Group 1 car seat - overwhelmed!

[MyMonkeyBoy]

Hi everyone,

Haven't posted on here before, but I'm just really getting overwhelmed with choosing a car seat for my DS... Maybe someone here can help or point me in the right direction.

So my DS is 6 months old, still in his 0+ car seat that came with his travel system. He is between 25th and 50th percentile for both height and weight, so not overly big or small. I'm trying to buy a seat for him once he's too big for his current one, I want it before I need it, so I don't have to rush to get one. My car is 2011 Citroen C3.

What I'm looking for is (I think anyways...):

Extended rear facing - would up to 25kg make sense? Or will he he too tall to be comfortable by then? Saftey first, but also want my DS to be comfortable of course! We live very rurally, so use the car almost every day.

Isofix - I really want an isofix plus back thether one, these seem safest to me.

I-size? - would be lovely, but realistically I don't think I could afford one, our budget is &200-250 max.

I was at first considering getting an Joie Every Stage fx, but have changed my mind now as I read that Group 1 amd Group 2/3 are so different, the seats that cover every age group have to compromise on things, even safety. So I'm thinking if I get DS a Group 1 seat now, that should last him until he's about 25kg, I can then get him an booster seat afterwards?

The seat that I like that most at the moment is the Britax Römer Max Way Plus. I like the ERF, and that it actually passed the Swedish Plus test. Is this a good seat? Is it safe enough? I'd love to be able to just buy any seat, but I just can't really afford to spent more than about £250. I was looking for actual places on my area that stock this seat so that I could go and see it and have it fitted, but nobody seems to have Britax seats. I think this seat fits my car, from reading the fit list on the Britax webpage anyways.

I would really appreciate some help, or if someone could tell me where else I could ask? Or if anyone knows any retailers that stock this seat (if it's any good) in NI?

Thank you!

[teaandlotusbiscoff]

Swedish plus tested is the strictest test as its the only one measuring neck loads (no forward facing seat has passed it). The MWP is an excellent seat, though if it’s out of budget I’d also take a look at the regular Max-Way. Safety wise both have passed Swedish plus test so are very safe, the only difference is that the MWP has a memory foam headrest, the side impact pop out thing and a nicer harness straps.

In Belfast there’s the in car safety centre which i believe stocks this seat and many other 25kg RF seats so worth booking an appointment to try them out in your car and decide on the best one for you

[MyMonkeyBoy]

Thank you @teaandlotusbiscoff I didn't know about the place in Belfast. I think I prefer the MWP because of the better side impact protection, I can possibly stretch my budget to buy it. But would want to try it if it really fits into my car, so it's good to hear that I should hopefully be able to do that!

[Wjevtvha]

I got the joie 360 - rear facing until about 4, isofix and spins for ease of putting DS in. It’s £180 so not too much. I really stressed myself out looking but saw it in a friends car and she loves it