Childrens Car Seats?

[RobL]

I've seen quite a few Mk2 Fabia's on the road with baby/childrens car seats in them but haven't thought it note the details of them.

Is anyone using a childrens car seat in theirs at the moment and would you recommend it as a good fit?

Edited 30 May, 2011 by RobL

[gadgetman]

What age child is it for? Are you looking at ISOfix, or standard fit?

Budget?

[JenksVRS]

Argos do a great car seat 9months to 4/5yrs isofix very sturdy we got 2 the other week for mine and the mrs's car . Think is was £90 which was a bargain price great quality and great fit for the fabia vrs

[radfordln]

Have been using a Maxi-Cosi Cabrio Fix (the one that all new parents seem to end up with!) for about 6 months now and can't complain. Goes in and out nice and easily (unlike on my wife's 3 door Yaris!) Didn't bother with the ISOFix base.

Only 'issue' we seem to have is that the seat can end up being more upright than in other cars and so the baby's head can drop forward when they sleep. If you remember then you can position to the seat so it tilts better and you get a baby!

[JohnLD]

I have the Britax Evolva 1-2-3 Plus to haul my grandson around when on baby sitting duties.

I went for this one as it covers from babies (9kg) to small children up to 36 kg.

It is a 3 point seat belt fixing.

Can be a bit of a pain to take in and out until you have practiced it a few times then it is fine

My son, who also has a Fabia Estate, does have a Maxi Cosi which is Iso Fix but it only takes up to 18 kg. The fixing in the car is much easier but the seat is much heavier which can be a struggle at time.

Hope that helps

John

Edited 30 May, 2011 by JohnLD

[RobL]

What age child is it for? Are you looking at ISOfix, or standard fit?

Budget?

Thanks for the replies so far. Right now i'm looking for a 8 month old boy of around 24lbs but i'm interested to hear on up to 6 years as we are hoping to keep the car for a little while. As for the fit, again thats flexible and the budget isn't really a consideration.

Edited 30 May, 2011 by RobL

[BossFox]

We've got one of these and think it's great: http://www.recaro-seats.co.uk/child-seats/young-sport.php

Fits very well in the Fabia, Yeti and Land Rover.

If you child is 8 months I'm not sure if they are ready for a forward facing, but if not they soon will be.

Because it's designed for sports cars it has wings to protect the head, which also help keep the sun off.

They are £155, but go from 9 months to 12 years in one seat!

It locks into place with the seatblet very firmly too. It doesn't move about.

We've got about 20 different types at work and this is the best IMO.

[Didescharlie]

Anyone have a Recaro one? I mean, they're a must for a petrolhead's offspring surely.

[BossFox]

Anyone have a Recaro one? I mean, they're a must for a petrolhead's offspring surely.

See my post about 40 minutes before yours.

Yes I have one and it's very good.

[Rsrob]

We've got one of these and think it's great: http://www.recaro-se...young-sport.php

Fits very well in the Fabia, Yeti and Land Rover.

If you child is 8 months I'm not sure if they are ready for a forward facing, but if not they soon will be.

Because it's designed for sports cars it has wings to protect the head, which also help keep the sun off.

They are £155, but go from 9 months to 12 years in one seat!

It locks into place with the seatblet very firmly too. It doesn't move about.

We've got about 20 different types at work and this is the best IMO.

I have got one of these and they are very good

[Jeffmaniac]

The Fabia accessories leaflet has them listed. Fraid I have no rugrats so no idea about them.

[Didescharlie]

See my post about 40 minutes before yours.

Yes I have one and it's very good.

Lol, didn't see that url you posted. I love those seats. All i need now is a child, but still not sure of the performance advantage they offer.

[BossFox]

Lol, didn't see that url you posted. I love those seats. All i need now is a child, but still not sure of the performance advantage they offer.

No, I'm not sure on the performance factor either, wouldn't want my son in my Fabia when I was giving it the beans really.

But I did take my son of 20 months round an offroad course in the Defender which invloved a lot of slopes, climbs and general bouncing about. It held him in very well and they do have a lovely soft covering too.

Plus with the wings for the head if he drops off to sleep it supports the head very well... even if they are there for excessive g cornering.

[wmerrifield]

Thanks for the replies so far. Right now i'm looking for a 8 month old boy of around 24lbs but i'm interested to hear on up to 6 years as we are hoping to keep the car for a little while. As for the fit, again thats flexible and the budget isn't really a consideration.

We've got a Britax First Class Plus (http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/car-seats/first-class-plus) for my two-year old in my new Fabia vRS Hatch and it fits OK. It's not ISOFIX, but it's not too tricky to install. And it's dual purpose -- you can fit it forward or rear facing, depending on the age of the child, and it goes from newborn to 4 years (in theory) .

[Bullyboy]

Have a mothercare seat for my 20 month year old, not ISOFIX. Was my daughters before he had it and it fits fine. Was about £ 90 5 years ago. My daughter has the type 3 seat with a back which is really a booster. This fits slighlty less well as the seat is quite wide and although its an easy fit really you always have to pull it over towards the door slighlty to access the red clip of the seatbelt holder.

ISOFIX is a great idea but generally you are paying 50% - 100% more in the pricing - which in this day and age makes the seats expensive.

Although looking at the backseat of the Fabia most things should be just fine.

Hope this helps.

[gadgetman]

Our Maxi Cosi cabrio seat came as a pram package. Originally we had the combined std ISOfix base, but after an accident in the snow above the recommended replacement speed, we went for a family fix base. The base has 3 reclining positions to allow for growth in

Daughter (18 months) is now in the perl front facing seat which fits this base, and she loves relaxing/reclining when tired.

[wills]

I have a forward facing Maxi Cosi Tobi for an 18 month old in the back of mine, the non-ISOFIX model, and it fits really well as long as the headrest of the car is at its highest position. You strap it in using the seatbelt, with a bit of practice you can get really quick at installing and removing the seat.

We had to go with the non-ISOFIX version as the seat I use has to transfer into many different cars as I quite often drive company vehicles etc so needed something that will work with almost every car I might have.

It fits really well as I said and the recline feature of the seat works nicely as well (in some cars I've had it jams and wont recline properly because of the seat).

-Will

[Javerhammar]

We have the Acta Graco Cosmic Comfort - Great comfort and really safe but it's so big that you cant sit in front of it (mounted in the backseat) if you mount it in the frontseat you cant see the mirror and hardly sit behind it. Not that easy too fit either.

Then we have an older Britax Freeway - Not as comfy but still pretty safe for the child. Not as big as the Cosmic Comfort, you can easily sit behind or in front of it and also see the mirror if mounted in frontseat.

Dont buy what the best car seat there is without testing it in the car (we did with the cosmic comfort and ended up not using it, a shame as it cost 340€)

Good luck!!!

Edited 1 June, 2011 by Javerhammar

[Jigger72]

All you need to know here:

http://www.madeformums.com/reviews/car-seats/2.html

[Jayw]

Dont buy what the best car seat there is without testing it in the car

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ times about 4million.

I work for one of the major nursery companies in the UK and this is probably the best advice there is - check it fits first, before you buy it.

Contrary to what you may have heard there is not some magical list that says xx car seat will fit in yy car, always, always, always check - even if someone you know has the same car and car seat - check.

The thing with Childrens car seats is they only need to work (or rather NOT work) once, you need to be sure.

If the retailer wont let you try it first - go to a different retailer.

[gadgetman]

Not sure where the OP is, but kiddicare in peterborough do fittings and have almost every seat available to test.

They even have an assault course in the pram dept!

[wills]

Not sure where the OP is, but kiddicare in peterborough do fittings and have almost every seat available to test.

They even have an assault course in the pram dept!

Totally OT but the Kiddicare store in Peterborough is amazing and one of the few places I actually don't mind going to when shopping with my partner. There's all sorts in there and they even sell GIANT car seats so you, as an adult, can have one as an office chair

-Will

Edited 2 June, 2011 by wills

[RobL]

I strongly agree with testing too, we have used our local Mothercare twice now to try a bunch of seats for other cars. I am very interested in the Recaro from the comments on this thread and it's online reviews. He's a little small for it right now but I think we'll be testing that one for sure in a month or two. I'll have to see if there's a store in the local area where we can try it out, mothercare is web exclusive on that one unfortunately. We're in north west england, near Southport.

Edited 2 June, 2011 by RobL

[gadgetman]

Totally OT but the Kiddicare store in Peterborough is amazing and one of the few places I actually don't mind going to when shopping with my partner. There's all sorts in there and they even sell GIANT car seats so you, as an adult, can have one as an office chair

-Will

Giant car seats eh? Will keep an eye out next time I go.

Another Northamptonshire member. Seems we're breeding on here lately!

[pipsyp]

Depends on the age of the child I suppose. We've just had a baby and bought a MaxiCosi Cabriofix with the Easyfix base. Works great in the Fabia, only pain is that the Isofix fittings are hidden behind the cushion and not on easy to access mounting points like some newer cars. The base does come with mounting guides but you dont really need them.

Probably will go Recaro when the time comes for a bigger seat, something that will last them to the very end.