Forward facing car seats in front seat of car ?

[Cathy1]

Hi - I have a Britax Eclipse and it is great. I sometimes do 2 or 3 hour journeys on my own with dd and it's a pain to have her in the back seat (OK if she sleeps but not so OK if she is awake and keeps dropping her toys). What I want to know (as I can't find any reference to it in the car seat instructions) is can you put a forward facing car seat in the front passenger seat of a car which has an airbag ?

GillW, no it doesn't and Merc will not turn off the airbag under any circumstances as they say the fron seat may be used by another passenger and then what would I do.

I know, the Citroen my friend has can turn her airbag off with a coin!

Merc are so proud of their babysmart system, but it is sooo expensive. ( It's standard fir on all new ones, not optional!)

A booster without back that has the trasnponder in is going to cost me £93 plus vat, that is the solution we have arrived at this afternoon. I can then put the 6 year old in the front and lob the seat into the boot when not needed. At least it won't take up too much room!

Allibubbles, what age/weight child is the Mercedes booster suitable for ? The reason I ask is that dd is getting too big for her seat (the discontinued one). She's had it from around 9 months and is now 3 and a bit so it's worn but it's had no accidents (either car or bodily fluids !)

Also it might be worth having a word with an Audi dealer as I know they used to have an identical looking seat (with the high seat and separate chest bolster) - they might have the same type of system.

Honestly, you'd think when they're charging that much for the car they could throw the booster seat in free!

Mercedes' argument "what if an adult goes in the front" is pathetic, it ought to be possible for the owner to turn the airbag on and off as in so many other cars. How irresponsible (or stupid) do they think we are? (I suppose they're afraid of being sued, like Kelloggs with the people who burned their mouths on Pop Tarts...)

Glad you have a solution, anyway, Alibubbles!

Janh, I couldn't agree more!

Twink, the 2nd stage is for 10 months to 4 years, a what I would cal moulded polystyrene seat like a booster with a back, but all in one, with a piece that goes over the lap ( do you see what I mean!!) and the booster with or without the back is from 4 years to 12yrs.

I am impressed with your idea of trying Audi and I'll get onto that tomorrow, thanks for that tip, could be a solution.\

At the moment my BIL is going to bring a booster back in a Tornado fighter jet from Germany at cost!! ( along with all the other unmentionable items they bring back in the bomb bays!) So I could end up cancelling the UK order if it arrives in time.

Allibubles, then is the second stage the one dd is rapidly growing out of, so do Mercedes do a separate booster seat with no front bit ?

As well as thinking I could help you by sending you mine, I'm starting to worry as my car doesn't have back seats but does have their standard airbag system...

Twink, the second stage was called the prince and is for 10months to 4 yeras and the third stage seat which can be bought in two parts is the zoom booster with or without back, used from 4 with the back anf from whenever without the back. Some people never used the back bit.

The problem about seats is only caused by front airbags not being able to be turned off at all other than by the transponder type seat.

I take it you have a two seater, DH had an E220 which I could use a seat in the front, but his new SL320 I can't. You can look on ht esunvisor and it will tell whether you can use a seat in the front or not.

I hope I haven't confused you! Very sweet of you to think about offering your old seat to me. Thank you.