Baby seats in hire cars

[bonym]

Hi - we have booked to go to Sardinia for a week in July when baby will be 3mths old. We are hiring a car and the travel company have said they can arrange an infant car seat for us. My only concern is that it may not be to the standard we would expect, or even be forgotten completely - I am probably worryinng unnecessarily and we could of course take our own, but don't really want to take extra stuff if not essential. Would be grateful to hear others experiences ( I think the car hire company they use is Avis). Thanks

[leothefish]

I would never use a hire seat again. Always take your own - it is worth the hassle. Every time we have used a seat from the car company they have been soiled, difficult to fit and we have started the holiday feeling guilty and worried about an accident!

[highlander]

Ixel, we've just bought a convertable Graco for DS (rear-facing until 20lbs then front facing).

It has an Isofix attachment or you can use the lap portion of the seat belt. I would prefer if we could have the long belt around the back of it, but it doesn't seem to be designed to do that. Still, it's passed all the safety things, has side-impact protection and has a 5 point harness which I'm mad keen on.

[Newyearmum]

Was wondering - had exactly the same experience as you with Europcar in Malaga last year.

Had emailed them repeatedly specifying we needed a 1st stage, tiny baby, rear-facing seat. Turned up to find a 2nd stage, forward facing car seat for 9 months +. Eventually they got the right one but we then had a mare trying to fit it, although OK in the end.

However, what you say about baggage handlers is exactly why we didn't take ours - you don't know what happens to it in between the two airports and if it's bashed about, it could be rendered useless. And you can't guarantee you'll be allowed to take it on board either. Tricky.

[bonym]

ixel - I think that current safety laws would not allow manufacturers to make seats that didn't comply with a certain level of safety so I am sure it is fine. I think that the only potential problem with a seat that uses the car belt rather than an integral harness is that it is easier for the child to undo it - however if your ds is not the type to "fiddle" with the catch then it should be fine.

[ixel]

We've just bought one in the half price sale at Toys r Us. But now I'm worrying that its not good enough. We tried ds out in it before we bought it, and he seemed fine. It says suitable from 9kg (he is 12kg), but its one that uses just the car belt, not an integral harness. Do you think thats good enough? The ones in Mothercare of a similar design say from 15kg. But this is a Graco (although I dont like their buggies, they are an established name, so it should be ok).Its a foam one, which is great for taking on the train etc, but I'm also starting to think it isn't strong enough.
Any opinions would be appreciated!

[Gem13]

Definitely take your own. My brother arrived at a car hire place late one night in Germany and the only car seat they had left was covered in sick They had no choice but to take it and clean it up before they left to drive to their friend's house.

[katzguk]

ixel we got one from kiddiecare that is very useful we've now left it at my sisters house ffor when we visit there since we have to fly. Its a lightweight graco one which should have been £100 but they had it for £50 and it goes from 9 months to 11 years

[myermay]

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[Skribble]

Ixel (sorry continuing hijack as it seems relevent).

Stage 2 seats will fit most cars its the rearward facing ones that need long belts.
A 2 piece polystyrne one e.g. £17.99 Index light for carrying about and easy to fit but not great for sleeping in.
A solid recliner seat e.g. £39.99 Index more secure and lies back for sleeping but to bulky for carrying and not quick to fit in car.
Argos has a "babystar" £34.99 one that separates in 2 not sure if foam but it does have proper harness.

[eidsvold]

we bought for dd a Britax eclipse and it can be fitted to any car - secured by seat belts... have had it in a renault, daewoo and now a ford.

We were lucky - we hired a car and car seat whilst in Australia for three weeks. Despite dd's age she still needed a reclining, rear facing one and I just emailed the company explaining her needs and they guaranteed it.

We arrived - it was clean, fitted and was perfect for dd. It was Avis that we used.

[ixel]

This isnt exactly the same, but I have a quick related question! Ds is now ready for a stage 2 carseat. WE dont have a car, so we need one for friends and relatives cars, and easy/light enough to carry on the train when getting picked up. I know that all seats dont fit all cars. Is there one that is pretty much generic though? Is there an easy answer? Someone else must have been in this position?!!

[bonym]

Found one ! here

[Palmwoods]

This sounds horrible! I've just booked a hire car in France, and requested a car seat - I'm just about to cancel the car seat and take my own!

The country I did find helpful was Australia. We hired a baby car seat from Queensland Ambulance (which was cheap - $5 a week or something) and the hire car company fitted it for us into the hire car for us.

[misdee]

werent they called babynest or soemthing.

[bonym]

Oh yes - we had one of the polystyrene ones for dd but that what about 7 years ago now - I've not seen them anywhere this time around? Wonder why?

[Skribble]

Not sure if they still make the polystyrene baby seats. We had a rearfacing from birth one it was very light and snug ideal for taking on plane only cost about £20.

Safer to buy even a second hand one here to take than waiting to see what you get I think most concentrate on child seats.

If you are going to be out and about a lot I would use some thing , the driving can leave a bit wild, even yours when driving on right on unknown roads.

[SkiBunnyFlummy]

Don't forget you don't have a car seat: on a bus, in a taxi, on a train. But you still go places. Don't let it spoil your holiday if you don't get one, just take a deep breath and try not to torment yourself of what could happen. Its unlikely to and you can't 'safety proof' the whole world.

[SamN]

we've also had terrible experiences despite having called the car hire companies several times to check. They just seem to think whatever they have kicking around should do, even if it looks ten years old and isn't suitable for the age/weight of your child. Plus the staff won't know how to install it properly and will just leave you to try to figure it out. We always take our own now.

[SkiBunnyFlummy]

We have hired a car on holiday 3 times. Asked for baby seat every time. It was forgotten twice. And the time we got one it was knackered. Just held baby on my lap. Figured my protective motherly arms would be about as strong as the straps of a car seat. Who knows if they would or not. I guess less likely to leave an orphan behind that way.

[highlander]

haven't read other posts, sorry if repeating. We hired a car from Europcar when DS was 10 weeks. We got one that didn't recline and had no bloody infant headrest.

Buy a big bag and take your own - my sister always did. I wish I had listened to her!

[mckenzie]

dont believe. i asked for and was given written confirmation from the hire company (a large well known one but not Avis, cant remember the name though) that the car seat would be suitabel for a 3 month old baby weighing whatever it was DS weighed at the time but when we arrived at the airport the desk clerk just shrugged at the letter and said 'tough'. They only did 'child' car seats and that was that. Nearly ruined our holiday as we had to stay at our villa for the week with no form of transport to get out and about.
Please take your own baby seat with you!

[hatsoff]

we too have had nightmares - the worst was getting an upright toddler seat for a 5 month old when we went to the US. We ending up slanting it using blocks of wood jammed behind it. Not very happy

[Caligula]

Yep, another vote for taking your own. The ones we were provided with were broken and crap. Had to threaten to buy a new one and charge it to them before they (two days later) provided us with an unbroken one.