extended rear facing car seat please help!

[2little2late2change4now]

We are a bit lost in a mind field of which car seat to buy. My ds is 8 months and 9kg in a cabrio fix at the moment but we are looking into extended rear facing seats, we like the be safe brand but there are so many variations! We have a vw golf and isofix points.
Would love any advice or recommendations.
Thank you!

[moggle]

Is his head near the top of the cabriofix? Because if not, he can stay in there for now. He can stay until his head reaches the top of the seat shell.
If he has nearly outgrown it - have you seen the websites for Securatot and the In-car safety centre? They specialise in ERF seats and if you live anywhere near them (Swindon, Milton Keynes, Essex) you can go and try some out. They also give great advice by email or phone. The BeSafe seats are some of the bigger ones on the market so it might be a good idea to try them out in your car before you buy.
There are other shops that sell ERF seats - if you tell us where in the country you are people might be able to recommend somewhere to go.

[VeryPunny]

If you can, visit a specialist car seat centre; we got our seats from the in Car Safety Centre. The problem with ERF seats is simply the size - we have an Octavia estate and have two Cybex Sirona seats and they just about fit. We had to rule out some other ERF seats as they just didn't fit.

We are very pleased with the Sirona - they swivel for ease of access which was a lifesaver when I was pregnant with DC2. But as a PP said, you'll probably be fine with the Cabriofix for a while longer.

[2little2late2change4now]

Thank you very much for your responses. We live in North Oxfordshire so Milton Keynes would be possible. I'm not really wanting to spend more than £280 in an ideal world too!

[Woodenmouse]

We have the new graco milestones one. I absolutely love it!! It's not an isofix one though. My 2.5 yo used it but I'm going to have to buy one for my madssive 8 week old as he's nearly outgrown his standard carseat. The only down side is it doesn't lift out so you can't carry them round in it like a normal baby car seat.

[bonzo77]

Another recommendation for in car safety centre.

[AliceMum09]

Woodenmouse - you'd be better off buying a Joie Every Stage for your 'massive' 8 week old. The Graco Milestone only rear faces to 13kgs, the same as an infant carrier, so if your baby is heavy you'll have to put him forward facing at too young an age.

The Joie Every Stage is rear facing to 18kgs.

[HappyAsASandboy]

If you're in north Oxfordshire, then I really recommend going to the in car safety centre in MK. Book an appointment and you'll get a dedicated team member to discuss it all with you and try lots of things in your car and with your child.

My only advice is to not be put off by seatbelt-fixed seats. When correctly fitted (which you can learn!) they are no less safe than isofix. And they much more versatile; you can put them in the front, put them in the middle of the back, put them in taxis with no isofix etc etc. The Britax Two Way Elite is the most versatile seat I've seen (and cheap-ish at £220). We have TWEs for our children.

[captaincake]

I love the besafe erf seats. We got ours from the MK in car safety centre. Definitely worth a trip but phone them and book. The graco milestones is not an erf seat, it only rear faces till the same as a standard infant carrier. Agree re. seatbelt fitted seats - I have the besafe isize and if I had my time again I would have bought the belted version of the same seat because DS is at the larger end of the centiles and I think he'll reach 18kg before he turns 4.