Marathon for Corolla and Honda Fit?

[kindchen]

My 5-month-old is on the verge of outgrowing her Snugride, and I'm trying to figure out which convertibles to get for our two cars. My concerns are:

We are not great at installing seats--we need something EASY. Then we'll install, get it checked and not touch it for as long as possible.

Our cars are small. I really really want two Marathons, but will they fit rf in a 2007 Corolla and (more concerned about this one) a 2007 Honda Fit?

I'm open to other brands, seats, etc, and the seats don't have to be the same for both cars. Any ideas?

	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.

	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.

[Kalinky]

Installing seats really isn't as difficult as you might think. When you go for a seat check, the main goal is for the tech to teach you how to properly install the seat. Some techs out there don't quite get that and will install a seat without teaching the parent/caregiver how to do it too. It's really important for you to be able to install it - you just never know when you may need to uninstall/reinstall it.

Britax seats are SUPER easy to install, but not sure if the "big" Britaxes (Decathlon, Marathon, Blvd) will fit in a Fit. The carolla should be no problem for a Marathon. You might try a search or try posting on car-seat.org to see if anyone else has experience with carseats in a Fit. Britax does make some "shorter" seats, but they only harness to 40 pounds (Roundabout and Diplomat). They are great seats, but having a higher weight harness limit will allow your kiddo to get the most use out of the seat and will keep him/her harnessed longer.

You might also try looking at the Compass True Fit carseat. I don't think it's available yet - coming out soon try amazon.com. It has a detachable head rest so that you can keep a rear facing seat properly reclined for a younger one if you've got a tiny car. The head rest HAS to be on when child hits 22 lbs. But by the time most babies hit 22lbs, they're old enough and have enough muscle control that they can be more upright (still rear-facing), which means that the seat can be reinstalled more upright with the headrest on and still fit in a small car.

Hope this helps.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	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.

	Britax Roundabout - Click for more info With the introduction of the new LATCH laws, Britax has improved even further upon their famously popular Roundabout Convertible Car Seat. This car seat has been praised by just about every consumer safety organization and mom and dad out there - and for good reason. It is easy to install, compatible in just about every car, super comfortable for baby, stylish and most importantly safe! Ask around and you will see that everyone raves about this car 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.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

	Britax Decathlon - Click for more info Like its predecessors the Britax Roundabout and the Britax Marathon, the Britax Decathlon is built around two core ideals: safety and comfort. Its easy to see that the Decathlon is comfortable: it's loaded with a 3-position crotch strap, patented HUGS harness system, plush (and washable!) seat cover, belly pad, removable toddler head pillow, and an infant positioning system for newborn babies. These features provide a comfortable, adjustable fit as your child grows - all the way from 5 to 65 pounds.

	Britax Diplomat - Click for more info The Britax Diplomat convertible car seat is a smaller version of the Britax Boulevard. It offers the same general features and Side Impact Protection as the deluxe Britax Boulevard convertible seat, but with a lower max weight capacity, seat height, and seat width than the Boulevard. The Diplomat provides top notch Britax safety and comfort for your child, even in the back of a 'lil Mini Cooper.

	the First Years formerly Compass - Click for more info Compass was founded by a group of fathers who had spent years in the corporate world developing child care products. Disillusioned with the slew of problems that come with working for a giant conglomerate, this group set out the make their own mark on the child care industry in 2003. Compass' first innovative booster seat, the B500, started shipping in January of 2004. This was the first foldable belt-positioning booster on the market, and its design was so praised by the industry that Compass received a Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association (JPMA) Innovation Award 5 months after its release. The great minds at Compass have now taken the next step with their success by releasing some fantastic infant car seats and compatible strollers, all of which are designed with the same innovative simplicity that make Compass Boosters such a sought after product. No longer just "The Booster People", Compass is making a serious run at the competition by offering the I-410 and I-420 Infant Car Seats , as well as the Magnesium S330 Stroller and Magnesium T730 Travel System.