I'm expecting (well the wife is) the pitter patter of tiny feet in the next couple of months. After the hilarious task of finding a pushchair/pram that will fit in the boot of the car and also offer the luxury of space for a couple of shopping bags as well, I am now on the lookout for buying a car seat. Ideally I want the type where you can use the seat you can carry about as well (you know the one I mean).

Not having a great deal of success as either the seat belts aren't long enough or the base does not fit properly. Anybody had this bother before and got solutions before I go back to dealer for a hint. Graco seems to be the only solution I have found so far but cant find a nice looking one.

Suggestions greatly appreciated (if you cant already tell, this is our first so got a million and one things to do).

Went with a Hauck rear-facing child seat - getting the seatbelt to reach round is quite a struggle, but if you pull the seatbelt right out then fit it around the seat and then pull it tight it's pretty doable. That then came out and could be clipped onto the base as part of a travel system...

Not sure if the Fabia has shorter rear seatbelts than the Octy though?

Rob.

We went to Mothercare and were allowed to play with each one and practice fitting them in the car. The one's you're after are the travel systems and we ended up with a Mothercare own brand one after a lot of playing and some research on Which? We then bought the matching buggy that the car seat slots into - surprisingly (or not!) the seat to push chair fittings weren't universal! I believe the Britax website also has some fitment guides for various cars so that might be useful.

On a side not, we found 1 buggy that would go easily in the Fabia boot, but realised that it didn't leave room for shopping or baby's bags, etc so we ended up chopping the car in for a family one. I'm still amazed how much space everything takes up

Chris

Would have thought Halford's have a good range, and should be able to give fitting advice and let you try a few in the car, even if you don't end up buying from them in the end.

Its a few years since I had car seats (boys are 8 and 6 now), but one thing I wish I had gone for is a seat with a "Z" shaped kink in the handle, which makes carrying it round a lot easier (more natural arm/wrist position), especially as the child gets heavier. Not sure if they all have these now??

I have the mothercare travel system, which comes with a car seat. I opted for the car seat base (extra £30) which is permanently fixed, via the seat belt, to the back seat and then I just clip the car seat in and out.

Works a treat. I'll get some pics up!!

Go to Mothercare, Halfwits or Toys R Us. Choose the right seat, then go home, and go to www.kiddicare.com. Place order, next day delivery and much much cheaper than the usual suspects.

Oh also check out which? as some of the tests on some brands are frightening...

Seb

I bought the Jane system. Fits a treat.

2nd vote for Jane - used a local retailer (but now available in mothercare??)

bought Jane power 360 pram & rebel car seat - superb bits of kit - front disc brake and swivel front wheel make it a piece of p*** around town and it won't run away with you downhill

now littl'un is 2 we've got a Britax Rennaissance cos it's got a built in idiot proof seatbelt tensioner that even the grand parents can cope with!! nicely buit and bought from the kiddicare site

HTH

Dan

We got our Graco full travel system from Mothercare, this included the pram, car seat, raincover and a base for the car seat.. oh and a bag for the bargain price of £125 as it was the last one they had.

At the time we had a Saxo VTR so we tested everything to make sure it would fit before we bought it (the saxo is smaller than the fabia). The car seat base is a must.. makes getting the seat in and out of the car much easier although it doesn't sit absolutely perfectly in the sports seats in the vRS it's still in securely and beats having to mess about with the seat belt every time.

And children can grow fairly quickly and will soon out grow whatever u buy, we're amazed at how much our second is growing compared to our first, he's 5 months old now and on to 9-12 month clothing.

Sounds like we got the same kinda kit Blade.

We got that little lot plus and extra base for the kiddie seat for £139.99 in Mothercare. Basically a renamed Graco travel system. Really good quality and having the base that is secured by the belt means we can just swap the seat between our two cars.

That's almost identical!! except ours is orange and grey (missus loves the colour orange)... and i agree that car seat base makes life soo much easier!!

Hi

spend ages searching for right seat (My wifes a nursery nurse so it had to meet the requirements) anyway settled on this one. Comes in great colours that will match you seats.

http://www.maxi-cosi.nl/pdf/brochures/UK/cabrio.pdf

Once loaded with baby it can weigh quite a lot. Arms like Arnie but we were very happy with it. Quite expensive but you pay for quality.

Hope this helps.

Ian.

It's getting hard to get our 7 month old twins into and out of their first seats now.

Time for the next step up!

I've got an Octavia VRS and the missus a cooking Fabia and we use the Mamas and Papas travel system. This is the one where you strap the base of the seat into the car and then click the seat in and out. Extremely good. Pushchair fits into the rear of the Fab with 2/3 of the rear seat folded down, thus allowing another passenger in the front and shopping bags dotted around Jnr and the pushchair. Seems to work well, although Mamas and Papas should be renamed Monkeys and Plebs - good product, crap service.

Tim

This is the one where you strap the base of the seat into the car and then click the seat in and out.

Thats what mine does. My sister bought the Mammas and Pappas travel system and having tested both she actually prefers ours, despite the fact is was about a 1/4 of the price.

It's getting hard to get our 7 month old twins into and out of their first seats now.

Time for the next step up!

Soon comes round.... been like a trip down memory lane reading this thread.

I remember spending the best part of Saturday afternoon in Mothercare's car park testing the of numerous "Junior Auto Transport" devices in the back of the car ...... Just the booster seat now (Thank god )

Just the booster seat now (Thank god )

And they have to have that now upto 11 years old (or 5ft).

It's getting hard to get our 7 month old twins into and out of their first seats now.

Time for the next step up!

We have twins (4yrs old now) and went from the Mother care baby seats to Maxi Cosy Priory car seats that cover them up until 4yrs old. They have worn very well, have a really easy seat belt system and where very secure.

Best of all, they came in a nice neutral charcoal / black with velour side bolsters and washed up a treat.

Well reccomended

And they have to have that now upto 11 years old (or 5ft).

Sure do.... wallet sure appreciates it !!!!

We have the Graco seat with bases in each of the Fab vRS and the Laguna and it's an excellent easy system to use. I can't believe anyone buys the sort of seat which has to have the seatbelt threaded through it every single time they remove it from the car.

That said, you could probably buy two cheaper seats for the price of a Graco seat + 2 bases, so that's an equally credible alternative.

We will be looking for seats for >6mths soon - anyone suggest anything good? I've not seen any larger sized seats with the separate base idea - doesn't that happen on the larger seats? In which case, we'd have to buy 2 and we don't want them too expensive.

Thanks for everyones suggestions on this. I went to a local baby shop after being recomended by a friend and ended up buying the Jane Carrera system (after a couple of recomendations for Jane on this thread). Folds down to next to nothing size (well ... when compared to other prams anyway) so leaves space for shopping, babys stuff. Car seat works as standard and also as lay flat system which then connects to both rear seatbelts. Very happy however one downside is its a bit heavier than others when carrying seat about shops. Better start the weight training me thinks !!!

I had to have a baby in the back of my Fabia yesterday. The seatbelt only just fits and the front seat had to go forward, a bit annoying if I had to do that everyday.

Does the vrs have isofix points?

Yes it does we looked at this option.

Personally I'd go with isofix but I'm concerned with how much space a seat will take up in the Fabia, hence my reason for looking at the Golf Plus, which obviously has plenty of room.

I don't want to have to fold any seats down when carrying a baby seat and a pram/pushchair in the boot, any there any options available to me? If one section of the backseat is folded flat then you risk items in the boot entering the cabin space, I'd rather not take the risk.

I fear I'm going to have to trade the VRs :(

Des