Car Seat Jungle

[NewMummy5July2011]

Hi,

our soon to be DD has a Maxi Cosi group 0 seat waiting and we were thinking of getting an Isofix base for it. Thing is, can we re-use this when it comes time to get the next stage car seat? Do people bother with isofix once they get on to the forward facing ones?

My DH thinks we'd be fine without a base even for the first seat, but he's willing to get one for my benefit. But I'd like him to be efficient if he's going to splash the cash...

we bought the family fix base, same as isofix but it can be used for the next stage car seat, think it cost about ?30 more than the isofix but you get to use it for alot longer. I would feel more confident with a base than with the seat belt holding it in-apparently a big percentage of people put them into the car wrong but the isofix/family fix base has a green light to show you when it's secure and an alarm that beeps if it gets knocked out if place. IMO money well spent.

The maxi cosi family fix base can be used with the group 0 pebble car seat then with the next stage Pearl seat which I think lasts until they're 3.

Maxi Cosi do an isofix base called a FamilyFix base. You use the Cabrio or Pebble rear facing until 13kg and then change to a Pearl. The Pearl is the only group 1 car seat that can be used in such a way.

Which maxi cosi seat do you have already? If it's the cabriofix then no, the base for that is only for that seat. The base for the maxi cosi pebble though is compatible with the "pearl" forward facing seat as pixie says.

However - this does tie you into getting that particular seat next. You might change your mind, or inherit a second hand one, or decide to buy an extended rear facing seat.

Oh sorry ignore me - the cabrio one is compatible with the familyfix base apparently.

Once children are in Group 1 size seats you're not taking the seat in and out of the car all the time, so convinience of Isofix base not needed. We really only "needed" the base for about 8 months, then DS was too heavy to carry in his Group 0 maxi cosi.

I loved the base to start with as we had a travel system; after that I didn't feel the need. At that time though, rear facing only really did Group 0, and our Group 0 and Group 1 seats needed different bases anyway.

Also the Pearl is ONLY able to be fitted with the base, so if you ever needed to travel in another car without isofix, you'd have to buy or borrow a spare seat.

Thanks all for your replies. BertieBotts and BikeRunSki - great points and we've decided just to get the isofix base for the maxi cosi seat we have now as we've found one for a good price.

Really appreciate the quick responses!