Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
the cost of child seats in hire cars
xya · 05/05/2022 17:24
My son and grandchildren are visiting from Chile in July. We have one car seat suitable for the youngest child and intend renting another for about £30 for two weeks to go in our own car in York - no problem. However my son had hoped to rent a car for a week to go to visit my two other sons in the south and then on to Heathrow. Prices of the cars seem reasonable but to hire children's seats is £104 per seat for a week, which seems outrageous. Does anyone know of a car hire firm that charges less for children's seats?
nearlyspringyay · 05/05/2022 17:27
It's not outrageous it's in line with hire car prices.
minipie · 05/05/2022 17:33
Why can’t your son use the two seats you are acquiring? You won’t be using them while your son is elsewhere. Appreciate that may mean you need to rent the rental seat for longer but the cost will be much less by the sounds of it.
Alternatively your son may be able to bring his own car seats from Chile for less, depends on the airline’s policy and charges.
ProseccoStorm · 05/05/2022 17:39
Can you borrow some seats from friends? Or could they bring a seat with them? How old are the kids? If a bit older might be cheaper to buy a booster seat
xya · 06/05/2022 07:26
My son needs the hire car to get the family plus luggage to Heathrow Airport for the plane back to Chile. If he took the car seat we own and the rented car seat he wouldn't be able to send them back from Heathrow.
motogirl · 06/05/2022 07:28
Look at the cost of buying an age appropriate seat, for an older child that might be less than buying it? When I travelled with my kids at car seat age we took them on the plane for them to sit in from home (I lived abroad so travelled a lot)
Searchfornessie · 06/05/2022 07:30
Just buy one.m, much cheaper if you go for something basic.
ChateauMargaux · 06/05/2022 07:45
I agree with looking into bringing his own with him and failing that.. buying them or getting second hand and then either have a relative meet them at the airport and save them for future use to give them to the car hire company (who might just bin them... then waste is a consideration).
But in the larger scheme of things.. I might just write off the extra cost and give my grandkids an extra large hug because its quite a hassle.
The cost of renting car seats is extortionate... I agree.... and while I havent needed some for years... they were always fairly poor in standard.
SpaghettiSquash · 06/05/2022 07:53
How old are you children? Would a trunki booster seat be appropriate
SpaghettiSquash · 06/05/2022 07:54
Posted too soon! This could work for one or both of them https://www.trunki.co.uk/collections/boostapak?gclid=CjwKCAjw682TBhATEiwA9crl35WvSfR9kLpfNaUSDRJxmIYMdwxSgeYQi-eu1Ylhn05vjEHvBDk8BoCu40QAvDD_BwE
ChateauMargaux · 06/05/2022 13:12
What about this..... mifold.com/pages/regulatory-approval. .. depending on the age of the children.. this could work. mifold.co.uk/products/bundle-mifold-original-with-carry-bag.
I would want to do a bit more research on the safety aspects but they claim to have passed the relevant standards..
www.which.co.uk/reviews/child-car-seats/article/booster-seats-are-you-breaking-the-law-ai0Sm4c3meO0 might help with the decision making.
Nootkah · 07/05/2022 08:50
I'd suggest either buying cheap or second hand and just leaving them at Heathrow with a sign on saying "free car seats, help yourself if you need them".
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