VW owners with children

[Lazarus]

Hey All,
Just wanted to ask around. Does anyone have a child seat in their VW? I'm in the market for a seat,I want one that looks cool (well as cool as a car seat can look) and also protects my little girl. The ones i am looking at are the simpson race products and the recaro. i know this is a lot off the VW forum topic but ive looked everywhere , so the forum gets the question. BTW here are the links for anyone intrested http://www.simpsonraceproducts.com/p...4&prod_id=1909

http://www.babyandmeboutique.com/pro...OVMTC=standard

[oasis]

It has been a few years since we had child seats. We found the best way to figure which was best was to give a bunch a trial.

Of the products you posted, there were things I liked about the Simpson Child Car Safety Seat and the Recaro Young Sport. The thing I liked most about the Simpson was that it was certified for aircraft use (with the five-point harness system attached). I also liked its simplicity in design. The thing I liked about the Recaro was the carrying handle. Unless it is a seat that is going to put into one car and it stays there full time, you'd be surprised how important that feature is.

One thing that disturbed me -- and perhaps both companies assume the buyer already knows this -- is that neither mentioned the ability of the seat to be installed with rear-facing option. I can't imagine that either one is incapable of this at their going prices, but it not being mentioned concerned me. (The Simpson being aircraft approved almost has to be by default if memory serves me right.) Both probably have this capabilty and is not a concern.

Both have "sleeping" adjustablity -- a nice plus. The Simpson states it has two positions from which to choose. The Recaro states it has a knob feature which may be easy to use. It doesn't say it has variable positioning (a plus over the Simpson if true) or if it is one sleeping position (a minus if it is true). Neither shows a pic of the sleeping position.

If I were to choose on faith of the pics and description, I'd probably opt for the Simpson. Not only is it a hundred bucks cheaper (and the other things already mentioned), it looks simpler to deal with. My experiences with car seats is some of the ones we looked at in the day had all these fanciful features and adjustablities but when it came time to implementing those features you had to be sure you weren't teaching your child vocabulary best learned in junior high school.

However, I am not one who likes to choose on faith. I am not so quick to give up on the fanciful features out of hand and there is one other major feature the Recaro has in its favor -- removable and machine washable covers. That may be worth $100 right there. If your child is going to "grow into" these seats along the way, you are going to want to do more than Scotch guard, wipe down, and Lysol these things. Sure, they look nice now in their prestine little advertisements but after a few weeks of Gerber's coming out of both ends, you may appreciate your Maytag a little more.

There are other considerations. Do these seats leave permanent marks on your seats? How easy are they to adjust when installed (especially important given the back seat of a Bug isn't the easiest thing to be contorting yourself around)? How easy is it to install and remove? How easy is it to inspect the goings-on back there when you are at a light or for your wife when she is riding shotgun?

The only way to assess these things is to have them. So, my suggestion is to buy both of them. That's right, both of them. (Get the color you want in the Recaro.) Test 'em out. Imagine all of your situations. See how "easy" and "simple" and "adjustable" and the rest-of-it they really are.

Then return the loser. (Make sure they are returnable, and not with some stupid restocking fee.)

Yeah, you will have spent the extra shipping fee for the one you don't keep but it will be worth it over getting one that looks better but is aggravating the crap out of you for the next five or more years.

[zen]

i built mine so that CAN'T be in it. how else is a dad to get alone time?

reality is, i just don't want my kids in one of these things. it is bad enough that i continually take the risk of getting in one living in Atlanta. other drivers are just too damn stupid around here to risk it. this is in NO WAY a judgement on those that choose otherwise. you know me good enough Tony, that i am not passing judgement here but am always one to state an opinion.

that said, nigel puts a car seat in his all of the time, but it is just a regular ole seat that doesn't meet your goals.

yea, i know. no help.

[Lazarus]

zen, any opinion from you is a good and well thought out one. the two who have responded thus far was enough reason to start this thread , as i value your and oasis' thoughts along with a few others on this forum. i should have mentioned this seat will also be used in my truck as well.although lately my GL has been more and more of a dailey driver ( about 150 miles since the week after Christmas, who would have thought) thats right ole Laz is getting some highway action. other than that i attend alot of cruise ins in the summer and would use the seat in the VW for that more than anything. I think the simpson is in the lead right now just due to price and features. thanks guys :agree:

[bshertzer]

i've been wondering how to go about this myself as well. it's going to be several months till she's roadworthy... but one of the things i've wondered about, are rear shoulder belts. my one son is in a highback booster now (over the rated weight for the 5pt harness type seat... and i only have rear lap belts.

have you done anything with your rear belts? or were you just going to use the lap belt to secure the seat, then worry about needing a shoulder belt when your daughter gets older.

the other thing you could do... if you like your current seat, i've thought about having a carseat covered in matching fabric once i get the interior done.... thats a long way off, but maybe not for you.

[Lazarus]

i think i may need to check with the authorities but the lap belt law maybe grandfathered. im just planning on the seat for now then see about getting her up front later on.

[bshertzer]

as far as here, PA, they need to be in the back seat until 12 i think. the rear lapbelts are sufficient to hold the carseat in place, as long as you are using the 5pt harness in the seat. i was referring to adding rear shoulder belts... i know some people have said that the hole is there under the headliner... just a matter of finding a belt, and the hole itself.

your best bet, is to go to a baby store, a toys r us would be pushing it... i'd go to more of a specialty store.. and talk with their installer... i know up here, the state police also do free checks at car dealers from time to time... maybe check with them.