3 seats what's the best solution?!

[Whattodowithaminute]

We have a vw sharan with 3 isofix poins across the centre. Currently have baby in a cabriofix with familyfix base, 5 year old in middle with Cybex q fix (which I like a lot) 3.5 yo in a maxi cosi tobi but his head is out of the top.

Trialled another cybex q fix in today and it's too wide. Joie stages is almost impossible to do up so have come to the conclusion I need to replace both the 3.5 and 5 year olds seats but what for? I may have also missed an obvious solution so let me know!

Was recommended the Britain romer but I know nothing about it..

Britax that was supposed to be

Don't the car's seats slide back and forth? If I have to get two seats next to each other in my car (we've had 4 1/2 years of three children in car seats but my son is almost 11 and tall so he's recently stopped using one and sits in the middle with no seat now) most of them fit no problem but if it's a bit tight I slide the middle seat forward to 'offset' the widest parts of the seats or make it easier to get to the seatbelt buckles. My car is a Peugeot 5008 so I expect it's a bit smaller than yours.

I really love Britax seats, they've always fitted well in the cars we've had (2005 Renault Scenic before the 5008) and are good quality. I currently have a KidFix SL for my 8 year old and it's really good for allowing access to the seatbelt buckles.

I think you could keep the Cybex and try a different brand of high backed booster next to it that would be a different shape. Also try sliding the middle seat forward.

3 1/2 is a bit young for a high backed booster though, the Maxi Cosi Tobi seat isn't outgrown until your son's eyes/tips of his ears are level with the top edge of the seat (or he gets to 18kgs), so I'd use that for as long as you can before switching seats.

Thanks alice that's useful to know about moving the seats back and forth to get extra space hasn't thought of that at all. Also very good news about the tobi. The lady in mothercare was quite insistent that as soon as he head was level with the top he was too big and I needed to do something urgently. If their eyes are level with th top then do the straps end up going up and over rather than horizontally IYSWIM?

Well, that's the other thing you have to watch for - if the straps do start to go 'up and over' rather than coming out of the seat level with the shoulders then that would mean you'd have to stop using the seat too. I've never used Maxi Cosi seats, so you'd just have to keep an eye on that. I'm pretty sure on my Britax Group 1 seat the top harness slot was at the right sort of level for the tallest child that could use the seat, if you see what I mean!

I think the headrest extends up with the straps so you can't physically have the head growing up over the op of the sat without compromising the strap position...

We have maxi cosi Rodifix which are quite narrow I think?

Thanks cakes will go back and trial a few I think.