Cheap(ish) erf seat

[Haribolover]

We are getting DD a Besafe erf seat for my car. We need a second seat for DH's car. DD is getting close to the top of her infant carrier but is miles off the 9kg weight limit for forward facing even if we did want to do thus which we don't. Can't really justify another £350+ on a second seat. Any advice on options-£200 would be our max if possible.

Joie Stages is about £150 I think.

Apparently the Joie tilt is a good one on offer in Argos

Bought a britax max fit 2 in the mothercare sale for £140

Maxway and two way elite both cheaper end of scale

Britax Maxway. I wish they were available when I was buying.

We looked at the jolie stages but it was on the which don't buy list

I liked the Britax ones but they are only from 9kg. DD is going to be about 2 by the time she gets to that weight but will have grown length ways out of her current seat. Would the Britax ones be safe for her under 9kg?

The only ones I have found which do for birth to 4 years erf are besafe and maybe a couple of others but all £300+. Don't mind one of those for the main car but the second one as well makes my go ouch in the wallet. Otherwise, some to far facing until 13 kg I think then forward but really want to keep rear facing as long as possible.

I wouldn't worry too much about which ratings for rear facing car seats. Very well respected seats that are Swedish plus tested (gold standard of car seat testing) have been given poor ratings by which. They mark seats on things like attractive covers! They also mark them down as state they are difficult to install. My ERF seat is just as easy/ awkward as any FF seat I've installed.

Think the joie stages might be a good option for you. Certainly worth trying it out. There's an extended rear facing group on baby centre which has some very knowledgable people posting. I found securatot really helpful when choosing a seat (don't think they sell stages but can maybe advise if anything else fits your criteria).

We have the britax maxfix that had a newborn insert. It's meant to be £275 but I got a display one from mothercare for £180. It had only been on display for a month but they we're making way for new forward facing seats.
So may be worth visiting some shops to see if there's any in store deals

You are right the Maxway says from 9kg, however it mentions "approximately 9 months to 6 years. " - I'd be inclined to use it from when they really, properly out grew their baby car seat with handle.

Re: the 13kg limit on seats like the Britax First Class SI, my DD1 is v. skinny and was 3.5 years old when she hit 13kg, DD2 is a lump and hit it at 2 years old. I was much happier putting DD1 forward facing than DD2! However the ideal is rear facing until they are ready for a high back booster.

My DD2 is very petite, she went into a Britax Multi Tech II ERF seat at 11 months old. To be honest I didn't weigh her, and the shop I bought it from (a really good independent one near Ilkeston that had a good range of ERF seats and a very knowledgable owner) never asked either. But she definitely would not have been 9kgs because she's only just reached 11kgs and will be three at the beginning of April.

If your DD is on the lower end of the weight scale you might get away with a Britax First Class as a second seat. I have one that I use in other people's cars, I really think DD2 is going to be close to 4 before she hits 13kgs and I have to start using it forward facing!

Mothercare currently have a Joie down to £70

www.mothercare.com/Joie-Tilt-Combination-Car-Seat---Midnight/711995,default,pd.html

We have 2 tilts, for the price they have been great but you'd be lucky to get 3y rear facing out of one, it's a small seat. Which is precisely why we have them. I was happy with that but it's not truly erf unless you have statistically small dc. Mine are 75th centile for height and both became too tall to rf in them by 3y or very soon after.