Need HELP New Born On the way! Car SEAT Suggestions !?

[SCQTT]

Originally Posted by Spuds

No need to get to get emotional over it. I was merely commenting that human nature is human nature regardless of generation.

People do things wrong and eventually see a pattern. Pattern gets condensed into a problem statement. People try to solve problem with technology because you can't design a better human. People use technology wrong and eventually see a pattern...

Welcome to the human condition. Glad you could join us.

Not emotional, just over cars getting more and more complex and heavy and expensive, because some people could not be bothered with personal responsibility.

We're solving problems because we can't make better humans? or are we solving problems so humans can stop paying attention?

I call BS on the human condition, unless that condition is "someone outta do something" position.

[scottman]

Roof rack, trailer hitch/ bike bar.
For the stroller of course.

[MRT]

[UPDATE]

Alright everyone,
After much consideration, a lot of research, and weeks of trial and error.
Here"s what I decided upon. Ill include & explain why, other factors in deciding and lastly the benefit's and drawbacks from my selection. Feel free to ask questions if you need any.

Ultimately, my goal is to help all new fathers / mothers too be.

Here's what I bought - https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/graco-reg-modes-trade-jogger-travel-system/5001719?categoryId=32576
[Alternative Link] - http://www.gracobaby.com/en-US/modes...-travel-system
(keep in mind, that price listed is in USD, I was a bit surprised when looking on the Canadian side as the actual price was $699.99 CAD)
[I did not pay that much I'll explain further down]

[Video] [Demonstration] - [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQCAz-iRYa4"]New! GRACO Modes Jogging Stroller ~ ABC KIDS EXPO 2015 - YouTube[/ame]

Why?
- Contrary to what is said in some of the feedback from reviews, this combo is amazingly compact. Most strollers come factory with the toddler base that is attached and cannot be removed/replaced for your baby once he/she eventually doesn't need a car seat. Here, that toddler base can be removed completely and in its place? the newborn car seat. So you can leave the toddler base at home until your child grows out of the baby car seat. With that said, all you are left with is the stroller its self (the frame and wheels) and, the infant car seat for the first year or so.
Also, most strollers come with plastic or rubber filled wheels, here, the wheels are inflatable, they're large (moms advice, said I'll thank her later) AND all 3 wheels can be removed with a push of a button unlike most..

Other factors?
-Well for me, I use http://www.kijiji.ca a whole lot. I managed to find a brand new, never opened, in-box stroller, car seat & base for sale. Asking was $550.00CAD but to me, what I really saw was $450.00CAD & That's what I paid.
Here's the math:
[Brand New IN STORE]
699.99x1.13(tax) = $790.98CAD

[Brand New www.KIJIJI.ca]
450 x 1(no tax) = $450.00CAD

Savings of $340.98CAD = now that's a deal. (new car parts HERE I COME!)

anyway...

Benefit's?
֎ besides the savings..
֎ 3 wheels, all removable which makes its insanely easy to maneuver, move on the go & to fit inside my trunk
֎ air filled wheels will last a lifetime, wont get damaged due to rough roads/unpaved roads, will never have to worry about your wheels locking up, absorbs some impact from roads and bumps, easy to travel with little resistance
֎ detachable car seat / switchable with the next up stroller seat when baby grows out of the newborn car seat allowing one or the other can be left at home to save space.
֎ Graco Click & Connect is sturdy (more than most I've seen) and easily connects and disconnects for ease of removal from such a tight space (back seats)
֎ comes with base which stays in car, fitment allows my wife(5'1) to sit in the back or front seat comfortably baby can also be placed behind me with no problem, I'm like (5'4)
֎ Jogger system fun and great for active lifestyle & it looks great
֎ Baby can sit facing front or back in both car seat and toddler base in due time
֎ Lots of storage under stroller and atop the handle bar where you can store your phone and etc.
֎ Incredibly easy to fold (just push the button with the same hand as you rotate your wrist on the handle bar, will fold easy)
֎ If I have a son, that little guy is going to have a blast cruising with me and my wife and if he is anything like I was as a kid, he'll want something that can go fast & move freely like a roller-coaster 8-)

Drawbacks?
֎ Price.
֎ When infant/new born car seat installed into frame, it waddles a small bit.
֎ Toddler car seat looks a bit bulky and unsure of the fitment once frame is inside trunk, will the toddler seat fit as well as the wheels all into the trunk?
֎ Will become tedious and annoying always having to remove the wheels(3) before placing stroller frame into trunk, then to take out and re-install all 3 wheels, then take out baby from back of my car and place into stroller frame. (I don't worry tho, I'm fit & plan to keep an active lifestyle.. and even when I'm not. Oh well, ..my fat ass will have to get fit then, which is motivation *in the case of me ever getting fat*)
֎ Will continually update this post as time goes on.

[ermax]

Originally Posted by MRT

[UPDATE]

Alright everyone,
After much consideration, a lot of research, and weeks of trial and error.
Here"s what I decided upon. Ill include & explain why, other factors in deciding and lastly the benefit's and drawbacks from my selection. Feel free to ask questions if you need any.

Ultimately, my goal is to help all new fathers / mothers too be.

Here's what I bought - https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/graco-reg-modes-trade-jogger-travel-system/5001719?categoryId=32576
[Alternative Link] - http://www.gracobaby.com/en-US/modes...-travel-system
(keep in mind, that price listed is in USD, I was a bit surprised when looking on the Canadian side as the actual price was $699.99 CAD)
[I did not pay that much I'll explain further down]

[Video] [Demonstration] -

Why?
- Contrary to what is said in some of the feedback from reviews, this combo is amazingly compact. Most strollers come factory with the toddler base that is attached and cannot be removed/replaced for your baby once he/she eventually doesn't need a car seat. Here, that toddler base can be removed completely and in its place? the newborn car seat. So you can leave the toddler base at home until your child grows out of the baby car seat. With that said, all you are left with is the stroller its self (the frame and wheels) and, the infant car seat for the first year or so.
Also, most strollers come with plastic or rubber filled wheels, here, the wheels are inflatable, they're large (moms advice, said I'll thank her later) AND all 3 wheels can be removed with a push of a button unlike most..

Other factors?
-Well for me, I use http://www.kijiji.ca a whole lot. I managed to find a brand new, never opened, in-box stroller, car seat & base for sale. Asking was $550.00CAD but to me, what I really saw was $450.00CAD & That's what I paid.
Here's the math:
[Brand New IN STORE]
699.99x1.13(tax) = $790.98CAD

[Brand New www.KIJIJI.ca]
450 x 1(no tax) = $450.00CAD

Savings of $340.98CAD = now that's a deal. (new car parts HERE I COME!)

anyway...

Benefit's?
֎ besides the savings..
֎ 3 wheels, all removable which makes its insanely easy to maneuver, move on the go & to fit inside my trunk
֎ air filled wheels will last a lifetime, wont get damaged due to rough roads/unpaved roads, will never have to worry about your wheels locking up, absorbs some impact from roads and bumps, easy to travel with little resistance
֎ detachable car seat / switchable with the next up stroller seat when baby grows out of the newborn car seat allowing one or the other can be left at home to save space.
֎ Graco Click & Connect is sturdy (more than most I've seen) and easily connects and disconnects for ease of removal from such a tight space (back seats)
֎ comes with base which stays in car, fitment allows my wife(5'1) to sit in the back or front seat comfortably baby can also be placed behind me with no problem, I'm like (5'4)
֎ Jogger system fun and great for active lifestyle & it looks great
֎ Baby can sit facing front or back in both car seat and toddler base in due time
֎ Lots of storage under stroller and atop the handle bar where you can store your phone and etc.
֎ Incredibly easy to fold (just push the button with the same hand as you rotate your wrist on the handle bar, will fold easy)
֎ If I have a son, that little guy is going to have a blast cruising with me and my wife and if he is anything like I was as a kid, he'll want something that can go fast & move freely like a roller-coaster 8-)

Drawbacks?
֎ Price.
֎ When infant/new born car seat installed into frame, it waddles a small bit.
֎ Toddler car seat looks a bit bulky and unsure of the fitment once frame is inside trunk, will the toddler seat fit as well as the wheels all into the trunk?
֎ Will become tedious and annoying always having to remove the wheels(3) before placing stroller frame into trunk, then to take out and re-install all 3 wheels, then take out baby from back of my car and place into stroller frame. (I don't worry tho, I'm fit & plan to keep an active lifestyle.. and even when I'm not. Oh well, ..my fat ass will have to get fit then, which is motivation *in the case of me ever getting fat*)
֎ Will continually update this post as time goes on.

As I said before, I also have a Graco seat and have two strollers, a compact one (which I linked to a few pages back) and a jogger that looks IDENTICAL to the one you linked to. Only difference is my wheels don't easily detach. At least not that I recall. The jogger stays at the house and I only use it for running (I run 100-160 miles/month). That thing would be a tight fit in the trunk even if the wheels were removed. The compact stroller is also a tight fit in the trunk. You have to wedge it in there just the right way or it gets hung up. It isn't that the trunk is too small, it's the opening that makes it tricky.

Worst case you can't get it to fit or get sick of dealing with the wheels and you just pick up a more compact stroller that is Graco compatible. It's nice to have bases in all the cars and have multiple stroller options that are all compatible with the car seat. You just pop them out of the car and drop them on the stroller. It would be cool if you could find a retailer that would be willing to let you roll a display model out of the store to test fit in your car.

[MRT]

Originally Posted by ermax

As I said before, I also have a Graco seat and have two strollers, a compact one (which I linked to a few pages back) and a jogger that looks IDENTICAL to the one you linked to. Only difference is my wheels don't easily detach. At least not that I recall. The jogger stays at the house and I only use it for running (I run 100-160 miles/month). That thing would be a tight fit in the trunk even if the wheels were removed. The compact stroller is also a tight fit in the trunk. You have to wedge it in there just the right way or it gets hung up. It isn't that the trunk is too small, it's the opening that makes it tricky.

Worst case you can't get it to fit or get sick of dealing with the wheels and you just pick up a more compact stroller that is Graco compatible. It's nice to have bases in all the cars and have multiple stroller options that are all compatible with the car seat. You just pop them out of the car and drop them on the stroller. It would be cool if you could find a retailer that would be willing to let you roll a display model out of the store to test fit in your car.

Thanks for checking up on the thread, have you tried taking off the front wheel? you might get lucky because honestly.. even the workers at ToysRUs didnt know anyway, you bring up a solid point about the worst case scenario in which the stroller doesn't fit in the trunk.

[UPDATE]


Just so everyone know, this particular model from Graco has been tested by myself and my wife to fit in the trunk. See, before I went ahead and bought the stroller set, I went to ToysRUs here in Canada and did exactly what you mentioned there Ermax glad to see were on the same page I asked them if I could take the model stroller out to my car and try it out in the trunk, I even tried out the base for the stroller in my back seat and the baby car seat as-well! The stroller frame with the wheels taken off fits inside with ease!!! hence my decision to buy the set.
Overall, I'm satisfied and I doubt Ill be needing another stroller untill I buy an SUV or something of that size (idk about caravan).

I will be uploading photos of the stroller in the trunk once I visit my moms house. We are moving at the end of this month so just have a little patience and at the start of the next month, you'll all have the opportunity to see for yourself.
to everyone who has taken the time to add to this thread,
you all have my and gratitude for doing so.

[ermax]

Okay so I just took a look at our jogger and the rear wheels come off easy. Now that I think about it, it's the compact one that I was trying to remove a wheel from because my dumb ass backed our Suburban into it and warped a wheel. I was thinking maybe I could order a new wheel and pop it off and pop a new one on.

How does the front come off though? I could use a wrench to take it off but that can't possible be what you plan to do. Does yours have a quick release like many bikes do? I could probably add a quick release to ours if I ever wanted to put it in the trunk. I'm still looking at this thing and trying to picture it in the trunk. Hahaha

Edit: I am blind. I see the release for the front wheel now. So I was able to fit it in. It's much tighter than the other but it does fit. I'm amazed.

[MRT]

Alright guys and gyals, here are the long awaited photos of how everything looks when were in the car.
I am really sorry for taking so long to post for those whom might have been following this thread.
Views from:

Passenger side: https://imgur.com/Q7nlhm0
Driver side: https://imgur.com/miN1Z36
Front passenger seat looking down at the foot area: https://imgur.com/WFZhEDz
Drivers side behind: https://imgur.com/sMwJpHN
Drivers side looking beside: https://imgur.com/G6vLavH
Passenger front close up: https://imgur.com/Io5BWS0
Passenger front close up foot area: https://imgur.com/O7uQTL7

[MRT]

Note:
I've been doing a lot of upgrades to the car
heres a list for those interested in making more use of the vehicle once you become a dad or mum. Most would agree that this car is not for the long run but I dare to defy their beliefs and prove em wrong. I am a very DIY kinda guy, ask me questions if you have any. Most of these upgrades are multi-use upgrades (looks+safety+long term vehicle usability)
Heres the list.:
rear louver
painted calipers
performance rotors
fog lights with hid
tap-turn from dynamics diode
front camera
rear camera
android stereo system
tow hitch in the rear
1 1/4" tow ready w/adapter for 2" tow
2" aluminum cargo carrier for my 2" tow adapter (camping, outdoor trekking, extra baggage on trips and etc.)
& now, were looking into buying a mini trailer for camping and road trips called "my pod" from the company Little Guy
there are many other small upgrades not stated here because they were done before I had my baby.

[MRT]

Originally Posted by ermax

Okay so I just took a look at our jogger and the rear wheels come off easy. Now that I think about it, it's the compact one that I was trying to remove a wheel from because my dumb ass backed our Suburban into it and warped a wheel. I was thinking maybe I could order a new wheel and pop it off and pop a new one on.

How does the front come off though? I could use a wrench to take it off but that can't possible be what you plan to do. Does yours have a quick release like many bikes do? I could probably add a quick release to ours if I ever wanted to put it in the trunk. I'm still looking at this thing and trying to picture it in the trunk. Hahaha

Edit: I am blind. I see the release for the front wheel now. So I was able to fit it in. It's much tighter than the other but it does fit. I'm amazed.

so heres one of the major upgrades ( although its really an attachment )
see my thread here.
https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show...87#post3156987

[Summerwolf]

Originally Posted by MRT

Alright guys and gyals, here are the long awaited photos of how everything looks when were in the car.
I am really sorry for taking so long to post for those whom might have been following this thread.
Views from:

Passenger side: https://imgur.com/Q7nlhm0
Driver side: https://imgur.com/miN1Z36
Front passenger seat looking down at the foot area: https://imgur.com/WFZhEDz
Drivers side behind: https://imgur.com/sMwJpHN
Drivers side looking beside: https://imgur.com/G6vLavH
Passenger front close up: https://imgur.com/Io5BWS0
Passenger front close up foot area: https://imgur.com/O7uQTL7

damn, that is definitely forcing a vehicle to work for your situation.

[MRT]

Originally Posted by Summerwolf

damn, that is definitely forcing a vehicle to work for your situation.

you gotta do what you gotta do.

[ermax]

So I have a Graco Jogger which as MRT points out fits in our trunk. I finally had to ditch this jogger though. When the wheel is unlocked it speed wobbles like crazy at any pace over 7:00min/mi. You can pull off 7:30min/mi if the roads are super smooth. When the wheel is locked it has too much free play in it so it refuses to track straight and if you nudge it to turn left the wheel swivels to the right and it turns the opposite direction that you want it to. The problem is it has gotten progressively worse. My wife called me all pissed off because she was 2.5 miles away from the house on a run and the thing refused to stop wobbling and she only runs a 9:00. So I went on a hunt for a better jogger. Looks like Thule makes a really good one but it's around $500 and I couldn't find any used. So then I found the BOB Sport Utility with fixed wheel. It is also about $500 but I found one in really good shape for $100 on Facebook Marketplace. There were actually a ton of them on FB. When I pulled up in the FRS to pick it up she was in a panic because she didn't think it would fit. Then I find out it was messed up and would not fold. I looked at it and then told her I wasn't worried that I would find a fix. So I paid her and she went back in her house. After fiddling with it for a few mins I had it folded and in the trunk. When I got home I found the real problem. They must have taken the seat out to clean it and didn't route the release cable properly. Once I rerouted it the thing would fold like it should.

So, with the wheels off this thing is much more compact than the Graco and dramatically lighter. With the wheels on it's 26lbs and wheels off it's 16.2lbs. The Graco is 31.8 with the wheels on and 22.2lbs with the wheels off.

The BOB is only 13.5 in high when folded with the wheels off compared to the about 16in on the Graco Jogger with the wheels off. So it fits in the FRS with no drama at all. It's actually easier to get in the trunk than my non-jogger Graco.

Long story short. If you run a lot, save yourself a headache and pass on the Graco Jogger and go with the BOB Sport Utility, Ironman or Blaze. All three of these slip right into our trunk. BOB also makes some joggers with a swivel front wheel but I can't vouch for their ability to fit in our trunk.

Oh one other thing that sold me on the BOB was it has an alignment system on the front wheel that can be used to fix the tracking. It's tracking perfect as of now so I didn't have to mess with it. I included a picture bellow showing how the alignment system works.

[wparsons]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

No. The seatbelt is designed for an average adult size shape and weight not a car seat. The proper tether attachments for car seats are on the rear window deck.

The infant seat we used most definitely worked fine with the rear belt, and was designed to work like that. It also had the quick connect base that was tethered to the lower mount points (or attached by belts if no lower latch points available), but it was 100% safe to use the seat with the rear belt if not using the quick connect base.


http://www.gracobaby.com/en-US/snugr...ar-seat-103548


Manual: http://s7d2.scene7.com/is/content/Newellsync/116579


Lots of cars don't have the upper tether point either (even current cars), but have the lower LATCH points. Seats are designed to work with a variety of scenarios. Seats in an SUV or van won't have the upper tether point, especially in the middle row, neither will convertibles.