Which non-isofix rear-facing car seat for a 9 month old?

[BlueKarou]

I've just about had it with car seats!!! Please send chocolate and help.

My son is 9 months old and 9.5kg. He's currently in a Mothercare Madrid, rear-facing when he's in my car (2006 Honda CRV, no isofix). I hate it. It doesn't feel very sturdy and the seatbelt is right in the way when I put him in and take him out.

He goes to my mum's 3 1/2 days a week and is still using his Cosatto Hold there, but he's getting too big for it, despite it saying it'll house kids up to 13kg.

I'm on as low a budget as is possible in the costly world of car seats, especially as I'll likely need to buy 2; one for each car, but am desperate for something I can put in the car, never have to re-do the seat belts, and can have rear facing ideally until he's at least 2, although longer would be good. It has to be easy to get him in and out of, none of this over/under the seat belt palaver.

Have attached 3 images from Google; none of them are me/my child. These should show what I mean about the seat belt. Unfortunately I cannot do what the woman in the picture is doing and clambering through the car with the child to put them in as the pushchair (big ol cosatto giggle 2; beautiful and cosy for napping, but bulky as all get go) is in pieces in the footwell and on the seat. Pushchair cannot go in the boot as that's where the dogs travel. Baby cannot go in the front as the airbags are non-turn-off-able in my stupid car.

Any ideas? Recommendations?

[BlueKarou]

Anyone?

[moggle]

I can't see any photos. But I think unfortunately the problem with seat belts rules out the cheaper Joie seats (tilt, steadi and stages) which means you are probably looking at the £200 ish plus seats. I think once you get to this price range the belt routing is under the bottom of the seat so not in the way (our Axkid minikid is like this, the Britax Max way and Hi way, and many others too; but they are all at least £200; on the plus side they should fit rear facing til at least age 4 or 5 or maybe even older).
Is one car used less than the other, could you get one of the Joie seats for the less used car and put up with the seatbelt in the way for that one?

Honestly based on what you've written the easiest option seems to be a smaller stroller that can go in the boot (taking up less space so fits with the dogs) or a different location in the back seats ... but I know the joy of a good pushchair nap so can understand why you wouldn't want to change. Do you often drive alone, would the pushchair fit in the front seat well?! Another option is to investigate whether you can get isofix retro-fitted to your car. We have a ford focus and our local Ford garage quoted us £60 to fit isofix to one side of our car recently. That would enable you to get the Joie stages which is around £100. Presumably your mum's car doesn't have isofix?

[moggle]

Oh also may be worth a look on Ebay for second hand extended rear facing seats, you might find one of the £200-300 seats for quite a lot cheaper. Personally I wouldn't have a problem with buying this type of seat second hand but I realise not everyone feels that way.

[BlueKarou]

Sorry, clearly didn't include the photos like a fool! They should be on this post.

Thanks for your posts, moggle - lots to consider there.

Mum's car doesn't have ISOfix, but is a Ford Focus, and they sell retrofittable (so not a word) ISOfix bars, so can get hers upgraded for not too much money. She has him 3 1/2 days a week, so would be worth getting the Joie Stages seat for her car if she's happy for me to have the ISOfix put in.

Getting a smaller buggy isn't really a workable solution - I take the Giggle to Mum on a Monday and bring it back on a Thursday as well as taking it out to places on Friday-Sundays. The journeys to/from Mum's definitely will have the dogs in, and as he sleeps in the Giggle at hers (refuses travel cot) and I use it a lot when I'm not working - I would be loathe to switch to a lighter weight buggy.

Don't think the pushchair would fit in the front seat. The wheels are quite wide set, and the seat bit is rigid.

I've e-mailed Honda to see if they'll fit ISOfix in my car. They weren't very helpful when I enquired about turning off the front airbag, so am not holding out much hope.

Think I will have to look up the more expensive ones and go to Mothercare/Halfords/ToysRUs to have a look at them, then check on eBay to see what's out there.

Ugh, it just all seems suddenly so urgent - he's suddenly outgrowing the Hold, and the Mothercare Madrid in my car is at the weight limit for rear facing, but he's only 9 months so I don't want him front facing.

[moggle]

Yeah, doesn't sound like there's a magic solution for you :-(
One more idea - the Hauck Varioguard can be rear facing up to 13kg when seatbelted and it seems like the seatbelt actually goes round the base that the seat clicks into, so no belt in the way. It's £100 from some places. The only thing is that when you google this seat there is a Which report saying it isn't safe to be used forward facing with the seatbelt fixing, so if that's correct then you'd be stuck once he got to 13kg (can rear face with Isofix up to 18kg). (Also you'd want to check on growth charts to see when your DS was likely to hit 13kg).
I wonder if you can buy the base separately? that'd be useful for you... You ideally need a group 1 seat with a belted base, don't you. Like the maxi cosi cabriofix but bigger.

[eatsleephockeyrepeat]

We have a Britax Max Way. Actually, I love it so much we have two! They're second hand. I know it's not for everyone but I honestly don't have a problem with it. They're such expensive items new, is it terrible to use that to imagine the people selling them are unlikely to be trying to make a quick buck at the expense of a child's safety? Especially as they invariably have children themselves. I met both sellers personally when I collected the seats, so I could establish their credibility to my satisfaction personally.

Plus I think the safety benefits of extended rear facing far outweigh the additional risk or buying second hand. And frankly we could not have afforded two extended rear facing seats any other way. I'm happy with our choice, but I understand you might not be :)