ISOFIX child seats fnally legal... (in 2013)

[fatz]

The old crash lab at the rms has tested a heap of the child seat and the top rated Australian approved ones are better than the isofix ones in all crash tests

That's why when they are approved you will be forced to use the top teather .

Isofix is only better if you are retarded and can't install a ausi approved one

They also weight approximately 20 kegs more so relocation to second car is a shitkunt

Safety over convenience? I'll take the safer one thanks

[10sec rx7]

Ok didn't realize they were heavy and shit... I'll get another hipod senator for my car

[T99]

My Recaro child seats weigh well under 10kg actually. And even if they are isofix/latch, they can still be installed using the standard 3 point belt if so required. One of the things I noted with the isofix mounts is that the locate the seat a smidgin further inboard in the car, allowing the curtain airbags that little bit more room to operate. Downside is that unless the car is very wide, they only have two mounts.

[smellytofu]

Ok didn't realize they were heavy and shit... I'll get another hipod senator for my car

Mine is nowhere near 20kg (or 10). I'll show you on one of the Tues pain train you're around (remind me to drive the car with the ISOFIX in it).

ISOFIX doesn't require a $50 installer for Mr and Mrs Average-don't-give-a-shit-about-cars that takes 10 minutes to get the Australian one in right. Each to their own but at least people are given a choice rather than herded into a sense of security by some bureaucrat pen pusher. If we had some rule maker testing out a particular thing is more dangerous than another and therefore deem not fit for use, then we wouldn't have incompetent/road raging drivers on the road nor have 2 star rated vehicles allowed on the road.

[redbucket]

Main reason I want isofix to be legal here is so I can get a seat that is rated to rear-face much longer than the aussie seats. Quite a few countires overseas it is common to rearface until 3/4yo. If you want your young kid to be safest, you need them rear facing as long as possible. This isn't possible in any seat on the market in Aus at the moment (max is 12kg).

[fatz]

redbucket i agree the isofix is better for rear facing longer

old mate that does the crash testing also said that he kept his kids rear faceing until it want possible anymore (due to size) because its alot more safer

i grilled him about everything about 6 months ago and found out some very ineresting info on the isofix systems and teh approval processes

[Setanta]

fatz: Since when did Isofix weigh 20 kilos more? I'm calling BS on that.

Having had to fit Aussie designed seats for my kids over 20 years, they are a prick to get right and take much swearing and cursing. Quite often I have to redo mine to get them spot on.

The tests you refer to: was their purpose to prove the Aussie system was better? Was it using the Isofix system that includes the top tether (which is not the fitting issue, the fitting issue is the seatbelt). Was it using the Isofix option to use the seatbelt as well? Did the tests examine how many people get it wrong and how dangerous it is when they get it wrong - compared to Isofix which is bloody hard to get wrong? How did the top-rated Isofix seats go compared to the non-top rated Au seats (I buy top of the line - but I know a lot of people that buy cheapies)? How did the top rated Isofix compare to the top rated non-Isofix? What was the issue that downgraded the Isofix?

[fatz]

they weigh more due to the additional ridgidity that is required as part of the design, 20kg is probably the worst case but they weigh more seat for seat which when swapping seats is a fucker especially for the ladies

test were done with top of the line both seats (installed correctly), isofix didnt score as well ( they still scored well just not as well)

if i bump into old mate again ill ask specifics but it wont be for a while.

there are advantage of having a seat install itself though as you cant fark it up, i paid 10 bux in the mountains to have two ladies come out and check my install (subsidised by the government and council)

[Setanta]

10 bucks is great - but the usual fee is $50 and that's shit. We ended buying up a second seat so that I have one in the E30 and one in nopix's Civic. Interestingly the E30 has the seat mounted using the centre lap belt and even then it's a prick to set so that it doesn't move. even putting all 80 kilos of weight on it and straining to lock the belt is a pain. Moving it to the ITR's side lap/sash is worse even with the clasp to lock the belt in place.

The youngest has almost out-grown the car seat (she's tall at 4yo and the seats that were supposed to last until she was 6 isn't going to make it) and I'm dreading putting a booster seat in - haven't looked into it yet and there's 12 years between her and the next oldest child, so I'm out of touch with what's used now. Part of me is relieved as none of our cars have iso built in, but part of me is worried about boosters as I remember they used to slip and slide everywhere.