Car seat advice please...

[melbourne groover]

My just about 2yr old is (I think) growing out of his car seat. He is in a britax 0-4yr old one currently but is on the top hole for the straps and is starting to stick out the top.

I need to get him a new seat but am now freaked out by the Which reviews about the multi group car seats (i.e. ones that can be used with a 5 point harness and then moving onto the seatbelt.

Has anyone else had this issue with a very tall 2 year old, and what seat did you go for?

Thanks very much,

Amy

[sanity girl]

How tall is he? My daughter has just about grown out of her maxi cosi tobi at almomst 4 years old and about 1m tall. She is now using a britax kidfix which uses the seatbelt and is tall enough to use until they reach the height required by law to still use car seat. If you want to come and try him in the tobi to see if it's bigger you are welcome, as it's currently stored in our under stairs cupboard waiting for no. 2 to grow into it!

[curlykaren]

we had the same problem. In the end it seemed more sensible to be guided by weight and height measuresments than age range so we got a britax (cherry I think???) from Halfords. As long as they are heavy enough and the seatbelt crosses their body in the correct position then the seat fits.

[damzel]

Yes, we had the same problem with my tall daughter. On the The Nappy Ladies advice, I went to a shop in Petts Wood to discuss what we should do as I thought she might be too young to move away from the 5 point harness. They were very helpful. They told me that as she was so tall, it was safer for her to be in the next seat up with the normal seat belt rather than the 5 point when her shoulders were over the top belt holes.

I have to say, I wish we'd done it sooner as it's so much easier getting her in and out of the car!

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,566981,566981#msg-566981

[sanity girl]

If you decide to go for the older age group seat option, the britax kidfix is very good if you have isofix in your car. It is one of the Which best buys and feels very secure. I got mine online - just googled to find the cheapest price.

[melbourne groover]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I have just measured him and he is just under 1m (maybe 98cm, was a little hard to get him to stay still) and around 15 or 16kgs. I will re-evaluate him in his seat and also give the guy at Petts Wood a call. I am really keen for him to stay in the 5 point harness at the moment as am very dubious about putting him just in the across body strap at his age, not sure I wouldn't suddenly find him sitting next to me in the front... My daughter (also tall) went into a Maxi-Cosi Rodi(I think) at just before 3 and was fine but a year older.

Sanity Girl - Thanks very much for the offer of trying the seat, I may take you up on it after talking to the shop!

[snowboarder]

Hi there - I've been wondering about this too - Little sb is in one of the group 0 - 1 seats which is supposed to cater until he's 4 but it looks unlikely - I was wondering about looking at the next 'combination' size up (9m - 12 yrs supposedly) which can work with 5 pt harness or similar AND without - so would maybe be bigger?

These look funky but am unsure whether they would cause extreme crossness. Practically had to karate chop the child into his car seat the other day after 20 mins of battling in the rain in sainsburys - this might be easier?!?

[melbourne groover]

Hmm yes, have seen these but think you may have had to introduce them from a younger age.

Re. the ones that work with the harness and without they all either get a Do Not Use on Which or a low safety score. There is no way he could be trusted with just a lap belt. Arrghhh....

Plan to call the Petts wood expert tomorrow, will report back!

[ljs]

Hi there we bought this car seat for our daughter and she loves it. It so easy to transfer between cars too. When mu younger son is big enough we shall move him into one of these as well...

Kiddy comfort pro