None Shite Question - Babyseat - HELP PLZ!

[Mr Lobster]

Right, help please from the parenting shiters please.Due to our imminent arrival, we bought a 'travel system' which includes car seat. So I thought as it's going to be needed in another week or so to make sure I know how it fits and what have you.This is where the problem started.I cannot for the life of me get the bastard to fit. It appears that when fitted in the back the seatbelt is too short by about 10cms. I've seen seatbelt extenders and such but guess they are more for fat people than holding in car seats?Also, with it in the back the front seat has to go quite a long way forward which isn't ideal either Car is 2004 SEAT Toledo, seat is SilverCross Ventura Plus.It will fit in the front but tbh I'd rather have it in the back.Advice please, ta!

[pompei]

We've had a variety of seats for the infant in Mrs P and my car and I've not been able to fit any of them However Mrs P is a dab hand though that's no help to you.The last one we got was from Halfords and they fitted it. Maybe you could try the retailer you got it from? If not, maybe a kind person at Halfords might offer some advice? I think they have training in these matters?Good luck!

[Timewaster]

When I sold car stuff, for years I was getting asked for seat belt extenders and telling people to sod off cos they don't exist.

Then I discovered:

http://www.securon.co.uk/fitting/extras/seat_belts_extenders.htm#227

 

Any shop or factor that deals with FPS (and that is most) can get them.

[Espacetic]

Thats a rearward facing seat only designed for front seat use.

[warren t claim]

Does it not have ISO (I think) fixings?

[Lankytim]

I too have a travelsystem and find the seat only just fits in the back of the Audi and Volvo. Its so close I think if the belts were an inch shorter it wouldnt go in.Its still a bit of a pain to fit. If you try to fit it the most logical way, i.e lap strap first then the rear part afterwards it just wont fit. You have to tilt the seat forwards to get the belt round the back and then do the lap strap afterwards (if that makes sense)

[dieselnutjob]

looking at the picture there seem to be some fitting on the front of the seat, kind of underneath.The normal way to fit a baby seat is that the lap belt goes over the top and then the shoulder belt goes right round the back.On many car seats you can run the lap belt underneath instead, and I am wondering if that it what those fittings on the front are for.If the lap belt isn't going over the top then that will liberate nearly a foot of belt length.As for not having enough room in the back, that's because your car is too small I'm afraid.

[dieselnutjob]

okay

I found some other pictures and I think that clip on the front is probably to clip it to the travel system chassis.

I think you're stuffed I'm afraid (hope I'm wrong)

My parents have a Toledo of similar age and I think we struggled with kiddie seats in that too, because the belts were too short.

Can you get a refund on that travel system and buy one that will work with a short belt? The one my kids had will.

Also, those travel systems are damned expensive and you'll probably only get a year from it.

I know that you can convert then to a toddler think but your wife will get pissed off with the size and weight of it, then you'll just by a cheap stroller anyway. Believe me you will.

personally I eventually settled on a baby seat that was just a baby seat and strapped it permanently into the car. That then leaved you able to buy something else for pushing the baby to the park etc.

The best best way is get this stuff off of a trusted friend or relative whos baby has gotten too big and often you can even buy brand new covers for them.

[dieselnutjob]

the product I had was something like this

http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/first-class-plus

I think mine was the older model

My brother in law now has it in his Focus

You can use it birth to four years so it's much better value.

Because the belt doesn't have to go over the top (it goes through the chassis) is it doesn't have to be as long.

Don't buy anything without trying it on your car first though.

The other thing was that I never trusted my wife to get the belts right on baby seats. I met her coming home a few times and saw how she had done it......

The ones that just stay in the car are a bit safer IMHO from that perspective because once they're in they're in. Depends on how good your wife (or husband, I don't know you) is at this kind of thing.

 

I never understood my wife in this respect, in fact Spaniards in general. They are sooo careful about what the kids eat, what they wear, and all that other stuff, and then they'll drive down the motorway at 100mph with no child restraint at all! or take them out and hold them because they're crying a bit. Doesn't make any sense to me

[Mr Lobster]

Hurrah! Sorted Thanks for all the advice. I had another look at it and couldn't work it out. So, given that the sales person assured me it would fit in the back of the car I drove up to Mothercare and got them to show me how.Now fits perfectly. Turns out I was doing it wrong and trying to fit the belt where the belt is not supposed to go.

[Hudsonpie]

This can be a right faff, we had the same problem after buying a "travel system". It was a right bugger to fit and it never seemed right, also when our first one came along we were changing cars quite alot and that just made things worse...as I like to run the belt through the chassis. We ended up borrowing a proper seat thingy that seemed to fit better and that was the end of it. TBH I'm glad they've grown up a bit as life definately gets easier. Also any one notice how much more aware of other peoples shit driving you are when the kids are in the car...?

[dieselnutjob]

no, I'm an arrogant grumpy bastard all the time

[504GL]

no, I'm an arrogant grumpy bastard all the time

Ditto