estate cars and car seats...help!!!

[mrsmarzipan]

Hi I am really hoping someone can help with this one!

We have 2 DC already, one in high back booster and one still in 5 point harness and DC3 is on the way.
We have a Vauxhall vectra Estate and I am really struggling to find car seats to fit across the back so that no child has to sit in the front seat.
Does anyone know of any car seats that are slim or does anyone have an Estate (i am assuming that the width of the seats is similar) that they have managed to squeeze 3 in to?
I really don't want to change the car as its half way through finance and would be costly and also its brilliant otherwise for space etc...
Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I just know having the eldest in the front will cause tantrums from little brother and I just don't feel its safe enough for them in the front.

[AKMD]

I remember looking at the Britax Eclipse when researching forward-facing car seats for DS, which is specially designed to be slim-fitting.

For a first car seat, have a look at some Group 0 ones, rather than Group 0+, as they are a lot smaller. It would definitely be worth going to Halfords or an out-of-town Mothercare so that a sales assistant can try fitting different models alongside your existing car seats.

[nicm]

hi, i had 3 seats across the back of a vw golf. a KISS(group 1), a britax two way elite(group 1&2 rf) and a cabrio. i then changed the cabrio to a maxi cosi rodi.

if you can go to the in car safety centre or phone them or the essex road safety officers. they are really helpful. i have spoke to them even though i am nowhere near essex.

what seats do you have at the minute?

:)

[mrsmarzipan]

thanks for the replies will have a look at those car seats and am planning a trip to halfords and mothercare on monday so i can plan ahead and find out who stocks them!

I currently have a britax evolution i think and a reccaro sport, the britax is very wise across the top tho.

Any ideas which is considered safer a high back booster in the front or a booster seat base in the middle of the back seat?

Thanks for all the advice

[mrsmarzipan]

that would be wide not wise across the top!

[lenats31]

With three across, you can pretty much forget having three forward facing seats across, which is a good thing from a safety aspect. I can put three seats across in a car like yours with no trouble at all, just by using 1 or 2 rearfacing seats for older children. Believe me, that seemingly useless centre rear seat is quite good for rearfacing car seats incl the bigger Swedish ones.

[thisisyesterday]

we have a volvo v70 and we have 3 seats across the back

1 britax adventure (highback booster)
1 besafe izi combi
1 britax 2 way elite

[lenats31]

a picture from a Peugeot 307 Estate:

i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/lenats31/tre%20paa%20stribe/Trepstribe005.jpg

i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/lenats31/tre%20paa%20stribe/Trepstribe006.jpg

i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/lenats31/tre%20paa%20stribe/Trepstribe007.jpg

[TruthSweet]

Hi we have had lots of seats 3 across in our Mazda Premacy (going driver's side, middle, passenger's side)

Britax Two Way Elite RF, Britax First Class RF, Britax Nordic Secura RF

Britax Two Way Elite RF, Nania Infant Carrier (don't know which model though), Britax Nordic Secura RF

Britax Two Way Elite FF, Britax First Class RF, Britax Nordic Secura RF

Britax Two Way Elite RF, Britax Nordic Secura RF, Sunshine Kids Monterey high back booster

Britax First Class FF, Britax Nordic Secura RF, Sunshine Kids Monterey high back booster

HTH

[bluelaguna]

What weight and age is your eldest?

[mrsmarzipan]

brilliant, thanks for all the suggestions.

My eldest will be just short of 5 when baby arrives and is about 20kg and 112cm tall so quite big for her age.
Little bro isn't quite big enough for a high back booster yet and couldn't be trusted to sit still anyway with an adult seat belt.
Rear facing seats sound like they would solve the problem but where we live there is only mothercare and halfords anywhere near (we live in Scotland) by that sell car seats so would have to order via the internet which isn't ideal as i'd like to try before i buy to check the fit.
Britax seem like the brand to try, i would really like an isofix infant car seat for new baby so i can have a base and have one less seat belt to worry about but my choice is restricted as maxi cosi and reccaro don't recommend them for my car. (tho maxi cosi class all vectras as the same even though estate has different seats and isofix points)

Who would have thought car seats could be so confusing!

[sazm]

i have a vectra and have a graco high backed boosted,a britax hi-liner/adventure and a britax eclipse in mine, when we had the baby seat we had it in the middle and a high backed booster on either side,well worth trying a few seats and trying them in different positions too :)

[TruthSweet]

If you are within driving distance of Rayleigh in Essex then they should be able to help you (they have a library of seats that you can try in your car before you buy one in a shop).

[sleepevader]

lenats31 what 3 do you have across your 307 and what year plate is it?

We have a 04 plate. 2 seats in the back too which need to be accessible. Looking for options got when this baby is bigger.

[mrsmarzipan]

well just got back from a disapointing trip to mothercare and halfords.
The guy at halfords was completly clueless and no help what so ever and mothercare lady tried a high back booster in the midlle and there is no way one will fit safely. She had it sitting on top of the buckles which i thought wasn't safe.
Anyway guess DC1 will have to sit in the front until i persuade hubby that we need a new car!
Thanks for all your replies and advice

[thisisyesterday]

did you try different configurations? i can't fit a highback booster in the middle of my mums car (which has 3 separate seats) but I can fit an infant carrier, a narrow forward facing car seat or either of my rear-facing seats (the besafe izi combi or the britax 2 way elite)

the rear-facing ones not particularly narrow, but of course they don't go to the back of the actual seat of the car, so don't interfere with the buckles at all

[lenats31]

"what 3 do you have across your 307 and what year plate is it? "

I have 9 rearfacing seats. I have tried many combinations. Mostly people need a 2 rearfacing seat and a booster combination. I have tried a three across combination with all the seats except for Graco Belogic.

[sleepevader]

Thanks. Trying to convince dp on the whole rearfacing debate. Been working away for 6 mths and now have another year or so to do it.

Do you have a britax twe? Think that will be best choice as needed for scenic too- which has storage boxes.