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Which car seat and base to get?!

2 replies

kmarie321 · 02/08/2019 17:46

Hi! I’m a first time mum and due in November. I’m going to buy the pram tomorrow and car seat/isofix base.
I just don’t know where to start with the carseat! I’m going to get a Venicci Carbo Lux 2in1 pram and for the carseat i was thinking Maxi Cosi Cabriofix with the Easyfix base, but the lady at the shop said the Familyfix would also fit in my car (Vauxhall Astra 3dr 05) and that it would last longer (up to 4yrs) if i upgraded to the Maxicosi Pearl seat when baby is old enough, but she then said that they are discontinuing the standard Pearl seats, although i cant find anything online about this. She then confused me with different types of carseats with different bases and now i havent got a clue what i want or am looking for!
All i know is i need a base and seat that will fit my car and that will also be able to fit onto the Venicci pram with adaptors. Any help would be very appreciated, thank you

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teaandbiscuitsforme · 03/08/2019 06:42

Definitely don't get the family fix base based on being able to get the next car seat! It could be a complete false economy.

The Cabriofix is a good choice. It's a huge infant car seat so should easily last until 15-18mo. If you decide to get the base, check that it fits properly because I believe the seats in the Astra are quite sloped. If it doesn't fit (makes the seat too upright), then using the Cabriofix without the base is just as safe.

You could also choose any other infant carrier that fit on Maxi Cosi adapters (Cybex, Joie, Be Safe, etc)

The reason why it's not a good idea to limit yourself for the next car seat is because those car seats last to 18kg/105cm, not 4yrs. That is just an average age. If your child is taller or heavier than average, an 18kg seat could be outgrown very early. If your child is measuring taller/heavier than the 50th centile (you'll know what this means when you start seeing the health visitor!), then it's much better to get a 25kg seat like the Axkid Minikid or Britax Two Way Elite. My DS is 2.5yrs and would be outgrowing an 18kg Seat about now so for us it would have been a waste of money. Also the Pearl was a really bad suggestion from the shop assistant as it's a forward facing seat and it's much much safer to rear face until at least 4yrs.

If you're on Facebook, join 'Car Seat Advice UK' for really good car seat advice.

BertieBotts · 03/08/2019 08:01

If you know for sure that a Maxi Cosi car seat will fit onto the Venicci pram then you can also use any infant car seat from Joie (except Juva), Cybex, Recaro (Except Zero1 Elite), Besafe, Nuna or the newer i-size Cosatto model, because these car seats all use the same adapters.

The Cabriofix is a good seat but it's an older design now and newer models on the market offer more in terms of side impact protection etc.

Most stage 2 seats don't need a separate base. Buying a base at this stage to last until the second stage seat is a bit of a marketing con because they are hoping to make you feel trapped into that second seat purchase. Plus as tea says, you might find that your baby is big and you want a larger stage 2 seat. additionally, if you plan to have another baby within abour four years it makes sense to have the base for the baby seat not be in use on the toddler seat, as you may want it again for the baby one in use by baby 2.

I actually find the base is often more expensive than the car seat - so it might be worth looking at the combined cost of both rather than looking at the car seat first (which was maybe the mistake I made).

Best value/cheapest would be the Joie Gemm + Clickfit base, or i-base if you prefer isofix to seatbelt fitting. The Gemm is also a large seat which may last a long time, if you want to get the most out of this stage. Con: Quite basic.

Best infant car seat for safety in the last few years' testing is Cybex Aton 5 with Cybex Base 2, or cybex base 2-fix if you prefer isofix to seatbelt fitting. Con: Fairly small seat and headrest not great for newborns (But straps often fit small newborns well).

Maxi Cosi (Pebble Plus, Rock or Cabriofix) seats are often on offer and I think the doughnut-shaped headrest on the Pebble Plus is actually the best shape for newborns. Con: Expensive, not the longest lasting seat, as it's i-size. (Cabriofix: Older specification seat, less safe/comfortable than modern seats)

Joie i-Level comes with its base included (making it cheaper than many other seats) and allows the baby to lie much flatter in the car which is better for their breathing. Con: Can't fit it with a seatbelt, which most other car seats can as a back up.

Cosatto Dock worth mentioning just for the lovely fabrics and patterns, if you like that sort of thing, plus Dock base. Con: Expensive, and not the best reputation for safety.

If you're not getting the pram and car seat together on a super duper offer, it might be an idea to buy separately, research stage 2 car seats first, as this might give you a better sense (conversely) of what you want out of stage 1. BUT you can overthink this a bit. It's hard to go wrong with a stage 1 seat. They are all pretty good especially if you stick to well known brands.

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