Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here.

Car seats

Buckle crunch

11 replies

Moredofbumsnet · 13/09/2011 14:12

We have 3 dc and a really stupid car that has a narrow middle seat. If I put a high back booster in the middle it covers the seat belt clasp and so (I think) causes buckle crunch.Are the Kiddy car seats squashier so they won't snap the buckle? has anyone else got round this problem? At the moment we have to have dc1 in the front (high back booster no air bag) dc2 behind driver (HBB) dc3 (baby rear facing)behind passenger and me in the middle. When dc3 grows out of the baby seat (must weigh her) I won't have any shoulder room at all. Really do not want to have to buy a new car.

OP posts:

Report

notfarmingatthemo · 13/09/2011 20:45

some group 1 are narrow how old are your dc and what car have you got? A seat shouldn't cover the buckle as it might undo. If you can't find a group one that fits you could put dc3 on a bubblebum booster in the middle between the other two.
I have just got one and it is very narrow very easy for three to do themselves up. 9 year old and a 5 year old says it was really comfy

Report

Moredofbumsnet · 14/09/2011 12:50

DC1 is 6 and is definitely needs a highback booster, dc2 is 5,same, and dc1 is 1 and about to grow out of her britax babysafe (might last a few more months).
Can anyone suggests a group 1 car seat that has a small 'footprint' , we have maxi cosi priori and it is quite narrow but takes up a lot of space at seat level. Or any high back boosters narrower than the britax highliner?

OP posts:

Report

aswellasyou · 14/09/2011 15:00

Have a go with a Maxi Cosi Tobi. They often fit where others won't because of the narrow base. If you decide to buy one, there's a good deal here and use the code PLOFBK5OFF which gives you 5% off, making it £129.20.

Report

nicm · 14/09/2011 21:18

hi, have you thought about a rf stage 1 seat? they normally fit well because of the way they sit the boosters are normally under them and you have easier access to the buckles for the boosters. the hi-way 2 has a narrow base, so does the kiss but it's isofix so pretty pointless in a middle seat.

:)

Report

Moredofbumsnet · 16/09/2011 13:27

I can't find the dimensions of the tobi anywhere but I think that nicm's suggestion of rearfacing may be the answer. I thought RF was out as the middle seat belt is short but I've now reaised that for group 1 the seatbelt routing is shorter. Finding somewhere near here with a hiway 2 to try is my next task.. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:

Report

nicm · 16/09/2011 20:33

What car is it? Maybe someone here or the rf website can help. I can measure the base of the hi-way for you if that would help?

:)

Report

thisisyesterday · 16/09/2011 20:35

we had the same problem in my parent's renault scenic. hbb covers the buckle, but the britax 2 way elite (which is a rear-facing seat) fits fine. also doesn't need a particularly long seatbelt

Report

Moredofbumsnet · 20/09/2011 13:46

Please could you measure the hiway for me nicm that would be very helpful. There's not much in the way of carseat fitting places round here but if I can narrow it down a bit I can start asking around to see if friends of friends have seats I can try.It is a peugot 307 but there are many variations on that as someone on mumsnet said there was no problem fitting seats in a 307 when in ours there is.

OP posts:

Report

Debs75 · 20/09/2011 13:53

Go for a rearfacing seat for dd. There are many around and if you can get one which is isofix you don't need a seatbelt. You would have to put dd on the side and then the others in the middle and side but that should be fine.
If you can't find a carseat fitting place try some independent baby shops. I got my recaro polaric from a pram shop and he was registered and experienced to fit it. You will get some different opinions as one respected independent seller told me that rf are dangerous

Try //www.rearfacing.co.uk for some help first

Report

nicm · 20/09/2011 21:00

hi mobn, the small bar at the front under the seat is 32cms, the widest part of the base is 47cms and the widest part of the head part is 42cms. it does fit in small cars although like you say every car is different, i have more space in a polo in the front than a volvo! the only friend i know with a 307 is an older sw estate 7 seater? don't suppose it's that one?

:)

Report

Moredofbumsnet · 21/09/2011 14:38

Our 307 is similar (i think ) to a renault scenic, '3' (really 2.5) seats in the back and big boot. I hate it, it is dh's firm's car and so it won't go away very easily.Thanks for the cms.
Thanks debs I'll phone some smalller pram shops. Can't put the older ones in the middle as it covers the seatbelt clasp and could make them undo.I'm becoming convinced that i could fit a rf in th middle though.