Which toddler seat? Need to retrofit ISOFIX? Please help!
 

Hello, we're returning from living abroad really soon (where we don't have a car), and will be using my Dad's S40, T reg. At the moment we can't leave the airport safely with my 20 month old, and I need to ask the family to sort out the car seat issue! It doesnt have ISOFIX, but I have read it should be easy to retrofit. My brother called the dealer and they told him it only goes in the front!! Err no! It's getting a bit urgent now as we're due to fly back soon.

What seats will fit? I am really hoping to get a rear facing seat, as they are so much safer and we do a lot of motorway driving. I have been looking through manufacturers websites, but can't find a rear facing one that will fit. And mostly they have seats upto 15kg and then you have to change again. I'm hoping we can get one that will see her through to about 4 years old.

Thanks for any and all help!

My GF and I have been looking at car seats recently and for the ages you have mentioned all that we could see were forward facing. I think that the only rear facing one's are for 0 to 9 months.

http://www.rearfacingcarseats.com/
http://rearfacing.co.uk/buyersguide.php

these might help.

Antony

There is no need to retrofit ISOFIX for a car seat at all. I have a 14 month old son and his car seat fit's perfectly into the S40 rear seat and lock's in tightly with no movement at all using just the seat belt.

I bought this from Halfords

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165763

This will fit my son up to around 4 years old depending obviously on weight and size, generically fitting 'up to 4 years' is only a guideline remember.

I dont beleive this is a rear facing car seat that will go up to 4 years old, however that seat above WILL fit rear facing, my son's already been that way, it's a lever underneath that you can change to be between forward facing and rear, the Halfords lot do tend to be quite clued up on this which is remarkable considering other thigns thay havent a clue about.

Your best bet in my opinion is the above form of seat, not cheap but will last. It doesnt nessasarily need to be Britax but they are one of the most awarded makes of car seat. Also for a 20month old please do not take offence but I wouldnt have thought it wouldnt be suitable beign rear facing now, I think it's around 9KG that you are legally allowed to have a child facing forwards so your child must be over that now if my son is...though he is a big lad for his age.

I can take picture's of the seat fitted if you want any further proof but I highly recomend this seat, my son sit's comfortably, the 5 point harness will secure him enough but allows him to kick his feet, move his arms etc like holding a drinks container with ease.

According to our local motor store:
The defining factor in deciding if a child can sit in a forward facing seat is "if the child can sit up on his or her own then neck muscles are deemed strong enough to support weight of head in a forward facing impact".
Sorry if that's a bit blunt or upsetting, I'm just passing on what I think is useful info.
Regards.

That could be true, I was advised by the Halfords team that 'generally' a baby should as you say be able to hold it's head but also, be of a substantial weight as well to make best of the car seat around 9kg was the advice I was given by the lady who fitted mine.

Link below to some advice I found, it does mention 9kg weight.

http://www.mumsnet.com/guides/car_se...ne_months.html

To be fair as well just because a baby can hold it's head up doesnt mean it's neck muscles are strong enough to field a front facing seat 'impact'. Rear wise they wouldnt really move except into the seat, forward facing IMO is best left till as late as possible. I believe my son was around 8-8.5kg when we turned him round merely because 1) he could hold his head and 2) was pushing against the rear seat with his legs and distressing him,

Thanks for all the replies. I will check out the seats mentioned.

The rear facing/forward facing thing is a huge debate, and sorry it wasn't really one I wanted to start here. I don't know why in the UK we're encouraged to make them forward facing. In most countries, they are encouraged to keep them rear facing for as long as possible, and car seats are made that way. In Scandinavia, most kids are rear facing till 4 years old or so. This is because in the event of impact, rear facing is much much safer. Even in childhood, rather than babyhood, spines and necks are not as developed. But actually even for adults rear facing seats are safer - except that the driver needs to see where they are going obviously!

I have a travel seat (sitn'tstroll) that does not seem safe with just seatbelts, but has fitttings for LATCH (which I think is the same as ISOFIX?). Has anyone retrofitted? I'd prefer to get a better car seat eventually, but before we can do that, need to get home from airport and then shop!

I've previously had Isofix in both VW's and a Saab. The security of the mounting and the knowledge that its correctly fitted is very re-assuring. Seatbelts may be as good but in my own mind I would prefer Isofix.

My S60 had isofix retrofitted on one side for £50. I have a 6 year old in a booster seat and a 15 month old in an isofix seat so only needed one fitting. The britax seats both forward and rear facing are very well built and I would certainly recommend them. You may need some form of tether arrangement in the S40 to secure the isofix platform.

Good luck

ian