Car seats - again!! (sorry)

[keelie_b]

Hi
Sorry im afraid its me again.

Im really struggling with buying a carseat.
Obviously safety is my number one priority, but looking at carseats over the last few days i've discovered that they range from £50 to £300 for the same sort of thing.
Whats the difference? i was recommended a maxi cosy one which are roughly around £100 but then am i just paying for a name?
Is it the sort of thing where i need to spend at least £100-£200 to ensure i get something decent and safe or are the £70 ones just as good but without a brand name on the side?

My next question is which do you prefer seat belts or isofix connections?
Which is safest? which is easiest?
Thank you, sorry to be really thick and ask everything sooo many times but i dont want to get this wrong when its so inportant.

Thanks xx

 

[Bee]

Your best bet is to go to a pram centre and try the car seats out in your car and to pick them up. They weigh differently and can be heavy. Pick the one that suits you but remember you will be changing to the next one at around 20 odd lbs or 9 months in age.

I had a M&P one that fit into my car with a base that was held in with the seat belt then the belt looped over the back of the car seat. Tbh it was a bit of a pain doing that everytime and I found the car seat heavy without LO in it nevermind with him in it.

Sadly we were in a car crash so I had to replace the seat and decided on a ligher one. I got a Maxi Cosi one as it was much lighter to carry especially with LO getting bigger. This one clips onto a base thats held in the car by the seat belt and that it. No seat belt looping round the actual seat. There is a bar to the floor that supports the base more.

I didn't get isofix as I wasn't sure if my new car would have it, hadn 't bought the new car by the time I bought the new car seat, and OHs car doesn't have isofix points. You can only really get isofix base if your car has the points.

 

[Sherlock]

Ditto what Bee said really.

Also consider if you want an infant carrier that will fit with your pram (and travel system) and goes in and out of the cae or a stand alone car seat that remains in the car permanently.

We opted for a stand alone car seat and skipped the infant carrier totally. We loved our travel system but didn't like or want the infant carrier that came with it. So for us spending £120 on a Britax Ultra Si car seat was worth it. It also is a 0-4 years of age one.

Make sure whatever happens you try them out in your cars. Not all car seats fit all cars.

Also if you have Isofix points it may well be easier to get an Isofix car seat. You'll see what they are all about when you go try them out.

 

[Magic Monkey]

Ditto what the others said too.

Isofix is def the safest, but you have to have the points in your car, if you do then it is best to get a seat with isofix but I would def recommend getting a base either way as it makes life so much easier. I have the Maxi Cosi and even if you leave it in the car, you would have to re seatbelt it in each time as you can't get LO in and out with the seatbelt across it.

Isofix also makes life easier if you plan to use more than one car - I use mine, OHs and my parents and we just clip it in to each one in a matter of seconds.

ETA: I really recommend reading the Which? guides you can join for a couple of quid for a month long trial, then cancel and it costs you no more. They have road tested and crash tested most of the more popular brands so you can see if it is worth buying an expensive one or not. I can't remember which infant one was safest - it was the Maxi Cosi if you went for isofix, but something else if you didn't.

 

[Naterjack]

Can i just add that whilst Isofix maybe the new "safest" thing, it doesn't fit all cars AND you've got to think that families for years have done fine with the seatbelt fittings or normal base

I decided not to spend the extra £60 off quid on an isofix base but got slated by someone for being uncaring and irresponsible, it really got me angry - was there a public outrage with car seats ?? did hundreds of kids get killed before we had Isofix ??? I dont think so - yes it may be slightly safer and easier but each to their own choice / budget

 

[Bee]

Can i just add that whilst Isofix maybe the new "safest" thing, it doesn't fit all cars AND you've got to think that families for years have done fine with the seatbelt fittings or normal base

I decided not to spend the extra £60 off quid on an isofix base but got slated by someone for being uncaring and irresponsible, it really got me angry - was there a public outrage with car seats ?? did hundreds of kids get killed before we had Isofix ??? I dont think so - yes it may be slightly safer and easier but each to their own choice / budget

I don't have an isofix base as I wasn't sure my new car would have it and OHs car doesn't have isofix points. It does have the points but personally I don't see the point in buying the isofix base now when he'll be going into the front facing seat in the not too distant future. The base I have does the same thing and is really secure! Can't move it at all

I certainly don't think I am uncaring and irresponsible for not getting the isofix base. There are options for bases for a reason. I hate it when people "have" to tell you their opinion on things.

 

[Magic Monkey]

I hope that I haven't upset anyone with my posts about isofix, if I have I apologise as I certainly didn't mean to, all car seats are incredibly safe, it is just that some are safer than others and no one is a irresponsible for choosing one over the other.

 

[cheryl]

I think if you plan to be taking your LO out and about in the car a lot then one which clips into a base makes life so much easier! We have a Graco travel system with a car base thing and its so easy to clip it in and out and straight into the buggy with no faffing about with seatbelts! Though it does easily work with seatbelts too so my mum can take him about in her car while im at work so it works great for us!

 

[Naterjack]

I hope that I haven't upset anyone with my posts about isofix, if I have I apologise as I certainly didn't mean to, all car seats are incredibly safe, it is just that some are safer than others and no one is a irresponsible for choosing one over the other.

Hey MM, don't worry, you didn't offend me at all the person who slated me upset me though and its bugged me ever since - just put it down to hormones

I do agree though that a click in base is a good idea though and after weighing up the pro's and cons we went for the cheaper base but the clip in one - its extremely easy to use - but if you aren't using the car seat as a travel system i wouldn't bother

 

[keelie_b]

hi again,

1 more quick question, i went to Halfords today to speak to a specialist and he told me that i cant get an infant carrier that slots straight in to my isofix points into my car, i would have to get an infact carrier compatible with an isofix base which then slots into my car.

Is that really right? the bases are between £60-£100. I know that isofix had the edge on being safer but like others have mentioned, people manage perfectly fine with a seatbelted carseat and will continue to do so with isofix being so new.

So when i see on the internet car seats with a title such as "isofix infant carrier" it actually means "infant carrier unless you spend an additional £100 on the base"?

Surely this cant be right. If this is the case i might just go for a more expensive seat belt one i dont know. I hope you dont mind giving me yet MORE advice but i cant help but feel im being conned into buying a base that i really dont need?

Thanks xx

 

[Bee]

Yip you need a base I'm afraid. But it means its in the car and easier to fix into the car rather than faffing about with the seat belt everytime

Personally I would get a car seat with a base. It doesn't have to be isofix even though your car has the points. My base isn't isofi and its just as safe. Its is secured tightly by the seatbelt thats clipped into it and a bar to the floor of the car.

 

[purple13]

i would honestly spend the money and get an isofix base & car seat. save money on clothes, toys, prams (buy from ebay / 2nd hand etc.) but IMHO spend what you can on ensuring that you get the best car seat compatible with your car that you can afford.

subscribe to which? online (i think you get 1 month free and you can cancel your subscription after that) and look up all the different car seats - they rate them all in safety and cost, having rigorously tested them all.

i think of it this way - if you spend £200 on a seat and go out in the car a couple of times a week until your baby grows out of the seat, you'll have spent an average of about £1.50 per journey on your child's safety. worth it? to me, yes.

and FWIW i don't have an isofix base. i'd have dearly liked one but my car doesn't have isofix points. i was left with the choice of selling my car and getting a less safe car with isofix points, or keeping my v safe car and using a seat without isofix. i chose the latter, but made sure that i bought the safest available non-isofix car seat. i will be spending somewhere between £200-£300 on the next car seat i buy as i intend to get a rear-facing til 4 years seat as they have been proven to be the safest.