Maxi cosi familyfix and Citroen C4 Picasso

[mssleepyhead]

Argh! Just had a very frustrating hour trying to fit our Maxi Cosi familyfix base into our new Citroen C4 Picasso. Everything says it should fit, but when I try I can't get the leg to go to the bottom of the storage box on the floor, so in fact it doesn't : ( Maxi Cosi were no help at all. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Did anyone manage to solve it?

Is the leg long enough to reach the bottom? If not, the only thing you can do is try the base on the middle seat where there is no storage box.

If it's the shape of the bottom of the box that means the leg won't touch the bottom 'square on' and securely, can you try sliding the car's seat that you are putting the base on forward a bit? That might make the leg come down to the floor at a slightly different angle/position and mean that it will go down properly.

I really don't know why they make family cars with these stupid storage boxes, they are not big enough to be useful for anything and cause so many problems with car seats! My car (Peugeot 5008) has them, I managed to get the leg of the Maxi Cosi base down to the bottom of it, and then later bought a Britax Multi Tech II rear facing seat that has a support leg that just misses the lid of the box.

Just realised I'm thinking of the Grand Picasso when I said slide the seat forward - do the seats in your car slide? If not you might be stuck! You can always use the infant carrier without the base, the base is only for added convenience, not added safety.

Is it the Picasso or the Grand picasso?

Thanks for your comments everyone. It's the most frustrating situation. Spent two hours with a fitter in mothercare yesterday and the conclusion was no ISOfix seat with a leg fits on the rear side seats, so ended up with a maxi cosi which will have to go in the middle until he gets big enough for a different seat which we can put on the sides and use the tether system. Astonishing really that a big family car hasn't worked out that they make car seats impossible to use! Especially since they make a big thing out of being a family car (blinds on the windows, isofix points on all three seats etc). Bit of a nightmare! But we have some kind of solution...

I just read on the Cybex website you have to phone Citroen and ask them to provide you with approved material to fill the storage box and then fit the leg of the isofox with the storage box closed?? I'm pregnant and have just bought the C4 Picasso so trying to work out what car seat to buy. Can't believe a car with such good safety ratings is so difficult to find a car seat for!