Luckily mine is not a fat baby...

Anyway we went for rear until she started complaining due to the lack of view... so we shifted to forward facing when she was around 12~18 months.

My son screams the whole drive. I still have him rear facing. Better for my child to cry than for me to cry.

I switched my daughter from front facing to rear facing coz change other car seats brands. Initially she cried, but my wife sat behind to accompany her and brought some plush toys and books for her. Currently she doesnt make a fuss even without anyone sitting behind. I even bought a used britax rear mirror to monitor whether she got bully her young sis or not, lol..

This post has been edited by lil_flank: Aug 5 2016, 07:38 PM

Hi guys, hope this post is appropriate here....
Been looking for a good car seat, and considering the Graco 4Ever. I read in their manual that they suggest ISOFIX/LATCH until 40 pounds only, beyond which they recommend seat belt installation.

Tried both my cars (Peugeot 407 2010, Ford Fiesta 2013) rear seats seem to have ELR type belts (can't lock manually). Should I get locking clips or look for other car seats with built in lock - offs?

Thanks in advance!

Seems like you have done some homework

Most people in Malaysia install their car seat incorrectly due to not reading the handling manual and identifying the type of seat belt retractor
Most of our cars in Malaysia comes with an ELR type belts unlike in the US which uses ALR type belts.
Most of the major US child car seat manufacturer such as Graco, Diono etc. cater for ALR type belts however they do include a locking clip.

For those planning to secure child car seat with ELR type belts:
1st Method: Buy and use child car seat that have built-in lock-offs
Pros:
-Not difficult to install child car seat
-Save width space compare to securing using Latch/ISOFIX
2nd Method: Use locking clip/lock-off clips for those child car seat that does not come with built-in lock-offs (Please check the child car seat manual 1st)
Pros:
-Save width space compare to securing using Latch/ISOFIX
Cons:
-Quite difficult to install locking clip

For those planning to secure child car seat with Lap belts:
- You do not need to use locking clip/lock-off clips
Pros:
-Not difficult to install child car seat
-Save width space compare to securing using Latch/ISOFIX

For those planning to secure child car seat with Latch/ISOFIX:
- You do not need to use locking clip/lock-off clips
Pros:
-Very easy to install child car seat
Cons:
-Weight limitation from child car seat and car anchor points
-Use more width space compared to using car seat belts
-No car anchor points in the middle rear seat for most cars


Graco 4ever is a very good child car seat due to it can cater for 4lbs to 120lbs and have good side impact protection.
However do take into consideration:
1) It is not cheap (around RM1800)
2) Child car seat cannot be used again if involve in car accident
3) Width of child car seat is abit wide
4) Locking clip is included for Graco 4ever. For ELR type belts, it may be a abit tedious to install the child car seat and locking clip.

So what is your needs and top priority?
Eg. Easy to install/Easy to move from car to car/narrow width/safest car seat/good side imapact protection/max weight for rear facing/All-in-1/budget car seat

With these information, it would be easier to recommend you

Thanks for the reply!

Well, for me, the main concern is safety with good crash test ratings (including side impact protection). Extended rear facing would be a plus point. In terms of budget, less than 2K would be okay. The 4Ever sounds like the perfect seat for me, but I'm just a bit worried about installing the locking clip wrong.
Have you had any experience with locking clips and are they reliable?
This would be my second car seat. My kid's (8 month old) been riding around in a Recaro Performance Ride which I'm very happy with (and I think has a built in seat belt lock - off for front facing). The only thing stopping me from just buying another is that whole fiasco with the top tether recall.

Thanks in advance! Really appreciate all the advice I can get

My priority were narrow width and max weight of rear facing. So I bought two Diono Radian R120 and installed in my Honda City 2014 (Rear middle and rear left seat). I can still fit an adult at the rear seat. For your information, Diono Radian R120 does not come with built-in lock-offs so i am currently using the locking clip that comes with it. Actually installing the locking clip is not that hard. It is just abit tedious compare to using Latch/ISOFIX and child car seat with built-in lock offs.

How to install Locking Clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7YTlwh3Mos

Normally I will leave on the locking clip on the car seat belt if i temporary take out the child car seat. Whether the locking clip is reliable or not, I think it should be safe if we are using the locking clip that is included by the child car seat and it is stated in the Manual. Most important is after installing the child car seat, it cannot move more than 1 inch front to back and side to side.

Graco 4ever is a very good and safe car seat. It can rear face till 40lbs. Rear facing is 5 times safer compare to forward facing. But like i mention, child car seat cannot use again if involve in any car accident. So even if this car seat can last 10 years, can we be sure not to involve in any car accidents for 10 years? So some people prefer to buy Convertible Car Seat instead of All-in-1 car seat due to it is cheaper. Try to imagine someone just bought the Graco 4ever and he got involve in a car accident. He need to throw away this expensive child car seat and buy another expensive Graco 4ever. So buying a convertible car seat and backless booster seat would seem like a better option.

You may consider Graco Extend2Fit™ Convertible Car Seat as it can rear face till 50lbs. It have most of the features that Graco 4ever have. But if the price of the Graco Extend2Fit is almost the same as Graco 4ever, I think it is better to buy Graco 4ever

Which child car seat are you referring to regarding the top tether recall? Graco 4ever or Recaro Performance ride?
If you are referring to Graco 4ever, do check which manufacturing date is affected. Normally Graco child car seats will stated the manufacturing date on the car seats. I think it should be safe if your Graco child car seat's manufacturing date is not within the recall affected date.

This post has been edited by lil_flank: Aug 22 2016, 08:25 AM

Thanks for the video link! Feel a bit more confident using locking clips now. The top tether recall I was referring to was the Recaro Performance Ride

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/st...ride-child-seat

Thanks again for the info. Think I will go for the 4Ever after all (bottom line, wife likes it! )

You are welcome! I saw the Graco 4Ever was sold for Rm1790 in the recent Baby Expo in Midvalley.

Hi I am looking for convertible car seat for my 2 month old. My choice narrow down to,

Maxi Cosi Pria 70
Maxi Cosi Vello65
Graco Size4Me

My car is Vios 2010. Any comment on the size of the carset can well fit into Vios. By the way, does the models above include for locking clip? If no where can I get it from.

Thanks

Don't the clips come with the baby seats?
I might have a couple in the store room. Let you know if I find them. But clips are usually included if they don't have built in locks.

my baby will cry each time put it in the car seat , stop crying when his mama take him out , lol

bring some toys and some other things to distract ur baby, and make those toys only available in the car. means that ur baby can only play those toys in the car while sitting in the car seat. Make the toy "exclusive", and he/she will appreciate it whenever sitting on the car seat. However, it does not work on babies that are too young to play...

hi guys,
to seek for opinion.
which one better for joie every stage convertible car seat vs joie stages convertible car seat?
kind of confuse with the name but just dont know which is good?

any recommend? is joie good brand?

hi, i am using a joie stages car seat for my elder boy for almost 1 year.
the difference between stages and every stage is that every stage can be used up to 12 years old while stages only up to 7 years old.

my son is 2 yrs old now, will have backache if sitting in the stages for 2 hours straight. Added some padding to the seat and so far ok for 2 different trips of straight 2.5 hours.

the only thing i don't like it at this moment is the padding on the strap cannot be removed for washing purpose.

The stages is quite big, and i think the every stage might be slightly bigger.

Depends on you if you need a car seat to fit up to 12 years old or not.

How much difference in terms of pricing between this 2 models?

You can read the differences here
http://www.madeformums.com/reviews/car-sea...-seat/1926.html

And more about stages here
http://www.madeformums.com/reviews/car-sea...tages/1805.html

Thanks for the reply.
Yea..i am actually wana buy it and start to use from newborn till 7-8 years old.
the cost different is about rm200-300.

so far, except the padding what else do you think it is not that good?
i find that it is actually doesn't have isofix, does it mean anything?

Thanks.

Thanks for your help.
Yup, i review it and manage to find this comparison as well..
Just i hope that some members here who has experience or used it before can help to provide some comment.

actually it is quite headache also to choose the right and comfortable car seat and within rm1k budget.

Koopers Flamenco seems to be hot to sit in, the padding is not mesh type i think...
Anyway, it looks similar to stages and every stage.

If you were to choose stages, do take note of the production date.. the stages has different batch... it is in the market for many years. earlier years stages has some problem, i had forgotten whats the problem dy, maybe u can search for it online.

I haven't tested an ISOFIX car seat before, but what i know is that ISOFIX car seat will be bigger. I had no problem using car seat without ISOFIX, just make sure it is properly installed and fitted to the car.

Btw, i am using it in my company car Almera, so i am taking in and out very often. Legroom of the car is quite important as it looks cramped if I fix it in my wife's Proton Savvy. It looks comfy in the Almera even when the front passenger seat is not pulled furthest away from the backseat.

Hi! Wanna seek recommendations, will it be better to use an infant seat before upgrading to convertible once toddler reaches the max weight or height set out by the infant seat requirement? I thought of getting a stroller travel system with infant seat at this juncture but would like to have more views from everyone