Getting ISOFIX added - Ford Focus

[suzi2]

We're looking at buying a ford focus (not new) and they don't have ISOFIX as standard. Though it can be added. One garage today told us they'd do it for £40 a side if we bought from them, though they were a Ford dealer. We've now found some bargains at non-Ford places and I'm just wondering if it's an easy thing to get added elsewhere and for how much? Anyone done it?

you can get a maxi cosi one that can lift out of the car - that's what we did - and then flogged it on ebay a year later and made 80% of the cost back.

Watching with interest

We've got a ford focus but didn't get isofix, we used seat belt to secure it, it was easy and simple to secure

It's a group 1 seat we're needing for them both - so the priorifix is our ideal. It's ok for a belt in, but I'd prefer the isofix as it's a good seat.

A bit of googling has shown that this option is a "no cost" option if buying new - basically the isofix bars are bolted onto the frame in the factory. But for some very bizarre reason they don't do this as standard. So you buy the bars for £15 each or something and get them fitted. Going to investigate a bit more tomorrow.

My mum has expressed some concern over the retrofit of them, but I think that if it's done as it should be it's just hte same as every other isofix out there - the NCAP safety rating for the focus is based on using ISOFIX seats so it's kind of annoying they don't just bolt them on before they sell them!

How old is your Focus? Isofix is now fitted to all new cars as standard since September 2007.

Lots of older cars already have it as standard depending on the manufacturer, for example Honda and Toyota (and a few others) have had Isofix as standard for many years now. For many it has been an optional extra until the Sept 2007 legislation.

There is no problem with retrofitting Isofix. My DH (who admittedly is a mechanic) retrofitted Isofix to our 10 year old Volvo very easily and it has been a godsend.

FWIW I employ a 'belt and braces' approach to fitting my car seat and also use the seatbelt as well as the Isofix fittings. They're there so why not use them?

For a non-Isofix option take a look at the Maxi Cosi Tobi. If you can see one in the flesh you'll find that the way is is fitted is totally different and really solid. I have been v impressed with it in every car I've fitted it in for customers. Worth a look.

We had a tobi for DS in our last car, it was great. I always wondered about the 'belt & braces' approach... seems to make sense and I can't see any reason why not to.

The focus is a new(ish) model 08 plate. I didn't know legislation had come in in the UK about ISOFIX. Though Ford don't offer it fitted as standard - it has to be requested at the time of ordering (a new one) and obviously many of the second hand ones don't have it. They don't charge for it when it's done in the factory when new, but they do retrospectively.

I'm wondering... if they're supposed to be doing it since 07, then perhaps I can get it added for free after...

We have a 2001 Focus, so no ISOFIX. I see that it can be retrofitted. How does this work who do we go see? We want our baby to be as safe as possible but we can't buy a new car. When you look a some sites it seems like that is the only choice especially when we read the words "you can't put a price on your child's safety."

We have a 2001 Focus, so no ISOFIX. I see that it can be retrofitted. How does this work who do we go see? We want our baby to be as safe as possible but we can't buy a new car. When you look a some sites it seems like that is the only choice especially when we read the words "you can't put a price on your child's safety."

The main advantage of isofix is to avoid the seat being installed incorrectly. That is why they say it is safer.

The ncap test uses britax seat which have a pivot link which improves the safety using the belt as well will change the way it works. Worst case is that having it in with the belt will cause the isofix to disengage. I think that would happened in my car as the isofix are a little way up the back of the seat and it is hard to get the seat in as I have to lift it to put it in. ( not just slide it as I did in my last car) It's a renault.

You need to check that a issofix car seat fits your car as they are not all universal and as the priorifix doesn't appear on the website you have to google it to find it.

definitions of carseat approvals

Question to Teaandcake (are you still active on this forum / thread?): you said "How old is your Focus? Isofix is now fitted to all new cars as standard since September 2007" --

Well, I think this is not correct. I have a 2008 Focus which does not have Isofix. Ford dealer wants to charge £80 excl VAT to fit it.

Where did you get your facts from? Maybe I can use the same source to persuade Ford that my car should have it?

And to Suzi2: did you get an answer to your post? I am new to Mumsnet, so apologies if I seem very stupid, but there isn't much continuity on some of the forums / threads and hence easier to ask a question which may have already been asked.

Thanks.

Hello, Isofix was developed by VW and Britax in partnership and was intended to universalize car seats. However no real regulations were put in place regarding weld strength or metal strength etc and so isofix and its capabilities now varies from car to car and even from year to year. Silly. Isofix compatibility has to be deemed through crash test results. If you have isofix added to your car as an optional extra your car will not have been crash tested. You cannot therefore put any isofix seat into it with the piece of mind that it is actually fits and is safe, so having them added kind of defeats the purpose. Isofix is not universal but if you buy a Britax Trifix and have a toptether anchorage point in your boot you can use this one seat on any isofix points. I work as a trained car seat fitter and spend all day giving advice regarding car seats. Check for compatibility on the Britax and Maxi cosi web pages.