S3 owners with kids and car seats?

Kontraband

Kontraband

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Might be a bit of a strange question this but when my wife goes back to work apparently I'm going to have to take the perfectly clean and not at all messy bambinos to school.

So, to that end Im going to need car seats in my car! :sorry:

kids and my cars are like jager with redbull (to ref. a recent thread)

Anyway, I see there is a family pack thing from Audi, but wondered if there are any other S3 owners or A3 with leather owners that have an isofix seat.

What type you got? Is it a pain to move in/out? Do you have anything under it to protect the leather?? I bought a seat protector mat thing (rubber mat) for the missis' car and that seems to have been pretty good at looking after the leather.


So... anyone? What ya got?

TIA
 
Buy a Vauxhall Zafira, complete with crisps and chocolates mashed into the seats. Also make sure it comes with greaset hand marks all over the windows after numerous doodling sessions!

Sorry mate!

Mate of mine bought a second car, just to ferry his kids about, to save them messing the cognac leather in his 4-motion!
 
yeah, I kinda feel like that... thats why we got a freelander... which she now wants to change to a dodge caliber... so we could ferry kids about in hers. Maybe if I just start work earlier she'll have to take them!?!? ;)
 
Like your style mate, like it! The ex was bad enough in mine, feet on the dashboard, empty bottles on the floor, grrrrrr! Thats sorted now, as im now holding interviews for the next candinate lol!
 
I've got the Recaro ISOfix system. They make two seats, a profi plus (from birth to 13kg or approx 18 months) and an expert plus (suits children from 9 - 18kg or approx 9 Months to 4.5 years) which both fit the same base. When the base is fitted it doesn't touch the leather as it's supported on the two isofix clips at the rear and a foot rest at the front. I bought it from here which was the best price I could find.

MBA.jpg
 
I've got the Maxi Cosi Isofix seat we use this seat protector in Claires car http://www.johnlewis.com/230230353/Product.aspx we've had a baby seat in the car for the last 18 months wih no marks on the leather.

Fitting and removing the seat is simplicitiy itself. Much quicker and easier than a normal seat belt fitted one. You can't go wrong as there are 2 fitting markers that are red if the seats incorrectly fitted, when it is clicked in they turn green.

J.
 
Mitch78 uses the same system as me, works a treat!
 
My sons 5 years , he just has a STD child seat , belt hooks through the seat then round him!

Why does he always stand on the grass ( in all weathers ) before he gets in the car , leaving dirty/muddy foot marks all down the back of my seat on his seat , on the carpet, and the plastic sil as he's getting in and out? little toe rag! LOL

p
 
I use this when karting my nephew about..bit of a pain getting it past the buckets though!

large-topline-microfibre-black-silver.gif
 
marriedblonde said:
I've got the Maxi Cosi Isofix seat we use this seat protector in Claires car http://www.johnlewis.com/230230353/Product.aspx we've had a baby seat in the car for the last 18 months wih no marks on the leather.

Fitting and removing the seat is simplicitiy itself. Much quicker and easier than a normal seat belt fitted one. You can't go wrong as there are 2 fitting markers that are red if the seats incorrectly fitted, when it is clicked in they turn green.

J.
Click to expand...

Just bought one of these too, very impressed with how rigid it is when fitted and how easy it was to use

when we fit it into the wife's car I'll put a small pad behind the part that pushes against the seat just to protect it
 
I've got the Recaro Young Export Plus and base in my car, and the Maxicosi Priorifix in our Octavia 'family' car. Both are good seats, but the Maxicosi is more awkward to get in / out the car as the seat and base are all in one. If you need to take the seat in and out alot, I'd go for the Recaro

Recaro seat looks pimper and the fabric is plusher, but seems to rattle on the base alot, (which I need to look at when I get time!), which is annoying. Both are easy to attach a child to!

Maxicosi's isofix system is far better than Recaro's though - you can look at the colour indicators and know straight away that the base is still fitted correctly, which you cannot do with the Recaro.

In summary, they are both good seats, but I think that the Maxicosi just edges it for ease of use, if you can cope with the seat in the car all the time. I paid £180 for the Maxicosi (Boots.com had an offer on at the time) and £220 for the Recaro plus base form Stork Talk in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

HTH
 
nice one guys... thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
I'll have a look at them 2. Do you need to buy the seat and stand as seperates, or are they part of the package?? The way Im seeing it it looks like you need to buy both?


I didnt spread for the recaros myself so if I buy the child seat version does that allow me to say I have recaros?? ;)
 
That Recaro baby seat is too cute. IM NOT HAVING KIDS THO!

Kontra, you can say "i have the recaro seat"
 
Kontraband said:
nice one guys... thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
I'll have a look at them 2. Do you need to buy the seat and stand as seperates, or are they part of the package?? The way Im seeing it it looks like you need to buy both?


I didnt spread for the recaros myself so if I buy the child seat version does that allow me to say I have recaros?? ;)
Click to expand...

Hello Mate,

Can't comment on the Recaro one but the Maxi Cosi seat comes as one unit not seperates.

J.
 
Yeah... looks like the maxi ones about £200 and the recaro about £230


The maxi-cosi one looks more 'available' tho my 2 local kid places have both so I'll go check them out soon.
 
Kontraband said:
Yeah... looks like the maxi ones about £200 and the recaro about £230


The maxi-cosi one looks more 'available' tho my 2 local kid places have both so I'll go check them out soon.
Click to expand...

The ebay link I posted included next day delivery, if you want the black version it's a fiver extra. Nice seat, very well put together.
 
Im looking at the black/silver one in the recaro, but theres also a 'sport' one that goes thru all 3 stages apparently... which is 'cheaper'?!?!?


So many questions!
 
yeah, I think it is... nno now tho... and.... cause you said it floats! ;)
 
mattfinn said:
Thats sorted now, as im now holding interviews for the next candinate lol!
Click to expand...

I am in the same wavelengh... Funny thing is that I struggle to make up my mind... I have to ask references I am afraid and cross check with CV... lololol

Pedro
 
just been bargain hunting the recaro seats and they brought a new one out for me eldest and still use the expert plus for the little'un. I have been told though that recaro are bringing out a new 'user friendly' isofix base and its expected to be with the dealers in the next 4 weeks.

ANyway, will get the recaro ones and see how quickly I can get the new isofix base... probably use it without till it comes out?
 
You should be able to fasten it in with the seatbelts till you get the base. It might start to leave a depression in your leather as they are quite heavy. Keep an eye out!!
 
cheers John... have sent a mail to recaro to see if they will give me any info for sure on how long it will be.

As you say, I definately notlooking to make any dints in the seat... they are all over the wifes... so I know how bad they look!
 
I wouldn't worry too much about dents in your seats.
My A3 had 3 years of various different seats causing dents in the cloth/leather, there was no lasting damage at all.
 
well I'd prefer just to not take the risk. Although I can nothing for the resell value for the car, I like clean.
 
I found the A3 interior pretty kid proof, really.
The hard plastic backs to the front seats cope well with being kicked and covered in mud.
The cloth seats and cloth panels to the doors coped well with projectile vomit too (yes, it happened more than once ).
I just made sure I carried a can of 'vanish' upholstery and carpet shampoo.
Amazing stuff, the quicker you get it on the better the results and the quicker the smell goes away.

Now that she's older, you get some warning that she's going to be sick!
When I say warning, I mean "Dad, I feel a bit s...:puke:"

:sob:
 
Hi guys,

Thanks for the info above. Very useful.

Can any of you comment on how easy/hard it is to get the child seat in the back, if your S3 is equipped with the bucket seats? I think I can guess the answer, difficult.

My plan is to have a simple baby seat fixed in the back of my car. Which will remain there 90% of the time. Have a second seat in our Golf, which is easy to remove etc.

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

AL
 
Hi AL - long time no speak.

I looked at the S3 with buckets at the dealership with the sole intention of reviewing whether i would be able to get the two kids seats in the back.

My conclusion was that its almost impossible. I also was going to leave them in semi-permanently. With that plus actually reclining the S3 buckets being a pain was what helped me make the decision to order the S3 Sportback instead.

Its actually arriving Saturday Woooohoooo !
 
Hi Paul,

It has been a long time!! Glad to hear you are returning to the S3 clan!

Yep, it's very difficult getting people in and out of the back with bucket seats, never mind some cumbersome baby seat. I can't believe how big and heavy these baby seats have become! (I used to work in Halfords when I was a young lad)

Can't afford, in this climate, to sell the S3. Wife won't let me sell it actually, she loves it. So we will have to make do with what we have.

Good luck with the new car, bet you are really excited! I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Mine has been brilliant actually, not put a foot wrong. Only thing I can complain about is a rattle in the centre console which seems to have got worse, so that will need looking at. But not bad in two years of ownership.

Cheers

AL
 
Glad to hear you are returning to the S3 clan!
Click to expand...

Not as glad as I am mate I can tell you. Its been a long time coming but now that the house is almost finished the funds are now available.

The seats are heavy, especially if you end up carrying them around often from car to car. Plus the chances of catching your rear quarter add up when moving them around. I ended up leaving them in the wifes Golf 90% of the time.


We also have the maxi cosy system (as mentioned above) for the little one (18 months) and the eldest (nearly 4) uses her booster seat.

The seats do mark your leather though unless you protect them. I had some problems with the leather in the wifes Golf (especially off the booster seat on the front seat.) It doesnt matter now though as some idiot rear ended it and it got wrote off.

I think I'll be investing in some of those seat protectors for the S3.
 
Recaro Bucket seats with the isofix system in the back. Very good and because you can adjust the height of the isofix base it doesn't touch the leather. Took mine out to condition the seats at the weekend and there wasn't a mark on them. The only problem there is with them is due to the rear headrest sitting forward of the seat it is better to remove the headrest behind the Kiddy seat
 
ive had isofix there a bit of a pain dragging them in and out the car of the base the misses strugled a bit with it and if you dont use the base the carrier left dints in the leather i got a baby recaro seat from halfords for 160 quid it just stays in the car it looks awesome and is probly the safest seat around got head side padding the lot you cant take chances with you kids it also slightly reclines and you can put a 9 month baby all the way up to 12 years by changing the seat its an awesome seat cant recommend it enuf mate 160 quid no booster different seats thats it for life

10-2348-01b.jpg
:o.k:


Kontraband said:
Might be a bit of a strange question this but when my wife goes back to work apparently I'm going to have to take the perfectly clean and not at all messy bambinos to school.

So, to that end Im going to need car seats in my car! :sorry:

kids and my cars are like jager with redbull (to ref. a recent thread)

Anyway, I see there is a family pack thing from Audi, but wondered if there are any other S3 owners or A3 with leather owners that have an isofix seat.

What type you got? Is it a pain to move in/out? Do you have anything under it to protect the leather?? I bought a seat protector mat thing (rubber mat) for the missis' car and that seems to have been pretty good at looking after the leather.


So... anyone? What ya got?

TIA
Click to expand...
 
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