Multimac - anyone got one?

[jojochanel]

Just posted on car seats but might get a bit more response in this thread.

DC3 due imminently and have an Audi A3. Posted a while ago about possibility of getting 3 seats in it but it seems it won't be posible.

Now considering a Mulitmac - does anyone have one? We will have 3.6 YO, 19 monther and a newborn. I know it's expensive at about £900 but saves us having to buy an aircraft carrier

[yesway]

Anyone? I would really like to hear if it's worth it too. We have fourth due in July and it would be great to have them all within arms reach in the car and keep the boot space. But at that price I need reassuring that it's a good idea. My sister thinks getting a cheap as chips new car would be better as it would have a resale value. However, I have been bitten badly once by buying the cheapest car I could and spending lots of cash and heartache on it as it broke down repeatedly. Do you think the multimac will have a second hand resale value or will it go the way of all car seats?

[BertieBotts]

I suppose it depends how long you want to use it for - you could probably only use it until eldest child turns 12 anyway, or where would they sit? If in use for a long time, there might be something safer developed by then which may render it obsolete. I see they are bringing out a rf seat up to 15kg though which is quite forward thinking, and they exceed safety standards which is good.

However think of the costs of all separate carseats + possibly changing car to see the true difference.

[yesway]

Thanks BertiBotts.

My eldest won't turn 12 for another 7 years - which makes it sound like a good investment and I'm not too worried about something safer - this sounds like it's as safe as it's going to get.

The trouble with the car seats argument for us is that we have 4 car seats already - new born, 9kg plus and 2 x 4yr old ones. It means that we would just have to buy a couple of booster seats to see them all through til 12.

Sorry for rambling but I am finding it a very hard decision.

[yesway]

BertieBotts even.

[sweetkitty]

The one thing that I wondered about is the elbow room/fighting element. I have 3 in the back of a CMAX and they jostle for space as it is.

I wonder what the space would be like especially for 4 in the back with the usual Winter Jackets on etc and the middle two, would they be fighting for legroom (once they are older). I do think they look good for babies and toddlers but a couple of 6 year olds??

[BertieBotts]

Sorry - I wasn't meaning you'd be wanting to replace it as it would be unsafe, I was referring to the question about resale value. Meaning that if it had been superseded in safety terms then you would probably have trouble selling it on, especially used.

[curiositykilledhaskittens]

We have had a demonstration of it today and I have to say it looks fantastic. Just get Kevin (macliver) from multimac to visit and give you a demonstration if you are unsure. It is very, very safe. Much safer than the other seats which are on the market because it is very well designed (he is an engineer) and children can stay in the 5 point harness till 12 and rear facing in the minimac till 13kgs. It has been rigourously tested and developed, initially for his own four children. It seems roomy enough for us and there is a new option where you are able to use a plug in 3 point seatbelt point so a child who is taller than the 5 point harness point could carry on using it until they outgrew the dimensions of the seat. I think Kevin has had a fourteen year old in it? If I remember correctly, anyway. I was thinking I would ask mumsnet if we could do a product review to really put it through it's paces with different configurations of children and seats in different types of cars? Anybody be interested in that? We've got a large 4 year old, a 3 year old and 4 month old twins. They all fit very comfortably in the 1320 which fits our car, we have someone who wants to give the 1260 a try. I think it could be good to give the 1200 (four children but no babies) and the 1000 (three children or babies) a go. He has pictures of 4 happy looking 12 year olds in it too!

[livelifefortoday38]

I'm in the same quandary! I will have three children under three once baby three arrives in September. We had Keven visit us and do a demo and yes it's impressive, I'm wondering whether to go for the three or four seater, as Kevin pointed out once they start school, they often have friends visit etc..... Not sure what to do? xx