Car seat and beanstalk baby - Page 7

[brigala]

Wow, I can't believe the seat fell apart on you like that!

I read an article recently about counterfeit car seats being sold in Europe. Scary stuff. 

http://www.goodeggcarsafety.com/ukincar/incar/news

The Nania seat looks nice. The important thing is that it fits your child. I'm glad you found a seat that will work for you.

[sondacop]

Yes, first a screw cover fell off, I didn't find where it came from, but I wasn't concerned about it. Then a red loop hole I was supposed to position the car belt through disconnected from the screw fastening it to the car-seat. I immediately took it back to them and asked to cancel my credit card payment and left.

The link you posted is scary!!!! How am I supposed to know if what I bought is genuine? What should I look for that any plastic manufacturer can't fabricate? The sales woman said it was French, but it says Sigma on it, the booklet that came with it says Nania, the booklet has lots of languages in it and the English was okay, but should that really be the sign that the seat is genuine? I did buy it in a respectable store.

The crash test shown in that video has me feeling that the straps should be the original car seat belts and not the car-seat straps. I also feel that the sideways range of motion is a lot bigger than in the previous car-seat. Should I be concerned about this, is there anyway to fasten the seat like the other one (it had an additional loop on the top back, this one goes to the sides and around and downwards.   

[brigala]

I don't know how you tell the difference, unfortunately.  That article is all the information I have on it. It might not hurt to call the manufacturer and ask them if there's any way to tell. The article did mention a few things to look for, such as stickers and making sure the seat came with instructions in English. I guess that's a EU regulation, so if there are no English instructions included it's probably not a real European seat. 

For now, since your little one is so young, if the harness fits I'd recommend using it. The reason the seat in the video fell apart was because it wasn't genuine. As for how to install it using the harness or the car's seat belt, I'm only really familiar with car seat models that are sold in the US so I'd have to say just read the manual very carefully. 

[sondacop]

The booklet had instructions in multiple languages including English. I re-read the instructions and saw that the man that set it up had one of the car belts in the wrong place. After I adjusted it the seat didn't move to the sides as much. I think I now have it right.  

[LaughingHyena]

Nania seems to be a common brand of car seat here in the UK, I've read a few reviews saying that after a while the buckles become very stiff to click into place so that might be something you need to watch out for.

Should I be concerned about this, is there anyway to fasten the seat like the other one (it had an additional loop on the top back, this one goes to the sides and around and downwards.

Tethering car seats doesn't seem to be common over here. I'm not sure about Isofix seats as I've not used one but I've never some across a seat fitted using the cars seat belt that also has a tether.

I read an article recently about counterfeit car seats being sold in Europe. Scary stuff. 

http://www.goodeggcarsafety.com/ukincar/incar/news

I've seen odd bits in the news about counterfeit car seats, all of which seems to have related to infant seats sold with travel systems. I haven;t heard anything about seats for older children like the one in the link above. Scary.

The one going round at the moment seems to be fake bugaboo pushchairs, sold online  under the name Mi wheels, which come with a "car seat" as part of the package.
 

[sondacop]

Thanks for your reassurance, I already find the buckles irritating me, it takes so long to line them up and they don't always click right away. Also opening them can take a few tries. I don't know about the tether, I don't see where it could be fastened to the seat even if I found where to place it on my Toyota.

Counterfeit seats ARE scary!

[blessedwithboys]

No disrespect OP (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong!) but in the pics of your DD in the LBBPB with the 3pt seat belt, I think the lap belt may not be threaded through the seat correctly.  :)

[sondacop]

No offence taken, I am here to learn. What do you think I did wrong? I followed the instructions in the booklet after the person who installed it left it too lose.

[chickabiddy]

We would need to see the manual for the seat to know for sure.  In most US boosters, the shoulder belt should be routed under the armrest on the buckle side.

[sondacop]

It is around the armrest on the buckle side. http://s837.beta.photobucket.com/user/sondacop/media/02112012210.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1#/user/sondacop/media/02112012210.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1&_suid=135531468122809376037449631402

[chickabiddy]

Right, I see that.  Is it supposed to be?  Check the manual.  Most boosters I am familiar with require the shoulderbelt to be *under* the armrest on the buckle side.

[sondacop]

I uploaded the manual here : http://s837.beta.photobucket.com/user/sondacop/media/manu.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0#/user/sondacop/media/manu.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0&_suid=135541876450709588247904877067

I think I have it right.