Clueless

[sry407]

My wife and I are expecting our first baby this October, and as the thread title goes, we are clueless ab out all of this. I found this forum and hope some words of wisdom might come our way. We are starting our research for carseats, and are just not sure what good criterea might be.
Our vehicles are a 05 Jeep Wrangler X, and a 07 MINI Cooper. We want a carseat for each vehicle, and hopefully ones that can go right into a stroller out of the vehicle. Are we just wishing for too much there?
Safety and convenience are the two major factors in what we will purchase.
Any advice you all might have out there will be greatly helpful.
Thanks!

[Papooses]

I don't have personal experience with the Wrangler or Mini Cooper, but I have heard from other techs that there are seats which will fit I've seen a picture of the Britac Marathon rear-facing in the MINI, but I'm pretty sure the adults were not tall (otherwise a shorter shelled convertible would be necessary to afford adequate room in the front).

The Chicco Keyfit is very easy to install in most vehicles & the Graco Snugride usually fits most vehicles as well: you can buy spare bases to keep in each vehicle. The Snugride does not cost as much as the Keyfit & has a travel system -- just make sure you choose the version with a *front* harness adjuster for ease of use.... The most important factor with carseats is correct use, so the easier it is to use correctly, the better

I encourage you to find your local CPST (link in my signature) to check your install/use.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Chicco - Click for more info Chicco makes car seats that are tested for safety and comfort. Italian-made Chicco is sold the world over to discerning parents everywhere, mainly because they are thorough with their design but each children’s product they sell is simple to use and stylish. All of Chicco’s car seats have certain universal elements: they’re lightweight, they are easy to install or use, each have the extra perks like canopies or liquid levelers for added convenience. Take a look and you’ll find an up-and-coming competitor for some of the best car seats on the market.

	Chicco Key Fit - Click for more info The new and improved Chicco KeyFit infant car seat (dubbed the Chicco KeyFit 30 thanks to its enhanced-to-30 lbs harness) has the same great features of the original KeyFit, but with a higher harness weight capacity. It is recommended that a child stay in a rear facing car seat for at least the first year of his or her life, and this infant seat from Chicco assures that your child will.

	Graco SnugRide - Click for more info The Graco SnugRide with EPS infant car seat is a highly popular and top-rated infant car seat that provides first-rate transportation safety for your baby, plus convenient mobility options for you. Even with its relatively low price, the Graco SnugRide with EPS receives unmatched praise for its safety by leading consumer magazines and websites.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.