i feel really awful about this (car seats)

[FairyTaleinNewYork]

i have recently found out that the 2 car seats i have for dd1+2 are basically on the list which which? advise arent used as they did so badly. i feel dreadful that the seats we have been using are so awful. i am know looking at replacing the seats altho one is less than 6months old. i just cant risk it. am i being irrational? am i mad?

If it's going to nag at you misdee, then does which? recommend some reasonably priced ones you can replace them with?

yes, the britax kid, i can put in on my account or from the catalogue. i never thought i;d be this worried about it.

If it will give you peace of mind then do it.

i was using one of the less safe ones as well

it irritated me SOOOOO much for 3 weeks that i went and bought a better one.]

at the end of the day it means that IF we ever had a crash and the child was hurt i could 'sleep at night' knowing id done my best and putting him in one of the safest car seats. (where as IF i didnt change it and we were in a crash id never 'know' and feel eternally guilty, and given that they arnt even MY children i dont think i could live with that)

I now keep the other car seat for 'emerganices', ie freinds children, on the grounds i never drive for more than a few minutes drive and never on motorways etc. i feel like its most important to be in the safest seats on motorways where accidents are more seriouse than a quick nip down the road to a neighbours house where you rarely reach speeds over 30mph!

thats the thing, i am planning on spending mroe and more time going to harefield via the m25 as my confidence increases. i am just going to order a maxi-cosi rodi for dd2 and will get dd1 one in a week or so. at least they'll be safer when they are with me.

I'd buy new seats - it's appalling that the dangerous ones are on sale in the first place.

i know, i have been shocked. dd2 needs a new seat anyway for my car, as she has outgrown the old one, but since i read the which report i have been a bit unsettled about it, and peter is angry as the person at halfords recommended the seats to us.

i am trying to find the report misdee, do u have to subscribe to get the full report?

this may work

thank u you r such a star

omg.... my dd1's is a britax trio and thats 2nd from bottom!!!

cant see britax renaissance.... what does that mean?? i always thought britax were a good make???

Misdee, this is on sale
britax

oh thank you, that'll do for the other seat for now. cheers.

Mrs pink dont worry! the which magazine reviewed the Britax Renaissance a couple of years ago and it got a VERY good review.... (so good they had it in the recommended pic at the end!)

It scored very highly for everything except ease of transfer between cars as its heavy and bulky, and overall got a score within about a point of the maxi cosi.

Its also the car seat i use, as given that i only have 3 doors, its the only seat that i feel i can get strapped in tight enough in the back where i cant get my hand 'there' etc!

u know anything about the first class si? its about 3 years old, but will using it for dd3 when the new seats for the older 2 turn up.

link to old thread

thread

Toysrus carseat sale have it as well

sale

Britax make some of the best-scoring car seats. But also some of the worst. Amazing that manufacturers who make good seats can also make dangerous ones.

Which? tests are more demanding than industry standard, so that's why they show up dangers. IIRC they test in a 40mph collision, standard is only 30. A few years ago W? showed the seats then on sale were poor in side-impact tests. Manufacturers have since improved side impact protection. W? also found the lie-flat car seats that you can adjust to be more like a carrycot were seriously dangerous - one disintegrated in the test. Yet some of these models are still on sale.

Good, now I feel like shit because two of mine are in a Britax Eclipse.

Looking at the other options in that class - don't know how Isofix works (doesn't that require something integral in the car?) and Maxi Cosi don't fit in our car.

I don't know in what respect they peform badly (not read whole report) but they are very secure in our car, don't move at all even if I pull my whole weight on them.

Ds1 is in Britax Highliner so pleased about that - can go and get ds2 his this week in the sale as he's big enough now too. Only ds3 to think about if the Eclipse is really so crap.

Eclipse isnt in the do not buy section, just didnt score very highly.

ggook, I remember reading last year that if you buy the best seat and it doesn't fit properly in your car it is as dangerous as buying a bad seat so I think the fact your seat fits well is probably fine.

i have an eclipse in one car and a first class in the other, both are very secure and checked regularly to make sure the seat belts are tight. they do not move a millimetre, so am not replacing those.

peter has said i should buy the isofix seats for dd1+2 seeing as we have isofix in our car. i have told him i'll be raiding his account i just trying to find somewhere that has the jane indy plus in stock for immediate delivery, not 2-3 weeks lol.

Hmm, agree. I always check how tight the belt is that holds the seat in too - it's true that they loosen over time so I check them about once a week and always if I'm going to do a motorway journey.

I always think of them being safer in the Eclipse than in the high backed booster.