33 replies to this topic

[Maffy]

Hi, I'm seriously thinking about swaping my very practical Audi A3 for a vx, my only concern is that occasionally I would have to take my 5 year old daughter out in it and was wondering if anyone on here has any experience of vx's and child booster seats? Is it possible?? Many Thanks Matt

[framauro]

I have considered taking my 7yo nephew out in the VX before, I also wondered about booster seats. In the end I chose not to:

READ THIS

[Guy182]

havent read any of the safety things but...

(obviously i did the seatbelt up..lol)



the seatbelt goes in that 'red' bit on the side and clamps in there

Edited by Guy182, 02 March 2007 - 04:00 AM.

[theotherjonnymac]

I take the kids out sometimes but normally they go in the boot! Seriously, I have used a booster seat for the 8 year old (midget!)

[loopylou]

has anyone put a baby seat in their vx? getting married next month and now my biological clock is ticking very fast (I'm 32 in may) finding it difficult to choose between vx and baby, at the moment the vx is still winning!!!! however if I could still use it with a baby it may change my mind!! Can't envisage me getting in and out whilst pregnant though, any of you guys got a beer belly that could be used for comparison??!!?

[pcmanning]

has anyone put a baby seat in their vx? getting married next month and now my biological clock is ticking very fast (I'm 32 in may) finding it difficult to choose between vx and baby, at the moment the vx is still winning!!!!

however if I could still use it with a baby it may change my mind!! Can't envisage me getting in and out whilst pregnant though, any of you guys got a beer belly that could be used for comparison??!!?

My wife is substantially over 32 and we have a 1yr old and another on the way - so plenty of time yet!

Do a search for "Baby Seat" - it's been discussed loads of times. Brief summary...

• Manual says no to child seats - not sure this has any legal standing and where insurance cover sits with it. But the law allows it. Symbol on drivers door shows it as a "no booster seats" type symbol.
• Booster seats are more of a problem - claims on one thread that the shape of the VX's seat is wrong to allow these to be safe.
• The seat belt tensioner may be an issue for direct use by children with boosters - but I think it's common to other cars (e.g. Zafira!).
• Child seats with integral harnesses should be OK if the previous point is an issue.

Personally I can't see any technical issue - if the seat fits the car and the seat belts are common to other cars and the cars safe enough for me to drive then why not. The nitty gritty seems to revolve about insurance claims w.r.t. the vauxhall disclaimer. Anyone got an Elise/Exige manual which says anything about this matter??

I would love to take my little 'un out in the VX - taking her to nursery would be cool! But so far haven't risked it - and I'd need yet another seat (Maxi-Cosi Priori FX don't look to fit) AND of course the Child on Board sticker.


Paul

Edited by pcmanning, 02 March 2007 - 11:05 PM.

[pcmanning]

PS: Digging on the SELOC forums... Lotus' current position on child seats is dictated primarily by our > legal department, and is as follows: > > ***************************** > Child Restraints > Lotus recommends that children are not carried in the Elise or Exige. > Accident statistics show that children are safer when properly > restrained in the back seats of cars, an option unavailable on these models. > If, nevertheless, a child is to be carried in the car, the following > notes are provided for guidance: > > WARNING: Children who are not properly restrained can be seriously > injured or killed in an accident. Any child who is too small to use > the standard seat belt should be properly restrained in a suitable child seat. > A larger child should be properly restrained with the seat belt. > > Infants: Infants who are unable to sit up by themselves, unsupported, > should NOT be carried in the Elise/Exige. > Small Children: A child who can sit up without support, should be > restrained in a suitably sized child seat. It is the vehicle user's > responsibility to ensure that the child seat is a satisfactory fit in > the passenger seat, using guidance provided by the child seat manufacturer. > The fitting instructions issued by the child seat manufacturer must be > followed strictly. > Larger Children: When a child becomes of a physical size whereby the > standard fitment lap and diagonal seat belt will fit satisfactorily, > with the belt positioned over the collar bone and against the centre > of the chest, this belt should then be used. If the belt touches or > crosses the child's neck, a suitable booster seat should be used to > allow correct belt positioning. Lotus recommends choosing a style > that allows the child to use the lap/shoulder belt directly, without a > shield. It is the vehicle user's responsibility to ensure that the > booster seat is a satisfactory fit in the passenger seat, using > guidance provided by the booster seat manufacturer. The installation > instructions provided by the booster seat manufacturer must be followed strictly. > Behaviour: It is essential that the behaviour of any child travelling > in the car is such that they remain correctly seated and belted, and > it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that this occurs. > Note that most child restraint systems are designed to be secured in > vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder > belt, and that children could be endangered in a crash if their child > restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle. > > ********************************** > > Lotus has no specific recommenation for a particular child seat, but > you may care to note that the seats of the Elise are narrower than most. So Lotus are basically happy to pass the buck to the owner!?! Paul

[MartinS]

I have a booster seat that fits perfectly and my 8 year old goes in the vx a lot. Martin s

[Chris C]

I have a booster seat that fits perfectly and my 8 year old goes in the vx a lot.

Martin s

Time to ressurect.

Can anyone name a booster seat that works in standard VX seats?

I bought one yesterday that was good an narrow on the bottom but the back is too wide and it means the booster is pushed a few inches forward off the back of the seat. Leaves a gap which is a)uncomfortable and b)probably not very safe at all

I'm talking about the base type booster cushions for older kids, not the whole car seat here

Cheers

[VIX]

The handbook says the use of child seats is not recommended.

[Jive]

Ive got a 7 month old girl and her Britax rock-a-tot-delux fits in perfectly, better than in the astra as it cant slide around in the seat. Also my brother in law (who is 5) has a britax booster seat (cushion part only) dunno what model but that fits very well too. P.S. i am not affiliated with or work for britax in any way , just get lots of nice hand me downs

[Chris C]

Ive got a 7 month old girl and her Britax rock-a-tot-delux fits in perfectly, better than in the astra as it cant slide around in the seat.
Also my brother in law (who is 5) has a britax booster seat (cushion part only) dunno what model but that fits very well too.
P.S. i am not affiliated with or work for britax in any way , just get lots of nice hand me downs

Thanks for the reply. I'm looking at it for a 5 year old, so if you can find out what model your brother in law has that would be great.

I have used a Graco intermediate seat (booster and back) which is OK but only because the back takes up the gap. Need just the base now.

VIX - Thanks, I have read all the safety info/arguments in depth. My VX is my daily driver and I need the capability to pick up my daughter in an emergency. It is only on rare occasions it will get used. The whole purpose of moving to a base only unit is that it can stay in the boot space 'just in case'.

Cheers

Chris

[cheeky_chops]

My no.1 son has gone in my VX since he was in a forward facing car seat. Seat fits better than either our honda accord or the rover shed as it is tighter width wise.

Which is safer, a 3 year old VX or a 11 year old rover? Given the pics i have seen on this forum of crashed cars in the last 5+ years (including pipsqueak being hit side on @ 30mph and (teatowel ?) being virtually head-on with a taxi @50+) i would rather me and my son be in a lotus tub

edit we have 3 britax elites

Edited by cheeky_chops, 26 May 2008 - 12:27 PM.

[Chris C]

My no.1 son has gone in my VX since he was in a forward facing car seat. Seat fits better than either our honda accord or the rover shed as it is tighter width wise.

Which is safer, a 3 year old VX or a 11 year old rover? Given the pics i have seen on this forum of crashed cars in the last 5+ years (including pipsqueak being hit side on @ 30mph and (teatowel ?) being virtually head-on with a taxi @50+) i would rather me and my son be in a lotus tub

edit we have 3 britax elites

Thanks cheeky_chops I am comfortable in my mind with using the seat too. The Elite looks like a good seat, but I am now after a booster that is just the base unit.

Has anyone found one that fits well? If so which model?

Cheers.

Chris

[cheeky_chops]

i am looking for a booster seat too - Ben is just 3 and over a metre Lanky git!

edit - search seloc, found this so far linky

Edited by cheeky_chops, 26 May 2008 - 07:59 PM.

[NickA]

As it is clear that the safety of a child in a child seat in a car like this is debatable, and people appear to be wanting direction to that one clear paragraph in a book somewhere that admonishes them of their responsibility to take the life of their child into their own hands when placing their child in such a car... I think the question that needs to be asked is "Has anyone had an accident in a VX220 who had a child in a child seat in the passenger seat at the time that has lived to tell the tale?"

[cheeky_chops]

As it is clear that the safety of a child in a child seat in a car like this is debatable, and people appear to be wanting direction to that one clear paragraph in a book somewhere that admonishes them of their responsibility to take the life of their child into their own hands when placing their child in such a car... I think the question that needs to be asked is

"Has anyone had an accident in a VX220 who had a child in a child seat in the passenger seat at the time that has lived to tell the tale?"

have you ever been called a drama queen?

[NickA]

I don't find stating the bleeding obvious dramatic at all mate - Do I take it that you disagree with my determination of what people were wanting within this post?

[cheeky_chops]

i would say asking "Has anyone had an accident in a VX220 who had a child in a child seat in the passenger seat at the time that has lived to tell the tale?" is bordering on the pathetic let alone dramatic - you are implying these cars are death traps and as a father, i (and others) are irresponsible

IMO (and its a educated guess), the reason that vauxhall/lotus relinquishes responsibility is that cars must be tested with child seats for them to say "go ahead". Its a expensive business. Why they dont have a NCAP rating? They dont because it costs alot of money. And that is straight from vauxhall marketing manager stu harris.

There is also a list on seloc's WIKI of what seats fit -http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Children - perhaps you should ask over there?

Edited by cheeky_chops, 26 May 2008 - 08:27 PM.

[NickA]

i would say asking "Has anyone had an accident in a VX220 who had a child in a child seat in the passenger seat at the time that has lived to tell the tale?" is bordering on the pathetic let alone dramatic - you are implying these cars are death traps and as a father, i (and others) are irresponsible

When people need to build statistics they take examples from the populace, real world evidence, and compile it.  My comment was merely in reference to obtaining at least one example of the event everyone here is trying to circumvent, they say forewarned is forearmed.  I fail to see how this was a pathetic statement, or dramatic, given that you have absolutely no evidence that a child seat ina VX is safe.  You even state yourself that it doesn't have an NCAP rating, exactly how is that arguing against my point?

I drive one, I most certainly wouldn't want to drive a death trap, perhaps this is your dramatic side appearing.  I am not a parent, but given the evidence presented in this and related threads if I were, I most certainly wouldn't want my offspring becoming a statistic in a untested vehicle.  The VX220 manual plainly states that they do no recommend anyone under the age of 12 travelling in it, it also states they do not recommend the use of a child seat it, this ends my point.

Mate, get yourself down to halfords or a shop that sells child seats and have them bring out each child seat in turn so you can fit it and see if you feel it would save the life of your child in a collision.

PS.  I think the comparison of this vehicle to older cars that you deem unsafe should be rethought out a little, considering the cars used as examples don't have anywhere near the acceleration that our VX's do..