Car Seat Mega Thread! Please post all your car seat questions here!

Lisha

Clareman wrote: »

I don't know what you'd call them, the way to connect the base to the car without using the seat belts.

I always though a clip at base of seat clipped into the Iso fix hooks.
But I could be wrong

Moonbeam

Clareman wrote: »

I don't know what you'd call them, the way to connect the base to the car without using the seat belts.

Isofix points.


I was just wondering were isofix cables something new:)

Lisha

@clareman

I just looked at specs on the Graco nautilus that you linked above . i clicked on the second tab, specifications , and it states that seat is not isofix.
So if you were sold this as an isofix you were misinformed and should take it back if you wanted isofix

Clareman

Oh right, oopsie

Thanks all

ThisRegard

Clareman wrote: »

It seems that my wife's car (Focus) has head rests that was pushing the top of the chair out, so it wasn't really reclining that much,

Why not take the head rests off ? I've removed the headrests from all cars I've had the kids seats in in order to keep the back of their seats as flush as possible to the car seat itself.

Clareman

I've done that now as well, on her car, my car (Avensis) has the headrests above the car seat so it's not an issue. I think we've just swopped out the seats too soon, when she's bigger and able to tilt herself back a bit it'll make things a whole lot better.

Moonbeam

Moonbeam wrote: »

mine were in the maxi cosi until about 14/15 months then to the besafe izi fix until 3 1/2 then the kiddy guardian fix pro. The last 2 recline.
The kiddy seats are very good and worth a look.

2nd the kiddy seats. Junior is well pleased with his. I just wish we had gotten longer out of the be safe izi:D

Moonbeam

The only reason that mine moved out of the besafe was to make room for the next sibling:) The 4 year old is tall but i reckon it would still do her no bother if needed.
It is the only seat that all 3 of my kids (6 months,2 1/2,4 1/2) can use safely.
My smallest would probably meet the height and weight requirements for a forward facing seat but there is no way i would put him in one yet.

NBO

Hi, looking for some advice. My little one is currently in a cabriofix that we have borrowed. My friend is expecting her baby towards the end of Oct so I need to give the cabriofix back to her. My baby is currently 9.5 kgs but still has an inch or so at the top of the cabriofix (a relative commented last week that we won't get much longer out of the cabriofix). My dilemma is should I buy another cabriofix (i'm 6 weeks pregnant but don't want to tempt fate by buying something for new baby yet) or buy a carseat that my little one will use for the next few years. Obviously I like to keep him rear facing for as long as possible. Any suggestions for next seat.

Moonbeam

You can buy many extended rear facing seats now , I would buy one of them and then when he is old enough turn it around.

flyguy

Tip for anyone looking for a car seat, halfords has a good few on sale, including the maxi cosi familyfix base and seat & others.
See here as well: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057018199

A Law

Amazon.co.uk have dropped the prices of some car seats to the lowest ever. Britax evolva black thunder is £63 and the axiss is £115. Goes up to £125 when delivering to Ireland with SS delivery. Dunno why, vat difference isn't that much. Delivered to a northern address for me is about €135, cheapest I've seen it in Ireland is €170.

kitten_k

Does an Isofix base fit any car seat?

I currently have the car seat from my travel system (Baby elegence ego) and am looking to buy a base but am not sure if I buy a base now will the Group 1 car seat fit in when I buy it when she is older?

flyguy

Not sure if this is what you're asking but every brand has their own isofix base. All isofix connecting points (in car) are the same. Some seats are isofix but don't have a base (the seat itself uses the isofix anchor points). One brand's seat will not fit another brand's base. I only know of one base that fits more than 1 stage seat and that is the maxi cosi familyfix.

My son is nearly a year old and becoming too big for his current car seat. I want to keep him in a rear facing car seat as it's much safer. The problem is my car can't fit any of the rear facing car seats I've tried, and even if they did, he'd have no leg room. Can anyone recommend a car seat for a small car?

Thanks

Ginny

You could email Casrseat.se or incarsafety in Belfast. They've been great for a lot of people recommending the appropriate seats for different cars.

TRISHKA

Looking for any advice or tips on a good rear facing second stage car seat for my 1yo. She was in the cabriofix and still has an inch or so at the top of her head but we were in a car accident last week and this now needs to be replaced. I was looking at the cybex sirona, has anyone any experience of this? is it OK spacewise for many cars? does it really do up to 4 yrs? sorry for all the quetsions, I thought I would have a couple of months to research the next car seat. Also I know the cabriofix shouldn't be used now but it was on an isofix base does this need to be dumped too or could it be used for our next baby? thanks

January

I think the base needs to be dumped too, you can claim on your/whoever was at faults insurance for the car seat and base.

A Law

Axiss €150 in symths as well a few other decent reductions on bases and seats.

JTormey

We need to buy a new carseat for our 15 mo old who is now too tall for the current Cabriofix . Having trouble choosing which car seat to get despite talking with the very helpful guys in incarsafety and carseat.se because we basically need to actually try the various models in our car and see what fits best...

Tony Kealys has been recommended but just wondering are there any other shops in Dublin with a good range of rear facing seats on view which we can try in our car on the day?


Thanks

Moonbeam

What kind of car do you have and people can give recommendations?

We are very happy with the Be Safe izi

JTormey

Thanks Moonbeam. We have a ford focus estate 2004 with isofix.
Where did you get your seat?

Moonbeam

I got my besafe and maxi cosi cabrio from kiddicare.com .


I had the besafe izi in the 04 Primera no problem and now have it in the Galaxy and am really happy with it,the big girl came out of it at about 3 1/2 as her sister had grown out of the maxi cosi,the 2 1/2 year old will be in it now until her brother grows out of the maxi cosi.
It is expensive but solid and all the covers can go in the washing machine.

yellow hen

W're just beginning to look at car seats for our little one who is growing out of his rear facing stage 0 seat. We definitely want forward facing as he hates the rear facing one. The prices vary wildly and I can't fathom why. Perhaps someone can help me..
1. Is isofix important for a stage 1 seat? You won't be removing the seat from the car so does the convenience of isofix matter?
2. We spotted this seat on smyths http://www.toys.ie/Maxi-Cosi-Priori-SPS-Stone-Group-1-Car-Seat-!130212-prd.aspx but what is the difference between this and €250 euro be safe seat?
3. Do all seats need to sit into a base?

We have a be safe isofix seat at the mo but for a few reasons, I don't really want to go besafe again. Hoping to go to tony kealys to ask their advice but would appreciate the experience of other boardsies. Thanks.

A Law

No expert but I have the axiss and graco coast from smyths. They don't move from the cars so didn't bother with a base, have them in as tight as possible and seem very sturdy to me. Graco was €60 and its perfect. Was looking at the priori but decided for the extra €30 there was very little difference. The axiss is brilliant because it swivels so would definitely recommend that, it's cheap in smyths at the moment also. In short no isofix needed I reckon and axiss the one to get or the Graco to save on costs.

sillysocks

You probably don't really need the Isofix. We have one with it and one without (one in each car) and equally happy with both. Because you don't move the seats much the benefit of it clicking in is pretty much obsolete.

I really wanted an Axiss and even though smyths and mothercare told me it was compatible with my car when I went to tony Kealys they tried it in the car and the girl said it wasn't a good fit. She said if it was her car she wouldn't put her child in it so that was enough for me not to get it. Got a cheaper one there in the end so she wasn't just saying it to get a better sale. A trip there is definitely worthwhile.

flyguy

yellow hen wrote: »

W're just beginning to look at car seats for our little one who is growing out of his rear facing stage 0 seat. We definitely want forward facing as he hates the rear facing one. The prices vary wildly and I can't fathom why. Perhaps someone can help me..
1. Is isofix important for a stage 1 seat? You won't be removing the seat from the car so does the convenience of isofix matter?
2. We spotted this seat on smyths http://www.toys.ie/Maxi-Cosi-Priori-SPS-Stone-Group-1-Car-Seat-!130212-prd.aspx but what is the difference between this and €250 euro be safe seat?
3. Do all seats need to sit into a base?

There are 2 advantages of isofix. It's generally easier to secure and once it's secured it's stays put. I doubt everyone does but with belt secured seats your supposed to tighten the belts every week or so...
Bases are most common on stage 0 seats which you tend to remove a lot, so it's to make that easy. The later stages can be isofix but it's usually one piece so not a separate base and seat.

yellow hen

Thanks flyguy. So if the nxt stage seat doesn't have a base, can the seat itself still be secured by isofix?

Moonbeam

yes,you usually secure the seat rather then base with isofix.
Have a look at kiddy seats,they are brilliant and the guardian fix pro as well as being a which best buy is super easy and suitable for year to come.

Ginny

JTormey wrote: »

We need to buy a new carseat for our 15 mo old who is now too tall for the current Cabriofix . Having trouble choosing which car seat to get despite talking with the very helpful guys in incarsafety and carseat.se because we basically need to actually try the various models in our car and see what fits best...

Tony Kealys has been recommended but just wondering are there any other shops in Dublin with a good range of rear facing seats on view which we can try in our car on the day?


Thanks

Mothercare do the maxi cosi mobi, we have 2 of these, you can also buy the Joie stages sat from babies runs in the uk and they will deliver here. The previous model was recalled but they've rejigged it and now it's rear acing from 0-18kgs then forward facing till about 6 I think. We've ordered one for my mums car, should get it next week. There's an extended rear facing group on Facebook that's great for finding out what's best for certain cars, plus there's a list of what seats people have in which cars.