Advice needed - stage one car seat when you don't have your own car?

[StrawberryTartYum]

DS (18 months) still fits in the car seat he came home from hospital in but I'm starting to look at the next stage of car seat for him (Unless he takes a massive growth spurt I should have a good few more months out of this one as he is very dinky!). Are there any that are suitable for being transferred between a variety of cars? I don't drive but at least once a week a friend (five friends altogether, that we see regularly, so five different cars) will give us a lift or we have to take a taxi somewhere. I know it is the parents discretion whether or not a car seat is used in a taxi but sometimes I need to take one into the neighbour in town which involves travelling on a dual carriageway which would make me far too nervous!
Is there any that would be suitable or will I simply have to stick to public transport when he grows out of the carry car seat? I am in the process of taking driving lessons but I have been at them on and off for ten years so I can't see myself with my own car in the near future! Many thanks

Im with you on the Taxi front, and wouldnt use a taxi without a carseat.

Im a big advocate of rear facing to four years old, however I have found most ERF (extended rear facing) seats more faffier that a simple forward facing seat with harness, so for ease I think forward facing would be more suitable.

Id always recommend Britax over and above any other brand (certainly over Cossatto etc). What about one that has a harness which you would remove when they hit 18kg and the seat would continue to be used as a high backed booster?

We had the britax evolva 123. Lasts forever, easy to fit in the car, comfy

Britax Evolva 123 seat

We've just got a Britax Evolva, it has a harness until 18kg and then converts to a high back booster. They are on offer on Amazon until 13th July and I think I've seen them for sale in other places too
link
It fits in the car really easily

Hehe, cross posted with other recommendations for the same seat

The Evolva is really heavy and wide though. If for some reason you had to fit two passengers in the back of a car with it, or another child seat and a passenger, you'd really struggle.

How about the Joie Stages? It can be used rear facing until 18kgs (about 4 years, but more than that if you have a petite child. My DD2 won't weigh 18kgs until she's 6 1/2 according to the growth charts in her red book). You can also use it forward facing from 9kgs if you really had to. Sometimes the seatbelt can be just a bit too short to go round it, but it can be fitted rear facing in most cars using this method.

After 18kgs you can tuck the 5-point harness away and use the seat as a high backed booster until the child weighs 25kgs.

I'd definitely be buying the Joie Stages if I didn't own a car. It's really good value for money, and I personally wouldn't put a child under the age of 4 forward facing in a car.

Great I'll look those two up online and discuss with his DF - who doesn't drive either! - thanks very much everyone