Which Car Seat for multiple cars?

[dts_boy]

my daughter is starting to outgrow her cabriofix baby seat so we are looking into a group 1 car seat with ISO fix.
Problem i have is we have 2x cars the seat needs to fit into - 2010 BMW 3 series m sports saloon and a 2006 Toyota Rav 4.
I popped into a Mothercare for a quick look yesterady and i was advised i have a very limited choice due to the sports seats in the BMW being narrow.
I have looked at a Britax DUO plus but any parents out there with real life advice - there is only so much to look at on specs!
I think we will have to take both vehicles to a store to try for fitting as i don't want to risk my daughter's saftey and she will be in this seat for a while

 

[JimmyMac]

We had the Carbiofix for our little one, in my wifes car (peugeot 3008) we opted to get the familyfix base so that it would make it easier for her to take the seat in and out. When using my car we simply used the seat belts to secure the seat in place.

We've now made the move to the next stage and due to having the base we opted to go for the Maxi Cosi pearl as we new it would fit perfectly and secure into the base. The plan then was that if we needed to move to my car it was simply a case of swapping the base over and slotting the seat in, easy!

However in the end what seemed convenient just wasn't. There were times when I was dropping the little un off in the morning with the grandparents and she was picking them up, which meant taking the seat out and leaving it there so the wife could fit it later on and overall the rigmarole just became annoying.

So in the end I just stumped up the cash and bought a second seat for my car, yes it was an extra expense but now everything is just so simple, no messing about, we just always have a seat in either car.

OVerall cost? well probably the best part of about £3-350, however like you say yourself, you can't put a price on your childs safety, knowing that the seats were installed correctly the first time and never need to be messed with gives me the assurance that its safely fitted every time we put her in it.

 

[Dave]

I thought the whole idea of ISOFIX seats were that they fit everything and did so properly and safely. Are Mothercare saying that despite being ISOFIX it still won't fit?

I find that rather strange to be honest. I've got an ISOFIX seat in the back of my 2004 series and though not sports seats it fits just fine, just as it did in a zafira and a scenic.

 

[dts_boy]

I thought the whole idea of ISOFIX seats were that they fit everything and did so properly and safely. Are Mothercare saying that despite being ISOFIX it still won't fit?

I find that rather strange to be honest. I've got an ISOFIX seat in the back of my 2004 series and though not sports seats it fits just fine, just as it did in a zafira and a scenic.

That's what I thought but mothercare were telling there are only two seats which will fit my bmw and the rav4.
I'm planning on taking both cars in to try seat in but surely an isofix seat is made to some kind of standard to work in any isofix car???

For a laugh I'm going to find out how much a BMW car seat will be as well!

 

[Rorifett]

Check out the Maxi Cosi website, select any 'new stage' seat with ISOFIX and choose your car from the list, it should show you all the possible seats you can put the car seat in.

Maxi-Cosi Car Seat Fitting (BMW - check it's the correct model etc)

Maxi-Cosi Car Seat Fitting (Toyota - Not looking so good, doesn't seem like it's been tested/confirmed but again check car details)

Obviously that's just the Maxi-Cosi chairs but should give you a rough idea.

*EDIT*

Doh, just realised the link has wiped my selections so you just get the standard page

 

[apul]

Best thing to do is try some in your cars. We've just gone for a britax with isofix after having maxicosi cabrio. So far the britax is looking good in the astra and apprently fits the mini as well.
We found a seat we liked tht fit out needs and had good reviews then checked it fit our cars.
Thee britax we got can fit with isofix or belt which is good just incase we need to use another car.

 

[IronGiant]

I thought the whole idea of ISOFIX seats were that they fit everything and did so properly and safely. Are Mothercare saying that despite being ISOFIX it still won't fit?

I find that rather strange to be honest. I've got an ISOFIX seat in the back of my 2004 series and though not sports seats it fits just fine, just as it did in a zafira and a scenic.

I originally thought that, but I think it means you can bolt any ISOFIX seat to the fixings, but it might not sit properly depending on the actual seating.

My wife's (X-reg) Megane cabriolet came with ISOFIX, but there were no seats available to fit at the time