Quick Question about car seats

[Hotpotpie]

Ive been given a car seat by a friend, I dont need one I bought mine a while ago so passing it to my mum as a spare, however its got a base thing attached, does that need to be on it or does it depend on the car? and with that in mind is there any where I can go for fitting advice while its second hand?

Thanks :)

Hey there,

First it needs to be said that official advice is to discourage use of second-hand car seats since they might be damaged without you knowing. Personally I have used them but have checked them really carefully first.

The base part you mention is probably an ISOFIX base, which might be optional or required depending on the model. Usually there are some diagrams on the side showing the different ways it can be attached.

If there is a brand & model name/number on it somewhere, you can often google them to find an instruction manual?

Hope this helps

it does thanks, like I said its a friends so I know that there havent been any accidents or the like, Ive had a good look at it while I stripped all the covers off it to give it a wash and havent noticed any marks let alone damage

the base of it baffled me though, and its really heavy! Ill have a look on google though and see if I can turn up some information and hopefully we wont need it cheers for getting back to me

Does the base have what might look like 2 hooks coming out of one end? That means it's an ISOFIX system, which most cars have these days. They are designed to latch onto 2 metal rings between the upright part and flat part of the rear seat.

Not so as ive noticed but ill have a little look - its all new to me and your talking to the sort of girl that finds the fastens on baby grows puzzling never mind anything appropaching technical Ill be a wizzard with the next baby!

The bases are heavy, but they stay in the car so you only need worry about it once (or if you decide to move it)

Can you ask your friend about it? How to fit it etc?

You don't have to use the base, but it's better to if you have one IMHO. Once the base is fitted correctly, the car seat just clips onto it, so you don't need to worry about belting the car seat in every single time you use it. A) it will save time and B) it will reduce the opportunity for installing it incorrectly.

Stetsons - have to be a bot careful because there are a couple ISOFIX seats that only work with the bases, they are not designed to work with seatbelts.

And yes I did spend way too long staring at them when we were choosing

Obviously if it's an isofix base and the car doesn't have isofix, then you wouldn't use it.

I was thinking along the lines of if it's a (for example) maxi cosi cabriofix or Britax baby safe, it could be belted in without the base. I've done my research too (can't bloody stop myself), and most of the seats I looked at had a seltbelt only option without the base, but came with a compatible base too.

Granted, it was two years ago and things might have changed since then.

My car seat has a belted base rather than an isofix base so you can use it in any car by threading the belt through the base.
But you can also use the seat on its own without the base.

My advice is to google the make and model and see if you can find the instruction manual online.