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Original poster

forward facing car seats on holiday - what do you do?

20 replies

Kelly1978 · 10/01/2006 11:22

We're off to Spain in the summer. Been booking early to get the bargains. I'm really not sure what to do about car seats tho. Last year the dts were babies and we took their travel system.

Now they are in forward facing seats, and so I'm not sure what to do. We've booked two, but it's pay on arrival and they don't guarantee them. Plus we don't know if they are going to be any good. They are also going to cost us £100 for the fortnight. We can't take ours, as they weigh nearly 9 kilos each, and were rather expensive if they get damaged. Do I risk the rental company? Has anyone had any experience - are they usually ok or not? If they don't turn up with them, I would have to go to alicante and buy some, prob be even more expensive. Or do I buy a couple of cheap ones here to take? Any recomendations for soemthign light enough to take on holiday?

OP posts:

Hazellnut · 10/01/2006 13:27

Last year we went and booked a baby car seat (this was in France, booked through holiday autos but actually europcar) and I rang and asked them whether it could be guaranteed/what would happen etc and they said that although it couldn't be guaranteed they never usually had a problem and would get one from another company if necessary. As it was, we arrived and they had a big portacabin stuffed full of them. They weren't the cleanest or the newest but seemed ok. I would think if you are going to a popular holiday destinateion they should be geared up for it. We will be doing the same with friends this year and will need 5 car seats between us.

littlerach · 10/01/2006 13:34

Kelly, we have been wondering the same thing!

And we are flying to Alicante too.

we had a similar problem when we booked a taxi to go to Heathrow, and requested a car seat. They agreed, then sent a booster seat, and DD1 was only a year at the time.

Guess you have to take their word for it.

melrose · 10/01/2006 13:37

HOliday Autos (actually Europcar) provided them. First one we had I was not happy with the fit in the car, so went to the office and they had quite afew so chose the one I thought looked best. They were not brand new and more like what you wpuld have bought here a few years ago, but OK

littlerach · 10/01/2006 13:46

I've just looked on Holiday autos web site and they state that if you confirm numbers 7 days before, then they guarantee them.

Yorkiegirl · 10/01/2006 13:56

Message withdrawn

LIZS · 10/01/2006 14:42

We had one from Avis in Majorca last year, and a booster and they were fine. Only trouble was fitting it ourselves in the underground car park, where lighting wasn't great. The cover was a bit marked , but clean ( at least until dd threw up on it ont he way back to the airport ) but agree that in style terms it was an "older" style, metal frame one. tbh we've been offered far worse by UK hire companies. Confirm it a few days before departure to be sure.

Original poster

Kelly1978 · 10/01/2006 14:54

we're bookign through holiday autos. I didn't know you could confrim it beforehand. We booked it thrtough the staff site which is slightly diff. I will look into that. Thanks! £100 is a lot though tho, I'm still wondering if I wouldn't be better buying a couple.

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NannyL · 10/01/2006 18:13

i personally would NEVER use a car seat from a car hire place.... you simply dont know the history, how they have been looked after or even if they havnt been in a crash etc.

Why cant you take their normal car seats and they can sit in them on the plane. (most air planes let you take car seats, as long as you can strap them in with a lap belt).

Its up to you tho, but i wouldnt even think about putting a child in one of 'those' car seats. Generally the older style car seats are also alot less safe than todays car seats!

Hulababy · 10/01/2006 18:16

We gired a car seta in France last year. The first one they gave us was appalling and I refused to have it. When we made a fuss they went away and came back with another one - looked brand new almost and was so much more reassuring.

Off to Florida this summer and after our last experience there we are going to take DD's booster seat with us. It comes into 2 pieces anyway and isn't heavy - could even take it in a carriet bag as hand luggage if necessary.

None of the car seats we have ever had at home have been able to be used with a lap belt only, so that wasn't an option for us.

snufflepuss · 10/01/2006 18:21

We've hired them before and they have always been really tatty and rather worn. The staff will not fit them for you so it's a gamble whether you fit them properly, I don't think we ever did. We took a booster seat for dd1 last year but this year we will also have to take dd2's forward facing seat.

I think it depends on the airline, we usually fly BA, but they generally will take car seats in addition to your luggage allowance in the luggage hold. We put ours in a strong bin bag and they were absolutely fine. On balance, I think this is a better way and certainly won't hire them again.

Good luck with your decision

Blondeinlondon · 10/01/2006 19:01

I would check with the airline - flying to the US the car seat didn't count as part of our baggage allowance

littlerach · 10/01/2006 19:10

So would a travel cot count as baggage allowance?

Wht if we needed to take pushchair, car seat and travel cot?

Hulababy · 10/01/2006 19:11

You would have to check with the airline. I have never known pushchairs to count as luggage allowance. But car seats and travel cots may well do.

littlerach · 10/01/2006 19:17

Just checked!!

Can take car seat and pushchair at no extra.

tassis · 10/01/2006 19:20

you can take them, but I think Kelly's point was that she wasn't convinced she wanted to in case they get damaged. plus as it's twins that's a lot of baggage to handle!

we hired car in France and got carseat. have to say it was pretty old and scabby, but did the job.

geogteach · 10/01/2006 19:22

We always take car seats with us, for my brood that equals one baby seat, one forward facing and one booster, also had phil and teds buggy, I have never had to pay for them.

LIZS · 10/01/2006 19:24

One thing to bear in mind is that there is equally no guarnatee that your seat will fit the hire car well (bearing in mind you don't always get the exact one you book) or even meet local regulations (ie. some US States require rear facing until at least a year and 20lbs).

Blondeinlondon · 10/01/2006 19:39

Kelly - if the airline will take your seats for free I'd go with that. 100 quid is a lot

bobbybobbobbingalong · 10/01/2006 21:47

Take your own car seats, buy cheap ones if neccesary - use for holidays and then sell them on Ebay for people who want to do exactly the same thing.

We use our holiday one is dh's car as he picks up ds twice a week from preschool. it's more than paid for itself with a trip to the UK, several trips in NZ and a couple of trips to Oz.

Original poster

Kelly1978 · 13/01/2006 09:57

I think I will have to take some for my own peace of mind. I hadn't even considered the issue of being abole to fit them properly. The twins will be on our laps, and the seats don't fit with a lap belt anyway so I can't take them on the plane.

I think I'll look for a couple of cheap ones, keep an eye out for bargains. We're going to need a second car soon anyway as the compnay dp works for is moving and he won't be able to get the train to work any more. So another set of car seats would be handy for that. I'm really not quite sure how we will manage car seats, luggage, twins and the older two kids too!

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