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Original poster

Which car seat is best to move between cars regularly?

26 replies

JohnLewisAddict · 11/01/2015 16:06

DS is almost out of his rear facing maxi cosi seat so I've been looking at FF ones. I drop him off at nursery in the morning and DP picks him up so I need one that can move easily from one car to the next. Unfortunately having 2 car seats isn't really that feasible due to cost and I'd rather pay more for one really good one that half the budget to get two. We can leave the car seat at nursery in a shed so storage isn't really an issue. Just want one that is a) safe and b) easy to remove and refit when we drop DS at nursery. Thanks!

OP posts:
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lljkk · 11/01/2015 16:14

I asked staff in the shop which one was easiest to fit correctly. Ask several shops.

stargirl1701 · 11/01/2015 16:17

Do both cars have ISOFIX? Which cars are they - make/model? What weight is he?

Need more info, OP?

Norfolkandchance1234 · 11/01/2015 16:28

Britax and maxi cosi are easy enough.

Original poster
JohnLewisAddict · 11/01/2015 17:19

Sorry - both cars have isofix and DS about 9-10kg. Not had him weighed for a while so not 100% sure. We have 1 maxi cosi family fix base but the pearl is only compatible with the base which means removing car seat and base each time. It can't be attached by the seatbelt. Thanks

OP posts:
Paddingtonthebear · 11/01/2015 17:26

Britax Evolva 1-2-3 car seat (9kg-36kg / 9 months to 12 years old) is currently £70 (half price) in Mother Care. Would see you through to age 12 for both cars if you bought two now at that price?

Paddingtonthebear · 11/01/2015 17:33

Sorry just seen you want isofix

FloJo151 · 11/01/2015 17:47

How old is he? as long as his head is still lower than the top of the seat you might be able to get a few more months out of it as the weight limit for those seats is 13kg. The new recommendation coming in is to keep them rearfacing til at least 15 months.
The Joie stages is good for this as it can be rear facing till they are 18kg or can be forward facing from around 13 kg. it will last til they are about 7 as it also becomes a high back booster.
Its easy to move between cars as the installation is fairly straightforward. (no more complicated than a ff seat).

FloJo151 · 11/01/2015 17:49

alternatively (not sure how much they are but can you buy a second family fix base to go in other car and can just leave pearl seat at nursery then

Original poster
JohnLewisAddict · 11/01/2015 18:47

He's 14 months. We have one of the maxi cosi rear facing ones at the moment (can't remember the model) and his head is almost at the top so only a matter of time before he needs to move. Definitely want isofix but thanks for the suggestion paddington. Will look at the joie so thanks Flo for the recommendation but nervous about buying a second hand base in case it's been in an accident. And I don't know anyone I trust who is selling one. If I could buy it from someone I knew, I'd probably be open to that!

OP posts:
sockmatcher · 12/01/2015 00:01

Isofix will make any seat heavy to move.

Look at www.rearfacing.co.uk

He's still too little to forward face.

olympicsrock · 12/01/2015 00:04

I would suck it up and buy 2. They are so much heavier than the rear facing baby ones.

AliceMum09 · 12/01/2015 00:17

A 'budget' rear facing seat is still going to be much safer than the fanciest all-singing all-dancing Maxi Cosi/Britax forward facing seat. And the really cheap-and-nasty manufacturers (Nania, Team Tex etc that you can buy from a supermarket) don't even make rear facing seats.

I would go for two Joie Stages, one for each car. You really don't want to have to be unfastening a car seat in the nursery car park (even an ISOFIX one, which I don't think would be any quicker to remove than a seatbelted seat anyway once you've contended with the top tether or the support leg) whist trying to keep an eye on your son and then struggling through doors with him and a car seat. Group 1 seats are big and heavy!

ISOFiX is not safer than using the seatbelt. It was invented as a simpler method of fitting child seats, not a safer one.

AliceMum09 · 12/01/2015 00:18

Edit to the above - I meant that Nania etc don't make bigger rear facing seats for toddlers. They do make rear facing seats for babies.

JellyTipisthebest · 12/01/2015 04:52

Why not buy one now while he still fits in his maxi -cosy then buy another one when he outgrows his current one. If he is 14 months you may find he lasts until 2 in it if he is only 9kg

britishbakeoffblues · 12/01/2015 05:41

I've got a kiddy car seat. They're brilliant.
For smaller children, they have a body shield and use the seat belt.
Easily removed from car to car.
If you were unfortunate enough to have an accident, kiddy will either repair or replace the car seat free of charge, I believe.

kiddy

Expensive but it does 9 months - 12 years!!

Worth searching the Internet for deals, especially if you don't mind an odd colour.

clairedunphy · 12/01/2015 05:45

We also had the kiddy for DS, really good in safety tests and very light and easy to switch between cars. It's an unusual design with the body shield but don't let that put you off, we'll be using it again when DD is big enough.

Yika · 12/01/2015 05:57

I second the kiddy suggestion. Light, easy to move, very good safety rating.

Brandysnapper · 12/01/2015 06:20

I've always read that what makes car seats unsafe is usually incorrect fitting. It would seem much more likely that a seat is not fitted as well as it could be if you're removing it/fitting it daily (unless unto a base obviously). Your choice but I would really get two.

Daveface · 12/01/2015 06:23

Another vote for the kiddy with impact shield.

I switch between cars every day and as you don't need to strap the seat into the car (the seat belt goes over the child) it's nice and easy. Light too.

icklekid · 12/01/2015 06:24

Just take the base out and leave it with the car seat so you can get the pearl? It's really easy to do and saves you some money?

Brandysnapper · 12/01/2015 12:14

I wouldn't like a seat that didn't have a 5 point harness for such a young child.

sockmatcher · 12/01/2015 12:52

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=HcOzVJTPNanD7gbA2YDQDw&url=www.sikkerautostol.dk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Safety-Performance-of-Shield-Systems-in-Comparison-to-5-Point-Belt-Syste....pdf&ved=0CDIQFjAE&usg=AFQjCNG60iFJT8MmaGYNJ1QhjEJp1xv3Bg&sig2=emD0Zv1yaw5QMPqK8LNJ7A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=HcOzVJTPNanD7gbA2YDQDw&url=www.sikkerautostol.dk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Safety-Performance-of-Shield-Systems-in-Comparison-to-5-Point-Belt-Syste....pdf&ved=0CDIQFjAE&usg=AFQjCNG60iFJT8MmaGYNJ1QhjEJp1xv3Bg&sig2=emD0Zv1yaw5QMPqK8LNJ7A

Into on impact shields

britishbakeoffblues · 12/01/2015 12:55

The kiddy seats were in the top 3 of Which? Best buys. Might be worth investing £1 in a month's trial of Which? to research, easy to read and self explanatory. I'm a bit obsessed with them and have recommended them to everyone I know!

Brandysnapper · 12/01/2015 13:00

Thanks for the link - only read the conclusion but it seemed not to come down on either side.
And then again would be interesting to see either seat compared to a extended rear facing one.

sockmatcher · 12/01/2015 13:18

Which? Rated the Britax Max way a don't buy as not easy to use ( it is!)and that's passed the strict Swedish pass plus. Which? Arent worthy of an opinion these days as the car seat writer is anti RF.

Brandy that info does exist I've read it somewhere about Neck loads.