maxicosi bases? did you have one?

[CharliesMummyMeg]

Did you have a maxi cosi base or did you just use your seat belt like we did? are bases really needed?

We have one - donated by a friend. It is really easy to use but its also really easy to just use the seatbelt to secure the carseat. I wouldn't have bought new but good to use if you can get one cheap.

Sorry being dim, I read that as tho you were looking for advice rather than starting a discussion.

We used a base as 3 door corsa and putting the seatbelt round each time would have been fiddly.

I put my car seat in the front, thanks for your imput! Glad i didnt fork out for a base now but think il have a base for his big boy carseat as he will be in the back then!

Is there a reason why you have chosen to use the front seat? So much safer in the back?

When you choose the next seat have a look at rearfacing.co.uk and why rearfacing is 5 times safer.

In response to your original question - yes I have the easyfix base. Worth every penny with all the children that need belting in!

i will have a familyfix+pebble maxicosi when my lo arrives in june. which? has a safety research on base+carseat or belt+carseat and my understanding is that base+carseat is always safer. i would have linked but i do not have subscription any longer. you can subscribe for 1GBP trial for a month though...
that said, i bought mine also hugely for convenience

Isofix isn't any safer than a correctly installed belted seat/base.

In fact I recently read an article about isofix not being fantastic as makes the seat too rigid. Will find link.

If you are interested in safety look at extended rearfacing and don't use family fix for next stage seat.

www.childcarsafetyseats.co.uk/index.html

Sent from my iPod

www.childcarsafetyseats.co.uk/index.html

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lagoonhaze The difference between having a base for an infant carrier seat and not having one is HUGE! They are so much more secure in a base, even more so in a isofox base. The whole point of isofix is that it is much more likely to be correctly fitted. We went on to have the Jane Exo which has a shock absorber to take some of the 'rigidness' away.

Isofix can still amazingly be installed wrong and from research I have read belted is just as safe IF done correctly.

Sadly most parents think their seat is fitted correctly when in fact 80% are not.

Yet that still doesn't mean a correctly fitted seat is less safe than an isofix

Used a Maxi Cosi Cabriofix without base for DS1 and got a 2nd hand base for DS2 (for use with same car seat).
My car doesn't have Isofix so it's secured with the seat belt.

From a safety point of view the seat did seem to be far more secure and in a better position with the base and on a practical level I found it so much less hassle just being able to click in and out of the base.

Wish I'd had it 1st time around.

From carseat.se website.
"If we look at all data, crash test, real life usage, and habits, Isofix is far safer than installing a car seat with seat belt. With Isofix, virtually no mistakes are made, something which can not be said about seat belt installs."

So there you go.

That still doesn't say a correctly fitted belted seat isn't as safe as an isofix seat is.

It's saying there is less chance of user error.

There you go

We have the family fix base for the pebble, bought it for the convenience and wouldn't be without it. Personally I would rather not be messing about with seatbelts everytime we go out. When the seat is clicked in it feels very secure, on the occasions that I have been in other people's cars and used the seatbelt, I haven't felt as confident about the safety, as it can feel a bit wobbly. Was quite expensive though.

Children under the age of 15 should not sit in the front if there is an air bag according to this website.

This website and this website say no to sitting in the front seat with an air bag if they are in a rear or forward facing seat. If they were in a booster or too old for a seat I would perhaps let them if the seat were pushed as far back as possible.

This website recommends that even adult drivers and front seat passengers push the seat back as far as possible air bag or no air bag.

Ah this website says booster seats should also not be placed in a front seat with an airbag.

nappyaddict I wouldn't take advice from that website. It's a US site and the laws on car seats are different from the UK. There are also different seats available in the US, because the laws are different.

This english site also says safer to put boosters in the rear especially if there is an air bag.

I have the isofix with the maxi cosi cabrio fix . It's brilliant . I have a bad back and it has really helped alleviate the bending and leaning over him to do up the seat belt . Oh and it's quicker for school run etc .

We managed 8 wks till we got one. DH has a KA and he's over 6 ft so climbing into the back to do it was a pain. When she's in my car (5dr) I can do it but the seatbelt isn't quite long enough n had to tip her forward and then secure back. When it's lashing down its a hassle I could do without. So got a 2nd hand one for £40

I used a base, mainly because i came in our travel system package in the first instance. However, I tried it with the belt in other cars and was really shocked at how insecure/wobbly it felt compared to the base, and also how you had to take the baby and seat out, or post the baby inside the seatbelt iyswim. Much more hassle with the belt.