Car seat question- extended harnessing

[tigermeow]

DD (3.5yrs) is rapidly outgrowing her Britax First Class si seat. Her head is now poking over the top. I need a new car seat for my car- she has a Evolva 123 in DH's car which does not fit in my car.

I am looking for a seat that will 5 point harness her above the 40lbs/18kgs limit. Does such a thing exist in the UK? She is just under 30lbs so has a way to go until she reaches the weight max for harnessing in the Evolva 123 but I want to keep her in a harness as long as possible.

The USA has seats that will keep the child in a 5point harness until 80lbs but they are illegal here so that is out of the question.

Any ideas please! Many Thanks!

I think you would have to go for a special needs car seat which harness till 55/65lbs I believe.here is a good start

Why do you say "they are illegal here" - What makes you say that?

I have used USA seats in the UK, I spoke with both mine and my bosses insurers and neither had an issue with us using the seats.

I read that on another forum... please correct me if am I wrong- it would make life a lot easier to order one from the US.

Thanks for the link, Tipsy.

I've just seen such a seat as it was tried in my new car today for suitability.
It is a Britax Multi-Tech RF seat which is group 1 for 9-25kg and available at the link given by Tipsy. I will be ordering it from that site. It's supposed to be an excellent seat.

The Multi-Tech looks so like the Evolva 123 except it rear faces as well...looks a great seat.

Arg, pressed send too soon.

The Multi-tech only FF to 18kgs in a 5point harness. Hmmm...could put her rear facing again. She rear faced until 2yrs anyway. Thanks again for the links and recommendations.

Is the Britax Elite still available? I've been goggling tonight but cant find anywhere that sells it-

MatNan, apparently not all US seats have been tested to see if they meet EU standards, and not all of those that have passed.

why not an ordinary car seat??

For a car seat to be sold legaly in the EU it must have been tested to ECE Regulation 44, and it must show this by carrying a label saying "ECE R44.0*". The current version is R44.04 - seats that have passed earlier versions of the test are still legal (and will display "ECE R44.03", etc), but all new seats must now pass the R44.04 test.

I would want to talk to your insurance company before using a seat that didn't meet these requirements, but as you wouldn't be selling it I'm not sure it would be illegal to do so (I'd just want to know that the insurance company would pay out if DD was inuured when in a seat that didn't meet ECE R44...).

You can buy the Britax Elite here. You might see it advertised as the 2-Way Elite or the Nordic Elite.

Seats that have earlier that ECE R44.03 will be illegal to use or sell after 9 April 2009.

Will R44/03 seats really be illegal to use after April next year?

I am a childminder I& I bought 4 new seats (R44/03 in about September 07 - I will be REALLY annoyed if I have to replace them so soon

No, 'earlier' I meant 02 or 01.

Thank goodness - I had a little panic then

#I have just purchased the multi tech for my grandson to use when he visits from Sweden

I had difficulty getting one as I live in Yorkshire and the nearest stockist Britax could give me was Surrey/Bristol and Devon they said I could not buy without oproper fitting
I got one delivered form In Car Safety

Question does the seat recline slightly as it seem squite upright the way it is fitted
cannot see anything in nanual

The Britax Elite has straps that can be used to 25kg. I bought mine as an ordinary forward facing seat, but it's on that site as the 2-way Elite.