Isofix car seats

[nipper]

I want to buy two new isofix car seats for my car (Vauxhall Zafira). Expensive I know but it enables me to slide the middle row forwards without having to slacken off the seat belts holding the car seats in place. Only Zafira owners will now what I mean:panic:

I feel awful for saying this, but I recently bought a pair of second hand isofix car seats off ebay, but have decided not to use them because the straps are really hard to tighten and loosen. I would never normally have done this but isofix car seats are just so expensive:blush:

[supermumy]

Will be watching this as I also have a zafira (07) and find it hard to get a carseat to sit right let alone as you say the moving chair :)

[hectors house]

Can someone please explain how isofix seats work - my daughter has a graco car seat stage 0, with a baseplate in her car - do I need to have the baseplate when using her car seat in my car or can I just use seat on its own?

The car I bought in Nov says Isofix on labels on the back seats - but what does this mean? - I am just using my normal stage 1 & 2 car seats secured with normal seat belts - but am collecting new grandson on Friday, so need to know his seat will fit in my car.

Also my daughter's graco baseplate can other stage 0 car seats be clicked into it or is it just for Graco and could I buy a Graco baseplate? - although lo is growing so fast that not sure he will be in this seat for long.

I am such a dinosaur when it comes to car seats that I still remembering having to drill holes in our car to fit carrycot restraints when we had first daughter!

[Helen79]

I'm saving up for some Jane Montecarlto (http://www.mothercare.com/Jane-Montecarlo-Plus-Isofix-Highback-Booster-Car-Seat---Carbon/323953,default,pd.html) plus isofix seats. They come with an extend booster cushion to be used form 9 months instead of a 5 point harness so you can use them for 9months-12 years without having to re-fit the adult belt every time.

They're expensive but going to be so worth it not having to mess around with car seats every time we get in the car.

[nipper]

Hectors House have a look at this

What is ISOFIX? BRITAX experts explain | Isofix Car Seats (http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/isofix)

It might tell you what you need to know.

As far as the car seat with the base plate is concerned, I would have thought it was the base plate which attached to the isofix mountings in your car seat and not the car seat. Is it a stage 0 baby carrier?

Isofix car seat particularly Group 2 & 3 car seats have metal arms protruding out at the back which securely clip onto the metal bars at the very back of your car seat (basically where your bum is when you sit down). The idea is that they are clamped onto the subframe of the seat, rather than using the seat belts running behind to stop it moving from side to side. If you part fabric of the seat in your car, you will find two small rails about an inch long. All cars with isofix fixings are identifiable by a label somewhere on your seat cover.
They are just so much easier, particularly with the Vauxhall Zafira because the whole middle row slides forward to allow access to the rear two seats.

As far as your grandson is concerned, his Group 0 baby seat should fit with your seatbelts alone, but your daughter might want it secured with the baseplate so she might need to let you have those as well. If you can I would ask her to fit it into your car for peace of mind all round.
I think the Graco baseplates only fit Graco carseats unfortunately. They are expensive aren't they, unless she is thinking of having any more little ones!
HTH

[nipper]

I'm saving up for some Jane Montecarlto (http://www.mothercare.com/Jane-Montecarlo-Plus-Isofix-Highback-Booster-Car-Seat---Carbon/323953,default,pd.html) plus isofix seats. They come with an extend booster cushion to be used form 9 months instead of a 5 point harness so you can use them for 9months-12 years without having to re-fit the adult belt every time.

They're expensive but going to be so worth it not having to mess around with car seats every time we get in the car.

Helen, slightly intriguing, but is that the Xtend attachment that you put in front of the smaller child whilst they are sitting in it? I need Isofixes that fit from 6-9 months onwards as well as 1 and 2 year olds. I was wondering how the extend works?

[nipper]

My Italian isn't so good but I've just looked on Youtube!

Amazing!

Scaun auto copii Jane Monte Carlo R1 cu Xtend - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXpSt9zAUf4)

[Helen79]

Helen, slightly intriguing, but is that the Xtend attachment that you put in front of the smaller child whilst they are sitting in it? I need Isofixes that fit from 6-9 months onwards as well as 1 and 2 year olds. I was wondering how the extend works?

Yes the booster cushion goes in front of the child up til about 4 years I think, then they just use the normal seatbelt. The kiddy website (http://www.kiddy.de/en/kiddy-child-safety-car-seats-baby-car-seats-child-seats-with-the-original-impact-shield-for-maximum-safety.html) shows how the booster cushion part works.
Not sure if the kiddy seats are isofix though and when I was comparing them, the Jane seat was narrower so would fit in my car better.

[bindy]

These kind of seats have ben around in the USA for donkey years. Takes a little time for kids to get used to having something around their tummy but they are very safe!