Well, we had a right palava today with our car seats.

We got the new car (Renault Grand Scenic) the other day and Lily is now big enough to go in the next car seat (little fatty). So, we went to Kiddicare to get a new one for Aimee so that Lily could be upgraded to hers and the new baby would get the Isofix Cabriofix seat that Lily currently has.

Well, our car has compartments under the floor on each of the footwells. It turns out that you cannot use an isofix or car seat with the leg as if you have an accident the seat will go straight through the floor!!!

So - what is the frigging point of making a family car, with isofix, when its impossible to use because of the bluddy legs on the seat bases - 99% of isofix all have the legs!

We then had the guy look at our existing Britax Prince (Aimee's current seat) and it turns out that the manufacturers made it wrong and put the belts on upside down!!!!!!! The service guys were fantastic and fixed it for free (even though we didnt even buy it from them).

But, they ended up fitting all of our seats properly and we got Aimee her new one... she is only 2.5 years old but is tall enough and weighs enough to go into a 2, 3 stage car seat which is just the booster (full booster with back) with the belt.

2 hours it took! But, at least the kids are nice and safe now.

x

I don't understand - how would the seat go through the floor?
We had the britax base, even the non isofix one has the leg...so they can't be used in that car either?!

Yep, apparently any seat that has the leg, cannot go in a position where there is an under floor storage compartment. They said that Maxicosi refuse to even test their seats in this scenario.

Unfortunately our car is full of them so the only place that our seat can now go is in the middle seat... on the base still, but the middle seat isnt isofix so its now fitted using the belt and the foot is on the floor.

Kiddicare were brilliant though and said that they had come across this problem before and actually spoke to Renault about it to check that the middle part of the floor was solid and they took full responsiblity and said it was ok.

x

Is it because the floor pan is thinner where the compartments are? Moot point for me anyway mines not got isofix so will stick with the evolva. Whats the weight on a 2/3 now? C is just over 10 kilos

15kg I think - Izzy won't be that til she is 3.5yrs old!

The rate Caelyn puts on weight she will probably be about 8

whats an isofix carseat?

One of the ones thats got the base with the little clips on it that clip into the attachments in the car

Yeah, its because the floor is weaker where the compartments are.

The weight is 15kg. She was spot on 15kg and also 100cm tall now so they said she is fine to sit in the 2,3 stage seat with a normal belt (my little baby is growing up so fast!). I was gobsmacked, as I didnt realise that and was actually going in for a different seat which was £120 more.

I was so impressed as they have weighing scales for babies and toddlers in there too!

x

ive still no idea what you mean

Katie, Most cars that were made in the last few years have metal hooks built into the car seats (normally in the back seats you will find two little hooks in the crease of the seat) so you can buy car seats where they clip into the hooks rather than having to secure them with the car seatbelt.

They are great if the car manufacturers dont balls up and make isofix seats and then footwells that you can put them on, lol!

x

Blimey she is sooooooooooooooo tall..not being rude but where the heck does she get her tallness from Must be daddy?!

Thanks for this. Weve got a picasso and theres compartments in there. Will be switching her base to the middle seat tomorrow x

Lisa wrote:

Blimey she is sooooooooooooooo tall..not being rude but where the heck does she get her tallness from Must be daddy?!

Lol!!! Well, he isnt tall either! He says its our best man (6 ft 4)! Pmsl!

James's brother is tall and so is his sister though, Aimee very much takes after James's sister so I think thats where she gets it from.

x

god that's awful that the car makers bother to put isofix points in when you can't even use it! what a waste and could be really serious!

I have to say I didn't find our isofix base very secure anyway (although ours had to be fitted with the seatbelts as we have an old car) as the leg kept moving. I was far happier once we moved Jamie into a different car seat