probably picking on of those up early next year for my first little one as well.

**kareemcheese** · 09-13-2015 05:35 PM

Chicco Keyfit 30 - my daughter is chunky and seems comfortable in the car. Has to go in the middle because of my driving position but it works pretty well for us. The worst part is trying to get her in and out cuz I'm lowered on springs and it feels like i'm lifting 100 pounds with her in the car seat lol. she's 9 months old though so you have some time.

got it in aster color (kinda matches my red/black seats in person). $200 with the base and is compatible with chicco strollers
http://www.chiccoshop.com/gear/car-s...gear_car_seats

Congrats on the newbie! awesome times ahead :D

**rcz22** · 09-13-2015 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by speed_racer

So, I have a newborn coming at the end of November.

Some car seats are so damn cumbersome.

Im looking for some suggestions on a good infant car seat that would work well both in my S4 and in our Jeep.

Whats everyone using? Pros? Cons?

Thanks in advance

We picked up 2 of these Recaro's (2014 model though) http://www.amazon.com/RECARO-2015-Pe...ecaro+car+seat

Couldn't be happier - we have a grand cherokee and a '14 S4. both are easily swapped in and out if needed. I do roll up a small towel under the backside to ensure the red line is level with the ground (compensates for the bucket seat I guess).

Let me know if you have any questions.

***EDIT - just re-read, you have a newborn coming / this would be for later on :) ... we used the Britax Infant B-Safe system, also very happy with it.

**BioFluke** · 09-13-2015 07:08 PM

Uppababy all the way. It is rear facing only, but is installed and removed in a matter of seconds between my car and my wife's 2014 jeep cherokee. Also recommend the uppababy cruz stroller to go with it.
Recently switched over to the Recaro ProRide though for front facing, with matching color scheme gray/black alcantara:).

**Shimmy** · 09-13-2015 07:33 PM

^ we have the uppababy vista and love it. Cruz is nice too

**blackfunk** · 09-14-2015 06:15 AM

Chicco key fit 30 with the Uppababy Vista and adapter. After that go right into the Chicco NextFit. This will make your life so much easier. I'm expecting our second any day now and took everything out for a dry fit yesterday. Safe and most importantly they're on the smaller footprint side of car seats.

If you're not going to utilize the grab and go ability - meaning taking the car seat and child onto the stroller in one shot then get the NextFit as it will also accept new born babies, so you won't have to buy two car seats by the time they're two.

**doug97gxe** · 09-14-2015 06:48 AM

Chicco Keyfit 30 fits perfectly in my S5 and my wife's A5 .. it was the only one that had the right protection and allowed the seats to be all the way back i'm 6ft 2 so my seat is basically almost touching the rear seat ..

**The Fat Kid** · 09-14-2015 07:34 AM

Congrats! Get ready for a wild ride.

We have a four-month old and have been using the Britax Click Tight Boulevard since bringing him home from the hospital. I would highly recommend any of the Britax Click Tights since they are ridiculously easy to install properly (most car seats are installed improperly) and you can move it from one car to another in less than two minutes.

It can be used rear facing up to 40 lbs (kids are safest when rear facing) and up to 65 lbs when forward facing, which means you can use one seat for a very long time.

The only downside would be that it is not an infant carrier, but this has never been an issue for us.

**fightnpuma** · 09-14-2015 07:35 AM

I second the Chicco Keyfit 30 for an infant seat, fits great in my S4 and my wife's Merc ML. We put it behind the passenger seat, you have to move the passenger seat up a little in order to make it fit. If your wife/girlfriend is under 6ft tall she will be just fine. My wife is 5'8" and even with the passenger seat moved up she had plenty of room. Some of the other infant seats require the passenger seat to be moved up even further, the Keyfit 30 required the passenger seat to be moved up the least amount for us.

Now with the toddler seat, our son just turned 1, he outgrew the infant seat quickly, so after some research we got the Recaro Pro-Ride, this is a fantastic seat, installed the seat and we found that we were able to actually move the passenger seat back a little, thus giving my wife a little more legroom. I can't wait until we get to flip the seat to front facing, my wife will be swimming in legroom when that happens.

**Zaxon55** · 09-14-2015 08:13 AM

Had the keyfit while mine was an infant and it was great. Moved him up the the Recaro as soon as he no longer had to ride facing backwards. Both are fantastic.
The Keyfit is great on the Chico, as we had bases in my car, my wifes and my mother in law, so we could just pop him in and out of whatever, which is super handy.
I also bought one of the BOB strollers for longer trips/hikes/distances, and it was amazing, and the Chico fits right into it with the adapter which make life amazing.

**doug97gxe** · 09-14-2015 08:36 AM

oh and make sure you get the seat protector to protect your leather

**MVR 155** · 09-14-2015 09:49 AM

We have the Recaro Performance Coupe infant seat. Have a base in the S4 (center position) and in the H2 (also in the center). Fits just fine in the S4..... obviously its zero issue regarding fitment in the H2. We also have the Recaro Denali stroller which is really nice as it's made to work directly with the infant carrier. For jogging we have a BOB Revolution SE which I had to get a little creative to find an adaptor for the Recaro.... The Chico keyfit 30 adaptor works great as you can hook the Recaro seat right to the bracket very easily.

**MVR 155** · 09-14-2015 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by doug97gxe

Chicco Keyfit 30 fits perfectly in my S5 and my wife's A5 .. it was the only one that had the right protection and allowed the seats to be all the way back i'm 6ft 2 so my seat is basically almost touching the rear seat ..

I hate to tell anyone their business especially when it comes to their kids but....... I'm not sure if you're aware that you should not use the Latch system/hooks from outward seats in the middle of the car. You should use the seatbelt in the center position. I used the seatbelt, got it nice and tight and then I also used the Latch system for additional security. Using the Latch system solely the way you are is not recommended and could potentially be unsafe. I welcome you to do some research to back up my statement. Also, the carry handle should be clicked into position towards the front of the vehicle. My wife and I took a safety seat class and I have a close friend who is a firefighter/paramedic that is certified in child safety seat education. Again..... not trying to get into or tell you your business but just wanted to make you aware of something that you may not be.

**blackfunk** · 09-14-2015 11:10 AM

You are right but I don't think there are any middle belts on the coupes. I could be wrong on the belts though.

**speed_racer** · 09-14-2015 12:23 PM

Thanks so much for all of this info! The wife is VERY happy to have this thread and the other thread posted to research.

You guys are awesome ;)

**Tony@EPL** · 09-14-2015 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by The Fat Kid

Congrats! Get ready for a wild ride.

We have a four-month old and have been using the Britax Click Tight Boulevard since bringing him home from the hospital. I would highly recommend any of the Britax Click Tights since they are ridiculously easy to install properly (most car seats are installed improperly) and you can move it from one car to another in less than two minutes.

It can be used rear facing up to 40 lbs (kids are safest when rear facing) and up to 65 lbs when forward facing, which means you can use one seat for a very long time.

The only downside would be that it is not an infant carrier, but this has never been an issue for us.

I have 4 of these seats.... Hines sight being 20/20 they are so easy to move, 2 seats would have worked.

I also cant say enough good things about the quality and over all ease of use.

**doug97gxe** · 09-14-2015 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by blackfunk

You are right but I don't think there are any middle belts on the coupes. I could be wrong on the belts though.

this is correct (not my car.. just pic on the internet)

**MVR 155** · 09-14-2015 08:33 PM

I forgot the 5's don't have an "actual" middle rear seat..... Technically you should be running your seat behind either the driver or passenger as those are the positions with adequate equipment to safely secure the car seat. Again.... Not trying to tell you your business but as a father myself I just feel it necessary to inform you as we are carrying the most precious cargo.

**will13k7** · 09-14-2015 09:18 PM

+1 don't steal a latch from the left and right seats, its not designed to be used that way.

The Safety 1st Sleekride LX Travel System worked out well for me:

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Sle...0_SR320%2C320_

What a cutie pie if I do say so myself. lol.

**LawDawg** · 09-15-2015 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by MVR 155

I hate to tell anyone their business especially when it comes to their kids but....... I'm not sure if you're aware that you should not use the Latch system/hooks from outward seats in the middle of the car. You should use the seatbelt in the center position. I used the seatbelt, got it nice and tight and then I also used the Latch system for additional security. Using the Latch system solely the way you are is not recommended and could potentially be unsafe. I welcome you to do some research to back up my statement. Also, the carry handle should be clicked into position towards the front of the vehicle. My wife and I took a safety seat class and I have a close friend who is a firefighter/paramedic that is certified in child safety seat education. Again..... not trying to get into or tell you your business but just wanted to make you aware of something that you may not be.

This is correct, with one exception. If you have the Chicco Keyfit 30, you do not need to lower the carry handle. It is approved to be in the "up" position while in transit with the kid in it. I think that may be new with this year's models.

**skiracerblah** · 09-18-2015 11:49 AM

http://safetyandnews.recaropromotion...Sept-20151.pdf

Dear Valued RECARO Owner,

RECARO Child Safety, LLC has determined that select ProRIDE and Performance RIDE Convertible Car Seats manufactured between April 9th, 2010 to June 9th, 2015 fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 571.213 Child Restraint Systems. You are receiving this email notification because you registered a car seat product with RECARO and the model number and manufacture date information recorded at the time of registration matches the affected units included in this recall.

You will receive a notification letter via mail in the next 7-10 business days. You can review the notification letter here . This recall requires a repair kit be applied to the affected product(s). This simple repair kit comes with instructions, requires no tools, and can be applied by the product owner at home in only a few minutes. We have made available a helpful recall repair kit installation video here. Instead of waiting for the notification letter to arrive, you can directly request a free recall repair kit via the online order form here and one will be shipped to you immediately. You will need the model/part number, manufacture date, and serial number from the white label on the side of your car seat to complete the ordering process.

It is the recommendation of both RECARO and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to continue using your affected car seat per the instruction manual until your recall repair arrives.

If you have any questions, you can always call us directly at 1-866-628-4750 or email [email protected]. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

RECARO Child Safety

**Jay@JXB** · 09-20-2015 08:18 PM

Get the KeyFit 30! It's awesome! Source: engineer in compliance child seat testing! (FMVSS 213, part 571.213 of CFR)

**Laxinthe303** · 09-20-2015 08:32 PM

I want to 4th or 5th the Keyfit 30. It's the best infant car seat, it's RATED as the best infant car seat.

**anerbe** · 09-21-2015 02:30 AM

One big postiive for the Keyfit 30 is that the carrier disconnects, and you can carry it anywhere, or snap it into the very lightweight stroller system.

If you live anywhere in northern states, I can't imagine the pain it is to pull an infant from it's warm car seat, and transfer to another seat.

There were so many times out (shopping/restaurants) that we kept the infants in the keyfit carrier the whole time. The bottom is even slightly curved where you can rock it on flat surfaces.

It really is the most convenient option.

**Jay@JXB** · 09-21-2015 04:45 AM

To me the biggest gain from the KeyFit is the super cinch system. When tightening the latch anchors it uses a mechanical system to give you a 2 to 1 ratio in tightening force. That means your 100 lb trophy wife (bc you drive an s4) can tighten in the base safely all by herself. Plus general usability of all the features is best across the board.

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

**maga4** · 09-21-2015 06:06 AM

Somewhat on this topic - it seems like there are people who put the infant seat/base in the center, and those that put it on the side. I assume the main reasons for the center location are side impact, can still fit two (small) people on either side, and comfort for the front passenger. I would guess the downsides to center are that it is harder to get the seat in and out, have either driver or passenger access, or no LATCH there.

Once you have two in there, I think the answer is pretty clear that there is one on each side, but would anyone care to share any further insights on this? Thanks!

**doug97gxe** · 09-21-2015 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by maga4

Somewhat on this topic - it seems like there are people who put the infant seat/base in the center, and those that put it on the side. I assume the main reasons for the center location are side impact, can still fit two (small) people on either side, and comfort for the front passenger. I would guess the downsides to center are that it is harder to get the seat in and out, have either driver or passenger access, or no LATCH there.

Once you have two in there, I think the answer is pretty clear that there is one on each side, but would anyone care to share any further insights on this? Thanks!

my reasons were side airbags, my wife can fit back there with him, easier to take him out, my wife can still sit in the front seat, though its not recommended when both front seats are back its pretty secure back there

**rota92** · 09-21-2015 07:27 AM

I run a car seat inspection event at work each year, this year I spoke with the police who come do the inspection about the best seats and he said by far it's a Britax in almost every case.

But the important part is to have it installed by a professional. This year we once again (14th year in a row) broke the 90% barrier for seats that come to us installed incorrectly. Local PD's should do this for you on a Saturday morning, or in some cases can take appointments.

PSA done, over and out.

**maga4** · 09-21-2015 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by doug97gxe

my reasons were side airbags, my wife can fit back there with him, easier to take him out, my wife can still sit in the front seat, though its not recommended when both front seats are back its pretty secure back there

Thank you for sharing. Just to clarify, it appears you have yours in the middle (based on pictures above), correct? I'm leaning towards the middle and want to just be informed.

At the risk of asking another potentially unintelligent question - do side airbags create a greater danger than benefit for infant seats?

**dzasta** · 09-21-2015 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by doug97gxe

Chicco Keyfit 30 fits perfectly in my S5 and my wife's A5 .. it was the only one that had the right protection and allowed the seats to be all the way back i'm 6ft 2 so my seat is basically almost touching the rear seat ..

Just looking at this post makes my back hurt!! I'm more surprised that you can get the baby seat through the door/front seat...

**doug97gxe** · 09-21-2015 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by dzasta

Just looking at this post makes my back hurt!! I'm more surprised that you can get the baby seat through the door/front seat...

i'm 6'3 .. i don't even have to bend that far to get it.. i don't even have to put my head in the car

**doug97gxe** · 09-21-2015 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by maga4

Thank you for sharing. Just to clarify, it appears you have yours in the middle (based on pictures above), correct? I'm leaning towards the middle and want to just be informed.

At the risk of asking another potentially unintelligent question - do side airbags create a greater danger than benefit for infant seats?

yes i'm in the middle.. from what i heard side airbags are bad

**Big Nodge** · 09-21-2015 02:09 PM

Another vote for the Chicco KeyFit30. And the Recaro ProRide (or is it PerformanceRide now, I forget) once he/she gets a little older. Good systems, fit pretty well in a B8. I'm 6' and either one is pretty snug if placed behind me, but I just keep the base for the Chicco behind the driver side since my little man doesn't really ride in my car that much, usually in our Q7. Riding in daddy's car is a treat these days, we use it to motivate him sometimes. "Daddy's car goes FAAAST" always love hearing that.

FWIW, I read mixed reviews of the various seat cover/protector options. Seems like some people would just end up with the protector melted/fused into the seat if parked outside and such. I have run car seats with no covers/protectors so far (oldest is about 2.5) and haven't done any permanent damage. YMMV.

**skiracerblah** · 10-08-2015 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by skiracerblah

http://safetyandnews.recaropromotion...Sept-20151.pdf

Dear Valued RECARO Owner,

RECARO Child Safety, LLC has determined that select ProRIDE and Performance RIDE Convertible Car Seats manufactured between April 9th, 2010 to June 9th, 2015 fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 571.213 Child Restraint Systems. You are receiving this email notification because you registered a car seat product with RECARO and the model number and manufacture date information recorded at the time of registration matches the affected units included in this recall.

You will receive a notification letter via mail in the next 7-10 business days. You can review the notification letter here . This recall requires a repair kit be applied to the affected product(s). This simple repair kit comes with instructions, requires no tools, and can be applied by the product owner at home in only a few minutes. We have made available a helpful recall repair kit installation video here. Instead of waiting for the notification letter to arrive, you can directly request a free recall repair kit via the online order form here and one will be shipped to you immediately. You will need the model/part number, manufacture date, and serial number from the white label on the side of your car seat to complete the ordering process.

It is the recommendation of both RECARO and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to continue using your affected car seat per the instruction manual until your recall repair arrives.

If you have any questions, you can always call us directly at 1-866-628-4750 or email [email protected]. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

RECARO Child Safety

FYI, i submitted a claim form 1 day after the Recaro recall announcement and i have not received the new parts yet. I called Recaro this morning and they said the new parts should be shipping out next week...

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