stage 1 car seat in 3 door car?

[chuncksterboo]

Firstly can i put a stage 1 car seat in the front seat with the airbag turned off? If not is it difficult to get baby in and out of back seat of 3 door car? also anyone tried infant carrier in back of 3 door car - must v difficlut to get out i 'd imagine??

stage 1 car seats (rearward facing) can go in the front seat of a car with teh airbag switched off. it will gove u proper deatils in teh manual that came with the seat

thanks but i'm talking about forward facing satge 1 seats

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The way I understand it is all front facing seats should go in the back, don't know if it's the law but I also have a 3 door and was strongly advised getting a rear facing if I was going to put it in the front (mind you that was stage 0 so they're pretty much all that way anyway). I now have a front facing stage 1 (I think, it's for 9-18KG) and it's in the back. It's not at all difficult getting her in and out, but maybe I've just got used to it.
Re infant carrier, I find it hassle enough getting a bag out the back, so the infant carrier would probably be a bit of a nightmare.

We've got a 3 door mini. Dh is in the back. It's not too difficult getting him in and out. A bit of contortion but we just flip the front seat forward and plonk him in (plus we don't have to worry about him trying to open doors!)

DS is in the back!! DH is driving

anyone else?

I have a 3 door golf with two stage 1 maxi cosi priori xp car seats in the back (one for DD1 2.9 and one for DD2 13mths)
I just flip the front seats forward, step in and put them in. DD1 gets herself in now, i just do the straps.

My dh finds it quite difficult though but he is 6'3" - i am 5'3", maybe that makes a difference.

i manage fine in my 3 door clio...

i have a britax renaissance, that has a belt tensioner to make the belt very tight...

but do consider the following

FOR A CAR SEAT TO BE SAFE IT NEEDS TO BE STRAPED IN VERY TIGHTLY. IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO STRAP SEATS IN THE BACK OF A 3 DOOR CAR TIGHTLY CAUSE YOU CANT GET YOUR HAND THERE TO PULL IT HARD ENOUGH.... therefor (if you havnt got isofix) its worth getting a seat with a belt tensioner such as britax renaissance or maxi cosi tobi, cause they have a belt tensioner so you strap the belt in 'quite' hard... and then let the belt tensioner do the rest!

I have no problem at all getting children in and out of my clio.... but i think being 5ft 2 helps in that department!

One of our cars is a 3 door and I actually find it easier to deal with the car seats in that than in a 4 door. I think it is because I am short. With the 3 door I can stand in the footwell and deal with it head on. In the 4 door I have to try and strech across. I was so pleased to get an Isofix in the end

Only law about front seats is that you cannot put a rear facing car seat in a front seat wth an active airbag. law doesn't cover any other stage seat. However if you do use a car seat int he front seat you should have the seat in its furthest back setting and turn your airbag off (if possible). I wouldn't risk using a car seat int he front (any stage) with an active airbag.

DH is over 6 foot and although he finds the 4 door easier, he can easily manage the 3 door too.

hulababy.... you are quite right about the law, with it only applying to a rear facing seat...

however that given that airbags can KILL children under 12 (ie adultish size) IMO you would have to be MAD to risk putting a child in the front where an active air bag was present! It is very very dangerouse! (dont know why goverenment didnt bring it in when they changed the law back in September!)

didnt mean 'YOU' as in hulababy...

meant "one would have to be mad...."

That was exactly what I was saying in my last sentence too!