As my search continues for just the right baby seat for my SC430 I figure I would log the details of what works and what does not.

I would ask everyone out there with baby/infant seats in their SC430 to share their thoughts along with pictures as a guide for everyone as proper fitment is paramount to the safety of our loved one(s).

For one I would not recommend a baby seat in a SC430 for long distances and for the fact that it must be installed on the sides vs the preferred center position which is not an option in this car. I only need to use it for approximately 4 miles every 2 weeks at the most but safety is still of utmost concern to us as I'm sure it is for all parents out there.

So far I have installed 3 seats in the SC430, all rear facing convertibles and the following pictures demonstrate the challenges one can face in this endeavor. The passenger seat is as far as it will go forward and up with the back locked as it should be.
My son was strapped into each car seat to check fitment such as headroom, shoulder room, legroom,etc…All were secured using the rear facing Latch mechanisms.

TIP: It is next to impossible to place your child in a rear facing seat in the SC430 with the top up. I put the top down halfway, strap him in, then close the top. He loves to watch the top in action.

The first one is a Britax Boulevard car seat. This is a premium car seat which list at over $300.00 but can be had for a tad less. This rates very high in safety and considered one of the better seats out there for good reason. This seat is actually installed in our GX but I removed it to check fitment in the SC. Unfortunately this seat does not fit safely in the SC as it is simply too large by a couple of inches. Notice the horizontal line on the bottom of the car seat base? This must be level with the car which it is not as you can see the top of the car seat is resting on the back of the passenger seat. As much as we love this seat in the GX where it fit very nicely, it is a no go in the SC430.

Britax Boulevard


Next up is a compact car seat I noticed while shopping for something else. I figured what the heck and gave it a shot not really thinking I would be serious about keeping it as for one is was only $39.95 and for two the construction did not seem to be up to par next to the Britax and Evenflo. This model is the Cosco Scenera. Granted Cosco makes finer seats but this one is very compact as seen in the pictures. Is does offer plenty of room but….the crotch strap is poorly engineered in that the side clips that click into the crotch buckle are too close the body and DAMN if I did not pinch my poor boys bare leg in the unit and gave him a blood blister and myself a ton of guilt I felt for days. Short of burning the unit it is going back and a nasty worded email sent off to Walmart and Cosco. Not excusable even for $40 bucks. Ok, it was only $39.95. The real good units have a pad that goes between the buckle and the baby.

Cosco Scenera


My final test for the evening is the Evenflo Titan Elite. With a name like that this seat should perform and overall I am pleased with it. It is missing the crotch pad but the buckle is designed where it will not pinch the skin. All of a sudden that is at the top of the things I look for. The unit is compact enough to fit in the SC430 with about 1.5” to the top of the front passenger seat. It also has decent side protection though not in the same league as Britax. It also comes with a butt pad and head rest which the cheapie unit above was lacking. I paid $99.99 at Target for this unit and at this time it is the unit that remains in the SC until our next car seat arrives which is the new Britax Diplomat compact car seat with true side impact protection. I will provide an update on this unit once it is in.

Please feel free to share your baby seat installations.

Evenflo Titan Elite


Here are all three lined up:
From left to right: Britax Blvd, Evenflo Titan Elite, and finally the POS Cosco Scenera which I promptly kicked after this shot as payback. Yes, I know it is trivia but it sure did feel good.

 

hehee, this is going to be one interesting (but useful) thread

 

I think the thing which would worry me most is quick evacuation in the event of a crash or fire. In such a circumstance, you could not depend on the top working. OTOH, that is a very minor risk.

 

All this time, I thought that the rear seats were Lexus's version of built in baby seats...... It would be redundant to stack a baby seat on top of a stock baby seat.

 

Great info.

Lexus Japan has 3 optional baby seats for all models except SC.

 

Thanks for posting the pics....I have 2 in car seats, fortunately for me my kids are now forward facing which changes all of your options. My only recco is to get the best seat possible. Both of my kids are in the Britax Blvds which even in my GS it is a little tight. At the end of the day, knowing I have them in the safest seats is all that matters.

On a side note I had a chance to buy a 07 Shelby Mustang, put the Britax in the back, and could not move my seat far enough back without crushing my kids legs! I guess some cars are just not made for little ones!

 

Do these so called "Convertible" Baby seats fit the back of the SC?



http://www.babyuniverse.com/Recaro-C.../N/D/?_ts=B005

 

Has anyone put a forward facing seat in a sc430?

Just wondering if it fits ok, I was thinking of upgrading from the LS.

 

I'm using a graco turbobooster (base plus back) in my SC430. I can't imagine anything bigger working, and even this isn't the most comfortable, given that the back seat is basically vertical. Fine for short rides or for a day here or there where my wife's car is in the shop, but the SC just isn't made for any type of car seat to work well.

 

Pearlpower, I am guessing the Britax Diplomat fit in your SC430 and would for my soon to arrive infant?

Hmmmmmmmm. Got an SC, not too much later I reproduced. Coincidence?
I think so.

 

Sorry for the delay. I did fit a few more in the SC, but at this time do not recall. Though I still have the SC and now another new arrival (Nicholas) they just go in the GX and RL.

 

Just posted this on another thread, but thought I'd post this here for those that google search here:

All,

I had been looking for a while for a car seat for my 2003 SC430 and even spoke to my Lexus dealer (who claimed to look high and low for a car seat) as well as a few on-line car seat providers that also could not find a car seat for the car.

I eventually also came across the Combi Coccorro which I thought I'd take a chance with. Other people with small cars claimed that it was a life saver, so I bought it.

Item At Amazon

Well, I'm thrilled to say that it seems to work perfectly! Interestingly, I knew the car had LATCH in the back seat because I had put a base in the car when the baby was smaller. But I couldn't find the "upper LATCH" until I brought it to a place to help me install it. Turns out that there IS a LATCH connector on the back side of the headrest which allows for a very good fit.

Here's a picture of my happy son riding in "Daddy's Car"...

Happy Boy In Car Seat

Only downside is that the seat only supports children up to 40 pounds, so I may only get 6-9 months out of this (he's a big boy), but the idea was to help my wife so she wouldn't have to take him all the time to day care.

Good luck all.

Thanks,

Eric

EDIT:
Embedded pic for you.

 

Cruising in style, thanks for posting. Looks happy.

 

When you were able to get the rear facing seat into the back-didn't you lose ALL front room space such that no passenger could sit up front? We've been to several stores and tried EVERYTHING and can't seem to find any seat that would allow all three of us to be in the car-even if slightly uncomfortable.

 

Eric,
Can't see the photo. Been all over and the Coccoro dimension are 23(h) x 17(w) x 28 (d) for rear facing. How the heck did you get that seat in the back and still allow for someone to sit in the passenger seat?