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[webby23]

Hi Y'all

Bought our almost 3 yr old lad a new car seat yesterday, its a lovely Ferrari one (from Argos)

Just been in the back of our MV6 for the last hour trying to get the bloody thing secure, and I am still not happy with it.

The other seat, a Britax, felt nice and snug in there, nice and firmly fitted but with this new one I just cant seem to get it tight.

Our lad is just old enough for us to remove the 5 point harness and have it as a booster style seat with back and head support, in which case the 3 point belt just goes through some slots in the seat and thats that.

But it still feels loose !!!

Do you think I am doing something wrong

Is it normal for a seat like this to be a little loose and then lock up in the event of an accident as it should??

Is there anywhere I can go to have it fitted properly?? I tried Halfords already but they wont touch it as it isnt a seat purchased from them.......despite it being brand new!!!

Any advice, as always, greatly appreciated

Martyn

 

[Ghost]

We also had probs fitting kids seats in the car. they seemed a little loose but if you give them a good yank they only came forward as far as the belt would let it.
as long as youve followed the destructions and tryed giving it a good yank then it should be ok.

[TheBoy]

Soz, can't help, obviously.



But I do remember that better time before child seats, booster cushions and so on, not to mention all the other guff that parents are bullied into buying now...

[webby23]

No I agree TB, I remember many a time when i was stood on the transmission tunnel of my Dads Marina between the 2 front seats......

What were my parents thinking.......!!!

lol

[Jimbob]

Guessing you have

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0984401/Trail/searchtext>CAR+SEAT.htm

we have something not dissimilar, does the belt just slip through some holes in the back with nothing to actually grip it?

If so, will never feel as solid as the other type that clamps onto the belt.

Clamp or not, its the seatbelt mech that would hold it in an accident anyway.

I think its ok, providing a snug fit on the seat.

Most the other retailers check them in your car before purchase to avoid it doesnt fit arguments.

[Simon_Omega]

i used to sit on a cushion in a car with no belts when i was a kid,  how times have changed!
i had a bmw 540 sport last year and the rear seats popped up as boosters.  other omegas, you have to tug the belt, dont always feel secure but if the belt inertia stopper cuts in and seat holds, it should be fine

[Andy B]

It's a very long time now since we had need of car seats, but I used to find that in the Senator, Omegas being similar design, with two sculptured seats in the back, the frames would tend to lean towards the centre of the car. Lower spec cars, where the seat bases & backs were flat ie like my estate Astra, the kiddies seat would fit better. 

[webby23]

Guessing you have

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0984401/Trail/searchtext>CAR+SEAT.htm

we have something not dissimilar, does the belt just slip through some holes in the back with nothing to actually grip it?

If so, will never feel as solid as the other type that clamps onto the belt.

Clamp or not, its the seatbelt mech that would hold it in an accident anyway.

I think its ok, providing a snug fit on the seat.

Most the other retailers check them in your car before purchase to avoid it doesnt fit arguments.

Yes Jimbob, thats the one mate

 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

In a crash there are three imapcts, or 'decelerations'
1- The vehicle hitting the thing you've crashed into(or the thing that's crashed into your vehicle)
2- You impacting the interior/airbag/seatbelt
3- Internal organs impacting your insides eg:Lungs hitting ribcage

If your childseat is not properly restained because of a loose seat that increases the forces of 2 and 3 by a factor of, well, alot. If I wanted to be pedantic, you're actually adding a 4th impact - the childseat 'snatching' against the car seatbelts; before the child impacts childseatbelts, then internal organs.

Any childseat should be tight against the car seat, to eliminate these forces, or atlest reduce them to a minimum.

I know I sound like a scaremonger, but these are just well-documented industry facts, you could contacts NCAP, or MIRA who would tell anyone the same. If the childseat isn't working for you, then it's try another seat. Halfords and Mothercare (i think) show you how/fit them for free.

[webby23]

No I agree mate, thats not scaremongering thats the facts....

Annoying thing is that NO retailer we have tried (Halfords, Mothercare or Toys R Us) will touch the seat because they havent sold it, which I understand but its bloody annoying......!!!

 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

It intrigues me how hard to fit alot of seats are to fit 'webby' i did have a thought, perhaps some members with more experience of facelift Omegas could enlighten us...what about the feasibility of retro-fitting ISOfix?? I found a link to someone who's attempting such a thing on a BMW MINI, link below...

http://www.mini2.com/forum/interior-ice/135992-isofix-retrofit.html

Not sure if Omegas ever had ISOfix as an option, Vectra Cs did, Im sure...Food for thought, certainly.

[webby23]

Well if I cant get it fitted its going back to Argos under their refund policy and i will go to Mothercare and get the job done properly with one of their seats.....

Our 3 yr old loves Ferraris though and adores his new seat already so it will be a shame to return it.....

 :-?

[webby23]

Just read that Mini2.com thread regarding retrofit of Isofix and to be honest its sounds dodgy as hell to me and I would not even for a second risk our Little One for that......but thanks anyway for the lead mate

 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Oh, absolutely. I'm not even for a second suggesting anything 'dodgy'.

In years gone by, of course, you'd have pre-drilled holes for rear seatbelts, and there was nothing 'iffy' about retro-fitting rear belts. But that was then, I mean, we had a Labour government and rising unemployment!

I don't think anyone wants to insult your intelligence by saying the words 'are you sure you're doing it properly' but is there anything you might have missed, accidentaly done something in the wrong sequence? It does sound like a design that places form very much over function, though.

[webby23]

lol

Thanks for not insulting my intelligence or lack of......

 

No mate, seriously I have followed the instruction manual to the word, but just cant get it tight.

With the 5 point strap removed it flops about with just the Omega seatbelt through it.

Found a place in Ilkeston that may be able to check and properly install it for me, failing that I am taking back and going Halfords.