Sharkey

No, I didn't contradict anything. I said not all car seats are created equal just because they have all passed the same minimum standard safety tests (a claim that you falsely made in your post). To prove my point, I provided an analogy to minimum car safety standards. You then took a shot at me and essentially stated that I would simply spend the most money I could without having any understanding of what I was purchasing. Your premise is provably false. You basically told the OP to find three skinny seats that fit because all car seats have the same safety standards. That is a ridiculous statement. All car seats do not provide the same level of protection, nor do they provide the same level of adjustability (which obviously matters both in terms of fit in the vehicle and fit of the child).

Oh, and I'm not angry at all...I just call BS when I read it.

Dypuz

You compared todays safety standard of cars seats to the safety standards in the 80's of 2 completely different car classes. In that case you should've just suggested that the guy trade in the Jeep for the excursion because its a safer vehicle and to never put kids in a Jeep because the doors and tops only provide protection from the elements. NHTSA sets the standard for all carseats produced and sold in the US. The only BS is on the box of the carseat. The safety standards for new child safety seats are extremely high, and even if they were low, they still won't explode on impact like a Yugo. I never tried to BS anyone, just made a suggestion if he really wanted to keep the Jeep...just like you did. And I get it, you did research, just as most parents do before buying something to keep their kids safe. You read WAAAY too much into my suggestion and made your own assumptions. Your contradiction was made when you compared brand names in one post, then said fit was most important in the next. And you agreed with me when you stated that the width wasn't the important thing. You did elaborate a little more by stating the fact that the overhang is important, thumbs up for that. All I was saying was don't fall for marketing hype and to go for the best fit for the kid and vehicle, same as you did. Apparently everything on this forum needs to be spelled out in complete detail. Now let's meet for a beer and squash THIS bs lol.

Jhsmith

I have four kids, and just got rid of my diesel Excursion. Got a 2011 JKU, can fit three kids in back easily. 4 year old in her full car seat, 8 year old in a booster, and 10 year old in reg seat. Works just fine. Plenty of storage in rear, so all good to go!

Am thinking about the 3rd row though...

MTG

Wow talk about a hijack!? Try switching to decaf.

OP good luck finding three that fit so you don't have to sell the JK!

As for me I'm going to go strap my kids into their titanium, air-bagged, triple gusseted, 9 point harness car seats which is made by a company that spends more time and money promoting it than the makers of grey goose vodka!

shelto

Ok, first, let me say that the JKU is one of the easiest cars I've had to install child restraints in.

To address the car seat safety thing, no one really knows how "safe" a car seat is. They are tested on a pass/fail system by the government. Many have awesome features that make them better in many peoples eyes, like side impact protection, better covers, easier to install, etc.

Are you open to a convertible for the baby? It may make things easier.

These are my recommendations:

Baby: Combi Coccoro, Chicco KeyFit, or Combi Shuttle
Out of those, the Coccoro is a convertible but it fits really well in small places. The other two are staNdard infant carriers but on the narrower side.

Middle kid: Recaro ProSport, Evenflo Maestro, Diono Radian
The first two are combination seats, meaning they are harness to booster seats. The Radian is a convertible so depending on your kid's age, you'd could use it forward facing for a while, then pass it down to your baby.

Oldest: Britax Parkway, Harmon Cruz, Harmony literider
Parkway is a narrow full back booster, the other two are backless boosters.

Personally, having a booster in a 3 across is a bitch to buckle. If try and reharness if it all possible.

I have a Recaro ProSport next to a Britax Roundabout (which is the same size as any of their convertibles). The newest generation of Britax convertibles also work well for newborns.

There was room for a narrow booster but it would have been a pain to buckle.



You can PM me if you'd like. Amazon has great returns. You can try seats out and return for free. ;-)

Also, car-seat.org is a great place to ask questions. A few JKU owners over there.

AaronJK

The kids love it. 3 seats fit great. narrower seats will make your 5 year old more comfortable.

mcochrun13

Check out these seats they are made like tanks. They are made with a steel (not plastic) frame. Because of this they are not as bulky.
http://us.diono.com/en/car-seats

jeffncs

Thanks again for the information. My wife stumbled upon the Diono Radian series recently, as well. Unfortunately, we can't find any locally for test-fit or to look them over.

I appreciate the replies and the pics. I really want to lift this thing, but put all work on hold until I know its future. There seems to be a solid chance of keeping it!

JN

CerOf

We fit three across in a Jetta. You can do it in the JKU. We fit them three across in a montero sport.

Three across was a full booster with back, two infant carriers and bases. We did not use the bases in the Jetta but did in the Montero sport. It's backseat is a similar width as the JKU.

It is tight, but doable. Thing to remember is they grow fast!!!!

Also, for those 25+, our parents never used car seats with us and we all still survived, for the most part.

Get 'em that fit the best, and roll with it. Everything has an Achilles heel. Live life, don't let it live for you.

Dypuz

LMAO funny