Mamas and Papas Primo Viaggio car seat - is the base really necessary?

[ceolas]

I've never had a car seat with a base before and wondering if it's really necessary. Makes it £150 for a car seat I'll use for 9 months.

Obviously I can't put a price on my baby's safety but I'd rather spend £110 than £150

Have you already bought it? I read recently somewhere on here pretty bad reviews of a M&P carseat - think it was from Which, referred to poor safety. It wasn't the Primo Viaggio that was mentioned, one of their others, but it's made me suspicious of the whole M&P range. A very kind MNer was offering her summary of the whole car seat report to people who emailed her - I didn't, but it might be worth you trying to track the thread down.

No, just considering it at the moment. I thought it had done pretty well.

Hmm, not the best. Which says:

Mamas and Papas Primo Viaggio
Price (£) 150
Total score (%) 51
Availability Limited availability
Features
Specification
Weight groups 0-13kg
Seat categories 0+
Weight (kg) 5
Integral harness Yes
Part of a travel system Yes
Converts to a booster No
Ratings
Comfort
Comfort
Good
Performance
Front crash
Acceptable
Side crash
Poor
Overall safety
Acceptable
Fitting and using
Fitting in car
Acceptable
Belt routing
Acceptable
Buckling up
Good
Daily use
Acceptable
Instructions
Good
Correct use
Good
Additional Notes
n/a

Yes -you need it because it serves as the lap strap attachment.

But you can put the lap bit over the top. It has grooves for this.

The sales woman was really pushing the base on the grounds of 'added' safety.

I've got one, didn't know you could actually use without the base. Mine was second hand but I bought a new 'inner' from M&P (the polystyrene bit that had a crack in it).
I think the base is the bit that holds the seat belt iyswim, the seat just clips on top.
We rarely use a car, don't have one ourselves, and it came with a package anyway, but IMO M&P things are generally very overpriced and quite plasticky compared to some others. Minefield isn't it, I have NO idea what pushchair to get for DS2 even though we've had about 20 second hand so far!
The mind boggles...

Can you really? I will go and look for the grooves on ours! That would be useful.

It is possible to fit it without the base but not reccommended for long term. btw Argos sell the seat and base for £99 (or at least they did when I was looking)

v dangerous

i have a basr going spare....

Argos!

Also have a spare base if you want!

A spare base, you say?

What would either of you want for it?

minimal amount plus postage...
where are you

need to double check in garage first but 99% sure it is there

Near Glasgow.

Something that size would be a prime candidate for Payperdrop I should think.

is that the 3.99 thing

the base makes it really easy to get in/out of the car too

£5.99 on ebay. they collect and deliver through DHL. I've used it successfully a couple of times.

ok
I must check the garage
athough I am pretty sure it is still there you can never trust dh's where the garage is concerned....
Can i get back to you tomorrow? I need to go to bed now

Absolutely. No rush