Please Help..Child Car Seats!

[TheBteam]

Hi

 

We fly out in just over 2 weeks and am organising car hire this week. We have 4 children ages 9,8,4&2 Currently we are using backless booster seats for the older 2, a highback booster for our 4 year old with the seatbelt and a child stage 1/2 car seat with 5 point harness and has a top tether as can be used with isofix points.

 

Am i right in assuming that we can't use any of them when we arrive and have to buy 4 new seats as they don't have the as nzs mark on them?

 

Its no insignificant cost to replace them all ?

 

Do we definitely have to?

 

Any advice you can offer would be welcome

 

Thanks

Sarah

[snifter]

Legally iirc the 8 and 9 year old don't need to go in them. However if they are on the small side a highback booster would be good to ensure seatbelt fitted corectly.

 

A good safety rated highback booster can be bought on special for $70. A decent 6 months to 4 years will set you back a bit more.

 

Only car seats passed to Aus standards are legal here. Also for safety reasons sit on boosters have been phased out by car seat makers and are not recommended to use (under heavy breaking or impact the seats slide and kids can suffer serious injury across their middle.

 

I'll post back later wirh links to a few good not too expensive car seats that might be ok.

[flossybeth]

http://www.raa.com.au/motoring-and-road-safety/recommended-child-restraints/6-months-to-4-years / http://www.raa.com.au/motoring-and-road-safety/recommended-child-restraints/4-years-to-7-years / http://www.raa.com.au/motoring-and-road-safety/recommended-child-restraints/7-years-and-over

 

This makes good reading and lists some of the better car seats out there. Otherwise your best bet would be somewhere like Target (http://www.target.com.au/c/baby/travel-transport/car-seats/W160175), Big W (https://www.bigw.com.au/baby-and-kids-clothing-accessories/car-seats/c/6111/) or Toy R Us (http://www.toysrus.com.au/car-seats/) - all easy enough to find on arrival; just look for a shopping centre and there'll be at least one of those in there...

 

Given that there have been a fair few discussions on Adelaide driving standards you might well want to think about saving the washing machine money and buying decent car seats

[TheBteam]

Thanks so much ladies this is really helpful

 

Flossybeth, 'going' post-it back on the washer and gets out the vinegar and soda crystals

Edited December 11, 2015 by TheBteam

[snifter]

This is a link to the Hi Pod Boston. Its a 4 and up high back booster. Target has it for this sale price (in this colour) often.

http://www.target.com.au/p/hipod-boston-booster-red-black/51533359

 

FWIW its one of the highest rated in its class and price wise one of the best also.

 

We use it and so does my BIL with his.

 

Be aware they use height markers here as well as weight. If your child hasn't reached the height markers then don't move them up to the next seat or out of the current one.

Edited December 11, 2015 by snifter
typo

[Hughes'Roberts]

I hired my car seat from http://www.adelaidebabyhire.com.au The owner is so helpful & lives 2 mins from the airport. Might be an idea to do this until you arrange permanent ones.

[Adaobijoy]

What area of Adelaide would you be staying on arrival?