Cheapest, safest car seat and buggy for Granny's house 27 December 2014 at 12:46AM in MoneySaving mums 10 replies 2.9K views

Grannyb_2

Hi, I've recently become a granny for the first time (and have another one on the way due in March). I want to get a car seat and buggy to keep at our house but don't want to spend too much as they will only be used occasionally. I've no idea where to start - can anyone help?

kingfisherblue

Congratulations - I became a granny last week.


I bought a buggy from Aldi during their baby event. It's suitable from birth and cost £22.99. I saw it reduced a couple of weeks later to £14.99. The chances of a store having leftover stock is probably remote, but it's worth looking. Otherwise, consider a pram from Freecycle.


I can't help with a car seat recommendation yet, as my daughter is using one from a travel system. She bought Joie from Toys R Us, and the pram and travel seat cost £150. It's red and black. I think there was a cheaper travel system that cost £120, same make.


The thing with car seats is that you have to make sure they fit properly in your car. My daughter had to buy a special plate to clip the seat to (another £40 I think). So it's best to go to a shop that will help with fitting, such as Toys R Us, Mothercare, or Halfords. I would never get a second hand seat in case it has been in an accident, although I am happy with other items that have been used (mattresses and bottles are the other main items that I would buy new). So for a car seat, I don't think anyone can recommend one in particular, as we don't know if it will fit your car.


Hope you find what you need x

GwylimT

Babies shouldn't be in traditional car seats for more than around two hours at a time, babies under six months are best suited to completely flat car cots, britax do one but I'm sure other companies do as well. As these are lay flat they are the only suitable travel system for young babies.

Some makes of car seats have for information on their website so if you can see that the car seat fits, you do however need to see if the seat has been crash tested in your car. Personally I would never allow some idiot from the likes of mothercare etc to fit a seat in my car, they are not appropriately trained in the fitting of each seat, I've witnessed mothercare fitting a car seat in the front of a car, apparently it was somehow airbag proof!

loubel

Your best bet would be to go for a multi stage car seat to last the little one for several years. It might cost a little more up front, but you won't then have to swap it for another seat after a year so cheaper in the long run. Definitely get the seat fitted to your car though. All the big stores, Mothercare, Toys R Us, Halfords have staff trained to fit car seats.

Grannyb_2

Thanks everyone. For the car seat I'm contemplating the Joie i-anchor i-size combination seat which should last until they're about 4. It seams to have a good safety rating but I can't find any user reviews - can anyone help?

Timeflies

Grannyb, your local library will have a which? subscription, so you can look up any reviews you want in the library- either on their computer or your own device, using their wifi.

Grannyb_2

I found some good reviews of the Joie i-anchorsafe system so have bought it. All I have to do now is buy a buggy/stroller! I do have a subscription to Which? but there isn't much on buggies/strollers under £150. I'm toying between buying a new Joie Mirus (I'm getting a bit obsessed with Joie!) or a second hand M&P Sola. Any advice is very much welcomed.

Gillyx

Sola is a brilliant pram, I'd Defo go for one if you can get a good price. I had a mamas and papas mylo which is similar and I'd recommend that too

Kynthia

GwylimT wrote: »

Babies shouldn't be in traditional car seats for more than around two hours at a time, babies under six months are best suited to completely flat car cots, britax do one but I'm sure other companies do as well. As these are lay flat they are the only suitable travel system for young babies.

Some makes of car seats have for information on their website so if you can see that the car seat fits, you do however need to see if the seat has been crash tested in your car. Personally I would never allow some idiot from the likes of mothercare etc to fit a seat in my car, they are not appropriately trained in the fitting of each seat, I've witnessed mothercare fitting a car seat in the front of a car, apparently it was somehow airbag proof!

Did the Mothercare staff member say it was airbag proof as that would be odd. Otherwise if you just witnessed them fitting it in the front then for some stages it is fine to be there as long as the passenger airbag is switched off, and in many newer cars you can do this easily.

GwylimT

Kynthia wrote: »

Did the Mothercare staff member say it was airbag proof as that would be odd. Otherwise if you just witnessed them fitting it in the front then for some stages it is fine to be there as long as the passenger airbag is switched off, and in many newer cars you can do this easily.

You are not allowed a baby seat in the front seat with an airbag turned off as it can still deploy. Rear facing seats should also never go in the front even if the car seat is far enough back to be outside the deploy zone of the bag.

Kynthia

GwylimT wrote: »

You are not allowed a baby seat in the front seat with an airbag turned off as it can still deploy. Rear facing seats should also never go in the front even if the car seat is far enough back to be outside the deploy zone of the bag.

You are definitely allowed some rear facing carseats in the front of a car when the airbag is turned off and even some forward facing ones when the airbag is still active.


http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/choosing-using/faqs/#faq7