Is it possible to get an extended rear facing car seat for under £300?

[mrsleomcgary]

DD is only 6moths old but on the 98th centile and getting close to being too big for her first car seat. Having read the research I'm not happy putting her into a forward facing seat but finding it almost impossible to get a rear facing one for under £350 which we really can't afford just now (just bought a bigger house, about to move. In a couple of months it wouldn't be as big an issue but I'm not sure we have that long)

Her current seat (mamas and papas Aton) is suitable up to 13kg but she's already well over 9kg so big enough for the next size up, her head isn't over the top yet but won't be long until it is.

Britax 2-way elite is about £200 and can be used in the RF position up to 25 kg (at least 4 years old). For older children it can also be used in a FF position and as a high-backed booster.

Bear in mind that growth 6 months- 12 months is much slower than during the first 6 months. At 12 months my DD was on the 99.6th centile for length but fitted her baby car seat until about 13 months.

Yep, the joie stages is a belted chair and rf up to 18kg which isn't bad if money is an issue.

The hauck varioguard is another one which is quite reasonable.

A few britaxs are within that price range too.

do you have isofix?

Yes we have isofix, infact you've just reminded me will we need to get a bigger base or will existing do. Would much prefer using isofix.

Oh, and thank you for the suggestions, will look into them

be safe have a couple of rear facing seats which I think can be switched round to forward facing. We have the small car seat for our 17 week old and I love it :) dd seems happy in it too!

Isofix is usually built in to the chair on the next stage up ones.

I use a Cybex, although its FF, I like the bar that goes across DD, it has some good reviews, I think it was £180,
It reclines, and the headrest adusts.

They do make some RF ones, I think they are around £300.

If you've got isofix you have quite a choice available to you. :)

What car have you got?

2010 Renault megane so not massive but does have a good bit of space in the back. I get the feeling you're something of an expert passmethewine :)

Haha no definitely not an expert! I've only really just got in to thinking about rear facing seats after being on mumsnet and browsing the net.

Have a look here www.securatot.co.uk/rear-facing-car-seats?page=2

I had the Britax 2-way elite (until last week!) when tall ds finally outgrew it at 5.5 years old. Its a fantastic seat for £220 from incarsafetycentre

• very tall backed
• infinite recline possibilities (based on a moveable wedge & how close the passenger seat is to it to change the angle of the seat as it rests against it), so dc can sleep easily when younger/sit upright when older
• fairly easy to fit
• feels strong and secure
• lasts to 25kg (isofix seats are only ever tested to 18kg, so belted seats last longer)

We initially had it in a (teeny) 3-door Yaris, for about 4 years, so no problem fitting it in a small car, although it will affect the legroom in the front seat (I'm 5'6 and it wasn't too bad, but if your passenger is much taller it might be an issue).

Haul varioguard is erf, isofix and doesn't break the bank. My friend has her big 1 year old and 3 year old in them.

Hauk i mean

Another vote for britax two-way elite!

Bought ours from in car safety centre as well. They were great with advice & delivery. My parents ended up buying the same one for their car. DS was 90th centile for weight when we moved him into it & has a long back so the high back on this should do us a while. He's 18m & I can see this lasting us well. Even now I already feel like it's money well spent to be honest!

another vote here also for the two-way elite! it's fab. it's great RF. we now have 4yr old DS forward facing in it and he'll be in it for a good while longer.

I have a budget of around £100-£150 and am looking at a few of the Joie seats.

fled I am looking at the Joie stages I like how it converts to a HBB too, for the price I think it is a good value for money.

Joie stages is the best value for money, not isofix, but you leave this stage in the car so in theory not an issue? ISOfix just removes fitting error, it's not inherently safer.

Yes have been looking at the Stages and also the Joie Tilt, which is a bit cheaper and although on some sites says rear facing to 13kg on others says rear facing to 18kg?

I'd like DC2 to rear face until at least 2 but not so bothered after that. Difficult to guess height/weight at 2 though.

I think there's another one, Joie Steadi, which is also rear facing to 18kg.

That is what I thought Bertie, plus if DS goes in my relatives car they don't have isofix anyway!

Fled it is definitely 18kg they reinvented them so to speak, the old stock was only RF till 13kg.

I haven't actually looked at the different joie seats, just heard about the stages.

fledermaus definitely hard to guess weight at 2yrs but to give you some perspective my DS is 3.11 and is 18kg. he is on the 90th centile for weight. so a RF until 18kg seat would almost definitely be okay.

Depends on their height too though, especially rear facing as their head has to stay below the top. DC1 is only 25th centile and is about 15.5kg at 4, but is average height and outgrew a group 1 seat ages ago. So although the Tilt says til 18kg, I wonder if the back isn't high enough?

Not sure but it converts to a booster so would imagine the back is quite high?

Leeloo I have a Britax Elite, I'd no idea I could alter the tilt of it! Will have to dig out those instructions. Actually I think I fitted mine following a youtube video!

Dh and I have trawled through all your suggestions and decided on the hauk variogard, found it for £175 on mothercare and I have vouchers for there so will be about £150. I mentioned this to a friend who's baby is 7 weeks younger than mine and she's now also trawling the Internet reading about rear-facing vs forward facing!