Baby car seat - Safe N Sound Maxi Rider AHR

Geewhizz on 22/02/2012 - 08:49
Last edited 22/02/2012 - 08:50

15 month old grandson has outgrown every carseat they have at Target and Kmart that is supposed to be suitable for up to age 4 - the shoulder straps are no longer high enough for him.

He is not old enough until he is 4 to go into a booster seat that does not have a built-in 5 point harness, so our options are extremely limited (and bl***y expensive.)

BigW has Cargo booster seat with a built in harness which will give us a little extra height for a couple of years, but at over $300 it's already heading into big money for a seat that's only for Nan's car anyway, so we may as well pay a little more for one that is guaranteed to see him through until he's at least 6. (Must be AHR model please -Adjustable Head Rest- in order to achieve this.)

They sell for around the $500 mark, but are available for RACQ members for $448. I'd really like to get this down a whole lot more if at all possible. It's an aweful lot of money for something that is not going to get daily use.

(I've noticed quite a few for sale on Ebay, but sadly all in Melbourne, with local pickup only, and we're in Qld.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Find Me A Bargain

Comments

  • Geewhizz on 22/02/2012 - 09:42

    Got it down to $407 ($360 + shipping) at babiesonline ….. can anyone find better please? $47 for freight is the killer.

    EDIT

    and $399 with free shipping at babyshopdirect …. slightly better, but still a lot of money

  • Duff5000 on 22/02/2012 - 12:33

    $407? wow!

    we paid something like 250 for the older model.

    How heavy is the child? We have 4 kids now and have found this to be by far the best seat for when they start getting bigger:
    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Vario-max-child-toddler-boost…
    (or one of the various versions)

    If that doesn't suit now I would go something that fits them now then swap to the above later. Should still cost you less I would think and you are covered if/when another baby comes along.

  • Duff5000 on 22/02/2012 - 12:39

    Here you go, birth to 4 years. Half price @ $109.
    http://www.lasoo.com.au/offer/child-safety-seats/infa-secure…

    Swap to the booster when they outgrow it. Saves you about $200
    http://www.lasoo.com.au/offer/high-chairs-boosters/infa-secu…

  • bargainr on 22/02/2012 - 12:48

    I've bought on eBay with local pick up and arranged my own courier to pick it up. So booked, paid for the courier and just send the seller some forms to stick on the item. Might be worth asking the seller before you rule it out.

  • Geewhizz on 22/02/2012 - 12:57

    Thanks Duff5000 - that first seat is not tall enough for him though. The problem we're having is that on the vast majority the top shoulder strap adjustment is 45 cm or less from the top of the seat, and he is now too tall for that to fit him. He easily falls within the recommended weight range for the majority of them at 13.5 kg, but the harness does not fit him safely.

    As I've mentioned, anything with built in harness, which he has to have for close on the next 3 years by law, is over $300

    Bargainr, can you recommend a courier company please? I'd literally be drawing them out of a hat and have no idea of those that are shoddy.

  • Geewhizz on 22/02/2012 - 13:48

    Thanks again Duff5000 It would sure help if there was a toysRus closer than a 3 hour drive away, just to double check them.

  • scozbargain on 22/02/2012 - 21:21

    What does your grandson use in home car?
    I think you will find that many of the "up to 4 years" seats will fit your grandson for a bit yet. I have a tall toddler at almost 100cms and 14kg who still fits with a bit of growing room.

    the Qld rules state:

    If your child is too large to fit into a child restraint specified for your child's age, your child may move into the next level of restraint. A child is too tall for a booster seat when the level of the child’s eyes is above the level of the back of the booster seat.

    • Geewhizz on 23/02/2012 - 06:44

      Ah, he doesn't have a home car. He can't move up to the next level of restraint because the more expensive models will fit him, for quite some time. I'm simply trying to find one of those as inexpensively as possible.

  • Taita on 23/02/2012 - 10:16

    Hope u find something suitable soon.

    Just want to share my experience ….

    my younger son was always very tall and big and heavey for his age. Initially he had the Safe n sound
    Convertible Compact Deluxe (recommended till 18kg, about 4years old). But the shoulder straps height became unsuitable for him when he was barely 2years plus he was really big to fit comfortably in it. So we had to moved him to Infa Vario Kid Booster (recommended 14kg-26kg, about 4 - 7 years old). But as he was too young, we used the booster with a Safe n Sound Protecta Harness (suitable 14kg-32kg) (the infa vario had builtin slots in the adjustable headrest for the harness).

    And when he was about 3 and a half, he was already 27kg (though he still sat comfortably in the booster thanks to the height adjustable headrest) but he was not tall enough to sit in a normal seatbelt. I called quite a few places about what to do. in the end RTA gave me the number of some company that looks after restraints requirements for disabled. They were very helpful. told me that all seats are tested to almost 32kg but australian standards only requires them to specify till 27-28kg. He told me to continue using the existing booster with the harness as long as comfortably possible for the child and after that use the harness without the booster till he reaches a height when the car seatbelt fits him ok.

    My son is now 5, he still uses the booster+harness in the Jeep, but uses only the harness in the sedan(he is now 33kg :/ I think in another 3-4 months, he will be able to sit comfortably in both cars with just the seatbelt.

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