Subaru Outback

Okay so i had no idea where on earth to put this or if anyone will even have any idea but if anyone out there has or had a subaru outback i was just wondering if they had managed to fit 3 carseats in it at one time, the reason I am asking is cause i am thinking of trying for another baby soon and our back seat is already taken up with two carseats i just wanted to know if it's possible to fit three in???
TIA:)

You might if they were all slimline but ours aren't...DS has a Safe N Sound MaxiRider and DD's seat is also Safe N Sound (can't think of the model name off the top of my head) and she will move up to a MaxiRider herself before long so there was just no way.

We have upgraded my car to a Subaru Tribeca (7 seater). Check and see if there are 3 anchor points...if not, you've got your answer right there. DH isn't home at the moment so I can't ask him if the Outback has 3 anchor points - he is the carseat installer around here. I wouldn't have a clue.

He is keeping the Outback because he loves it so much and that's his "going to work" car, plus he can transfer a seat over if there was ever a time when 2 kids had to be at different places at the same time. I get the Tribeca. If we go anywhere as a family, obviously we will take the Tribeca. We could have fitted the 3 seats across the middle row of the Tribeca but there were only 2 anchor points provided for the second row so DS is going to have to move into the third row when Number 3 shows up.

Not a chance we could fit 3 in ours, i couldn't even fit 2 next to each other. I tried to put one in the centre and one on the side and they didn't fit.... unless there is a slimer car seat out there. But to be honest i wouldn't compromise safety in a car seat. When we have another we are going to have to upgrade.

Thanks so much for your replies looks like we will have to upgrade again if we want to have another baby then, better to be on the safe side:)

I am pregnant with our third & we're looking at getting something bigger because there is no way we're fitting another carseat in the back of our Outback.

here's my next question what is a good car that is suitable to fit three carseats and reasonably priced?? geez i don't ask for much do i??LOL

If you don't want 7 seater you'll have to go Commodore, Falcon (Mitsubishi 380?) etc etc to get the 3 seats across the back. I believe some of the bigger 4WDs like Prados will take 3 across the back but not sure.

We have an 04 Outback, and are expecting our third child in April.

With a great deal of help from a helpful baby shop owner, we were able to get three car seats in the back for our 5 y/o,4 y/o & newborn. Previously we've been using two Maxiriders, and there's NOOOOO chance any third would fit with those two!

It seems to fit (although rather snugly) with a Safe n' Sound Compaq and two Infa Vario Kid boosters. There's no compromise on safety - the Infa Varios are the highest rated boosters for safety based on the NRMA tests (even higher than the Maxiriders). The only issue we have is with putting the seatbelts on, as it's very squashy. We're looking into buckle extenders, which raise the seatbelt buckle/button a little higher, but we still have to figure out at the safety issues of those. Once 5y/o gets big enough to move from the booster, it shouldn't be as much of a problem. Certainly a lot cheaper than buying a whole new car...

I'd recommend going to a specialty baby shop and asking them to try the seats across the back before you purchase. Some of the privately owned shops are really helpful, and they're happy to go out of their way to make sure you've got the right solution.

We've only just got this, so I'll update you as we see how it works out in practice...

Yes, i replied to Sarahs thread and my dh's boss has 3 seats in his Outback

This is what he said -

2 x Safe-n-Sound Compaq Deluxe

1 x Safe-n-Sound Meridian (I think)

Compaqs on the outside, Meridian in the middle. They seem to ‘nest’ in together. 3 x Compaqs didn’t work as although most of the seat is smaller than most, wherever the widest spot is what matters.

I took the car to Babies Galore, after calling ahead, and just tried all of their seats to see what works. It is likely that 2 Compaqs and some other seat will be the best combination.

Aaaahhh so it is possible with the right seats, my hubby will be so happy to hear that he looooves our outback lol We actually have a privately owned specialty baby shop just round the corner and they are fully qualified to equip baby seats so we might just have to pop round and see what they can do for us, we would love to keep the outback but the kids safety will be first and foremost, thanks so much ladies for all your input much appreciated:D

Another option suggested to us (if you need two boosters + 1 baby seat), is the Safe n Sound HiLiners + SnS Compaq. The Hiliners have slightly more gaps around the base (where you need to get your hand in to do up the seatbelt), which makes it a teensy bit more comfortable to get all three kids in at once. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm still looking into whether the seatbelt extenders are a viable option or not safe enough. They'd certainly save our hands the trouble it takes to strap the kids in!
:)

Our original baby seat was a Meridian, but it's just too wide when put into the forward-facing position - though it does fit in the rearward position. The Hiliners or Vario combos both work with the Compaq when the Compaq's facing forwards, but you might find the Hiliners a little more comfortable - the base padding of the hiliners is thicker than the varios too, which makes for more comfortable kids on long journeys.

Hope that helps.

Oh, just added info...

The Infa Vario and Safe-N-Sound Hi-Liners are the top two-rated booster seats for safety according to the NRMA. You can check out more info on the NSW RTA website here:

Child restraints

:)

It is a huge help thanks it will definately determine we start trying for number 3 sooner rather than later:D