[Pigeon]

To save the long reading, I'll put my conclusion up front - I do not recommend this product.

I picked up my '01 LX one week ago and installed my daughter's Century Brevera Ascend SE youth car seat in one of the middle row captain's chairs, using the Century EZ-LATCH retrofit kit which I purchased at Babies-R-Us ($24.99 + tax) specifically for this install. The seat had previously been used in a '98 Volvo V70 using the seatbelts, and I was never very happy with the fit in that car. There were several inches of travel available front-to-back and side-to-side at the base of the seat. With the EX-LATCH install in the Ody, there was still a bit of play side-to-side which I was unhappy about. Today I tried to remove the EX-LATCH and found it nearly impossible to do so, ultimately bending the spring steel which keeps the hook attached to the LATCH point on the seat such that the EZ-LATCH cannot be reused. I reinstalled the seat using the Ody's seatbelt and was able to get it rock solid.

Bottom line for me was that the EX-LATCH was not suitable for a good install in the Odyssey, even using the install hints I received in another thread. Worse, the kit was rendered useless when I tried to remove it. It went back to Babies-R-Us for a refund, and I made sure it was marked as damaged by the clerk so that some other parent doesn't wind up with this particular belt. The Ody seatbelt with its locking retractor made a solid install a breeze. I recommend those considering the EZ-LATCH to try an install with the Ody belts first.

Scott

 

[odymomof2]

Scott, sorry about that bad luck w/the EZ LATCH kit. Maybe it was a defective one?

I bought the Century EZ LATCH kit for my son's Century Accel 5pt seat, and I installed it in less than 5mins, with a solid fit. NO movement whatsoever. I bought DD a Britax Expressway w/LATCH, and same thing....quick and solid!


And, it makes the 3rd row easily accessible without the belt getting in the way.

Glad to hear that the belt gave you a solid install! After all, that's the most important thing!




------------------
~Angela~
'01 MB EX

-cassette
-mud guards
-cargo mat
-cargo tray

 

[moonatics]

I too felt the seatbelts made for the easiest installation in any car I've had. My problem is that my five year old daughter gets to use a booster with the seatbelt and unlocks it each time. My two year old sees her and unlatches his seat belt repeatedly on trips. Luckily, Century's EZ Latch was there to remedy our problem. It took my husband a bit of tugging to tighten it enough, and we found that it must really be set in place in conjunction with the tether strap to get it to fit snugly. But we got it in, and it seems to work. Thank goodness, because I'd been stopping on the road to redo his seat. And that meant he had to get out of his seat to do it. Ugh!

All in all, though, I feel the Ody seat belt provides a great, solid fit. I was quite impressed, compared to my Caravan. (I do miss the built-in seats the Caravan had. So quick and easy...Other minivans should do it.)

I am a little worried now about removing the EZ Latch. Have others had any problems removing it?

 

[nyvram]

Not at all; its removes easily; just remember to put the seat back as far as possible & most importantly..use the PUSH BUTTON on top of it to release the hook. You WILL damage it if you don't realize that there is a thumb button on top. I was trying to unhook one side & was having trouble (trying to get my finger underneath & push the metal 'gate' open) when I realized I was doing alot of unnecessary work.

<table><tr><td>

</td><td width="20" img="http://demo.healthstream.com/content/challenge/images/clear.gif"></td><td><font face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" size="1" color="#454545">Marvyn - 2001 SS EX-NAVI (3300 mi)
Mud Flaps * Cargo Tray * Leather Steering Wheel Wrap * Blaupunkt 652 Speakers * Hyper-brand 'Xenon Blue' Headlights * Weathertech Floor Mats * PIAA Xtreme White 7440 Backup Lights
</font></td></tr></table>

 

[CPSDarren]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by nyvram:
Not at all; its removes easily; just remember to put the seat back as far as possible & most importantly..use the PUSH BUTTON on top of it to release the hook. You WILL damage it if you don't realize that there is a thumb button on top. I was trying to unhook one side & was having trouble (trying to get my finger underneath & push the metal 'gate' open) when I realized I was doing alot of unnecessary work.</font>

I've had the same experience. The Century hooks are actually easier to detach than those on the Cosco Triad and Fisher Price Safe Embrace II. Even so, there are some better designs now on the market that should be on some seats which will hit the market in the next year.

As with seatbelts, LATCH is no guarantee of a proper fit. The seatbelt path in the carseat will affect how tight you can get the installation. Reclining the seat back before you install the seat then moving it upright may also be necessary. Our Century NextStep DX is rock solid with the EZ LATCH kit.

The same advice holds on EZ LATCH as with any carseat. Try it at the store, or have a good return policy in case it doesn't fit. Every car will be different, so you never know for sure. Hopefully, the next generation of LATCH carseats will be improved, especially those with solid attachments.