Jane Powertrack - which car boot can accomodate it ??

[maisiemog]

I thought I would rephrase this question. Thanks to all who replied to my more general question.

I am about to buy a used car small hatchback preferably, but something good around town, not ginagorous.
I need something into which my Jane Powertrack will fit AND the flipping matrix car seat i.e. with long enough seatbelts.
Can I just ask what other Jane owners drive and what they recommend?

can't help you there. have jane powertrack but also have a Toyota Landcruiser (worlds largest car) and a BMW estate, so no problem with boot room!
Lent the matrix seat to a friend with a peugeot though and the seatbelts were ONLY just long enough. Not long enough really, the seat didn't sit brilliantly, could have done with another couple of inches on the belts.

I don't know what a Jane Powertrack is but I can recommend the Renault Kangoo. Not fashionable, but fab.

Wah! Don't want giant car! Stomp!
What about a Polo/Golf?
Does anyone have an Almera?
I live in the city, so would like something nippy.

no chance whatsoever of getting the matrix in a polo. sorry! golf maybe?

Now you're talking! A Clio eh? Hmmm! I must look into that.
Thanks

Mine fits into my Golf.

The frame fits in the boot and the lie-flat car seat fits on the back seat along with a Britax car seat for my older dd.

sorry we ahve a Picasso

Lipstickmum, do you have the pushchair set up, or is it just the basic frame you put into the boot?
We are now using the pushchair and will be using the Matrix as a regular carseat. Do you know if the seatbelts in your Golf go around it when it is in the upright position? I have heard that some smaller cars struggle to get around the Matrix.
Thanks for your help.

Hi Maisie,

The Jane fit into the boot of my Golf just as the frame and set up as the buggy. We fit the lie-flat car seat in using the 3-point seat belt and the lap belt in the middle. I can't tell you if the seat belt fits with the lie-flat seat as a proper seat because we didn't use it as one the last time round and probably wont this time either. I think that was a combination of things: the belt may not have fitted but also it didn't seem to be very stable when we tried it and since we knew we would have to get another seat weight wise anyway, we just got the Britax from birth seat instead. HTH !

God, what a ramble!!! Hope you understood all that

Thanks Lipstick, I did understand.
You have helped on one score, it should go in the boot. The problem is fitting the upright Matrix.
It is supposed to go up to 18months, so I'm loathe to buy another carseat.
I reckon we'll just have to buy a bigger car to be on the safe side.
We looked at the Fiat Brava and the Nissan Almera, has only tried???

Mine fitted in to my polo but I had to take the wheels two back wheels off.

Sorry to hijack but as I've found a collection on Jane experts can anyone tell me if a buggy board works. The front wheel always stutters when it's off balanced in any way so I was thinking it probably won't work.

Hi Robin3, I'm glad it's you, I don't like those other 2 Robins . Do you use the Matrix car seat in your Polo?
Re buggyboards - There is a discussion about buggy boards on a powertrack, do a search on the archives using those keywords - I was reading it last night.
The general consensus seemed to be no, but there was someone using one anyway.
There are some step things you can attach to the back of prams as well and a tricycle thing. Again I saw that on another thread, I'll see if I can find it.

We can fit into a Mercedes A-Class and a slightly older (S registration) polo - both without removing wheels Never used the Matrix lie flat in the car so can't help there.

HTH

will def fit in a golf, i had this for ds2 and although didn't have agolf (we had a mondeo, now got a new focus and it fits in both) my best friend has a golf (02 reg) and it fitted in hers fine. the matrix was in the upright position.
i would check when you buy your car though, take your buggy and carseat with you, as if you are getting anew shape one i belevie they are a bit smaller than the 04 and below.

Look here for the buggyboard + Powertrack discussion.

Thanks Maisiemog.

The matrix didn't seem to fit although the sales assistant wasn't exactly convincing when trying to fit it. I was disappointed but got the rebel instead. As it turned out I'm glad we did because it was so light....even in flight it fitted on the seat and strapped in (they wouldn't let us land with him in it but still really handy).

Hate to be the bearer of doom and gloom on Jane's but, much as I love my Jane and believe it to be the coolest pram on the market it has been a pain....front wheel had to be disconnected from the brake, the accessories took forever to come due to supply issues. Gave up waiting for a hood. The instructions that come with it are appauling and now (low and behold) it's not going to survive a buggy board. Bought a McLaren Volo for our holiday and DS (toddler) loved it far more.

Hi,
I have a jane powertwin, so even bigger than the power track, adn I've got it in the boot of a fiesta, and a peugeot 306. The problem is with the car seats. I had the rebel and our fiesta car seat belts were never long enough. You could get a smaller car like you want though and maybe have longer belts put in?

Robin thanks for your input.
I think we are just going to buy a slightly larger car than we initially anticipated. It's not a big deal because we had a Cavalier before and we are kind of used to having the space.
I know what you mean about the instructions?? I am about to adjust the front brake as per the instructions on Johnstone Prams - are those the ones you used?
What happened with your brake? How long did you have it before the brake detached?
I have found that if I run with the swivel setting the wheel wobbles really badly - do you know if that is to do with the brake. It seems fine on fixed mode though?
I'm intrigued about the hood you couldn't get - what is that??
I have to admit to buying no Jane accessories, we bought an Alvi footmuff from Germany, and I have a small Tomy changing rucksack, with an attached mat - I can't relax if I have stuff hanging from the handlebars .
I bought a rain cover for £12 from a seller on Ebay, which seems to fit fine, and a pull down sunshade for £14 from Kiddapotamus online from the US - great find.
They all work fine with the Jane if you are every looking for those kinds of accessories again.
There are some other options for a toddler, although I don't know how compatible they are with a Powertrack. Have you looked at the
Seat to go or the Strolli Rider ?

Hi
I have just bought Jane Slalom and loving it
We have Peugot 407 estate and it fits no problem. If you haven`t decided yet where to buy please check www dot samueljohnston dot co dot uk. They do have some good deals online and they deliver free of charge.
I have most of the accessories but im thinking to buy buggysnuggle.
Must say Slalom is a bit smaller than Powertrack, i have been told
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Matrix owners!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to buy Matrix carseat but not sure if it will fit in out car. Anyone know if it fit in Peugot? Will be very appreciated

Thnx

The Golf seatbelts were no good for fitting the Matrix in its upright position. They were long enough, but they would "lock" in position while you were trying to fit the seat, and you would have to let them go all the way in to release them. Didn't have that problem fitting a normal infant carseat in the Golf. So, although I could fit the matrix in, it took forever, and one knock and you'd have to do it all again. We bought a stage2 carseat that would start out rear-facing in the end.

You'd fit the powertrack in the boot, but pretty much nothing else.

We did the adjustment on the front wheel - it works but you have to do it again every couple of months.

I've been using a buggy board; it's fine and the weight distribtion etc is fine too - still easier to push than some prams I've tried! But now we've got the pushchair seat on, and the hood is in the place where dd's head needs to go when she is standing on the board. So you have to unpopper the bottom of the hood and let her stick her head over the baby. And the seat can't be completely reclined either. Not ideal but I'm trying to get her to walk most of the time anyway.

The other thing dd does is to sit on the footplate between the seat and the front wheel, facing the seat, with her feet in the luggage basket. That works while ds is small and doesn't need footspace! It is a bit less stable than with the buggy board though.

golfs must vary from car to car then, as we had no problems fitting the matrix into the back of my friends golf, was it the same type, newer, older?

puzzling, just goes to show, all cars are different even the same car you can't gaurantee it will fit!

Actually, I think they've changed the Matrix as well - our Golf was bought in 2000 and the Matrix in 2002 if that helps!

The only real solution is to take the seat along when you look at cars.