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Old 06-19-2017, 11:16 PM   #1
R3dg3cko Rob
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Default Parents - What child/baby seat?

I'm just curious what child car seats people have fitted in their Imprezas. I have always been a sucker for the look of the Recaros not wanting to compromise on style and happy with their safety ratings, purchased one for my son after he transitioned out of his infant carrier at 8 months.





The seat looks and feels absolutely spectacular and matches my 2011 sti interior perfectly but it's LARGE leaving very little room to maneuver my son in and out of the seat when posiyioned behind the passenger seat. I can make it work but was curious what other people have done and what advice or challenges did you have.

Position on the back seat? Middle or sides? (Owners manual does not recommend the middle seat) Latches or seatbelts? Rear facing vs front facing? Make and model of seat?
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Old 06-20-2017, 10:54 AM   #2
whiplash willy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by R3dg3cko Rob View Post
I'm just curious what child car seats people have fitted in their Imprezas. I have always been a sucker for the look of the Recaros not wanting to compromise on style and happy with their safety ratings, purchased one for my son after he transitioned out of his infant carrier at 8 months.


The seat looks and feels absolutely spectacular and matches my 2011 sti interior perfectly but it's LARGE leaving very little room to maneuver my son in and out of the seat when posiyioned behind the passenger seat. I can make it work but was curious what other people have done and what advice or challenges did you have.

Position on the back seat? Middle or sides? (Owners manual does not recommend the middle seat) Latches or seatbelts? Rear facing vs front facing? Make and model of seat?

The Middle Seat position is good because there is more space between them and the side of the car, if there is a side impact. However, most cars only have LATCH attachments for the Side Rear Seats. It isn't recommended to use the side LATCH attachments for a middle seat.

Most people have the misconception that LATCH attachments are better then seatbelt attachments, but that really isn't true. 4 out of 5 child seats are installed improperly, and LATCH installs are typically easier to get a proper install on, so in that sense they could be considered safer. However, a proper seat belt install (which is harder to achieve) is safer because seat belts are engineered to hold more weight (Adults) where LATCH Attachments have a weight limit, which is 65 lbs (child and seat combined).

They say you want to keep your child rear facing as long as possible, and say you should keep them in that position until they are 4 years old, but that really isn't realistic. The law in most states say they need to be rear facing until 2 years old, or until they reach a certain weight (specified by car seat manufacture). I moved mine to FF as soon as the kids were 2 and passed the weight restriction.

It is best to check your local laws to see the age and weight restrictions for each position and seat type, especially before you move them on to a booster seat. Also, I would recommend you going to a Car Seat Safety Check, so a certified tech can make sure your install is proper. Local police offices usually hold these once a month or so. Like I said 4 out of 5 car seats are installed improperly, and are not safe, which is a scary statistic.

For seat brands and models, I like the Brittax Marathon 70, or the Click Tight version. The back is easy to adjust while keeping it installed, and it will fit a wide range of ages. Both are very safe and easy to install with the belt or latch. If you are limited on room, really your only choice is a Diono Radian RXT, which is the narrowest car seat on the market, but can also be hard to install in some situations.

Personally, I have a Brittax Marathon 70 installed forward facing in my middle seat, for my 6 year old, and 2 Diono Radian RXTs installed Forward Facing in the side seats for my 3 year old twins. They are all Seat Belt Installed, and I was even able to get them to fit properly in my 2016 WRX! I have found that if you need to get 3 seats across, it doesn't always depend on the size of the car, but the design of the cars rear seat, and the positioning of the LATCH Attachments, and Seatbelts.
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Old 06-20-2017, 11:21 AM   #3
Charlie-III
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My kids are now 22 (driving a STi swapped RS) and 20 (driving a Corolla) so what we used is long ago.

Fitment in the car and kid are important.
Making sure they are properly attached is really important. Yes, local police, fire, AAA can all check your work.
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Old 06-20-2017, 11:28 AM   #4
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Britax Advocate Clicktite.

The clicktite system locks in using the factory seatbelts. No LATCH concerns. Downside is they are literal tanks.

Also, check in OT for the parents thread. Don't look at anything else in OT. The parents thread is a safe space (well, that and the vintage, old skool, sporty cars thread) everything else in there is a cesspool.
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Old 06-20-2017, 11:28 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whiplash willy View Post
I moved mine to FF as soon as the kids were 2 and passed the weight restriction.
your name, and the fact that you put a 2 year old forward facing in your car is kind of ironic... The recommendation to keep kids rear facing as long as possible is not about weight or muscle development, it's about skeletal development... something you can't see or measure. google internal decapitation... or don't... it's scary stuff.

My son (4 years old) is still rear facing, and will be until he maxes out the weight limit (coming up here soon, he's only 5 lbs away). In my WRX I use a Graco Contender I believe... Pretty slim and works well behind the drivers seat. I'm not tall though, so my seat is somewhat forward compared to most.
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Old 06-20-2017, 11:35 AM   #6
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I have always wondered is rear facing safer if you get rear ended? I'm more worried about someone rear ending me, than I am about me hitting something head on.
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Old 06-20-2017, 11:37 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dwf137 View Post
your name, and the fact that you put a 2 year old forward facing in your car is kind of ironic... The recommendation to keep kids rear facing as long as possible is not about weight or muscle development, it's about skeletal development... something you can't see or measure. google internal decapitation... or don't... it's scary stuff.

My son (4 years old) is still rear facing, and will be until he maxes out the weight limit (coming up here soon, he's only 5 lbs away). In my WRX I use a Graco Contender I believe... Pretty slim and works well behind the drivers seat. I'm not tall though, so my seat is somewhat forward compared to most.
My wife who is a CRNA (former NICU and Neuro ICU nurse) echoes the same thing. My son is 3 and we are going to max out the weight rating of the seat before we switch him to forward facing.

We were using Recaro's (still do in 2 of our 3 cars, rear facing only) but their recent issues (Forward facing latch and hardware snafus) have turned me off to them. Now we are using a combination of Britax and Diono Radian seats that will be permanent on forward facing when the time comes. The Diono's are built tough yet have a slim profile. The Recaros are fine rear facing but we are tossing them as soon as our second son has to go forward facing. The Recaro seats are also wide as hell.
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Old 06-20-2017, 11:48 AM   #8
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Old 06-20-2017, 02:06 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Schoat333 View Post
I have always wondered is rear facing safer if you get rear ended? I'm more worried about someone rear ending me, than I am about me hitting something head on.
Forward facing in theory is better if you're rear ended, but the amount of energy exerted in a rear ending accident is typically orders of magnitude lower than a front end collision.
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Old 06-20-2017, 02:17 PM   #10
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I've used Recaro's since day one with my child. Great reviews and very few recall issues.

Rear facing until they are too cramped and old enough to sit in forward facing seat.

I've upgraded to the RECARO Performance SPORT Combination Harness to Booster so he


the same seat for a long time.

On wear to mount the seat, its your choice but don't try the hump in the back. its not really designed for it. use the latches.
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Old 06-20-2017, 02:37 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Schoat333 View Post
I have always wondered is rear facing safer if you get rear ended? I'm more worried about someone rear ending me, than I am about me hitting something head on.
No, but the majority of hits are forward biased, thus rear facing is best overall.
You want full protection, wrap kid in multiple feet of energy absorbing foam, don't blame me if they suffocate or sit in a dirty diaper for extended periods.
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Old 06-20-2017, 03:10 PM   #12
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right now we're using a Clek Fllo and I love it. Metal re-enforced frame, pretty light, and very compact. Before this seat we had a Diono Pacifica...that **** was a beast, but it was involved in a car accident so when it came time to replace it we went with the fllo for the size and weight(sometimes I have to do the car seat shuffle to the grandparents cars.

i am looking for a second car seat and was settled on one of the recaros, but it looks like they pulled out of the canadian market after the september recalls. Canadian car seat requirements are more stringent than US and our piss poor population density means I guess it wasn't profitable to be in canada.

I'm looking at another clek fllo for the 2nd car...i just wish it had better cupholders(and that they actually came with the damn seat).
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Old 06-20-2017, 03:35 PM   #13
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We have a Clek Fllo and a Clek Foonf. Highly recommend the Cleks.
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Old 06-20-2017, 04:43 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Charlie-III View Post
No, but the majority of hits are forward biased, thus rear facing is best overall.
You want full protection, wrap kid in multiple feet of energy absorbing foam, don't blame me if they suffocate or sit in a dirty diaper for extended periods.


Luckily, we are done with diapers.
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Old 06-20-2017, 07:48 PM   #15
NewToThisWRXThing
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I forget the brand, but we got the car seat from Walmart. It's black with red trim and one of my coworkers asked if it came with the car since it matched the interior. I have it facing forward on the passenger side in the back with no issues on space.
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Old 06-21-2017, 09:30 AM   #16
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ive owned recaro graco and britax

britax click tight
or immi go for latch only

the immi go is a rediculous car seat
can be folded up and taken anywhere.
weight limit is only 50 lbs

britax click tights are the most idiot proof high quality seats available
and they are faa approved for use on planes
they litterally "must" let you use it if you purchased a seat for the lil one
seat belt connection for highest weight limit.

i would recommend the click tight
or a diono radian

cleks are too big but thats just my pref.
they are good for extended rear facing
but they are really big.

forward facing at around age 2 provided they meet the height/weight requirements
best forward facing seat is a frontier clicktight britax. hands down

Last edited by powder8; 06-21-2017 at 09:52 AM.
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Old 06-21-2017, 09:31 AM   #17
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I have a Graco Extend-to-fit car seat in my 16' It works really well and is much more compact than the seats we had for my older son. Someone can actually sit in the passenger seat.

We also have a Graco booster I believe its a Turbo LX which works well. and is narrow which is important in our cars.

I had a Recaro booster. it looks nice and comfortable, but its a beast as far as size and I had trouble strapping it in as it was so wide. We had a car accident and I replaced it with the Graco.

We had a Snugride 35 bucket seat. it was fine, but definitely took up room.

proper install is important. there are youtube videos online which help. The car seats shouldn't be able to move much at all when properly installed.

As far as the police, fire et al. YMMV Some I'm sure are great. There are definitely some who have absolutely no idea what they're doing.
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Old 06-21-2017, 09:40 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvoXtoWRX View Post
I've used Recaro's since day one with my child. Great reviews and very few recall issues.

Rear facing until they are too cramped and old enough to sit in forward facing seat.

I've upgraded to the RECARO Performance SPORT Combination Harness to Booster so he


the same seat for a long time.

On wear to mount the seat, its your choice but don't try the hump in the back. its not really designed for it. use the latches.
fyi recaro us seats are trash
made in mi. bad quality control.
they get recalled frequently.

if you are going to order a recaro seat do your research and order a european seat. germans have way higher testing and safety standards than we do. i would say the eu spec recaro seats are the best in the world. problem is you have to order them from someone who ships to the US and its cost prohibitive at that point.

ive owned 3 recaro seats and a booster proSPORT proRIDE performanceRIDE booster etc. lol first kid

second kid britax all the way. ease of use is key. you need to have a seat that even an idiot could install safely. east for grandparents etc.

the hardest thing to do was change a rear facing recaro seat from car to car. never again.
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Old 06-21-2017, 09:41 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by koogs View Post
I have a Graco Extend-to-fit car seat in my 16' It works really well and is much more compact than the seats we had for my older son. Someone can actually sit in the passenger seat.

We also have a Graco booster I believe its a Turbo LX which works well. and is narrow which is important in our cars.

I had a Recaro booster. it looks nice and comfortable, but its a beast as far as size and I had trouble strapping it in as it was so wide. We had a car accident and I replaced it with the Graco.

We had a Snugride 35 bucket seat. it was fine, but definitely took up room.

proper install is important. there are youtube videos online which help. The car seats shouldn't be able to move much at all when properly installed.

As far as the police, fire et al. YMMV Some I'm sure are great. There are definitely some who have absolutely no idea what they're doing.
these are great "budget" seats. and yes a safe install across multiple vehicles/platforms is the most important thing about any child safety seat.

bottom line is if you have the means britax has many options with clicktight forward and rear facing that offer features similar to cleks seats.
with seats other than britax i have movement. the britax install is rigid. two clicks and no movement.

cant go wrong with a diono tho but its a traditional install. they do convert rear to forward facing tho so it could be a good long term option if you only want to bother with one seat. oh and you can fit 3 radians across in a wrx i tried it at the local babies r us.

Last edited by powder8; 06-21-2017 at 09:57 AM.
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Old 06-21-2017, 10:38 AM   #20
EvoXtoWRX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by powder8 View Post
fyi recaro us seats are trash
made in mi. bad quality control.
they get recalled frequently.

if you are going to order a recaro seat do your research and order a european seat. germans have way higher testing and safety standards than we do. i would say the eu spec recaro seats are the best in the world. problem is you have to order them from someone who ships to the US and its cost prohibitive at that point.

ive owned 3 recaro seats and a booster proSPORT proRIDE performanceRIDE booster etc. lol first kid

second kid britax all the way. ease of use is key. you need to have a seat that even an idiot could install safely. east for grandparents etc.

the hardest thing to do was change a rear facing recaro seat from car to car. never again.
Recaro is trash in your opinion enjoy it.
I like many others still enjoy the safety features the seat offers. Please feel free to look at amazon, buybuybaby, babyrus and a few other for the reviews. 4 Stars and more. Usually the one stars come from people like you who don't know how to install it properly. And can't install seats without issues.

Britax overall has plenty of recalls. I choose not to use a seat that puts my child in more danger. Just food for though.

Have a good day.
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Old 06-21-2017, 10:54 AM   #21
powder8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvoXtoWRX View Post
Recaro is trash in your opinion enjoy it.
I like many others still enjoy the safety features the seat offers. Please feel free to look at amazon, buybuybaby, babyrus and a few other for the reviews. 4 Stars and more. Usually the one stars come from people like you who don't know how to install it properly. And can't install seats without issues.

Britax overall has plenty of recalls. I choose not to use a seat that puts my child in more danger. Just food for though.

Have a good day.
safety features lol its a car seat. it is a safety feature.

im not aware of any recalls on current britax clicktight models which is what i recommended.

heres a news article that you should take time to review. very informational.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-...327856401.html
they still produce and sell both seats with no modifications.

if you read my whole post recaros EU seats are among the best in the world.
the US spec versions are not. they are also a pita to install in a performance sedan like the wrx.

i have a couple wrapped in plastic in my garage you can HAVE them free of charge. Ill even pay the shipping.

they also have a laughable weight limit when using LATCH and i wouldnt dare try installing a recaro seat with a seat belt. its like putting a puzzle together.

any car seat is better than no car seat. every child restraint isnt for every vehicle. britax is better than recaro and WILL protect your child better. highway testing safety numbers prove that.
the recaro infant carrier (performance coupe) is nice tho i would consider one of those bc its almost identical to the EU model.

i had recaro seat installs "checked" at the fire station. my installs are safe. ive been doing this a while. spend your money on those seats if you want. just like people will buy cleks, gracos, safety first...etc.

OP go to the store install both and see what you like. babies r us will let you try seats. take the instructions out to the car and install the seats.
i have direct experience with both brands seats.

EVERY manufacturer has recalls. recaro has more than most. britax convertibles were recalled and owners were sent kits to remedy the issue immediately.
internet/social media reviews are for the birds. get empirical info from nhsta or iihs.

vote with your money. britax sells more seats...here in the us that is.

Last edited by powder8; 06-21-2017 at 11:18 AM.
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Old 06-21-2017, 01:04 PM   #22
J5josher
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diono radian rxt,

I have that and a recaro,

The diono is alot heavier well built and can fit 3 across..

3rd child on way. I will be ordering another one.
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Old 06-23-2017, 08:57 PM   #23
TheWanderer
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Britax for us. 3 1/2 year old is in a Clicktight Boulevard. The 14 month old is probably getting the same seat as we transition from the infant carrier (also Britax).

We have been looking at the Graco 4ever for long term cost savings. Anyone have any experience with it? Seems like a bigger seat for rear facing.

Also, I think it's worth mentioning that the LATCH system weight limit is 65 lbs which inculdes the weight of the seat PLUS the child.
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Old 11-05-2017, 09:55 PM   #24
cmacrazgrl
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Any pictures? So I can see how it fits.
I have '13 sti and looking at getting Clek Fllo.

Last edited by cmacrazgrl; 11-06-2017 at 06:54 AM.
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Old 11-05-2017, 10:03 PM   #25
kurtisharveysimpson
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due to government regs in Canada most meet similar safety standards
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